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Inspired by the vision of Vatican II, the Jesuits
decided to encourage Native people to direct their own Church. In 1972
Michael Murray sj, Dan Hannin sj, James Farrell sj,
and Lawrence Kroker sj
began a training programme for the Deaconate.
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Supported completely by
Bishop Alexander Carter, a Vatican
II Council Father, the native Deaconate Programme started with a
resource team moving from village to village once a month for
weekend workshops. Sisters Patricia Hassett
csj and Dorothy Regan csj were
key support members of the team. These sessions covered Scripture,
theology and the pastoral practice of ministry. This itinerant
leadership programme functioned from 1972-1979 but distances and
fatigue called for a change. It was time for a place, a location. |
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Fr. Bill Ryan, Jesuit Provincial at
the time, fully affirmed the development of the Centre. Through
a process of discernment, the Native Peoples Apostolate was
chosen for an endowment of $100,000. In addition Fr. Bill was
instrumental in persuading Bishops Carter (Sault Ste. Marie),
Despatie (Hearst) and O’Mara (Thunder Bay) to support the
establishment of the Centre. Fr. Ryan and Fr. Murray met all
three and were promised $25.000. from each Diocese. |
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After exploring various sites, a former resort property
was purchased at Anderson Lake, just south of Espanola, Ontario. Fr.
Mike Murray, working with master log and timber-frame builder
Paul MacNab, spearheaded the task of constructing the present-day
buildings. Lawrence Andrews of the Whitefish River First Nation
did the stonework. White pine were cut a few miles down the
highway at Lang Lake where the Knights of Columbus had operated a Summer
Camp. The Centre had its own sawmill which Fr. Kroker and Henry Andrews
operated. Volunteer labour came from the villages, sometimes families
on building bees. The main building was completed in 1984 with the
construction of the Chapel wing. Some of the small original cottages
were demolished, others renovated. Other new cottages were built.
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Henry Andrews,
the Centre’s jack-of-all-trades handyman, working at carpentry,
plastering, plumbing, maintenance, yardwork, snow-plowing… He
has worked for the Centre right from the beginning. He
operated the sawmill and assisted in the log and timber-frame
construction. At the age of 65 he decided to retire. But
then Fr. Murray asked him to come back. He did, but then
retired again. And Sister Dorothy asked him to come back.
In 2005 he retired again... seriously! R.I.P. 18 March '09
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Early November 2005
Marcella and
Norman Jones
retire. Marcella
joined the Centre
Staff for
Housekeeping on
January 7, 2000 and
Norman for
Groundskeeping on
June 8, 2000. Their
cheerful service has
been very much
appreciated. |
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Fr. Carl Starklof sj animated the
monthly Ministries weekends for some eighteen years, coming from
Toronto’s Regis College where he was a Professor. He accepted
remuneration for only his expenses. |
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The
original programme was for the training of Deacons. Their wives,
who did the same programme, Bishop Carter mandated as DOW’s,
Diocesan Order of Women. Gradually the formation broadened into the
Ministries Programme, and today Bishop
Jean-Louis Plouffe mandates both men and women to the
Diocesan Order of Service. |
Capital and Operating funds for the
project have come from a number of sources. At the time of the land
purchase, Fr. Farrell was the Jesuit Mission Superior. He directed
charitable donations to the Centre and also did fundraising specifically for
this purpose. The Bishops have been generous. Catholic Church
Extension (now Catholic Missions in Canada) has been supportive through the
years with both grants and loans. Governments have given grants for log
and timber-frame training by Paul MacNab… and buildings got built.
There have also been government grants for ‘make work’ projects. The
Centre itself has held fundraising events.
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Bishop Carter
officially opened and blessed the Centre in June 1985.
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The Directors have been Fr. Mike Murray (1980-'85,
’90-’97), Fr. George Leach sj (1985-’89), Fr. Bernard Carroll sj (1989-’90),
Sister Dorothy Regan csj (l997-2001), Fr. Robert Folliot (2001-2006).
The Centre is named WASSEAN-DIMI-KANING (The Place of
Enlightening) by the Native People.
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