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The newspaper of the Dioceses of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Qu’Appelle • A Section of the Anglican Journal • March 2012
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anglican
Former Sask. Anglican editor passes away By staff of the Anglican Journal and Saskatchewan Anglican SASKATOON – Gwendolyn Elizabeth Gresham, a former editor of the Saskatchewan Anglican diocesan newspaper, died of cancer on Dec. 2, 2011, in Saskatoon. She was 49 years old. Gresham became the associate editor for the Diocese of Qu’Appelle in early 2001. She was managing editor of the newspaper from March 2002 until April 2005. “Gwendolyn was very proud of what she did at the Saskatchewan Anglican,” said her husband, retired archdeacon Richard Spencer, mentioning she oversaw a redesign of the paper. Her chief passions were writing and photography, while she worked in oceanography, journalism and documentary film-making, including the DVD series Canada Remembers, which honours veterans. Born in Victoria in 1962, Gresham earned a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Regina and a Diploma in Journalism from Camosun College in Victoria. Her faith was an essential part of her life. Hospitalized for much of her early childhood, Gresham said suffering taught her compassion. She had a strong sense of social justice, sought to see Christ in others and to be a healing presence. She was drawn to Africa, travelled extensively there and believed its people had much to teach the rest of the world. She is survived by her husband, Richard Spencer; parents, Ray and Mary Gresham of Victoria, B.C.; brother, John and sister-in-law Tamara Holdal, of Sardis, B.C.; and their children, Rosemarie, Gabriel and Maya.
This historical photo from the 1930s shows Bishop Malcolm Harding, the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Qu’Appelle, visiting the George Gordon First Nation’s School Residence. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission passed through Regina in January, collecting stories from Aboriginal peoples who had been students of the Indian Residential Schools. Photo contributed by Rev. Dale Gillman
Please take our Moving toward healing and survey! reconciliation together
Rev. Dale Gillman GEORGE GORDON FIRST NATION (Qu’A) – The Truth and Reconciliation Commission will host a national event in Saskatoon in June 2012. We are expecting more than 20,000 people to attend this event. It is estimated there are between 18,000 and 23,000 former students of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan today. Former students will share their stories and the ‘witnesses’ will collect them for documentation. These stories will become part of Canada’s history in the future. I spoke to a friend of mine and he gave me permission to share the following, along with comments from Diocesan Elder Rev. Arthur Anderson and myself. Eddie Bitternose is from Gordon First Nation. He was one of nine band members who attended a recent Truth and Reconciliation meeting in Regina.
Some were former students and some were third generation members. I asked Eddie why it was important for him to attend the gathering. He replied, “It gave students an opportunity to talk to the Commissioners at a personal level.” He explained to me that talking to people who represented the government was important to him because it gave ‘face’ to this entity. It put skin and bones on an otherwise faceless existence or being. Eddie’s comments “A child found is a parent left behind” is a phrase taken from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission statements. Eddie is concerned about this phrase because reconciliation must be inclusive. He said, “It’s not about anyone being left behind, it’s about all parties being at the table to move forward with healing and reconciliation together.” He told
me his parents were threatened with disenfranchisement if they did not send their children to Residential School. Residential School destroyed his relationship with his parents. Dale’s comments “My mother went to an Indian Residential School in 1926 and left when she was 16. There was no option to remain at home with your parents. When Mom went to school the children were allowed home one day a year - Christmas day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Mom told me they went to class only half a day. The rest of the day they worked in the sewing room, the laundry, kitchen, barn and henhouse, feeding the pigs, working in the gardens or wherever there was work to be done. Mom knew how to cook, clean and do housework; however it would be decades before she knew how to love and nurture her children.” (Contined on page 4)
Tell us what you think Do you love the Saskatchewan Anglican newspaper but use the Anglican Journal to line your cat’s litter box? Do you enjoy what you read in this diocesan newspaper? This is your chance to tell us what you think! Please take 10 minutes to fill out the readership survey contained within the Journal on pages 8 and 9 and return it in the envelopes provided. Or you can submit your feedback online at www.anglicanjournal.com. This survey is important for those who contribute to the Saskatchewan Anglican newspaper. Please tell us how well we serve you and how we can improve.