Opening New Pathways
Rev. François Paradis
Pictured left: Rev. François Paradis receiving the 2024 St. Philip Neri Award from Archbishop Francis Leo of Toronto
“My life will forever change by this workshop. I was wounded and my life was shattered to pieces. Now I can make things right for myself, family and the community that I work for.” (Celina Potts, Glenevis, AB).
“Having heart-to-heart conversations with different First Nations members was for me both powerful and humbling. RTS helped me to name the areas in my life that kept me stuck and gave me the tools I needed to move forward.” (Susan Campbell, Cochrane, AB)a
These women, one Indigenous and the other not, are among the hundreds of Canadians whose lives are being liberated and blessed by the reconciliation ministry of Fr. Francois Paradis, OMI. For over 15 years, he has been co-leading seminars that bridge divides between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. These Returning to Spirit seminars break down reconciliation into small but impactful steps through workshops that promote personal awareness and development through dialogue and understanding.
How did this Oblate missionary come to lead such an innovative, and impactful program across Canada? The answer lies in his faithfulness to a life-long calling to help restore the dignity of the downtrodden and wounded in society and guide them to know Christ, the great healer.
The sixth of 7 children, Francois grew up in a faith-filled Catholic family in Dunrea, MB, a small village of people of French-Canadian and Scottish origins. The Paradis home was located across from the church, where he began each day as the altar server at Mass. Having an uncle and older brother as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he grew up with admiration for their ministry and was drawn to follow their example.
Following his education at the Oblate Juniorate College in St. Boniface, he entered the Oblate novitiate in 1966 and then studied theology at the University of St. Paul in Ottawa until 1972. During this formation, the following influences drew him to engage in a healing ministry among the poor. First was a directive from the Order’s founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod, who said, “We must lead (people) to act like human beings first of all and then like Christians and finally we must help them to become saints.” This became the guiding light for his life and ministry. Another was his experience of living in Hull, Que. and working with Fr. Roger Poirier, OMI, who inspired Francois with his strong sense of respect for every person and his ability to empower the poor to stand up for their rights. Lastly was his participation in a Spirit-filled charismatic prayer group that ignited his interest in healing the broken and marginalized.
Ordained to priesthood in 1972, Fr. Francois became aware of the impact of Residential Schools as he ministered for 7 years among the Ojibwa people in Camperville, MB. Here he began to open new pathways as he created prayer groups with parents preparing for the baptism of their children. Using the book, Renewal in Faith, he introduced them to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, thanks to Sr. Ida Spence, a Missionary Oblate, who interpreted the book into Ojibwa for some elders and taught Fr. Francois to speak the language.
Seeing an eagle, an elder viewed it as a symbol of the newness he was bringing to the community. Inspired by his capacity to open new pathways, she bestowed upon Fr. Francois the spirit-name of Whitehead Eagle Flying from the East. After completing an MA in mission studies, he ministered among the Ojibwa at Ft. Alexander (Sagkeeng) and surrounding First Nations communities for 17 years and then spent 4 years as pastor of Kateri Tekakwitha Aboriginal Parish in Winnipeg.
In order to grow in First Nations spirituality, Fr. Francois participated in countless sweat lodges, Sundances, 80-hour fasts, Eagle Wing healing and pipe ceremonies. Being further drawn by the Spirit to open new pathways of inter-religious dialogue with First Nations spirituality, in 2004 he took part in a Returning to Spirit (RTS) seminar created by Marc Pizandawatc, an Algonquin from Kitiganzibi First Nation, and Ann Thompson, a Sister of St. Anne from BC.
RTS is a non-profit healing and reconciliation initiative which organizes separate workshops for Indigenous people, including former Residential School students, and non-Indigenous people, including priests, Brothers and Sisters who worked in the schools. These are followed by a joint workshop with both groups. Its focus is on personal transformation and empowerment for reconciliation. Through the initiative of the Most Rev. Denis Croteau, OMI, then Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, the process was adopted and expanded in other dioceses.
“Reconciliation is the gift that I have been called to share,” stated Fr. Francois. Since his certification as an RTS trainer in 2007, he has been on the non-Indigenous training team, delivering over 100 workshops across Canada.
The foundational 4-day workshop called Roots of Reconciliation is essential to the RTS model. The insights developed here create space for participants to discover how previously held behaviours, judgments or perceptions have kept them stuck in a disempowering story. A 5-day workshop called Advancing Reconciliation invites alumni to deepen their understanding of reconciliation. Unique to RTS, participants experience reconciliation through restorative, face-to-face conversations with others, empowering them to create reconciliation on a community scale.
Susan Campbell stated that every day she uses RTS practices such as completions (saying things without blame), listening to another’s point of view without judgment, and looking for possibilities instead of obstacles. An Indigenous participant declared, “This workshop has saved my life.” Upon completing the program, one Sister said, “Now I’ll be able to die in peace.”
Today, at age 77, Fr. Paradis continues to open new pathways of healing and reconciliation among many who have been hurt by the colonization of Canada. “Beyond reconciliation,” he said, “I am very interested that a new partnership of equals be developed between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.”
With lifelong passion, he continues to follow his guiding star “to lead (people) to act like human beings first of all and then like Christians and finally to help them become saints.”
By Sr. Teresita Kambeitz, OSU
Published on the Catholic Missions in Canada website
