The Diocese of Gaylord recently hosted a daylong conference, “Walking the Red Road: Overcoming Obstacles on the Path”. The stated goals of this conference centered around encouraging “Native Americans and Non-Natives to unite together to honor the rich traditions of Anishinaabe spirituality, learn of the power of unconditional love, explore how to grow in Catholic faith and build a path forward. ”
Included in this conference was a talk titled “Seven Grandfather Teachings and the Connection to Faith”. This brought concerns to a Gaylord Diocesan Watch reader. This concern is valid for any practicing Catholic, as the Seven Grandfather teachings originate in American Indian pagan religious practice.
There are many explanations of the Seven Grandfather Teachings that can be accessed on the internet, but more than one focuses on the following story, namely, that mythical 7 Grandfathers (spirits) gave a boy seven pearls of wisdom that are universal for living a good life. The Saginaw Band of Chippewa Indians has listed them (https://www.sagchip.org/ziibiwing/aboutus/pdf/7Grandfathers.pdf) and each is explained in the context of Mother Earth. These seven principles are as follows:
Wisdom
Love
Respect
Honesty
Humility
Truth
Bravery
This sounds reasonable, and even honorable, until the origins of this are further revealed. These principles assume and “originate” from a source other than a unitary God who has established a Church which teaches these truths in light of the reality of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, what is left out in the 7 Grandfathers teachings is an acknowledgement of the supremacy of a Triune God working through his Church to bring truth to the world.
But this is not the only problem with the Diocese and its attempts to “recognize” other cultures. At other Diocesan events, the ritual of “smudging” is sometimes used. This ritual is described as follows (excerpt taken from the following website: https://nawapo.com/2023/11/01/smudging-is-an-ancient-spiritual-practice-deeply-rooted-in-many-indigenous-cultures/ )
“The Importance of Smudging: For the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe and many other Native American tribes, smudging is an essential aspect of their spiritual practice. It is believed that the smoke from the burning herbs helps to dispel negative energy and to create a sacred space for prayer, meditation, and other spiritual activities. The ritual is often performed at the beginning of ceremonies, gatherings, or even at the start of each day to set a positive tone and to invite positive energy.”
Once again, parts of this ritual seem to mistakenly represent the incensing of the altar done during Mass. Although it may seem to have some spiritual connection similar to the Catholic use of incense, a further analysis finds this to be yet another turning to a pagan, ie, non-Christian, form of worship.
Taken together, these practices can be construed as non-Catholic, non-Christian, and potentially detrimental to proper spiritual development. Some would argue that these practices are merely forms of worship that produce some type of “bridge” across cultures. These arguments have been made at numerous times, especially among missionaries who want to respect the cultures they are trying to convert and yet bring these cultures to the full truth of Christianity.
But this is not where the Diocese of Gaylord is. These events should not be trying to uphold pagan practices but bring souls closer to Christ in the context of an established Diocese with established parishes. Respecting Native American culture is honorable; promoting pagan cultures that can lead souls away from the Church is not.