As part of the festivities to celebrate Chelsea’s 150th anniversary, members of the public were invited to take a turn ringing the bell at St Mary Magdalene on June 7, 2025. The original SMM Church was built in 1875, the same year that Chelsea was founded. Longtime resident and member of SMM Church, Irene “Renie” Nielsen, who turned 90 in 2025, was the first to ring the bell.  Photo: Marian McGrath

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The dinner was a “take-out” meal from the Blue Nile Restaurant in Ottawa. Tsedey Kassa, the owner of the Blue Nile Restaurant, offered both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. She filled 36 orders that included such specialities as Doro Wat (chicken with berbere sauce), Alicha Wot (a beef stew), Michet wot (winced meat with berbere sauce ), Yater Kik ( split pea stew), Yemisir wot (spiced red lentils), and Shuro Wot (chick pea stew). 

The meals were accompanied with injera, a staple of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine that is a sourdough flat-bread made from teff flour. Unlike potatoes or rice, injera has the distinction of being a staple that can be used as both a plate and a utensil. Misgana and Merhawi Haile, originally from Eritrea, joined us on Zoom to demonstrate how to use pieces of the injera to scoop up our meals into our mouths with our fingers, rather than use a knife and a fork. Tsedey Kassa also joined us wearing a beautiful traditional Ethiopian dress. We raved to her about her delicious cooking and thanked her for all her hard work.  

After the meal, Canon Kwari, who is the Rector of St Stephen’s Church in Ottawa, spoke to us about the importance of Black History Month. As someone originally from Zimbabwe, he described his experience of being new to a rural community near Ottawa. In response to an incident incited by one of his neighbours that clearly smacked of racism, Canon Kwari described his struggle with the Gospel of Matthew 22:39: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Through prayer and God’s grace, he overcame the incident and his neighbours rallied around him. He told us how happy he and his family are living in their neighbourhood, and that their children have many friends and enjoy sleep-overs at each other’s homes.

The Rev. Canon Kevin Flynn, the incumbent for the Parish of Chelsea, Lascelles and Wakefield, highlighted the key message of Canon Kwari’s story: “Canon Kwari reminded us that God gives us our neighbours. He spoke personally from his own experience of how difficult it can be to love one’s neighbour when that person has judged you negatively on the basis of the colour of your skin.”

Canon Kwari’s message for Black History Month is that everyone, near and far, is our neighbour, and that Black History Month is not just to be celebrated in February but forever.

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On July 18, 2021 Bishop Shane Parker and Albert Dumont, Algonquin Elder from Kitigan Zibi and Indigenous Advisor to the Bishop, blessed the trail that was under construction at the time.  Following the blessing of the trail, Elder Dumont proposed the Algonquin Anishinabeg  name, Nakweyamàdiwin Mikàns, as an act of reconciliation.

The name means “friendship trail/ sentier de l’amitié”.

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On July 18, the Rev. Cathy Davis, Interim-Priest-in-Charge, and the members of St Mary Magdalene (SMM) Church in Chelsea, Quebec, welcomed Bishop Shane Parker and Albert Dumont, Elder and Algonquin advisor to the Bishop, to celebrate the Feast of St Mary Magdalene and to bless a new community path located on the church’s land.  

In 2018, the Municipality of Chelsea, Quartier Meredith, a new housing development behind the church, and Sentiers Chelsea Trails approached SMM church with the idea of building a multi-purpose, publicly accessible community trail across the church land that would link Quartier Meredith with Route 105   and the network of community trails in Chelsea. The Municipality is committed to promoting recreational and active transportation through walking, running and cycling, and skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. 

At the annual Vestry meeting in 2020, days before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, members of SMM decided to practice their commitment to being a welcoming Christian community open to the needs of their Chelsea neighbours. A negotiating team comprised of Barbara Gagné, Mary Trafford and myself [Marian McGrath], was given the mandate to negotiate the terms and conditions for the construction of the path. The pandemic presented challenges.  With the unwavering support of diocesan Chancellor Henry Schultz and the professional advice of Megan Throop, the notary representing SMM, a long-term lease with the Municipality was concluded in April.  On May 19, Bishop Shane authorized the signing of the lease. Construction started shortly thereafter.

Throughout the negotiations, the SMM negotiating team was very mindful that the path would be constructed on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg, and invited Albert Dumont to bless the trail on the occasion of the Bishop’s pastoral visit.

In his pastoral message, Bishop Shane spoke about the life of Mary Magdalene and some of the myths and misconceptions associated with her persona. Bishop Shane encouraged everyone to be like Saint Mary Magdalene, “the Apostle to the Apostles” and the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus, who did not flinch or flee, and who did not abandon hope and love. He referred to the many crosses and tombs that try to destroy love and hope, including Residential Schools. In closing, Bishop Shane said: “We must not abandon or deny the power of love as it is revealed to us in the presence of Jesus, and in creation and through the lives of people who walk in the way of love.”

Prior to smudging the path, Albert Dumont shared his reflection, stating, “I would walk on it in a state of meditation with the Spirit.”  He spoke about the trail of life and the trauma and unresolved grief in Indigenous communities, and remarked, “We need to care about human beings wherever they are.”  He expressed his hope that the path would be a healing place, a place to stop and to meditate, and a place for the people to think how they could make themselves a better human being.

Bishop Shane and Albert Dumont walked the length of path together, while Bishop Shane prayed and Albert Dumont smudged.  After their walk, all gathered to join in the smudging. With the relaxing of the public health restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the blessing of the path was a joyful celebration for all to be gathered again for in-person worship outdoors on a glorious summer morning. 

Regarding his experience at SMM church, Albert Dumont remarked, “A lot of good energy was present.”

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