Survivor's Flag

Archbishop Shane Parker, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has gifted each Cathedral across our land with a Survivor's Flag. He writes:

"When I was at Sacred Circle in early August, I was approached by a respected intergenerational residential school  Survivor. She felt called to share with me a vision that was given to her concerning the Survivors’ flag. She described how she had been invited to a ceremony organized by a large national company that had chosen to  raise a Survivors’ flag in its headquarters. She was the Elder asked to open with prayer, drumming, singing and  smudging of the Survivor who was raising the flag and of the flag itself. She described feeling the Holy Spirit and was  overwhelmed by the honour and respect shown by non-Indigenous participants. The question came to her, “If a large  corporation can do this, why can’t our churches?” and the vision of a Survivors’ flag in every Anglican church was  born. (For a full description of the flag click here).

Later this month, in this 10th anniversary year of the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation  Commission and its 94 Calls to Action, and with the strong support of ACIP, I will invite all Anglican churches in  Canada to consider displaying a Survivors’ flag to demonstrate awareness, acknowledgement, respect and  reconciliation toward residential school Survivors and their families. Like other symbols of inclusion and welcome,  the presence of a Survivors’ flag announces that a church is a place of safety, healing and understanding."

We are honoured to display this flag in our foyer this week and then it will be moved to a permanent location in the Chapel of Reconciliation.