Pilgrim priest left outside at Kateri canonization

Father Marc Cramer stalled by security but aboriginal parishioners watched historic event

Father Marc Cramer.

The B.C. Catholic has a story by Roman Gonzalez of the Western Catholic Reporter about an Alberta priest who still had a "profound experience" at St. Kateri Tekakwitha's canonization despite being left out of the event: 

Father Marc Cramer was one of seven pilgrims from Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish in Hobbema and dozens from across Alberta that attended the canonization of St. Kateri in Rome Oct. 21.

“Kateri is the first native American-born saint and so it’s very important for my parish of Hobbema and for the people there. That’s why I’m glad some people from the parish went as well.”

Other priests that went, including one from St. Paul and another from Saskatoon, were able to get into St. Peter’s Square and managed to reserve seats for Father Cramer and company.

“Unfortunately I couldn’t get in,” he lamented.

“We spent about three hours going through security. We were there early and everything, but it was such a crowd. By the time we got to the gate they had decided to close it off.”

However, all the aboriginal people got into the square and had a good view of the celebration, he said.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.