Behind the graffitied doors of a Brandon church is a welcoming congregation.

"The building was graffitied sometime Saturday night into Sunday morning. I noticed it when I was walking to the church Sunday morning. We only had one door that was affected," says Reverend Don Bernhardt from St. Matthew's Anglican Cathedral, part of the Diocese of Brandon, Manitoba. 

Across the wooden door, someone had spray-painted the words 'Gods Dead.' Initially, Bernhardt didn't know who could have done it. 

"Later the police showed up at the church to advise us there had been reports of further graffiti that had happened at First Presbyterian which is about a block away from us."

The Constable informed Bernhardt that on the other church, and walls and cars down the street were the words 'We were children' in black spray paint. 

"It slanted at the idea of someone being angry about the news we've had recently throughout Canada concerning the unmarked graves discovered at former Indian residential schools," he says. 

The Reverend mentions that while he doesn't condone this behaviour, he understands the anger behind it.

"I can appreciate the anger. First Nation folks have been ignored and not listened to when they talked about how this has affected them and affects them to this day. It's not something that's in the past, it's happening now."

In light of hearing about churches that had been burned down or attempts of it in B.C., he says there is understandable anger for the role the church had to play in residential schools. 

"We don't always know what we should do or how to do it, and part of that is because maybe we haven't engaged as deeply as we should have in listening. That's hard because it means listening and hearing things you might not want to hear and then responding to what you're hearing without inserting your own opinions into it."

Bernhardt says the Anglican church is committed to moving towards reconciliation and has been actively pursuing it since the 90s when they made a public apology.

"When people are angry or frustrated when they feel like nobody is listening or cares, they may act out inappropriately. Anyone will do this if put in the right circumstance. We must do our best to not judge the people involved and just love them." 

Bernhardt hopes to do the things that lead to reconciliation.

"If you want to come to the door of the church, and talk, we will listen. If you want to come to the door of the church and yell at somebody I'll come to the door and you can yell at me. We need to be willing to do the uncomfortable things to help people move forward as best they can at the pace they need."

The cathedral posted a message to Facebook shortly after the door was graffitied.

Part of it says, "I will be approaching elders in our Indigenous community in the coming weeks to see if there are projects that they feel we could be a part of. While that is happening, please keep praying for our Indigenous sisters and brothers as they struggle with grief and frustration. Pray for settlers, that they may recognize the reality of our shared history and the need to address it."

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