The Catholic Bishops of Canada have extended an apology to the Indigenous Peoples who suffered from the residential school system mandated by the government for their children. The residential schools operated from the 1870s to the 1990s. Some parents were jailed for not turning over their children. Some children died running away and trying to get themselves back home. Many died of abuse in the various schools. Some were buried in marked graves but many lie in unmarked and even mass graves. There are efforts currently underway by Indigenous groups to identify them all and bring the children home.

It wasn't only the Catholic Church that ran the residential schools. So did the Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches. (They have all already extended apologies for their roles).


This is the statement the bishops released today:

“We, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week, take this opportunity to affirm to you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, that we acknowledge the suffering experienced in Canada's Indian Residential Schools. Many Catholic religious communities and dioceses participated in this system, which led to the suppression of Indigenous languages, culture and spirituality, failing to respect the rich history, traditions and wisdom of Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge the grave abuses that were committed by some members of our Catholic community; physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and sexual. We also sorrowfully acknowledge the historical and ongoing trauma and the legacy of suffering and challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples that continue to this day. Along with those Catholic entities which were directly involved in the operation of the schools and which have already offered their own heartfelt apologies, we, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, express our profound remorse and apologize unequivocally.

“We are fully committed to the process of healing and reconciliation. Together with the many pastoral initiatives already underway in dioceses across the country, and as a further tangible expression of this ongoing commitment, we are pledging to undertake fundraising in each region of the country to support initiatives discerned locally with Indigenous partners. Furthermore, we invite the Indigenous Peoples to journey with us into a new era of reconciliation, helping us in each of our dioceses across the country to prioritize initiatives of healing, to listen to the experience of Indigenous Peoples, especially to the survivors of Indian Residential Schools, and to educate our clergy, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful, on Indigenous cultures and spirituality. We commit ourselves to continue the work of providing documentation or records that will assist in the memorialization of those buried in unmarked graves.

“Having heard the requests to engage Pope Francis in this reconciliation process, a delegation of Indigenous survivors, Elders/knowledge keepers, and youth will meet with the Holy Father in Rome in December 2021. Pope Francis will encounter and listen to the Indigenous participants, so as to discern how he can support our common desire to renew relationships and walk together along the path of hope in the coming years. We pledge to work with the Holy See and our Indigenous partners on the possibility of a pastoral visit by the Pope to Canada as part of this healing journey.

“We commit ourselves to continue accompanying you, the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples of this land. Standing in respect of your resiliency, strength and wisdom, we look forward to listening to and learning from you as we walk in solidarity.”

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To be clear, there are marked graves, unmarked graves and mass graves.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/what-we-know-about-how-many-children-died-at-canada-s-residential-schools-1.5450277



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2021 04:43PM by Nightingale.

Meanwhile Pope Francis has done nothing to stop the continuing abuse of children and the consecutive official coverups.

I'm all for the RCC, the LDS Church, governments and other institutions confessing their sins against children and women and offering to do what can be done to mitigate the harm. But at some point Jesus's brutal quip--let the dead bury the dead--comes to mind, for surely the present and future victims can, as opposed to the deceased, still be saved from their horrors.

Where are you, Francis?

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where are you, Francis?

When the delegation goes to Rome to meet with the pope in December they have high hopes he will make a formal apology.

That is what they are holding out for, saying that Truth and Reconciliation cannot be achieved without first, truth. In the pope's case, that means for them that he needs to apologize, to acknowledge the truth of what occurred to Aboriginal Peoples over a long span of time at the hands of the Government of Canada as well as the religious groups to whom their children were entrusted.

I continue to be amazed that they are gracious enough, strong enough, to even be able to think of reconciliation. They are holding out a great hope to the government and Canadians that resolution and moving forward may be possible.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2021 05:33PM by Nightingale.

I seriously doubt Frank will take the next step and agree that the abuse and coverups must stop now.

I'm gobsmacked about his reluctance/slowness.

How is there any room for withholding the most abject apology on behalf of the church he heads?

If "all" the Indigenous Peoples request is an apology, he is getting off very lightly.

The most recent estimate I can find in a quick look is that, amazingly, 25% of Indigenous Peoples in Canada still identify as Catholic.

The pope would be acknowledging to current members of the church he runs that in past decades, re the residential schools, the church and its reps did wrong (vast understatement).

How can it be that hard for him?

And if he doesn't extend the apology at the meeting in December, the IP reps will stand firm that T&R, in their view, cannot proceed.

You think Frankie the Pope will go to the mattresses?

I'm sorry, but I am done with "words" from that church. I'll judge by their actions instead.

I don't see what they are going to pay for their abuses. "We commit ourselves to continue the work of providing documentation or records that will assist in the memorialization of those buried in unmarked graves" doesn't cut it. How magnanimous of them. That's the LEAST they should be doing, IMO.

I hope the indigenous cultures everywhere stay the hell as far away from the Catholic Church as possible. Patterns of "too little too late" and a track record of "abuse now, apologize later" don't seem like a religion they need, IMO.

I know, dagny. I can't figure it. I've been hurt by churches, in miniscule ways that have been difficult to get over, certainly as compared to the vast era of horrendous wrongdoing perpetrated upon defenceless people, including children, scared children, crying children, lonely children, abused children, dying children, dead children. Mandated by the government. Perpetrated by church leaders and representatives.

I am starting to wonder how much value there is in an apology anyway, certainly if it's grudging, having to be wrung out of his throat. I think what they want, if I may interpret, is an acknowledgement, in the form of an apology, of the horror of it all.

An apology is just words, right? Not costly to issue.

But once that's done, the question becomes why won't they stop the abuse now? And there he runs up against the fact that much of the hierarchy is inculpated in sexual molestation and/or its coverup, and discussing that could rip the church in threads.

So words aren't words; they are actions, or lead to actions, or to pressure to take actions. And Frank can't have that, surely.

It's all so very Mormon. . .

in b 4 ~


canada ~


apologizes aboot something ~


in b 4 ~


at least the canadians didn't kill all their indians ~


in b 4 ~


they were too busy burning down the white house ~

It all starts with round bacon

Not to mention pronouncing "house" as "hoece ... :)

Tomorrow is Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation . The purpose is to be a day of remembrance and reflection about the residential schools established by the Government of Canada mandating that Indigenous children attend. There is a ceremony going on in Ottawa now. One survivor is just relating the story of how government reps came to her home and took her away from her family. “I didn’t get to say good-bye to my mother” she said and then she gave glimpses of her memories about the abuse she witnessed and experienced at the school she was sent to. “I was suffering” she stated.

It’s almost too much to hear details like this but it’s a way of honouring the survivors who want to relate their experiences and memories. They were not allowed to speak their own language and many were subjected to physical and sexual abuse. It’s almost incomprehensible. I continue to ponder the absolute grace of people so badly wronged that they still hold out hope of reconciliation with Canada and its representatives. You’d think it would not be possible to come to that place.

CBC article, September 29, 2021

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-national-truth-reconciliation-day-1.6188540

“TRC said establishing a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation would honour survivors, their families, and communities and "ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process."

“While the discoveries [of graves, marked and unmarked, as well as mass graves of children] have shocked many and led to an outpouring of grief and news coverage globally, Indigenous people and advocates say it had long been known and talked about that some of the children who were removed from their families and forced to attend residential schools never made it back home.

“The Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc nation is inviting people to mark the day by learning the Secwépemc Honour Song, traditionally sung at Secwépemc gatherings, and to drum and sing along at 2:15 p.m. PT on Sept. 30.”



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2021 08:14PM by Nightingale.