Indigenous Peoples and the Residential School Legacy

On this page we will be posting information and resources about the Catholic Church's role in the healing and reconciliation of the Indigenous people of Canada, our role in the residential school system and the work being done to make things right.   

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My Apology to the Indigenous Peoples of this Land
(27 September 2021) This is available as a printable PDF at this link. Links to the CCCB's apology and fundraising commitment are in the text below. 

"On 24 September  2021, at the conclusion of our Plenary Assembly, the Bishops of Canada issued a statement to you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, acknowledging the suffering of those who attended Canada’s Indian Residential Schools as well as the intergenerational trauma and the tragic legacy of suffering that Indigenous people continue to experience. The whole system of the residential schools did not respect the languages, culture and spirituality of Indigenous Peoples but sought rather to suppress them. The Bishops acknowledge that the Catholic religious orders and dioceses which ran these schools participated in this system, and that terrible abuses were committed in them by some of these Catholics. In their statement, the Catholic Bishops of Canada express their profound remorse and apologize unequivocally.

In solidarity with the Bishops of Canada, I too want to acknowledge the grave harm afflicted on you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, to express to you my profound sorrow and to offer my own unequivocal apology to you. With the Bishops of Canada, I am committed to the process of healing and reconciliation across the country and here in the Diocese of London.

As an expression of our continuing commitment to healing and reconciliation, we will take the following actions in the Diocese of London:

1. Conversations with local Indigenous communities:  We will continue conversations that have already been taking place with band members at Walpole Island and Aamjiwnaang First Nation. These conversations and others give us an opportunity to learn from local Indigenous communities how best we can journey with them on the road of truth and reconciliation and could also provide a platform for educational opportunities.
2. Educational opportunities:  Currently, there are some excellent educational opportunities in our diocese, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Speaker Series offered by the Springbank Catholic Family of Parishes in London and available virtually to all in our diocese. We will continue these conversations with local Indigenous communities to learn from them the educational process that is needed and are adding resources to a dedicated page on our website.  
3. Service of Reparation:  With guidance from local Indigenous communities, we will craft a “service of reparation” to express the suffering and the harm afflicted by the residential schools, to atone for the role our Church played in them and to seek God’s guidance as we journey on the path of healing and reconciliation.
4. Collection of funds: Our diocese will develop a fundraising plan as our contribution to the nation-wide collective financial commitment to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors, their families, and their communities announced by the Bishops of Canada on 27 September 2021. The allocation of funds raised in our diocese will involve the input of local Indigenous communities and will be part of our efforts to build good relationships and partnerships with them. We will also continue our financial commitment to the Diocese of Whitehorse, with its large Indigenous population.
5. A new committee to oversee this work:  We will establish a committee to oversee these actions:  the conversations, the educational pieces, the service of reparation, and the collection and distribution of funds. This committee would be named by the Bishop and report to the Bishop regularly. The work of healing and reconciliation is ongoing. The duration of this committee and the role it would play into the future, however, will need to be determined.

In union with the Bishops of Canada, I commit the Diocese of London to accompany you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, on the journey of healing and reconciliation. I realize that there is much more work to do in our diocese, but I know that “we look forward to listening and learning from you as we walk in solidarity”. Through the intercession of our Lady of Guadalupe, may God bless you and may our efforts bear fruit in abundance."

Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, CSB
Bishop of London


Bishop Fabbro's Statement on Residential Schools and Relations with Canada's Indigenous People
(July 2, 2021). This is available as a printable PDF at this link.

"All Canadians are deeply concerned and angry about the discovery of children's remains at burial sites of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Parishioners have written me about the Church's involvement in the residential schools and the demand for a papal apology. At the end of May, when the horrifying discovery was made of the remains of children at the Kamloops residential school, I issued a statement promising our prayers for the families and survivors and expressing our commitment to play "a constructive role in the journey towards healing and reconciliation". I would like to draw your attention to a couple of recent statements that have been published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The statement on June 10 explains the work the bishops have been doing for several years now with Indigenous Peoples from across Canada. I encourage you to read the statement at this link. It has been important for the bishops to sit down with Indigenous communities, in "listening circles", to hear their stories and to listen to what they need from the Catholic Church for reconciliation. It also is important that Indigenous voices lead the process.

A key initiative arising from these conversations is the pastoral visit of Indigenous Peoples with Pope Francis that will take place December 17-20 in Rome. The group, which will include residential school survivors, Elders and youth, will be able to dialogue directly with the pope, and he will be able to express to them "his heartfelt closeness, address the impact of colonization and the implications of the Church in the residential schools, so as to respond to the suffering of Indigenous Peoples and the ongoing effects of intergenerational trauma".  

For the bishops, the conversations we have had with Indigenous Peoples, the work we are doing together and the delegation that will visit with the pope are steps on the journey of reconciliation and healing. The hope is that these common efforts will build bridges and new relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church in Canada, and lead to further action.

All of these statements, including my own, and resources about this important issue are available on the Diocese of London website at this link.

Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, CSB
Bishop of London"

Bishop Fabbro's Statement after the discovery of the graves and the former Kamloops Residential School (May 31, 2021):

"I am shocked and profoundly saddened by the horrifying discovery of the remains of at least 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.

When the operation of residential schools was delegated by the federal government to several Christian faith-based groups, there were many failures in fulfilling Christ's mission of bringing the good news of the kingdom of God and helping the oppressed, including failures of the Catholic Church.
 
The presence of the graves of these innocent ones sheds light on a clear failure of those responsible in not embracing the Gospel values of love, mercy, justice and compassion, and for forgetting their commitment to respect the dignity of all people. These lost innocent ones are another reason why we must continue to learn from these failings and work with Indigenous communities towards the healing called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Yesterday, a memorial was placed at St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica in London as part of a nation-wide commemoration of the lost children. I visited the memorial today to pray, asking God to bring comfort to the families of the deceased and all survivors of the residential school system. We will continue to pray for the families of these children and survivors and commit ourselves to playing a constructive role in the journey towards healing and reconciliation."

• A Q&A to help provide some additional infomration and context is at this link
• An essay "Toward an Understanding of the Church’s Role in the Canadian Residential Schools and Our Response" by Rev. John P. Comiskey is at this link

Work Being done at the National Level

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has undertaken the following intitaitives:

• Statement on the discovery of the graves at the former Kamloop Residential School 
• Statement on the delegation to the Holy See (the Vatican) quoted in its entirety below:

"The Catholic Bishops in Canada have genuinely heard the sincere invitation to engage wholeheartedly with the past and are deeply committed to take truly meaningful active steps together with Indigenous Peoples in view of a future filled with greater respect and cooperation. The recent discovery of children’s remains at a burial site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia remind us of a tragic legacy still felt today. With the strong encouragement of Pope Francis, the Bishops of Canada have pledged true and deep commitment to renewing and strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples across the land. In recent years, regional and diocesan listening circles have taken place across the country in order to hear the stories from local Indigenous communities and their hopes for the future. Mutual listening is the beginning of our common efforts to bring about shared and long-lasting reconciliation, authentic healing and bridge building.

In conversation with Indigenous people and communities, both at the local and national levels, and bilaterally with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit national organizations, the Bishops, sponsors of this project, have been preparing, for over two years now, a delegation of Indigenous people to meet with the Holy Father to foster meaningful encounters of dialogue and healing. This pastoral visit will include the participation of a diverse group of Elders/Knowledge Keepers, residential school survivors and youth from across the country. The event will likewise provide Pope Francis with a unique opportunity to hear directly from Indigenous Peoples, express his heartfelt closeness, address the impact of colonization and the implication of the Church in the residential schools, so as to respond to the suffering of Indigenous Peoples and the ongoing effects of intergenerational trauma.

The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has stalled this project; however, the Bishops remain committed to moving forward with the delegation prior to the end of 2021, in compliance with international travel guidelines.

The delegation to the Holy See represents an important step on the journey of reconciliation and shared healing for Indigenous Peoples and the Church in Canada. Pope Francis, in his 6 June 2021 Angelus message, spoke about the shocking discovery of children’s remains at the former Kamloops residential school and, while conveying sorrow and solidarity, emphasized the importance of “walking side by side in dialogue and in mutual respect in the recognition of the rights and cultural values of all the sons and daughters of Canada”. It is our hope that these forthcoming encounters – and the important collaboration and partnership that has supported the planning – will lead to a shared future of peace and harmony between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church in Canada."
 

• Prayer for National Indigenous People's Day
• Statement on the date of the delegation to the Holy See (the Vatican)

Listening Circles

Listening Circles were initiated in 2018 with Indigenous Elders, leaders and community members. These will help survivors and Indigenous commuities lead us on the journey of healing and reconciliation according to their needs and priorities, not have something imposed on them from the outside. The delegation to Rome to meet with Pope Francis that will take place in December of 2021 is an outcome of this dialogue. Y ou can learn more about the Circles at this link. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle 

The CCCB is also a National Member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle, a "Catholic coalition of Indigenous people, bishops, clergy, lay movements and institutes of consecrated life, engaged in renewing and fostering relationships between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada" 

Resources 

• "Residential Schools - Background for Catholics" | "Renseignements généraux pour les catholiques sur les pensionnats" prepared by the Archdiocese of Toronto 
• Cardinal Collins statement from the Archdiocese of Toronto
• Former Chief J. Wilton “Willie” Littlechild and Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith discuss reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples in Canada, and the response to the finding at the Kamloops Residential School site. Videos: Joint Statement and Interview
• Northern Bridge Community Partnership

The Indigenous Communities Located in the Geographic Boundaries of the Diocese of London

• Aamjiwnaang First Nation (Sarnia)
• Caldwell First Nation (Leamington/Point Pelee)
• Chippewa of the Thames First Nation (southwest of London)
• Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation (northeast of Sarnia)
• Delaware Nation at Moraviantown (near Thamesville in eastern Chatham-Kent)
• Munsee-Delaware Nation (southwest of London)
• Oneida Nation of the Thames (southwest of London)
• Walpole Island First Nation (near Wallaceburg)

Videos