An appeal to Pope Francis on behalf of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada

In an official statement, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) appeal to Pope Francis to apologize to the indigenous peoples of Canada, as he did in Bolivia in 2015.

The international congregation of Catholic teaching sisters joins other faith-based organizations that have spoken out since the recent discovery of the remains of 215 children in the cemetery adjacent to the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

While expressing deep sympathy to the members of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, the SNJM is “more aware than ever that this type of situation brings back the pain of colonial history in Canada and around the world. ”

Already committed to “decolonizing our minds and hearts, fighting racism and building just relationships,” SNJM’s have taken concrete action, including sending a letter of support for Bill C-15 to the Senate of Canada in May 2021 to urge senators to approve it.

Source photo: Faith in the Declaration