Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle issue joint statement for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle issued a joint statement to honor survivors of the Indian Residential School System on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The statement honors the children who did not return home, their families, and the generations living with the legacy of the system.

The groups highlighted two specific developments as signs of hope. They noted that the Doctrine of Discovery knowledge-sharing symposium held in Edmonton this past spring allowed for dialogue regarding the historical and contemporary realities of colonization. Additionally, Catholic dioceses across Canada have committed $30 million through the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund to support healing and reconciliation projects created alongside Indigenous communities.

The statement encourages people to listen to the stories shared by survivors and calls for the Church to face painful truths with humility, honesty, and charity.