This page includes various resources that have been created to support parishes and the Catholic faithful to deepen their understanding and engagement with Truth and Reconciliation. These resources have been designed to help you have informed, nuanced and compassionate discussions about Truth and Reconciliation and how to practically engage in Truth and Reconciliation on a local level.
On February 8, 2023, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following four pastoral letters on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Read the Letter Below: https://www.cccb.ca/indigenous-people…
Intended as a framework for local engagement with Indigenous Peoples, the letters are the fruit of many months of listening, encounter, and dialogue with them, including through Listening Circles, the Indigenous Delegation to the Vatican in April 2022, and Pope Francis’ Apostolic Visit to Canada in July of the same year.
Camillo Alexis is from the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation. His grandfather was a survivor of the residential schools. Camillo is a commercial pilot, he is a lifelong Catholic and he is a member of Our Lady of the Lake parish. Camillo was singing the leadership/honour song both when the pope landed in Canada and when the pope arrived at Lac Ste. Anne during the 2022 Papal Visit.
Audrey Poitras is president of the Métis Nation of Alberta and she was a member of the local organizing committee who welcomed Pope Francis to Canada and to the Lac Ste. Anne portion of his 2022 Canadian Papal visit. Poitras was also a member of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit delegation that met with Pope Francis in Rome in March 2022.
Chief Victor Buffalo is a former chief of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis. Both Chief Buffalo and his parents attended Ermineskin Residential School. He is a parishioner at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Catholic Church. Chief Buffalo was present when Pope Francis visited Maskwacis during his 2022 Canadian Papal visit. The Holy Father apologized for the Church’s role in residential schools at the site of the former Ermineskin school.
Stephanie Alexis is from the Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation. Her grandfather was a residential school student. She is a lifelong Catholic and a member of Lac Ste. Anne Parish within the Archdiocese of Edmonton Alberta. She was a member of the local organizing committee and she was present when Pope Francis visited Lac Ste. Anne.
Gina Potts is Nakota from Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation. She is a life-long Catholic and a member of the Lac St. Anne community in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Alberta. She was an organizer for and was present when the Pope visited Lac St. Anne during his 2022 Canadian Papal visit.
Elder Fernie Marty is Cree from Papaschase First Nation. He is a survivor of the Beaver Crossing residential day school, that was located in northeastern Alberta. He has lived in Edmonton for 25 years and is a longtime parishioner and elder at Sacred Heart Church of The First Peoples in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. Elder Marty was present when the Pope visited Sacred Heart Church Of The First Peoples during his 2022 Canadian Papal visit.