As we continue to grapple with the recent discovery of the graves of 215 children at the former Residential School in Kamloops, questions remain in the minds and hearts of many Catholics in this country. I am sure that your own parishioners may have been sharing with you their own dismay. This is not a proud moment for Catholics and we have to be humble enough to admit that fact. We failed the Indigenous Peoples in Canada and did great harm. Many leaders in the Church have sincerely apologized for this and, for the past 30 years, have been working toward reconciliation and healing. To that end, I have included with the Update some information from the Archdiocese of Toronto that you may find helpful. It is a series of questions and answers with some links to additional information. I am planning to create a small memorial in the Cathedral in honour of all the children who died while attending Residential schools. Over the coming months it will be a reminder to pray and to never forget. We can always do better and do more in promoting reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
