Statement from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
following the recent discovery
at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School
on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation
On behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), I express our deepest
sorrow for the heartrending loss of the children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential
School on the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.
The news of the recent discovery is shocking. It rekindles trauma in numerous communities
across this land. Honouring the dignity of the lost little ones demands that the truth be
brought to light.
This tragedy profoundly impacts Indigenous communities, with whom many people across
this land and throughout the world now stand in solidarity.
As we see ever more clearly the pain and suffering of the past, the Bishops of Canada pledge
to continue walking side by side with Indigenous Peoples in the present, seeking greater
healing and reconciliation for the future.
We lift up prayers to the Lord for the children who have lost their lives and pledge our close
accompaniment of Indigenous families and communities.
May our Creator God bless all of us with consolation and hope.
+ Richard Gagnon
Archbishop of Winnipeg and
President of the Canadian Conference
of Catholic Bishops
