CCCB statement regarding recent discovery at former Kamloops Indian Residential School

​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, ​31 May 2021

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Related articles

• A statement from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) regarding news from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation on the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School run by the OMI. Read message
• Diocese of Kamloops: Bishop Joseph Nguyen's message about the findings at the former residential school site in Kamloops. Read message
• Archdiocese of Edmonton: Video message from Archbishop Smith after the tragic discovery made at the former Kamloops Residential School site, and the way forward through the intercession of St. Kateri. Watch video ​
• Resources from CCCB on Indigenous People (pastoral and current reconciliation initiatives, TRC, letters and statements, encounters with popes etc.)​ 
• Current initiatives: The Bishops in Canada have been working with Indigenous Peoples since the 17th century. A number of religious institutes of consecrated life, as well as Catholic lay organizations, have also been involved in working with Indigenous Peoples; a more recent example is Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle, a Catholic coalition of Indigenous people, Bishops, lay movements, clergy, and institutes of consecrated life. The members of the Circle are engaged in renewing and fostering relationships between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle | Listening Circles | National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous People |  Returning to Spirit 

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Let us join in prayer as a community of faith:

• For the children whose death in Kamloops Residential School were undocumented and whose passing has now been recognized, may they be welcomed into the light and peace of your kingdom, and may they find the fullness of your charity and love, and live in the joys of eternal life. 
• For the families of the deceased children in Kamloops residential school, may they be lifted from the depths of their grief and strengthened in faith and hope.  
• For our current leaders and all of us, may God give us the courage to face our shared history and the desire to continue and forge new paths of justice and healing. May our respect for one another lead to acts of human solidarity and bring about spiritual and social change for the good of all.