March 24, 2022 – This weekend, a delegation of 32 Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will journey together from across the country to meet with Pope Francis.
These delegates, who were selected in collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Métis National Council (MNC), and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), bring a depth of lived experience and insight on the legacy of residential schools and the impacts of colonialism, with many directly engaged in the ongoing journey of healing and reconciliation. Delegate names have been published by the AFN and the MNC respectively. The ITK, after consulting with delegates, has opted not to publish a full list of names, although representatives will participate in a media briefing on March 28th .
“As Canadian Bishops, we are grateful to these delegates for walking with us on this journey and to Pope Francis for his attention to their suffering and his deeply-held commitment to social justice,” said CCCB President, the Most Rev. Raymond Poisson.
“We expect that these private encounters will allow the Holy Father to meaningfully address both the ongoing trauma and legacy of suffering faced by Indigenous Peoples to this day, as well as the role of the Catholic Church in the residential school system, which contributed to the suppression of Indigenous languages, culture and spirituality.”
Individual meetings and relating media briefings will each include representatives from the relevant Indigenous delegation and the CCCB. The schedule can be summarized as follows:
January 28, 2022 – Canada’s Catholic Bishops have agreed to establish a new registered charity to support and advance healing and reconciliation initiatives. The charity is expected to manage the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund, which will accept contributions from 73 dioceses across Canada in order to fulfill the $30 million financial commitment made by Canada’s Bishops in September.
“The Bishops of Canada are fully committed to addressing the historical and ongoing trauma caused by the residential school system,” said Bishop Raymond Poisson, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). “In moving forward with our collective financial commitment, we will continue to be guided by the experience and wisdom of Indigenous peoples across the country”.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund will be managed with financial measures in place to ensure transparency and good governance. Board directors and members of the corporation will collectively bring a strong financial acumen and deep commitment to the healing and reconciliation journey. The directors of the Board include:
The members of the corporation include:
The fund will publish annual reports and will be subject to an audit by an independent accounting firm each year. Any administrative costs will be on top of the $30 million being raised and will not be deducted from this principal amount.
While specific disbursement guidelines will be informed by additional input from Indigenous partners, we intend the funds to contribute to the following priorities:
Regional and/or Diocesan Granting Committees will be established to identify projects that further the fund’s priorities, review applications and request funds to support such projects. These committees will include Indigenous and Catholic membership and it is our recommendation that they be chaired by local Indigenous partners
We recognize that there has been considerable disappointment with a previous Catholic fundraising campaign tied to the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. While the CCCB was not party to the agreement, we have recognized the shortcomings of this campaign and learned critically important lessons to ensure that the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund is fully funded and well managed with appropriate oversight. Additional information on the “best efforts” campaign led by the Catholic Entities Party to the Indian Residential School Settlement can be found here: https://www.cccb.ca/indigenous-peoples/indian-residential-schools-and-trc/ .
The establishment of this national framework builds on existing fundraising from local Catholic entities including the Archdioceses of Winnipeg and St. Boniface, the Bishops of Saskatchewan, and the Archdiocese of Vancouver. The CCCB will continue to provide regular public updates on this work as part of the ongoing journey towards healing and reconciliation.