In the US, Evangelical Covenant Church joins list of Protestant denominations rebuking Doctrine of Discovery
RNS The Evangelical Covenant Church became the latest Protestant denomination in the United States to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery, the theological justification that allowed the discovery and domination by European Christians of lands already inhabited by Indigenous peoples. Delegates at the Covenant Annual Connection voted overwhelmingly (84 per cent) on Friday to approve a resolution acknowledging […]
Trudeau says Pope should apologise on Canadian soil for church’s role in residential schools
Ottawa, CanadaReuters Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday he has asked the Pope to come to Canada to apologise for the Catholic Church’s role running residential schools for Indigenous children, after nearly 1,000 bodies were found in unmarked graves near two of the former schools. “I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness Pope […]
At least 600 unmarked graves found at second Canadian Indigenous school
Toronto/Vancouver, CanadaReuters An Indigenous group in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan on Thursday said it had found the unmarked graves of up to 751 people at a now-defunct Catholic residential school, just weeks after a similar discovery rocked the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “terribly saddened” by the new discovery at Marieval […]
Fires destroy two churches on Canadian Indigenous reserves
Oliver, British Columbia, Canada AP Two Roman Catholic churches on First Nations reserves in British Columbia have burned to the ground in overnight fires, Canada’s national police force said Monday. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said a patrol officer saw fire come from the Sacred Heart Church on the Penticton Indian Band reserve early Monday […]
China, Canada spar at UN body over human rights failings
Geneva, SwitzerlandAP Canada and 40 other countries on Tuesday urged China to allow “immediate, meaningful and unfettered access” so independent observers can visit its western Xinjiang region, while a Chinese envoy demanded that Canadian authorities “stop violations of human rights” at home. The mutual finger-pointing, which preceded admissions from Canada’s envoy about shortcomings in her […]
Pope voices “pain” over Canadian deaths, doesn’t apologise
Vatican CityAP Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his pain over the discovery in Canada of the remains of 215 Indigenous students of church-run residential schools and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on “this sad affair”. But he didn’t offer the apology sought by the Canadian Prime Minister. Francis, in remarks to faithful […]
Pope meets Canadian cardinals after Indigenous school scandal
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis met with both Vatican-based Canadian cardinals on Saturday as their country reels from the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former school for Indigenous students run by the Catholic Church. The Pope met separately with Cardinal Michael Czerny and Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the Vatican said in its […]