Find the grave at the school for Indigenous children
In Canada, bodies have been found again in anonymous graves at a home for children from indigenous families. This is the second major discovery around institutions already run by the Church. One apology remains.
Regina – 24.06.2021
Hundreds of bodies have been found on the grounds of a re-education home for children from indigenous families in Canada. It belongs to the remains of 751 people, the largest ever discovered in Canada, various media reported on Thursday. Unmarked graves were discovered near the former “Marival Indian Residential School” in the province of Saskatchewan.
“I call on all Canadians to stand with the First Nation at this difficult and emotional time,” tweeted Perry Belgaard of the House of First Nations; First Nations is the official name for the indigenous people in Canada. Saskatchewan First Secretary Scott Moe tweeted: “It’s heartbreaking to think that so many children have lost their lives after being separated from their families, far from the love and comfort that only a family can provide.”
The president of the Canadian Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Richard Joseph Gagnon, expressed his dismay. He was “sad and upset”, he tweeted. The bishops “fully” supported the ongoing investigation and wanted to help clarify what had happened.
Founded by Catholic Missionaries
The now closed house was founded by Catholic missionaries in 1899, and the government took over the facility in 1969. Between 1863 and 1998, there were a total of 139 of these re-education homes for children from indigenous families in Canada to introduce them to “Christian civilization”. More than 150,000 affected children were not allowed to speak their mother tongue in homes and were often abused or abused.
In May, the bodies of 215 children were found in another home in the western Canadian city of Kamloops via a ground-penetrating radar probe. Nevertheless, the Canadian government demanded an apology from the pope for the church’s role in the housekeeping. So far Pope Francis has expressed regret over the incidents at home, but has not apologized for them. Other Christian communities that were involved in the domestic arrangement have already apologized. Work-up still in progress. (cf)
June 25, 10:50 am: Deaths added
25.6., 13:30: Completed by Gagnon
