Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle issue joint statement

The Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle issued a joint statement on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honor survivors of the Indian Residential School System, children who died, and the families affected by the system's legacy.

The groups highlighted recent efforts toward healing, including a knowledge-sharing symposium on the Doctrine of Discovery held in Edmonton this past spring. They also noted that Catholic dioceses across Canada have committed $30 million through the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund to support reconciliation and healing projects developed alongside Indigenous communities.

The statement, released through the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, encourages people to listen to shared histories with humility and honesty. The groups noted that while these initiatives show progress, there has been a recent shift in the discourse regarding truth and reconciliation.