From the CBC:
“After survivors speak,
Anglican leader apologizes for church allowing 'terrible crime' at residential
schools”
(Rev. Justin Welby visits the
James Smith Cree Nation Saturday to listen to residential school survivors and
learn about their experiences, while atoning and repenting for the actions of
the Anglican Church in operating residential schools in Canada.)
The spiritual leader of the
Anglican Church told survivors gathered at a Saskatchewan First Nation Saturday
that he was sorry the church had allowed "terrible crime" to occur at
residential schools. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby started his visit at
James Smith Cree Nation, east of Prince Albert, around midday, when he met
dignitaries from Indigenous governments from James Smith and the Federation of
Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in
Saskatchewan. "I want to recognize, for myself and my colleagues, the
level of pain that you are willing to undergo, so that your story is
heard," Welby said. "I will
say that I come in ignorance, needing to hear each and every shame, needing to
signify that shame, and respect those on whom such terrible injustices were
committed."
(Dennis Sanderson from James Smith Cree Nation shared his experiences at residential schools before the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the community on Saturday.)
Survivors from all over
Saskatchewan shared their stories about how the residential school system
ripped families apart, raised self-doubt and self-confidence issues and left
them with traumas as a result of sexual and physical abuse. Many spoke about
how they didn't blame the church, but those acting on behalf of the church.
After listening to their stories,
Welby offered his apology. "The
grace that you have shown in saying it was not the church that did this — I
suppose it is an extraordinary grace. I suppose I want to say that that's
perhaps the only thing I question. That it was not the church that did it. But
it was the church that permitted it. That allowed it. That turned a blind eye
to it. And still does, sometimes," Welby said. "And for that terrible crime, sin, evil
of deliberating consciously stupidly — because evil is stupid. Building hell
and putting children into it. And staffing it. I am more sorry than I could
ever ever begin to express.... I am sorry. I am more sorry than I could say.
I'm ashamed. I am horrified." Welby acknowledged it wouldn't be easy for
survivors to speak at the event, and that recounting their experiences may be
painful to share. He said understanding survivors' suffering would be
impossible, but that he hoped to move himself from "unconscious
ignorance" to being deeply aware of their experiences, and to move himself
to humility before those gathered.
(Dennis Sanderson, left, was
among those who greeted Welby when he arrived at James Smith Cree Nation's
Bernard Constant Community School on Saturday.)
Survivors like Dennis Sanderson
gathered in James Smith to share their stories with the archbishop. Sanderson
attended Gordon's Indian Residential School, about 100 kilometres northeast of
Regina, for three years before attending the All Saints Residential School in
Prince Albert. Both were operated by the Anglican Church. "It's a good
thing for them to come and say 'I'm sorry,' too, you know? It makes you feel
good and hopefully it makes our community members feel good," Sanderson
said Saturday morning. Sanderson said he was able to deal with the trauma 11
years of residential school left him with by exploring his culture, his
ceremonies and his First Nations way of life. The Anglican Church was part of his life
growing up outside of residential schools; Sanderson said his dad was actively
involved in Anglican Church activities in James Smith Cree Nation.
Underpromise, overdeliver
(The St. Stephen's Anglican
Church on James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. On Saturday, Welby visited
the community, located southeast of Prince Albert.)
The archbishop offered to follow
through on some actions on Saturday after listening to survivors' stories about
residential schools, the institution's lasting impacts and the traumas they
have to live with. "I want to avoid
what happens too easily at times like this, which is to overpromise and
underdeliver," Welby said. "I
want rather to underpromise and overdeliver, if by God's grace, I'm given the
strength to do so." His promise, to those who gathered in the gymnasium,
was to talk with Archbishop Linda Nicholls, who invited the archbishop to
Saskatchewan, about what they can do to address the damage left in particular
by the Doctrine of Discovery. The
Doctrine of Discovery was the framework that colonial countries, England,
Spain, Portugal and others, used to justify claiming land in North America and
other continents as their own. Numerous
survivors spoke about how it led to the creation of residential schools and in
turn, the impacts they're having to deal with today. Welby said he also hoped to ensure survivors'
stories of suffering at residential schools are heard in order to prevent such
terrible actions from happening to anyone else at the hands of the church.
Between 1820 and 1969, the
Anglican Church ran roughly three dozen residential schools in Canada, and also
ran more than 150 Indian day schools, according to a list compiled for the
Federal Indian Day School class action. The Anglican Church apologized for its
role in residential schools in 1993 and in 2019. It has also paid $15.7 million
in compensation. The church was also
refunded $2.8 million, which it said it invested into Indigenous ministry
programs, after a different compensation formula was negotiated with the Roman
Catholic Church. Earlier this week, survivors and advocates questioned the
purpose of the visit, and whether it will result in meaningful action.
Further Canadian visits
planned
(The Archbishop of Canterbury
addressed people gathered in the James Smith Cree Nation's Bernard Constant
Community School on Saturday afternoon.)
Welby, who as archbishop is the
religious leader of the Church of England, though not the head of the church —
a title that belongs to the British monarch — also plans to travel to Prince
Albert on Sunday before heading to Toronto. His visit coincides with the 50th
session of the Provincial Synod, which is being hosted by the Diocese of
Saskatchewan in Prince Albert until Sunday. Delegates from Saskatchewan,
Alberta and Manitoba, as well as the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, will
attend. At 2 p.m. on Sunday, Welby will
gather with Anglican and non-Anglican Indigenous leaders. Support is available for anyone affected by
the lingering effects of residential school and those who are triggered by the
latest reports. A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set
up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected.
People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour
national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
^ This apology, like the other
from the Pope, is long over-due. Every Church (Catholic and Protestant) and
every Government (Territorial, Provincial, Federal) needs to do more than just
apology. They all need to release their records as well as support the
Survivors and the Victims’ Families. ^
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