From Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda
Along with Pope Francis, I am terribly saddened by the reports emerging from Canada. With the Archbishops of Vancouver and Regina, I express not only my profound condolences to the families and communities of the children who died at residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, but also my sincerest apology for any misdeeds of those acting on behalf of the Church that betrayed our commitment to the sacredness of life and to the respect for the human person that flows from our belief that all are created in the image and likeness of God. The credibility of the Church’s proclamation of the dignity of each life and our defense of the family is sadly weakened by these reports. I join in prayer with the Catholic community at Gichitwaa Kateri Parish in Minneapolis for the healing of these wounds and for the strength that is needed to confront whatever will emerge from future investigations. As followers of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, we can never be afraid of the truth.
