WCR This Week

Text of Alta. Bishop' invitation to TRC

WCR PHOTO | GLEN ARGAN

Archbishop Richard Smith and the Alberta bishops have invited Catholics across the province to attend the Truth and Reconciliation Commission event in Edmonton March 27 to 30.

March 3, 2014

Dear Catholic Faithful,

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is coming to Alberta from March 27-30, 2014 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton. This will be the last of the seven national TRC events that have been taking place across Canada over the past four years.

The Edmonton national gathering, together with the preparation leading to it, represents an important historical moment for First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples, and for everyone who calls Alberta home.

We encourage you to learn more about this historic event, and to become directlyinvolved through attendance, volunteering and praying for its success.

The TRC is working to document the history and the continuing legacy of the Indian residential schools in Canada. The schools, which operated for over 120 years, were instituted and funded by the federal government, and administered by Canadian Church organizations.

The majority of these schools in Canada and Alberta were administered by Roman Catholic dioceses and religious congregations.

Those who attended the residential schools often had to leave home at a young age. We recognize that there were students who benefited from the experience and education they received at these schools.

DEEP PAIN

At the same time, we acknowledge with deep pain that others speak of their experience at residential schools in terms of pain, suffering and lengthy alienation from family, local community,