Catholic Bishops of Alberta and NWT apologize to First Nations people who attended residential schools

The Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories have apologized to First Nations people who attended residential schools. “We also express our apology and regret for Catholic participation in government policies that resulted in children being separated from their families, and often suppressed Aboriginal culture and language at the residential schools,” reads the letter. The letter was read out at Ben Calf Robe School in Edmonton Feb. 24. Archbishop Richard Smith said “We’ve come here, in the presence of these children, so that they see that we take these words seriously. And we do want to reach out to them, and to those who’ve gone before them, and to work with them in the future to continue the process of healing and reconciliation that has, in fact, been going on for some time.”