SASKATOON — The Roman Catholic Church in Canada continues its efforts toward healing and reconciliation for past atrocities committed by members of the clergy toward Indigenous Peoples, culminating with First Nations leaders meeting with Pope Francis later this year.
The Most Rev. Bishop Mark Hagemoen will be going on a 50-kilometre trek on Saturday as part of the Diocese’s ongoing efforts to raise funds and fulfill the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The gun goes off at 8 a.m. and has a cut-off time at 5:30 p.m.
Hagemoen will do a running trek and will try to conquer the over 2,000-metre elevation of the Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park at the west end of Lake Diefenbaker. The distance of the run is 50 kilometres and is divided into six legs to complete.
Vancouver native Mike Sidic holds the course record of completing the run in 4:37:21 in 2018 while Brittany Steele of Fort Macleod in nearby Alberta is the first female to conquer the course in 6:10:20 the same year.
The bishop is also requesting that any gift that would be given may be made to the Catholic Truth and Reconciliation Commission aside from being financial sponsors to help Hagemoen raise funds for the “incredible endeavour.”
Saskatchewan’s Catholic bishops made a province-wide appeal in mid-July this year to raise funds that would help residential school survivors and their respective communities, in consultation with Indigenous leaders. No goal for the appeal has been announced at this time."
The money that will be raised, part of the ongoing efforts and commitment made by the Canadian Catholic church in reaching out to Indigenous peoples, will fund education and cultural support of Indigenous communities affected by the Indian residential school system.
The province’s bishops revived the fundraising efforts in July after efforts to raise the money was halted after coming up with only $3.9 million. Anglican, Presbyterian and United Methodist churches had fulfilled paying the full amount a few years ago.
Bccatholic.ca, the website of the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s official newspaper, reports churches under the Diocese held special collections last September 11 and 12 aside from the advanced giving that began in July. The Most Rev. J. Michael Miller, CSB, is the current Archbishop of the Archdiocese.
The money collected for these efforts will support survivors of residential schools and Indigenous communities as part of the Catholic Church in Canada’s ongoing response to the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Dioceses in other provinces of the country have been making similar same efforts as Catholic leaders are trying to raise funds for reconciliation efforts.
The discovery of unmarked graves in former residential school sites during the summer opened old wounds on the emotional and physical effects of having Indigenous children forced to attend the said learning institutions.
It was a tension-filled summer as arson and vandalism incidents were enacted on Catholic churches in the country once the remains of 215 children were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The country’s Catholic bishops are also hoping that the scheduled meeting between Indigenous leaders and Pope Francis from December 17 to 20 would create positive results. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Rose Anne Archibald, the leader of the country’s largest Indigenous organization, told CNN that she won’t attend the meeting.
