Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) understands that the content of this press release could be
triggering for some people.
WLFN would like our members and the wider community to know
that it is ok to ask for help.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society: 1-866-925-4419
Hope for Wellness helpline: 1-855-242-3310
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On Monday, July 25th
, Pope Francis apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in the catastrophic
legacy of residential schools during a visit to Maskwacis, Alberta.
Pope Francis apologized for
members of the Catholic Church who cooperated with Canada’s devastating policy of the
Indigenous residential school, saying the forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples into Christian
society destroyed their cultures, severed their families, and marginalized generations in ways
still being felt now.
“In our community, it is a mix of emotions and there is going to be a lot of healing that needs to
happen for our members. The Pope visiting our country and issuing again another empty
apology leads to a lot of anger within our community. An apology is great but let us take it
another step further with what the Catholic Churches have done to our communities and get
them to acknowledge the attempted genocide of First Nations people, of our culture, our history
and our language” states WLFN Chief Willie Sellars.
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