A retired Canadian bishop is challenging the claims that hundreds of
native children died and were buried in unmarked mass graves at the
“residential schools” administered by the Church - and challenging his
brother bishops to defend the Church’s record.
“Why is the Catholic Church not asking the federal government for proof
that even one residential child is actually missing” asks Bishop Fred
Henry, the former head of the Calgary diocese.
He called upon the
Canadian bishops to repudiate the “lie” that Catholic institutions had
engaged in massive human-rights abuses, and to reject a federal
minister’s report that places blame on the Church.
While conceding problems with the residential schools, Bishop Henry said
that the federal report implies that “thousands of missing children
were murdered by Catholic priests and nuns and clandestinely buried in
unmarked graves. Is the Catholic Church prepared to go that far in the
name of reconciliation?”
Leaders of the Canadian bishops’ conference have not responded publicly
to Bishop Henry’s challenge.
But two archbishops told the Catholic Register that they are waiting for a final federal report before commenting.
In a related development, the federal minister responsible for the
report has recommended making it a criminal offense to deny the claim
that hundreds of Indian children died of neglect and abuse at the
residential schools.