FSIN asks Catholics to skip Sunday mass in support of residential school survivors
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is asking people who want to show their support for those traumatized by the residential school system to consider skipping church on Sunday.
“This is something that every Christian can do, have that show of solidarity and not show up for church on Sunday,” Kinistin Saulteaux Nation Chief Felix Thomas said at an FSIN press conference Friday.
“You can go next Sunday and you can pray at home in your own way.”
The FSIN continues to ask for an apology to survivors from Pope Francis following the discovery of what are believed to be the remains of 215 students buried on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The FSIN also wants the Roman Catholic Church to release records of residential schools.
“(We) call for the Pope to come and visit Saskatchewan, and to come and visit one of our residential school sites and to apologize in person for the trauma and the harm that the catholic church caused to our people,” said FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt.
POPE EXPRESSES 'CLOSENESS' WITH CANADIANS
On Sunday, Pope Francis addressed the discovery on Twitter but did not apologize.
"I join the Canadian Bishops and the whole Catholic Church in Canada in expressing my closeness to the Canadian people, who have been traumatised by shocking discovery of the remains of two hundred and fifteen children, pupils at the Kamloops Indian Residential School," he said.
The Catholic Church administrated many of Canada’s residential schools – including the one in Kamloops – as did the Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches for more than 120 years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.