Dear Friends and Supporters of the Rebuilding Our Church Campaign,
It has been a while since our last update, and much has happened.
We worked on the campaign as usual until June; then the news of the unmarked graves at the Residential School in Kamloops was released, followed by similar news from Cowessess and other Residential School sites. This, combined with a strong public calling that the Church prioritize funding for Residential School Survivors and reconciliation/healing initiatives, resulted in our second suspension of new donor meetings since the pandemic hit in 2020. Our other campaign work (project and other planning, communication, parish connection and more) continues while we wait to be able to meet with potential donors again. We will also be working with current donors, as you will see below.
While our campaign meetings have been on pause, the Canadian bishops, the bishops of Saskatchewan, and Bishop Don, along with archdiocesan staff and Indigenous advisors, have been meeting extensively.
As a result, the Canadian bishops made a September 24th acknowledgment of and unequivocal apology for the suffering Indigenous Peoples experienced at Indian Residential Schools. As of September 27th they also announced their $30M financial commitment to the work of healing and reconciliation across the country.
In our own archdiocese, Bishop Don has released a reflection in written and video form about the journey toward right relationships with Indigenous Peoples. Our archdiocese has created a TRC Healing Fund to support: Indigenous healing and reconciliation; work at cemeteries on the sites of former residential schools; and for initiatives supporting Indigenous language, culture, spirituality and education. The donations received by this fund will be counted towards the national $30M financial commitment.
The Healing and Reconciliation Opportunity In order to assist our archdiocese with Indigenous reconciliation, we are planning to add what we call a “Healing and Reconciliation Opportunity” to the Rebuilding Our Church Campaign. Our team will contact those of you who have already donated or pledged to the campaign to let you know that if you would like to redirect a percentage of (or top up) your campaign gift to go to the Archdiocese of Regina TRC Healing Fund, we can accommodate that request.
The decision of whether to participate in the “Healing and Reconciliation Opportunity” will be up to each donor. We have done an informal advance poll of some of our current donors, and most are appreciative of this option and of the chance to discuss healing and reconciliation issues. Our team members look forward to having more donor conversations about this new, deeper aspect of “Rebuilding Our Church” while “rebuilding” right relationships through truth and reconciliation.
Planning work has begun regarding how the archdiocesan TRC Healing funds received will be allocated, in an Indigenous-led way but carried out together, with the goal of strengthening relationships as we proceed. More information about the detailed plan and pathway for the collection and allocation of these funds will be made available in a transparent way as they are confirmed.
Bishop Don is having consultation meetings with Residential School Survivors, Elders, spiritual leaders and other members of the Indigenous community, as well as with groups such as the Archdiocesan Finance Council, the Council of Priests, and our Rebuilding Our Church Campaign Cabinet Committee. He is also helping plan the Indigenous delegation’s meeting with Pope Francis this December.
We will continue to keep you updated as we know more, and we look forward to being able to restart campaign meetings once the timing is right. In the meantime, we ask for your prayers that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us and our church through the healing and reconciliation process.
With gratitude, Your campaign team
Archbishop Don Bolen, Michelle Sanche, John Dipple, Mo Bundon, Samy McCarthy, Ron Kruzeniski, Garth Herbert, Lisa Polk, George Kress and Lisa Smith
P.S. If you have questions or comments, call or text our campaign director, Lisa Smith, at 306-529-5502, or email us at [email protected].