June 1, 2021
Beloved Parishioners,
It is with sadness that we received the report of a recent discovery of children’s graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation.
Yesterday, I went to our school to pray with the teachers and students. We observed a moment of silence to honour these precious little ones. In solidarity, we all wore orange and our flag was and continues to be flown half-mast.
This morning, I woke up at 5.45am and a sheet spray-painted in orange letters was covering our Church’s sign board. It read: “Your assets should be seized; have you no response ?????”
I had phoned one of the Chiefs at the Penticton Indian Reserve to express our sadness over the tragic event that happened in Kamloops. We stand in solidarity with all our Indigenous brothers and sisters.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement in which they “express their deepest sorrow for the heartrending loss of the children.” The letter highlights that the “shocking discovery rekindles trauma in numerous communities across the land. Honouring the dignity of these little ones demands that the truth be brought to light”, it stresses. The letter concludes thus: “We lift up prayers to the Lord for the children who have lost their lives and pledge our close accompaniment of Indigenous families and communities.”
May 31, 2021 – Download the CCCB statement in which they “express their deepest sorrow for the heartrending loss of the children.”
Our Bishop, Most Rev. Gregory Bittman, is asking everyone in our diocese to join him in offering our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Tk’emlups Te Secwepemc, to pray for spiritual healing and for the repose of the souls of the children.
Please could you join me in prayer:
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come;
Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home.Father, forgive us for the mistakes of the past;
Help us to build a future together in which there is no subordination or domination: a future in which the dignity of all is upheld, a future in which we honour, respect and love the other. Help us to start today and not wait any longer.Heal families that are suffering; families that are traumatized. Heal us for we all belong to one human family. Heal our land. Protect the children of the world.
Give us your Holy Spirit to find a true path to reconciliation and justice.
May the mistakes and evil of the past not close the door to the good that we can do together in the present, to the love that can be lived today. Help us to begin again.
Jesus, give us the strength to gaze on your Cross where forgiveness, healing and mercy begins. May the day of resurrection from pain and sorrow come quickly.
Eternal rest grant unto these precious little ones and let perpetual light shine on them. May they rest in peace.
Sincerely yours,
Fr. Obi
Parish Priest, Catholic Parishes of Penticton.