Four bishops have written to Congress urging an investigation into the federal Indian boarding school system.
Archbishop Shelton Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, with Bishop John Folda of the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota; Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York; and Barry Knestout of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. sent a letter To MPs in support of a bill (HR 7325) which will establish a commission to investigate, document and report on the history and lasting impacts of Indian boarding schools.
Christian missionaries sought to educate Native American children to be initiated into the Christian faith through catechesis and spiritual formation, but schools overseen by the federal government in the mid-19th century included many hardships for the Native American population. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has acknowledged the Church’s participation in this history.
“The forced removal of children from their tribal lands and communities as part of federal boarding school policies was a moral failure that disregarded the unique culture and dignity of Indigenous peoples,” the four bishops wrote to bill sponsors Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas. “Accounts from this era reflect lasting trauma among those who were unknowingly brought to these schools. The pain of the Native American boarding school era still resonates today.”
The four bishops addressed the same letter to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.
The Senate’s identical version of the bill, sponsored by Murkowski (SB 761) will create a commission to examine the impacts and ongoing effects of Indian boarding school policies and develop ways to protect unmarked graves and associated land protections. The bill would also support repatriation and recognize the tribal nations from which children were taken and prohibit the removal of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families and tribal communities by state social services departments, foster care agencies, and adoption agencies.
The bishops urged the creation of a Truth and Healing Commission to acknowledge and promote accountability for ethical failures that harm Indigenous children and communities. Under the bill, the commission will work towards reconciliation through a cooperative process involving the government and religious institutions.
No hearings on the legislation have been scheduled in the House or Senate.
The bishops’ letter said, “The Catholic Church in the United States of America is committed to transparency, listening, and humility. We are dedicated to working with Native communities, government actors, and other religious traditions in efforts to bring about authentic healing and reconciliation. As a means of promoting this, we urge the House to advance this legislation favorably.”
Fabre serves as president of the USCCB Domestic Justice and Human Development Committee; Folda’s chair is Subcommittee on Native American Affairs; Brennan is the president of Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; And Nestout is its president Committee on Protection of Children and Youth.
