US Catholic Bishops Apologize for Role in Indigenous Boarding School Abuses
The formal apology acknowledges decades of trauma inflicted on Native American children through forced assimilation and abuse.
Overview
- The US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the apology during their spring assembly in Louisville, Kentucky.
- The document cites historical trauma from boarding schools, epidemics, and national policies but avoids specifics on sexual abuse.
- Indigenous communities have long sought accountability for the abuses, which included physical and sexual assaults.
- The apology follows Pope Francis's similar acknowledgment of the church's role in Canadian residential schools in 2022.
- Native American leaders appreciate the gesture but call for further actions, including a direct apology from the Pope.