Honouring a Sacred Promise

Shockwaves rippled across Canada and the international community in 2021 with the discovery of suspected unmarked graves in British Columbia.

For the people of the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc and Indigenous people across Canada, it confirmed what they already knew: that hundreds of loved ones who had never returned home from residential school remained forever children. This horrific discovery spurred the entities on to take important steps that resulted sometime later, to come together and draft a Sacred Covenant, which included a series of commitments created to light the path towards meaningful reconciliation.

The Convent came into effect on an Easter Sunday following a ceremonial sunrise gathering that was witnessed by more than 120 people. The Covenant commits to supporting scientific research on the discoveries, grants historians and researchers access to Catholic Church records related to residential schools and educates on the legacy of the residential school system. Additionally, the groups pledged to gather annually to honour the Covenant.

Funding from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) will help cover the significant costs associated with hosting the annual gathering, including fees for the venue and site, food and beverages for participants, as well as honorariums for Elders and speakers, gifts and stipends.

The annual gathering of the two parties in the Sacred Covenant holds each side accountable for their commitments. It reminds the Archdiocese of Vancouver and the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc of the Covenant’s importance, acknowledges the harm done to Indigenous peoples by governments, corporations, and faith leaders, and helps build a relationship that supports healing and reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Catholic Church.

Archdiocese of Vancouver