Anglican Church primate provides message of hope and commitment for First Nations in 2008
New Year's Day sermon by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada
January 1, 2008 -- What follows is the part of the text of a sermon preached on New Year’s Day by Canadian Primate Archbishop Fred Hiltz at Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa that deals with the residential school issue. This follows a tradition that the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada preaches in the cathedral in the nation’s capital on the first day of the year.
By Fred Hiltz, Archbishop and Primate
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In care and support of them and those whom they serve, our General Synod last June passed several supportive resolutions including a renewed financial commitment on the part of the whole Church to ministry in the North.
Another exciting moment in the General Synod was the installation of the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the Right Rev. Mark MacDonald. A high priority in his ministry is meeting with First Nations' communities, listening to their needs and hopes and working with their bishops to address them. Mark is an incredibly gifted person and we rejoice in the blessing of his ministry among us.
A third moment of note from General Synod was the renewal of A Covenant Toward The Constitutional Recognition and Protection of Aboriginal Self Government in Canada. The occasion was National Aboriginal Day, June 21st. It was an incredibly moving moment when my predecessor, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison and the former National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Ray Schultz, led a delegation representing nine Canadian churches and religious organizations in renewing commitments made at the initial signing of the Covenant 20 years ago - truly a significant moment in the long road to self-determination.
As our Church comes to terms with the legacy of our participation in the Government of Canada's policy of assimilation through the Residential Schools program, there are a number of significant moments and actions to note:
The first and perhaps most significant is The Apology offered by former Primate Michael Peers to the National Native Convocation in August, 1993. In it, he acknowledged our Church's failure in the Residential Schools. He said:
"I am sorry, more than I can say, that we were part of a system which took you and your children from home and family.
I am sorry, more than I can say, that we tried to remake you in our image, taking from you your language and the signs of your identity.
I am sorry, more than I can say, that in our schools so many were abused physically, sexually, culturally and emotionally."
He went on to say, "I know how often you have heard words which have been empty because they have not been accompanied by actions. I pledge to you my best efforts and the efforts of our church at the national level, to walk with you along the path of God's healing."
The second significant action is embodied in the Anglican Indigenous Healing Fund, established in 1992. Annually the General Synod allocates $300,000 to this fund. In the past 15 years the fund has supported, in excess of $3 million, some 300 projects in communities in almost every diocese across Canada.
The third action was the commitment of every diocese to accept its fair share of the Settlement Fund negotiated between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Federal Government in the fall of 2002. In keeping with the terms of the settlement, Church and Government leaders continued negotiations resulting in an Amended Agreement that was ratified by the courts in the fall of 2007. We acknowledge, with grateful thanks, the tremendous effort made by many people to achieve this agreement.
We rejoice that common experience payments are now being issued to former Residential Schools students.
We affirm the Prime Minister's intention to make an apology on behalf of the Federal Government to all First Nations Peoples in Canada. We welcome news of the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Research Centre to preserve the story of the Residential Schools. In the interest of raising public awareness, Church leaders will participate in a Sacred Walk in March of this year, beginning in Ottawa and travelling to a number of other cities across the country. Anglicans are hosting the event in Vancouver in conjunction with a meeting of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples. Bishop Mark MacDonald and Archbishop Terence Finlay, my Special Envoy for Residential Schools, will join me on this Sacred Walk with other leaders.
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