Pope Francis sends prayers for Sacred Covenant between Kamloops First Nation and Church

Pope Francis has sent prayers and greetings to the Kamloops First Nation, the Archdiocese of Vancouver and the Diocese of Kamloops to mark the signing of their Sacred Covenant on Easter Sunday.

In a message to Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said, “His Holiness Pope Francis sends cordial greetings to all who are present for the signing of the covenant between the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Nation, the Archdiocese of Vancouver, and the Diocese of Kamloops.”

Cardinal Parolin wrote, “In light of the sufferings of the past, His Holiness hopes that this generous gesture will be a further step on the path toward truth and reconciliation. Indeed, today’s gathering responds to the call of Pope Francis during his apostolic journey, when he spoke of the need for the Church and the Indigenous Peoples of Canada ‘to walk together, pray together, and work together” (Meeting with Indigenous Peoples: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, 25 July 2022).”

The letter closed with a blessing from the Pope on all the organizers and everyone taking part in the event as well as a note from Canada’s Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, who offered his personal support for the Pope’s message.

The Diocese of Kamloops, the Archdiocese of Vancouver, and the Kamloops Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation held an Easter Sunday reconciliation service after several months of planning for the event to address their shared history and to place historical events in a mutually agreed-upon context.

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