A call from Saskatchewan’s Indigenous leaders for Catholics to show solidarity with the survivors of residential schools in the country by staying home from services. 

The chief of the Kinistin Saulteaux Nation, Felix Thomas, made the call on Friday, saying that making the decision to stay home will show the Catholic Church that its members care about what happened in residential schools, and want an actual, meaningful apology.  

The sentiment was echoed by Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations vice-chief David Pratt.  

Last week, Pope Francis expressed sorrow for the discovery of what is believed to the bodies of 215 Indigenous children at the site of the former residential school in Kamloops, BC, which was run by the Catholic Church. He stopped short of issuing a full apology for the Catholic Church’s involvement in the residential school system in Canada.