Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon has issued a statement regarding the discovery of unmarked graves of 215 children at the site of a former residential school near Kamloops, B.C. and says he and brother bishops in B.C., and beyond, express their sadness and sympathy to Chief Rosanne Casimir and the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.

He says the memorial tribute of children’s shoes and other items left by members of the community on the steps of St. Paul Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon will be left in place in the coming days in solidarity with other memorials and events being held. There are also plans for a diocesan prayer service to be held in the days ahead.

The residential school in Kamloops was run by Catholics from 1890 to 1969 and then the federal government took over between 1969 and 1978. Bishop Hagemoen says a moment of silence was held during Sunday Mass at Holy Family Cathedral to remember the 215 souls and all residential school survivors, their families and community members.

Bishop Hagemoen added, “May this occasion of mourning and grief also be the occasion for renewed commitment and efforts to build caring relationships between our Indigenous and non-Indigenous brothers and sisters, in a world that continues to grapple with a history that often falls short. The discovered 215 graves is a reminder of this history. Our respectful silence and solidarity together can be a part of the long and careful journey to an unknown and hopeful future.”