Bishops urge action on bill to examine Indian boarding school policies

Four bishops have written to Congress urging them to investigate the federal Indian boarding school system.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, with Bishops John Folda of the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota; Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York; and Barry Knestout of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, sent a letter to lawmakers in support of a bill (HR 7325) that would establish a commission to investigate, document, and report on the history and lasting impacts of Indian boarding schools.

Christian missionaries sought to educate Native American children to initiate them into the Christian faith through catechesis and spiritual formation, but the schools, which were overseen by the federal government in the mid-19th century, involved many hardships for Native American populations. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has acknowledged the Church’s involvement in this history.

“The forced removal of children from their tribal lands and communities as part of federal boarding school policies was a moral failure that disregarded the unique culture and dignity of Indigenous peoples,” the four bishops wrote to bill sponsor Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas. “Accounts from this era illustrate lasting trauma among those who were involuntarily brought to these schools. The pain from the Native American boarding school era continues to echo today.”

The four bishops addressed the same letter to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

Sponsored by Murkowski, the Senate’s identical version of the bill (SB 761) would create a commission to investigate the impacts and ongoing effects of the Indian Boarding School Policies and develop ways to protect unmarked graves and accompanying land protections. The bill also would support repatriation and identify the tribal nations from which children were taken and put an end to the removal of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families and tribal communities by state social service departments, foster care agencies, and adoption agencies.

The bishops urged creation of a Truth and Healing Commission to acknowledge the moral failures that harmed Indigenous children and communities and promote accountability. Under the bill, the commission would work toward reconciliation through a cooperative process involving government and religious institutions.

No hearings have been set on the legislation in the House or Senate.

The bishops’ letter said “the Catholic Church in the United States remains committed to transparency, to listening, and to humility. We remain dedicated to working with Native communities, government actors, and other religious traditions in efforts to bring about authentic healing and reconciliation. As one means of promoting this, we urge the House to favorably advance this legislation.”

Fabre serves as chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Folda is chair of the Subcommittee on Native American Affairs; Brennan is chair of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; and Knestout is chair of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People.