After three years of diligent work, the Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue – co-sponsored by the CCCB and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada – has completed an essay titled “Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue Proposes Path to Building Relationships Towards Indigenous Reconciliation.”
Canada’s Roman Catholic–Evangelical Dialogue process included a two-and-a-half-year series of biannual meetings (from late 2022 through summer 2024) addressing Indigenous reconciliation and the legacy of residential schools
Most Reverend Joseph Dabrowski, Bishop of the Diocese of Charlottetown and Co-chair of Dialogue, the said the theme resonated so deeply “because the heart of both Catholic and Evangelical faiths is the Gospel message of reconciliation.”
The first gathering, in Mississauga in December 2022, created an atmosphere of warmth, trust, and candour where participants watched “The Survivors” documentary and grappled with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings
They traveled to Regina in spring 2023 to listen firsthand to painful Indigenous testimonies of trauma and injustice at church-run residential schools.
“The work of reconciliation must begin with genuine encounter and understanding,” said Bishop Dabrowski. “True healing means not just acknowledging Indigenous culture, but celebrating how faith can be expressed through it.”
In summer 2024, the group met in Montreal and visited Indigenous communities in Kaneshtatà:ke and Kanawà:ke, hearing the remarkable story of Harvey Satewas Gabriel, an elder who spent years translating the Bible into Mohawk. Bishop Joseph received a gift of this bible, which we then presented to the Pope on his recent pilgrimage.
“The relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada remains strained.
Now is the time for Christian communities to take concrete steps, moving from statements of apology to active listening, learning, and collaboration with healing initiatives.”
– Bishop Joseph Dabrowski
Read the full text of the press release here:
In English
In French
The essay is available here:
In English
In French
