Archbishop Richard Gagnon of Winnipeg, president of the Canadian bishops’ conference, preached that residential schools are “a big thing right now in Canada and I know that we Catholics, we’re troubled, we’re hurt by this a lot in our hearts.” He added that he has observed “a lot of blame, a lot of accusations, a lot of exaggerations, a lot of false ideas. And so I say in my heart, You know something? There’s a persecution happening here.”

(For additional information on the burial of children at residential schools, see this report.)