U.S. bishops to apologize to Indigenous Catholics, vow to address ‘unique cultural needs’

The U.S. Catholic bishops are expected to approve a document at their spring meeting this week that apologizes to Catholic Indigenous communities for a “history of trauma” caused in part by their “abandonment” by the Church and proposes a way forward that takes into account the “unique cultural needs” of these communities.

The draft document, “Keeping Christ’s Sacred Promise: A Pastoral Framework for Indigenous Ministry,” provides an updated pastoral plan to address the concerns of Catholic Indigenous communities. The preface notes the last time the bishops formally addressed these communities was 1977.

“EWTN News In Depth” acquired the draft document from a source close to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. According to that source, the document seems likely to pass in its present form without significant changes. This Friday, the USCCB is expected to vote in approval of the text at its annual spring meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.

In the document, the bishops note the contributions of Catholic missionaries and the impact on Native people, stating: “Today, many North American Indigenous Catholics trace their faith to the decision of their ancestors to embrace Catholicism hundreds of years ago.”

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