Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Proper Nomenclature

Home
Catholic
Always Appreciated: Reminders of Church’s Regret

Always Appreciated: Reminders of Church’s Regret

Last updated on: January 5, 2016 at 8:48 pm by Keith Michael Estrada

Always Appreciated: Reminders of Church’s Regret 2016-01-05T20:48:08-07:00 Keith Michael Estrada

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Sam Rocha recently wrote a short piece for us on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s demand for an apology from Pope Francis on the injustice committed through the residential school program.

Photo credit: Ivan Mlinaric via Foter.com / CC BY

Sam explains that Trudeau isn’t off for asking for an apology – but he shouldn’t do so while thinking the Church hasn’t repented before.

Good News to the Poor: A New Evangelization by Leonardo Boff

Saying you’re sorry once, may not be enough. The hurt caused by the Church, acting actively or passively, is immense.

What the Church did – that is, usually, individuals and large groups within it – is unspeakable. Coming from the American experience, we’ve seen great injustices on Turtle Island.

I am reminded of a letter delivered to Pope John Paul II during his visit to Peru in 1985.

After almost five centuries of the arrival of european domination, these local indigenous leaders insisted they were done giving the Church a chance.

Injustices committed damaged everything in the indigenous life – down to its core.

In this 1985 letter by Maximos Flors, of the Kollosuyo (Aymara) Indian movement, Emmo Valeriano, of the (Aymara) Indian Party, and Ramiro Reynaga, of the (Khsewa) Tupac Katari Indian movement, we learn just how damaging these atrocities were:

We, the Indians of the Andes and America, have decided to take the opportunity of this visit by John Paul II to return him his Bible. In five centuries, it has brought us neither love, nor peace, nor justice. Please take your Bible back, and return it to our oppressors. It is they, rather than we, who have need of its moral precepts. Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus, a culture, a language, a religion of Europe have been imposed on America by force.

This portion of the letter is quoted by Leonardo Boff in Good News to the Poor: A New Evangelization.

Remember that Spanish Christendom did little to elevate or protect the dignity of the indigenous people of this continent – now called “America”.

With this in mind, the repeated apologies are understandable – Justin Trudeau isn’t crazy for thinking the injustice merits an apology. However, we should be mindful that the Church has apologized, and continues to apologize, because the Church wants everyone who has suffered by its action or omission to know that it is sorry.

Apologizing, reconciliation – making things right – is part of our new evangelization.

Let’s close with the words of Leonardo Boff:

The new evangelization, whose first beginnings date from the 1960s, and which address first of all the dominated peoples, has not yet struck sufficiently deep root. It has not yet managed to convince the victims it prioritizes…

Unfortunately, our debt of justice to the natives, the blacks, and the outcast remains unpaid even today. Our churches must pay it.

Reminders of the Church’s regret are always appreciated – may we never commit these injustices again!

Until next time,

Keith Michael Estrada

If you have found the content on Keith Michael Estrada’s “Proper Nomenclature” to be useful, kindly consider supporting the cause with a donation.
Use the button below to donate through PayPal:

Thank you!

New Evangelization

Uncategorized

John Paul II

Keith Michael Estrada

Previous Post

December 18, 2015

Trudeau: You Know the Church Apologized, Right?

Next Post

December 19, 2015 State Can Wage War, but not Provide for the Poor?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Benedict XVI Canada Capital Punishment Capitalism Care for Creation Catholic Committee of Appalachia Catholic News Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Tradition - Art Catholic Worker Catholic Worker Inspirations CST in 140 Characters or Less Diocese of San Diego Faithful Citizenship Father Frank Pavone Chronicles Fathers, Mothers, Saints, and Doctors Francis Guest Posts Gun Violence Humor, Parody, and/or Satire Interfaith Dialogue John Eudes John Paul II Marriage and Family Migration New Evangelization News Not a formal post. Our Lady of Guadalupe Paul VI Popes Pro-Life Racial Justice Releases Religious Freedom Repeat/Repost Saints Socialism Thomas Aquinas Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2020 July 2019 June 2018 May 2018 March 2018 December 2017 October 2017 September 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many friends came to speak with Job?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Four Three Two Five