The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Justin Welby (centre) stands among James Smith Cree Nation dignataries during a hymn at the beginning of Saturday's event. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Looking through a window into "Hell"

‘I am more sorry than I can say,’ Archbishop of Canterbury apologizes to residential school survivors

Apr 30, 2022 | 6:32 PM

Shortly after arriving at the James Smith Cree Nation, Rev. Justin Welby sat down in the corner of the local school gym and listened to four consecutive hours.

On Saturday, he was told stories of physical, mental, and sexual abuse in residential schools, alcoholism and addiction issues, and how that experience affected the rest of their lives.

Welby, who is the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior bishop of the Anglican Church, was visibly emotional at times during the stories. He took turns bowing his head in respect, and looking into the eyes of the survivors or those sharing stories on their behalf.

The Anglican Church of Canada said they ran three dozen residential schools from 1820 to 1969 around northern regions of central and western Canada, known as “Indian” and “Eskimo” Residential Schools.

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After hearing the stories, Welby took a moment to process and give his response.

“You’ve opened a window into hell. You’ve called us to look into hell— where you were. All of us from time to time look into such places, but very few of us have to undergo living it,” Welby said. “And when I look through that window as I listen to you, more thoughts came to mind than I can say now. I cannot order my mind enough. I’m overwhelmed.”

Welby was astonished by the courage of those who knowingly relived their deepest traumas and pain, just so he would have a better picture of what happened.

“I feel horrified, I feel a profound sense of grief for the people who shared, and the many who were not here to share or didn’t have the time to share,” Welby said. “I think I would add a huge sense of admiration, awe, at what they said. That profound humanity that came across, at the deepest level.

“Sometimes you come to these things, you hear the first story and you think, ‘how they must hate.’ But we didn’t find that,” Welby added. “We found people who were grappling with the issue, and there was genuine and rightful, righteous anger. But there was this deep humanity which I found quite extraordinary.”

Welby apologized in his address on several occasions.

“I am all the sorry that I can begin to express, that is personally and in my role as Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior bishop in the church of England and in the first of my equals of almost 1,000 bishops in the Anglican community,” Welby added later in his address. “I am sorry. I am more sorry than I can say. I’m ashamed. I am horrified.”

Ronda Sanderson is a third-generation residential school survivor, and one of those who spoke on Saturday. She attended the Prince Albert Residential School, which was not church-run, but her parents and her grandparents were forced to go to church-run schools.

Sanderson said that Welby’s words mattered, and that his apology was genuine.

“The churches have to start accepting responsibility and apologize for the atrocities that happened in residential schools. Today was a monumental day in that from the Anglican Diocese, from the Church of England, having the Archbishop of Canterbury say that he is sorry for the hell that Indian children went through in residential schools. To hear him say those words, ‘that I’m sorry,’ was really heartfelt and it really had a huge impact on me.”

Welby promised to take action, to work with residential school survivors to ensure that their stories, like the ones told on Saturday at the James Smith Cree Nation, and suffered in other parts of Canada, are never forgotten.

Sanderson wants to believe Welby.

“I’m kind of on the fence. Like ‘oh wow yes’ but I want to see his words put into action and do what you’re saying. Don’t just say something and not do anything, because that’s disheartening. That’s when we get frustrated.”

As a show of respect for coming, Chakastaypasin Band Chief Calvin Sanderson presented Welby with an eagle feather, which Welby kissed and held high.

He said the eagle feather was a symbol of “flight and hope, but also a symbol of pain and suffering,” and he will put in the chapel where he prays every day, and remember all the stories from James Smith. In return, he gave a rare gift to the community, a replica statue of a cathedral that burned.

Welby was also covered in a blanket, to be honoured by all the mothers and the grandmothers in all three James Smith Cree Nations.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW