Indian Residential Schools: A New Awakening in Canadian Consciousness, with Sister Marie Zarowny

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Sister Marie will lead us in a review of the involvement of Catholic Church Entities in the Residential Schools, the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Since the announcement of the “discovery” of unmarked graves near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School there has been an outpouring of grief and anger across the country and within the Church. Much of the anger has been directed at the Catholic Church and the religious communities that were involved. Sister Marie will attempt to shed some light and clarification on sensationalized news reports, separating fact from fiction. The journey towards truth, healing, justice and reconciliation has barely begun; what is needed as we move forward?

This event will also be recorded and posted on the Newman Association’s YouTube page.

Sister Marie Zarowny, SSA, is currently serving as President of the Corporation of The Sisters of Saint Ann based in Victoria. Her community was involved in four Indian Residential Schools and Sister Marie has been in ministry both directly and indirectly with Indigenous communities for over 30 years. Throughout her more than 20 years in leadership she has been involved with processes to bring about truth, healing, justice and reconciliation, providing leadership in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and its compliance; participating in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; raising awareness about the impacts of colonization and the Schools and continuing to be the spokesperson for these issues for The Sisters of Saint Ann.

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The Newman Association of Vancouver is a Catholic organization that promotes and cultivates the religious, intellectual, and social formation of its members and associates. It is named after Saint John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism whose life story of conversion and writings on the idea of a university greatly inspired those working for the advancement of the liberal arts and the ideals of Catholic education, an inspiration that led to the start of the Newman movement around the world in the 20th century. Founded in 1940, The Newman Association extends the mission of the Newman Club of the University of British Columbia from the UBC campus to the wider community and brings issues of pertinence into discussion and dialogue through its activities in the local Church.