The Saskatchewan bishops are reviving the fundraising goal made a few years ago of raising $25 million. The previous fundraising move was halted after raising only $3.9 million. Anglican, Presbyterian, and United Methodist churches had fulfilled paying the full amount a few years ago. Archdiocese of Regina Archbishop Donald Bolen, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon Bishop Bryan Bayda of the, Keewatin-Le Pas Archdiocese Archbishop Murray Chatlain, Diocese of Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen and Prince Albert Diocese Bishop Stephen Hero signed the letter. “We are deeply grateful for the signs and indications of encouragement and commitment that we have been hearing from the people of Saskatchewan and beyond. It is for all of us to rise to the occasion to be instruments of healing and reconciliation, moving forward in humility, truth, and justice,” the Saskatchewan bishops said in a statement posted on social media.
“The overall goal of this campaign is to support Residential School survivors and their communities, and to engage more deeply in our own ongoing commitment and response to the Truth and Reconciliation process. We have heard the strong request, from Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in various quarters, to initiate a new fundraising campaign to support survivors and engage more deeply in our own ongoing commitment and response to the Truth and Reconciliation process,” the bishops said in the letter. “Out of these conversations, each diocese and eparchy will discern and communicate separately how they will proceed with the Appeal in their respective dioceses and communities,” the bishops said, noting that a province-wide goal and timeline will be announced by September 2021. “As we noted in our July 3 letter, we are deeply grateful for the signs and indications of encouragement and commitment that we have been hearing from the people of Saskatchewan and beyond. It is f