Prince Albert Bishop Albert Thevenot will host a prayer vigil in his diocese April 17 to remember the Indigenous people who have gone missing and their families who have been left behind.

There is a deeply Catholic sense of hope in standing on history’s shore watching a major wave break while sensing another building, barely visible, on the horizon.

The Catholic relationship with Canada’s Indigenous peoples no doubt wobbled with the announcement that Pope Francis is not coming here to offer the apology so explicitly called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. After so much suffering, it could hardly be otherwise.

OTTAWA –  Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde wants a face-to-face meeting to ask Pope Francis to reconsider his rejection of a call to come to Canada to issue a formal apology to Indigenous peoples.

Maybe it’s just me, but it’s so easy to get lost in the little sacrifices and traditions of Lent, forgetting what the real point is behind them.

Pope Francis won’t be coming to Canada to personally apologize for the suffering endured by Indigenous Canadians at residential schools, a decision that has prompted disappointment from several corners, including the prime minister.

The following is the Easter message from Bishop Lionel Gendron, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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VANCOUVER – A Squamish First Nation deacon is looking forward to his chance to bring the concerns of local Indigenous people to Rome.

By truly listening to the penitent during confession, "we listen to Jesus himself, poor and humble; by listening to the Holy Spirit, we put ourselves in attentive obedience, becoming listeners of the Word" in order to know what God wants to be done, he said.

VATICAN – Pope Francis has chosen the theme and appointed members of the preparatory council for the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon region, which will take place in Rome in October 2019.

The stories are out there, they just need to be heard.

VATICAN – Christians must let go of resentments and forgive those who have wronged them so that they may experience God's forgiveness, Pope Francis.

EDMONTON – Of all the sacraments, confession often appears to be the most intimidating, and most people tend to avoid it — sometimes for years, says Fr. Roger Niedzielski.

Last May, my wife, daughters and I stayed at a resort on a First Nations reserve on Vancouver Island to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday. The last night we were there, my mother-in-law moved into town, and my wife and I slept in the yurt where she had stayed.

“Your two jobs today are to play and to have fun.”