The Catholic Church’s contentious Doctrine of Discovery is finally being repudiated by Pope Francis — and “it’s about time,” said Metis Red Deerian Raye St. Denys.
“It’s years and years and years overdue,” she added.
Like many Indigenous central Albertans, St. Denys was relieved to hear on Thursday that the Vatican has finally rejected a 15th-century papal degree, which has been called racist and blamed for leading to centuries of misery for First Nations and Metis people in North America and beyond.
The Doctrine of Discovery consists of a series of 15th-century public charters issued by the pope that provided evangelical and legal justification for the subjugation of native peoples and the seizure of their land.
St. Denys said the doctrine pushed converting Indigenous people to Christianity and led to policies that attempted to stamp out First Nations culture to make native people more like Europeans.
“They said we weren’t civilized, but we had laws, we had language, medicine and trading routes,” added St. Denys, who noted Indigenous women also had high standing in First Nations societies. “We were not a diminished people” — until oppressive powers began to discriminate and persecute.
Indigenous Canadians had been urging the Vatican — especially during Pope Francis’s visit to Alberta last summer — to repudiate the doctrine, saying it formed the basis of many genocidal policies, including land laws and even the residential school system.
On Thursday, the Vatican officially rejected the Doctrine of Discovery. But at the same time, the Catholic Church tried to distance itself from the detrimental ways the doctrine was applied by colonial powers.
While the Vatican said the 15th-century papal bulls, or decrees, “did not adequately reflect the equal dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples,” it also said they have never been considered expressions of the Catholic faith. Instead, the documents were “manipulated” for political purposes “to justify immoral acts against Indigenous peoples that were carried out, at times, without opposition from ecclesial authorities.”
The Vatican acknowledged it was right to “recognize these errors,” regarding impacts of past assimilation policies on Indigenous people, and ask for their forgiveness.
First Nations Red Deerian Lyle Keewatin-Richards does not accept the Vatican’s position that the doctrine was misinterpreted or manipulated. He is happy it’s being abandoned, saying, “Wow. I never thought I would see the day.”
While repudiation “can’t be retroactive” and change the past, Keewatin-Richards is pleased the historic document is now recognized as being oppressive and discriminatory, leading to many injustices and indignities that were inflicted on Indigenous people.
St. Denys said, “the whole doctrine was offensive. I am really glad it is being repudiated.” She hopes this will clear the way for a more respectful and equal relationship with Indigenous people in future.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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