“Native Americans experienced deep wounds in the age of colonization and expansion, wounds that largely remain unhealed and strongly impact the generations to this day.” – U.S. bishops, Open Wide Our Hearts
"Most Americans know almost nothing about the lives and history of the first Americans. Our religious organizations, schools, and other educational efforts must tell the truth about how Native Americans have been treated and how they have endured in this land. History can be healing if we will face up to its lessons." (1992: A Time for Remembering, Reconciling, and Recommitting Ourselves as a People, USCCB)
“Lord God, our Father, you created the human being, man and woman, in your image and likeness, and you willed the diversity of peoples within the unity of the human family.
At times, however, the equality of your sons and daughters has not been acknowledged, and Christians have been guilty of attitudes of rejection and exclusion, consenting to acts of discrimination on the basis of racial and ethnic difference.
Forgive us and grant us the grace to heal the wounds still present in your community on account of sin, so that we will all feel ourselves to be your sons and daughters.” (Universal Prayer on Day of Pardon) (USCCB, Racism and the Native American Experience)