With Pope Francis’s visit to Canada having wrapped up, MKO’s grand chief wrote a letter to the pontiff asking to atone for the Doctrine of Discovery.
The Doctrine of Discovery is a part of international law concepts that were written in the 15th century that allowed European countries to colonize non-Christian lands and enslave Indigenous Peoples.
Garrison Settee says the papal bulls which form the foundation of the doctrine form an ongoing part of the law in North America, meaning they very much remain in effect today.
Settee also expressed disappointment regarding the Holy See’s official statements when it comes to the current legal effect the Papal Bulls has on Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the US.
He is calling on the pope to accept moral and spiritual responsibility, and to issue a further Papal Bull that would rescind and replace the previous ones that would sever any further reliance on these documents.
