WHEREAS:
• The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate issued ‘An Apology To The First Nations of Canada by the Oblate Conference of Canada’ on July 24, 1991. In their apology, the Oblates pledged to: “meet with native people and together help forge a template for a renewed covenant of solidarity”;
• On May 1, 2015, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, under the direction of Ken Forster, OMI, decided to arbitrarily remove Father James Holland, OMI, as the Pastor of Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, without any consultation with parish members or with Father James Holland;
• Parish members took immediate action and launched a petition, which garnered 2600 plus signatures worldwide, they also held a series of meetings with Ken Forster, to voice their concerns over the lack of consultation with parishioners on the removal of Father Jim. Members of the parish also offered to work collaboratively with the Oblates to help them achieve their goals, through programs and services, to resolve their issues with Sacred Heart Church;
• On May 15, 2015, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate issued a letter of apology, signed by Ken Forster, to the ‘people of the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples’ for the lack of consultation with the parishioners on the removal of Father James Holland. The letter stated that the Oblates decided, “Fr Jim will continue in the role of pastor of Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples. Also, know that any future planning by the Oblates regarding Sacred Heart will be done in partnership with you the people of the parish”;
• On May 3, 2017, the Oblates informed Father James Holland that he would be removed from the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, effective August 2017. Once again, without any consultation with the parish members or with Father James Holland, despite offers by parishioners in May 2015, to work collaboratively with the Oblates to resolve this matter. An offer, which has been blatantly ignored.
We, the undersigned, concerned members of the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, call upon the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to immediately rescind their decision to remove Father James Holland, OMI, as the Pastor of Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples; and,
Further, that the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate carry out consultations with concerned parish members and Father James Holland to reach an amicable solution to this matter.
