Sacred Heart Church is a world renowned church due to its unique and holistic services that it provides for the Aboriginal people in Edmonton and area. Aboriginal people from everywhere make it a priority to attend the services at Sacred Heart Church whenever they are in the City of Edmonton. The negative impacts of the residential schools system on Aboriginal people has created a deep rift on their faith, their trust and their ability to have a positive outlook with the catholic church. Father Jim Holland, however, has been the catalyst for restoring the christian faith, and building trusting relationships between the catholic church and the aboriginal community within Edmonton and beyond. The removal of Father Jim from Sacred Heart Church will have a huge impact to the Aboriginal community which may have negative consequences to the catholic church in the City of Edmonton, Alberta. Therefore, through this petition, we are appealing to the Catholic Diocese of Edmonton to keep Father Jim Holland as the pastor of Sacred Heart Church for a minimum of two years to oversee and train his successors during this transition.
