Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Two MORE Catholic churches in British Columbia go up in flames amid ‘anger and rage’ over school mass graves

Two MORE Catholic churches in British Columbia go up in flames amid ‘anger and rage’ over school mass graves

Another two Catholic churches have been apparently set on fire in British Columbia, making it four that have been destroyed since the discovery of mass graves at two defunct boarding schools for First Nations children.

The two fires were reported on Saturday morning, consuming the Lady of Lourdes Church in Chopaka and St. Ann’s Church in Hedley, some 60 kilometers away. St. Ann’s is on land belonging to the Upper Similkameen Indian Band, and Chopaka is in Lower Similkameen territory.


Both buildings were made of wood, over 100 years old, and served as meeting places and for Catholic members of the two tribes as well as the surrounding communities.

“This isn’t justice for what’s happened to our people. This is stupidity by some individuals!” Rose Holmes from Hedley, a tribe member, told the local news outlet Castanet.

Lower Similkameen Indian Band Chief Keith Crow told CBC that he received a call the Chopaka church was on fire around 4 am on Saturday, and that it was completely gone by the time he got there, half an hour later.

“I'm angry,” Crow said. “I don't see any positive coming from this and it's going to be tough.”

He thinks the fires are “not just coincidence,” after flames also claimed St. Gregory’s church in Osoyoos and Sacred Heart Church in the Penticton Indian Band territory last Monday.


The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating the fires as possible arson, but no arrests have been made so far.

“While we understand the grief and rage felt by others across Indian country” over the recent discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, “there are supports to help deal with these emotions in a more healing way,” the Lower Similkameen council said in a statement issued after the fires. Osoyoos and Penticton leaders have condemned the destruction of churches in their territory as well.

Tribal leaders are concerned some members of their communities might be consumed by anger over the discovery of mass graves at two sites in Canada over the past month. Last week, 751 unmarked graves were found at the site of a former residential school in Marieval, Saskatchewan. Another 215 graves were found in Kamloops, British Columbia earlier this month.

The Roman Catholic Church operated many of the 140 or so boarding schools established by the Canadian government in the 1870s to “civilize” and assimilate members of the First Nations by removing children from their families. Some of the schools operated until the 1990s. A Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up to investigate the schools concluded in 2008 that the system and the assimilation policy itself “can best be described as ‘cultural genocide’.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
×