Truth Telling and Healing

28/10/2026

The Ursulines of the USA are taking part in a process of truth-telling and reconciliation by making historical records accessible to Indigenous families searching for their roots.

Facing the painful reality of racism in our country the Western Area of the USA Region focused on white privilege and what actions we could take to counter racism.  We have a long history of missions in both Montana and Alaska, and we took a hard look at our indigenous boarding schools.  We have long lamented the suffering caused by native boarding schools and the generational trauma that continues to this day.

In an effort at truth telling and healing, we have housed our archive collection at the History Museum in Great Falls, Montana.  Many indigenous people have few records of their ancestors, so making primary source material available to them is invaluable as they search for their ancestors. 

This year we hired a researcher to delve into our documents and provide a glimpse into the past of St. Peter’s Boarding School in Cascade, Montana.  His research became the focus of an exhibit, Voices of Our Ancestors, that opened at the Museum in late August. Over 200 people attended that opening presentation expressing appreciation for this resource available to them.  One educator spoke of bringing her students to do their own search for their past.

Mary Lukin, a Blackfeet woman on the advisory Board that helped us develop the exhibit, spoke of knowing that one of her four ancestors attending St. Peter’s died there at the age of four.  Then Mary shared what a profound experience it was for her to find in our archives, not only find a photo of one of the siblings with her birthday cake but also reading about the twin who died and how loved she was there.

Hopefully many more people will have the opportunity like Mary Lukin to see and hear something of their past in our archives. The exhibit and the opening presentation gave us Ursulines an opportunity to not only acknowledge that racism in our country is real but allowed us to publicly apologize for our part in the harm that colonialism has caused in the United States.

Sister Dianne Baumunk, osu

Left to right: Sr. Dianne Baumunk, Mary Lukin, Sr. Mary Dostal, Sr. Rita Kohut