Churches toll bells for missing and murdered Aboriginal women

REGINA – Two Anglican churches in Regina tolled their bells to bring attention to the many missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

St. Paul’s Cathedral and St. Johns the Apostle rang their bells 1,122 times. Each one represents one name on the RCMP’s list of missing and murdered Aboriginal women.

This is a part of an initiative taken on by more than 60 Anglican cathedrals and parish churches throughout the country. It is a part of 22 days of prayer and renewal to mark the end of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which addressed residential schools.

Members of the church say they often worry about women’s safety.

“We have a number of different outreach programs here and we come into contact with many different varieties of people from across our society,” said Mike Sinclair, the priest at St. Paul’s cathedral. “There are times when people gather here and it’s sad when I have to look at the First Nations women here and think: Are you going to be back?”