President Pruden to Attend Inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV, Calls for Return of Métis Artifacts from Vatican Museum

OTTAWA, ON, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - President Victoria Pruden of the Métis National Council (MNC) will travel with the Canadian Delegation to Vatican City this Sunday to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. 

As the Catholic Church enters a new chapter, the MNC is renewing its call for the return of Métis cultural artifacts held in the Vatican's Anima Mundi Museum. These items are not simply historical objects, they are part of the living identity, memory, and spirit of the Métis Nation. 

"We are asking the Vatican to work with Métis knowledge-keepers, historians, and experts to identify which items in their collection belong to our people and to return them," said President Pruden. "These artifacts were taken during eras of profound injustice. Their return is an essential step in advancing reconciliation and repairing the deep harms caused by colonial policies, including the role the Church played in the residential school system." 

President Pruden emphasized that the legacy of residential schools continues to affect generations of Métis families. "Many of our Survivors are still waiting for justice. Others have already passed without seeing the Church live up to its responsibilities. Returning these sacred items would be a concrete act of accountability, one that aligns with the Church's rejection of the Doctrine of Discovery and its stated support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." 

The MNC stands ready to engage in this work in partnership with the Catholic Church, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Indigenous leaders across the country. 

Since 1983, the Métis National Council has been the national and international voice of the Métis Nation within Canada. Through national research and policy development, the MNC advocates to advance the rights and interests of Métis Governments, including the implementation of the Métis Nation's inherent right to self-determination and self-government. The MNC is committed to accountability and transparency within its operations, and to its relationships with its Governing Members and other partners. 

SOURCE Métis National Council

Melissa Lagace, Director of Communications and Public Relations, [email protected]