68th Legislature 2023 HR 10.1
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 10
2 INTRODUCED BY J. WINDY BOY, J. HAMILTON, J. COHENOUR, T. RUNNING WOLF, D. HAWK, A.
3 BUCKLEY, M. MARLER, K. SULLIVAN, T. FRANCE, E. STAFMAN, F. SMITH, S. WEBBER, M. FOX, J.
4 SMALL, S. MORIGEAU, J. LYNCH, K. ABBOTT, P. TUSS, D. HARVEY, S. STEWART PEREGOY, J.
5 KARLEN, B. CARTER, Z. ZEPHYR, M. ROMANO, D. BAUM, E. MATTHEWS, M. CAFERRO
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7 A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA RECOGNIZING
8 AND EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR THE RECENT REPUDIATION OF THE "DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY"
9 BY THE VATICAN.
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11 WHEREAS, as stated in Article II, section 4, of the Montana Constitution, "The dignity of the human
12 being is inviolable"; and
13 WHEREAS, the state is "committed in its educational goals to the preservation of [American Indian]
14 cultural heritage" pursuant to Article X, section 1(2), of the Montana Constitution; and
15 WHEREAS, the Doctrine of Discovery established through papal bull in the 15th century can be viewed
16 as the origin of some of the worst evils committed by human beings against other human beings, including
17 slavery and genocide; and
18 WHEREAS, the Doctrine of Discovery was inherently Eurocentric and antithetical to the view of
19 universal human dignity and was manipulated for political use by colonial powers; and
20 WHEREAS, the Doctrine of Discovery has been referred to by the Supreme Court of the United States
21 and used to justify the taking of lands inhabited by many generations of American Indians; and
22 WHEREAS, on March 30, 2023, the Vatican formally repudiated the "Doctrine of Discovery" in a Joint
23 Statement of the Dicasteries for Culture and Education and for Promoting Integral Human Development stating
24 that, "[t]he Catholic Church therefore repudiates those concepts that fail to recognize the inherent human rights
25 of indigenous peoples, including what has become known as the legal and political 'doctrine of discovery'"; and
26 WHEREAS, this repudiation by the Vatican supports the healing of indigenous peoples who have been
27 impacted by the legacy of colonialism.
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-1- Authorized Print Version – HR 10
68th Legislature 2023 HR 10.1
1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
2 MONTANA:
3 That the House of Representatives of the 68th Montana Legislature recognizes and is grateful for the
4 Joint Statement of the Dicasteries for Culture and Education and for Promoting Integral Human Development
5 on the "Doctrine of Discovery" dated March 30, 2023.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send a copy of this resolution to each
7 federally recognized tribal government in Montana and to Cardinal Michael Czerny at the Dicastery for
8 Promoting Integral Human Development and Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Medonca at the Dicastery for Culture
9 and Education.
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-2- Authorized Print Version – HR 10