Maȟpíya Lúta commends the recent statement from the Bishop of Rapid City and De Smet Jesuit Community of West River, South Dakota who have publicly opposed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to let the 19 soldiers involved in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre keep their Medals of Honor.
In their Oct. 20 statement, Bishop Scott Bullock of the Diocese of Rapid City and the De Smet Jesuit Community of West River affirmed that Wounded Knee “was not a battle, but a massacre,” and that “to recognize these acts as honorable is to distort history itself.”
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On December 29, 1890, between 250 and 300 Lakȟóta men, women, and children were killed at Wounded Knee—most of them unarmed. The victims’ bodies were later dumped into a mass grave, stripping Lakȟóta families of the sacred right to traditional burial and ceremony. Their loss remains one of the deepest wounds in our nation’s history, and their memory continues to call us toward truth and accountability.
At Maȟpíya Lúta, where Lakȟóta and Catholic traditions walk together, we support this clear and courageous act of truth-telling. Naming Wounded Knee for what it was is not about blame—it is about integrity, healing, and respect for those whose lives were taken.
Their message—that “we cannot lie about the past without perpetuating injustice and moral blindness”—echoes the heart of our mission. As a nation, we must ask ourselves: who are we if we continue to rewrite history to avoid discomfort? It’s never too late to acknowledge a mistake and choose the path of truth, humility, and healing.
You can read the full statement here: “A Faithful Response to the Wounded Knee Decision”
To learn more about the events of December 29, 1890, visit: https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/native-american/disaster-at-wounded-knee/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
