For the full copy of the tribute, please visit the bottom of this page.
March 4, 2022
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-Canada) expresses our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the Very Rev. Dr. William “Bill” Phipps, to all the clergy, members of the United Church of Canada, to all his friends and colleagues in his work for Indigenous people’s rights, social justice, peace, and ecological integrity.
We are in grief and feel a deep sense of loss at his death, on March 4th. Yet, we are comforted by the fact that he lived a full and meaningful life in the service to our community and beyond.
ICHRP Canada recognizes Rev. Bill’s staunch and courageous advocacy work for people’s rights. He spoke and apologized on behalf of the United Church of Canada’s role in the Indian Residential Schools, part of the larger colonial program to assimilate Indigenous nations and steal their histories, culture, and future.
ICHRP-Canada pays tribute to his bold prophetic voice, lifting the issues of the exploited and suffering Filipino people by pushing for action in the inter-faith and international solidarity communities. He was always a humble and dedicated minister even as he served in the highest position, as the 36th Moderator (1997-2000) of the United Church of Canada and a revered member of the worldwide Ecumenical movement.
ICHRP-Canada remembers his inspiring participation in the Beaconsfield Initiative, a grassroots human rights advocacy partnership, in collaboration with several national and international organizations to end the harms inflicted on the Indigenous Peoples of the Cordillera region (Northern Philippines) by the Canadian mining interests. While visiting the Philippines he met with political prisoners and spoke at public rallies addressing human rights violations and environmental damage caused by Canadian mining practices.
We acknowledge Bill’s longstanding Philippine solidarity work and his role as Canadian Spokesperson for the InvestigatePH amid his health challenges. His contributions to the Filipino people’s struggle for a just peace, bespeaks of his vital legacy and will continue to shine!
Bill, truly, you lived Jesus’ radical teachings for justice and the common good.
WE ARE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL for your accompaniment and solidarity!
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