THE Pope Francis asked sorry today by the natives of Canada for role played by the Catholic Church in boarding schools where attempted to “extinguish” their culture but also where many children were abused and buried in anonymous graves.
After meeting with representatives of various indigenous tribes, the pope also said he hoped to visit Canada this July.
One of the delegates, who wants the pope to apologize directly to indigenous communities in their Canadian territories, called his speech “historic.”
“For the reprehensible behavior of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask God for forgiveness and I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart that I am in great pain,” said Francis.
Earlier, in the Vatican’s Sala Clementina, a native leader prayed in his own language and asked the “great spirit” to bless those present.
About 150,000 children they were forced to move away from their families. Many were abused, raped or starved to death and the Committee on Truth and Reconciliation characterized “Cultural genocide” this practice, in the report he prepared in 2015. The stated goal of the boarding schools, which operated from 1831 to 1996, was to help in the “assimilation” of the natives. Most operated by the Catholic and Anglican Churches on behalf of the government.
Francis said he would like to visit Canada around July 26, on the feast of St. Anne, which is highly valued by Catholic natives.
“I want to be with you today. I will not come in the winter! ” he joked, causing the audience to laugh.
Last year, the remains of 215 children were discovered at a former Indigenous school in Kamloops, British Columbia, which had been closed since 1978. Hundreds of other anonymous indigenous graves have been found since then.
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