An Apology From The Catholic Church

Rhoda Ungalaq from the Inuit Delegation presenting Pope Francis with a cross and pouch (Vatican Media/Reuters).

At the end of the month of March in 2022, Pope Francis and the Catholic Church held a meeting with Indigenous delegates to apologize for their involvement in the residential schools that were established to assimilate Indigenous youth into Canadian culture and society. The Catholic Church administered more than 60% of the state-run residential schools in Canada. More than 150,000 Indigenous children were taken away from their parents, and while in residential schools they were abused and were not permitted to practice their own traditions and culture. 

In its report from 2015, The Truth and Reconciliation Committee issued a request for the Pope to apologize to the families that have been affected by the trauma that the residential schools have caused, and it is only now that the Catholic Church is taking this into account. “What has transpired is wrong. They [the Catholic Church] need to be accountable,” said Dene National Chief Gerald Antoine, a residential school survivor who travelled to Rome from the Northwest Territories in Canada. He also states, “The churches in Canada, they’ve apologized; the only church that’s never apologized is the Roman Catholic.” A residential school survivor and Indigenous leader, Dr. Wilton Littlechild has been to Rome several times before this March to seek an apology, but all of these attempts have failed. 

The Indigenous delegations attending an audience with Pope Francis (Vatican Media/Reuters).

Indigenous delegates travelled to Rome with a group consisting of survivors of residential schools as well as Indigenous leaders who have pleaded for an apology from Pope Francis. During the meeting, the delegates shared spiritual practices which included prayer and traditional music. In earlier meetings, the Indigenous delegates also shared several stories of occurrences surrounding loss and abuse when attending residential school. During the meetings, the Indigenous delegates asked for two major considerations from the Pope. The first request was for him to fully understand how Indigenous peoples have been greatly impacted by the Catholic church and the residential school system, as well as how following generations have been shaped by that system. The delegates also requested that the Catholic Church repair the damages that its members have caused. This could be done by rescinding the doctrine of discovery, returning Indigenous lands and artifacts, releasing institutional documents, and by providing compensation to and supporting healing for survivors.

The Pope spoke to the delegates during the hour-long meeting and said, "I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry.” He also stated that he was "indignant" and "ashamed" of the abuses suffered in Canada's church-run residential schools and that the Catholic educators that were employed in those facilities absolutely disrespected Indigenous culture and spiritual beliefs. "It is chilling to think of determined efforts to instill a sense of inferiority, to rob people of their cultural identity, to sever their roots, and to consider all the personal and social effects that this continues to entail: unresolved traumas that have become inter-generational traumas," the Pope speaks in Italian. Although the Pope did speak in the country’s language, Italian, and the delegates were given an English translation, the delegates were moved by the apology and witnesses stated that many tears were shed during this meeting. In addition, the Pope is scheduled to visit Canada from July 24-29, 2022. Mitch Case, a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, presented to the Pope a pair of red-elk moccasins which feature colourful Métis traditional beading. This was a gift that symbolizes the Church and the Métis walking together in harmony. In his words, “The church has a long way to walk before we can possibly forgive them for what they did, but if he [Pope Francis] is willing to walk with us then we will be willing to walk with him.” In return, the Pope gave all three Indigenous groups a bronze olive branch as a sign of peace and reconciliation. He also returned a First Nations cradle board, which the delegation had left with him overnight on Thursday.

Pope Francis giving a bronze olive branch to the representatives of each Indigenous organization (Vatican News/Reuters).

This meeting is only one of the first steps that has been taken to move toward reconciliation, and many more have yet to be taken. We need to recognize that various Indigenous communities were significantly affected by the discrimination and torment that they have endured. It is essential to take action so that the Indigenous communities receive the apology and support they truly deserve.