Pope Francis delivered an official apology today to Canadian indigenous communities for the Catholic Church’s role in the country’s residential schools system.
“I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry,” Francis said, addressing roughly 190 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis delegates on April 1 at the Vatican.
“And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon.”
Delegates from different indigenous groups had told the Pope in meetings earlier this week that they hoped he would apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in the institutions in Canada.
The pontiff also said he hoped to travel to Canada. While a date has not been set for the trip, delegates said it could happen as early as this summer.
The indigenous delegates have also requested that the church provide financial reparations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the pontiff’s apology on April 1, saying, “This apology would not have happened without the long advocacy of survivors.”
“We look forward to him coming to Canada to deliver that apology in person,” Trudeau said in a press conference.
At the Vatican, there was an exchange of gifts to mark the day. Pope Francis received a cross made with baleen, a filtration system in a bowhead whale’s mouth, placed in a sealskin bag. He was also given a beaded leather stole, which is a liturgical vest, and traditional handmade snowshoes, as well as a book of memories from residential school survivors.
In return, Pope Francis gave each indigenous group a bronze olive branch as a sign of peace and reconciliation, according to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
