Meetings between the Pope and Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors from Canada began today.
Throughout the week, Pope Francis will hold a series of private hour-long audiences with 30 delegates, representing three Indigenous organizations.
Chosen by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, those organizations include the Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and Assembly of First Nations.
Representatives from the AFN are calling for a Papal apology for the horrors inflicted by Catholic run residential schools in Canada.
They are also planning to ask the Holy See to return church properties on traditional Indigenous lands, provide long-term financial support for survivors, and replace 1493’s Doctrine of Discovery with a new decree respecting Indigenous people and culture.
But, Métis delegates are instead prioritizing the release of more residential school records, saying an apology should come on Canadian soil.
Inuit representatives plan to call for an apology, disclosure of all records, and financial reparations for survivors.
Each group will have separate meetings throughout the week, before the Pope addresses all delegates in a public audience on Friday.
Things got started this morning with meetings with Métis delegates, which saw three residential school survivors tell their stories.
While he did not issue an apology, the meetings reportedly went well, with the Pope speaking of truth, justice, and healing.
Comments