Meetings Between Pope and Delegates from the Assembly of First Nations Began this Morning

Today marks the fourth day of meetings between the Pope and Indigenous delegations from Canada in Rome, and the final day of private audiences.

Meetings between Pope Francis and the last of the three main delegations sent, the Assembly of First Nations, began this morning.

Part of those meetings saw representatives urge the Pope to revoke the Doctrine of Discovery, and the two Papal Bulls which led to its creation.

Issued in 1493, the Doctrine of Discovery gave European explorers grounds to take from and do whatever they wanted to Indigenous Peoples.

Revoking the Doctrine would also fulfill part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action number 49, which seeks the removal of orders used by religious groups to justify European ownership over Indigenous territory.

In addition, the Assembly is reiterating their calls for the Pope to come to Canada to issue an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in residential schools.

One group, the Nadleh Whut’en even extended an invitation for the Pope to visit the site of the Lejac Indian Residential School.

They are also asking for the canonization of Rose Prince, who passed away in 1949, who’s grave has served as a pilgrimage destination since the 90s.

According to the Nation, prayers and anointments at the site have even been claimed to heal the chronically injured.