Pope Francis has arrived in Edmonton to begin his six-day visit to Canada.
The pope told reporters on the plane before it landed in Edmonton on Sunday that the six-day visit should be done carefully.
The Pope will also travel to Quebec City and Iqaluit.
Dear brothers and sisters of #Canada, I come among you to meet the indigenous peoples. I hope, by God’s grace, that my penitential pilgrimage will contribute to the path of reconciliation already undertaken. Please join me in #prayer.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) July 24, 2022
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“I hope, by God’s grace, that my penitential pilgrimage will contribute to the journey of reconciliation already undertaken. Please accompany me with #prayer,” said a message on the Pope’s Twitter account.
Francis was to be met at the Edmonton airport by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon, as well as other church, local and political dignitaries.
He was scheduled to travel to St. Joseph’s Seminary, where he will stay during the Alberta portion of the trip.
Read more: ‘This is our moment’: Phil Fontaine on the meaning, expectations of the Pope’s visit to Canada
The pope plans to visit the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School in the community of Maskwatzis, south of Edmonton, on Monday. It is there that Francis is due to make his first public statement in Canada and is expected to apologize to the indigenous people for the mistreatment they have suffered.
An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children have been forced to attend schools in Canada, where neglect and physical and sexual abuse are widespread. More than 60 percent of schools are run by the Catholic Church.
Treaty 6 Grand Chief George Arcand Jr. said the survivors carry unimaginable trauma for many generations. The pope’s acknowledgment of their pain is a crucial step, he said.
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2:15 Residential school survivors expect ‘impactful’ apology from Pope Residential school survivors expect ‘impressive’ apology from Pope
“This is an important historical moment for survivors of the residential school system and the harm caused by the Catholic Church,” Arcand Jr. said last week.
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On April 1, after several days of meetings with First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups at the Vatican, Francis apologized for the appalling behavior of church members involved in residential schools and promised to visit Canada.
Indigenous delegates told the pope they wanted an apology on Canadian soil.
First Nations leaders in Alberta said they expect the pope’s presence to open old wounds for Indigenous people and mental health counselors will be on hand. But they also hope the visit will be a step towards reconciliation.
“We are here with you and we support you,” Lewis Bull tribal leader Desmond Bull told survivors last week.
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2:36 Pope’s visit reopens old wounds for Ermineskin Residential School survivors Papal visit reopens old wounds for Ermineskin Residential School survivors
The Ermineskin School was one of the largest institutions in Canada. Organizers of the papal visit said they expected about 15,000 people to be in Maskwatzis to see the 85-year-old pontiff.
Later on Monday, Francis is scheduled to meet parishioners at a church in Edmonton. A large outdoor mass at the city’s football stadium is planned for Tuesday. The Pope then heads to nearby Lac Ste. Ann to participate in an annual pilgrimage.
Francis is due to travel to Quebec City on Wednesday and deliver a public address after meetings with Trudeau and Simon. The next day, another big mass is scheduled in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre.
The visit is due to end on Friday in Iqaluit before Francis returns to the Vatican.
4:16 Preparations for the Pope’s visit to Canada Preparations for the Pope’s visit to Canada
Organizers said that due to the pope’s age and physical limitations, he will participate in public events for about an hour and will use a wheelchair during the tour.
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Shortly after departing Rome, the pope used a cane to help him navigate the plane as he greeted individual reporters.
3:24 Pope Francis embarks on a “penitential journey” to Canada Pope Francis embarks on a “penitential journey” to Canada
“I believe I can handle it,” he joked.
Thousands traveled from across the country to participate in the events.
Mabel Brown, a 77-year-old residential school survivor, traveled to Edmonton from Inuvik to hear the pope apologize and find forgiveness and healing with other survivors. She hopes this is an opportunity to move forward in a good way.
Read more: ‘Not for me’: Papal visit brings no comfort to some residential school survivors
“This is a very important moment in history,” she said. “Better things are yet to come.”
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The Indian Schools Problem Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help school survivors and their relatives suffering from trauma caused by memories of past violence. The number is 1-866-925-4419.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
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