Pope Francis has arrived in Canada to begin what he describes as a “penitential” trip aimed at reconciliation with the local population over the Roman Catholic Church’s role in residential schools.
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.
“I hope, by God’s grace, that my penitential pilgrimage can contribute to the journey of reconciliation already undertaken. Please accompany me in 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.
Francis is then scheduled to travel to St. Joseph’s Seminary, where he will stay during the Alberta portion of his trip.
Dear brothers and sisters from #prayer.
—@Pontifex
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.
“This is an important historical moment”
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.
“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.
On April 1, after several days of meetings with First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups at the Vatican, Francis apologized for the deplorable behavior of some church members involved in residential schools and promised to visit Canada.
Indigenous delegates told the pope they wanted an apology on Canadian soil.
WATCH | What an apology from the Pope could mean in Canada for reconciliation:
What an apology from the Pope could mean in Canada for reconciliation
Pope Francis is coming to Canada and some survivors are hoping for an apology for the role of the Roman Catholic Church in the abuse suffered in residential schools. From healing resources to returning indigenous artifacts, First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders explain what the visit and apology mean for reconciliation.
First Nations leaders in Alberta said they expect the pope’s presence to open old wounds for indigenous people and that mental health counselors will be on site. 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.
The Ermineskin School south of Edmonton 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 scheduled to travel Wednesday to Quebec City, where he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon and later deliver a public address. The next day, another big mass is scheduled in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The visit is due to end on Friday in Iqaluit before Francis returns to the Vatican.
Organizers said that due to the pope’s age and physical limitations, he will participate in public events for about an hour.
Shortly after departing Rome, the pope used a cane to help him navigate the plane as he greeted individual reporters.
“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.
“This is a very important moment in history,” she said. “Better things are yet to come.”
Support is available for anyone affected by the ongoing effects of residential schools and those challenged by the latest reports. You can contact the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll-free at 1-800-721-0066.
A national Indian school crisis line has been set up to provide support for ex-students and those affected. Access emotional and crisis services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
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