- Pope Francis apologised Friday for Canada’s Catholic Church’s role at residential schools.
- Schools were common places for abuse and forced Indigenous children to attend.
- Many thousands of unmarked graves were discovered at schools, many of which were operated by the Church.
Pope Francis has apologized Friday for the abuses suffered by Indigenous Canadians in Canada’s residential schools system. Many of these were operated by the Catholic Church.
In AddressFrancis delivered the address from the Vatican and spoke directly to Canada’s First Nations about the schools, which were established more than 100 years ago to help Indigenous children integrate into Canadian society.
“I feel shame — sorrow and shame — for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values,”Francis spoke.
“For the deplorable conduct of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask for God’s forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry. And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon,”He went on.
The address was attended by representatives of Canada’s largest Indigenous communities. The New York Times reported.
Canada’s residential school system operated from the late 1800s until the 1990s. 150,000 Indigenous children were sent to boarding schools. About 70% of these schools were run by the Catholic church. A 2015 report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of CanadaThe school system was deemed to be a result of the physical and sexual abuse that was prevalent in the schools. “cultural genocide.”
Numerous unmarked graves of Indigenous kids were found on school grounds last summer.
In September, Catholic Bishops of CanadaThe church publicly apologised for its role in the school system.
Francis’s words were the first apology for the whole Catholic Church after he had made previous ones. Sorry, we were unable to accept your apology.