Indigenous Representatives Meet the Pope

Vatican News via Thompson Citizen

From 1831 to 1996, upwards of 150,000 Indigenous children were forced out of their homes into federally-funded and church-run residential boarding schools. At these schools, emotional, psychological, spiritual, and sexual abuse became a part of their day-to-day lives. With the goal to eliminate all “threats” assumed of Indigenous peoples, residential schools were a tool integrated into a broader plan of “aggressive assimilation” and colonization of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

32 First Nations delegates, and survivors of Canada’s residential schools travelled to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. They demanded that they receive a formal apology from Pope Francis and the Catholic Church for the abuses they endured under the control of Catholic school staff. This meeting was originally scheduled for December 2021 but was postponed due to Omicron concerns until late March 2022.

Gerald Antoine, the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations delegation, stated during a press briefing after the first meeting between the Indigenous peoples and the Pope that there will be a continued connection between Indigenous groups and the church to “learn from the past and share a vision for a hopeful future.” He called the meeting with the Pope a “historical milestone” in an interview for CTV News that week.

The Métis Nation of Ontario were the first to sit down with the Pope on March 21, 2022. A member of the provisional council of the Nation, Mitch Case, presented the Pope a pair of red elk-hide moccasins featuring colourful Métis-style embroidery.

“These crimes against humanity were committed against our people. [The moccasins are] sort of our way of reaching back past the pain and before that,” Case stated during a news conference. “The church has a long way to walk before we can possibly forgive them for what they did, but if [Pope Francis] is willing to walk with us then we will be willing to walk with him.”

Additionally, the red hide on the moccasins represents that “even though Pope Francis does not wear the traditional red papal shoes, he walks with the legacy of those who came before him, the good, the great, and the terrible.”

On March 25, 2022, 26 years after the closure of the last Canadian Residential School, the Pope issued a formal papal apology for the harm the Catholic Church inflicted on the Indigenous population. With 190 Indigenous leaders, residential school survivors, youth, elders and livestream viewers in attendance, the Pope announced that he was “deeply grieved” by the history of exploitation and discrimination members of the audience had shared during their week-long delegation.

“I also 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, and the abuses you suffered, and the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture, and even your spiritual values,” stated the Pope. “For the deplorable conduct of these 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.”

These words from the Pope were enough to bring the elders and survivors of Residential Schools to tears, including Angie Crerar, who was a prevalent voice in their delegations. Crerar expressed that after the Pope’s apology, her heart was “so full [she could] barely speak.”

“Just take our kids home. Take those kids home.” Crerar stated, referring to the Indigenous children who never returned home from Residential Schools. In the personal meetings the Pope had with Crerar throughout the week, he pledged to help her get justice for those children.

For the Grand Chief, Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), hearing the Pope apologize came as a surprise. “This was more than abuse by a few individuals,” Chief Phillip stated “It was, in its entirety, a massive human rights violation and part of a systemic and institutionalised attempt to destroy our communities that left deep inter-generational emotional damage and harm that continues to date.”

“I didn’t expect an apology,” he continued “I thought the Vatican would continue to just stonewall the apology... it represents a fundamental and first step along the path of genuine reconciliation. “

Minutes prior to St. Peter’s Square’s celebrations, Rosalie LaBillois, a New Brunswick delegate, Eel River Bar First Nation, and Co-Chair of the Assembly of First Nations National Youth Council, stated that she did not take the Pope’s papal apology as an apology at all.

“In that moment, it was nice to feel seen and acknowledged, but I think there has to be more actionable items behind words.” She told Global News “I don’t know if it means more, [the Pope] coming back to our homelands... being here is just not enough. This is not reflective of all of our communities, especially all of our young people.”

Agreeing with LaBillois, Frank Badger, a Residential School survivor, explained that he did not erupt into cheers when he heard about the Pope’s speech on the news. He stated that it was wrong of the Pope to dismiss the trauma and pain of Indigenous peoples as the “fault of a few bad apples.”

“That’s not right. It was the [Roman Catholic] Church. It was the whole church,” said Badger, who suffered discrimination and abuse at St. Michael’s Residential School in Saskatoon.

In addition, the authors of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report and former Little Pine First Nation Chief, Wayne Semaganis agreed with Badger’s argument, and stated that the problem was not what the Pope said, but instead what he omitted.

The Pope did not address any other issues Residential School Survivors had voiced. This includes paying Survivors full compensation, as experts reveal that the Catholic Church still owes the Indigenous community over $60 million after signing the Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2006. Additionally, they discussed repatriating abusive priests and repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery, which many are concerned is an excuse to validate colonialism.

The Indigenous delegates who were present at the Vatican say that they still await a more fulsome apology from the Pope when he is on Canadian territory. The Pope’s trip to Canada is planned for the feast of St. Anne on July 26, 2022. A papal apology on Canadian land was one of the Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that he is anticipating the Pope’s visit to Canada and plans to present another apology. “Today’s apology is a step forward in acknowledging the truth of our past in order to right historical wrongs, but there’s still work to be done,” he stated.