Pope Francis Twitter handle of Jason Kenney
Edmonton/CMEDIA: Pope Francis is expected to apologize for generations of abuse and cultural suppression at Catholic residential schools across Canada after arriving Monday morning at the site of the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School in Alberta.
Aimed at reconciliation with Indigenous people for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in residential schools, Pope Francis reportedly landed Sunday in Edmonton Canada on his six-day penitential trip to Canada.
Included in Canada’s six-day visit. the pontiff is also set to travel to Quebec City and Iqaluit.
Eager to hear a long-awaited apology from Pope Francis at 10 10 a.m. MT, thousands of Indigenous people are expected to gather Monday in the small Alberta prairie community of Maskwacis.
Francis will reportedly pause at the sites of the former school and nearby cemetery, during his visit to Maskwacis before speaking in a large open area to school survivors, their relatives, and other supporters.
A number of live stream interpretation feeds in 12 Indigenous languages and American Sign Language will be available on the official website of the Pope’s visit.
In the afternoon, Francis is set to speak with Indigenous people and parish members at the Sacred Heart Church in Edmonton.
The Pope plans later in the week to host a large outdoor mass at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and take part in a pilgrimage in nearby Lac Ste. Anne, before traveling to Quebec City and Iqaluit.
With more than 60 percent of the residential schools in Canada run by the Catholic Church, an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children in Canada, suffered neglect. physical and sexual abuse.
Some survivors have reported saying that they had been carrying unimaginable trauma for many generations.
On April 1, Francis apologized for the deplorable conduct of some church members involved in residential schools after meetings over several days with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis groups at the Vatican.
Indigenous delegates Insisted that Pope should make an apology on Canadian soil where his presence will be a step toward reconciliation.
Although First Nations leaders in Alberta expected the Pope’s presence to open old wounds for Indigenous people for which mental health counselors will be at the sites.
#PopeFrancis; #TourToCanada; #IndigenousChildren
