Pope's Planned Tour of Canada Draws Mixed Reactions from Indigenous Leaders

CTV News ^ | 5/16/22 | Michael Lee

[marshmallow]

Indigenous leaders are offering mixed reactions to a planned visit this summer by Pope Francis, with some welcoming the pontiff's trip to Canada while others are disappointed he won't travel to certain parts of the country.

The Vatican announced on Friday that the Pope would stop in Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut from July 24 to 29.

The news comes more than a month after he apologized for the Catholic Church's role in Canada's residential school system and promised to travel to the country.

Prior to that, he met privately with First Nations, Inuit and Métis delegates and residential school survivors. Indigenous delegates also told the Pope they expected him to deliver an apology on Canadian soil.

While some say they hoped the Pope's visit will be a step toward reconciliation, others are disappointed he will not be travelling to provinces such as Saskatchewan, where many of Canada's residential schools were located.

"We had a hope and a prayer that he would come and do the apology at one of our residential school sites,” Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan, told CTV's Power Play on Friday.

"Within one of our treaty territories, on one of our First Nations, where it would have, obviously, a meaningful impact for the survivors, descendants and families,"

At 85 years of age, the Pope is limited in how he can travel, Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, who is serving as general coordinator of the trip, said.

[Paladin2]

Pope Marx to meet with Castro Jr.?

Makes sense.

[PghBaldy]

They are still pushing the school lies.

[libertasbella]

IF the pope doesn’t spend at least two weeks in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, it’s because he hates Native Canadians.