As Pope Francis prepares to visit the First Peoples of Canada after receiving three Indigenous delegations to the Vatican earlier this spring, one thing is clear: this historic moment belongs first and foremost to the Indigenous peoples of Canada.
Posted at 10:00 a.m.
Of course, for many Canadians, the Pope’s arrival on Canadian soil will be experienced as a celebration, while many people keep an indelible and festive memory of John Paul II’s first trip to Canada, made in 1984. He However, we must keep in mind that the main objective of the trip that Pope Francis will make from July 24 to 29 is to respond to the needs expressed by members of the indigenous communities. The latter underlined that it was necessary to see the pope, and above all, to perceive his emotion at the time of reiterating his apologies, to feel how the stories heard transformed him, jostled him internally.
The apologies presented on 1er last April in Rome must be reiterated as close as possible to the survivors and their families. This illustrates the importance, in an Aboriginal environment, of the relationship, of authenticity, of presence, the essential elements for the development of a sincere and lasting friendship.
During these July days, non-Aboriginals will have to step aside at times, and above all, pay attention to shared stories, including those of people who experienced abuse of all kinds in residential schools.
Contributing to the influence of these courageous and transformative statements could also be a way of getting involved in this process of listening and meeting that will be at the heart of the papal visit.
The seed of something bigger
Once Pope Francis’ stay on Canadian soil is over, it will be necessary to ensure that this trip and these apologies are not a point of arrival, but the beginning, the germ of something greater. The theme of this papal visit is “Walking Together,” and this journey of healing has only just begun. Let’s walk together, of course, but let’s be careful, on the non-Aboriginal side, not to dictate the march. I would add: if necessary, stay a step behind, especially if the desire is too great to walk ahead. This hoped-for friendship will not develop at our pace. Too often we speak of reconciliation, without thinking too much about what this term implies.
Many indigenous people remind us that it is difficult to reconcile with a person – or nations, in this case – that we do not know… And it is true that we know very little about the 11 indigenous nations present in the territory now called Quebec.
Why not seize this opportunity offered by the Pope’s visit to get to know our indigenous brothers and sisters better, to listen to their truth and to allow ourselves to be transformed within? Aboriginal communities want — with good reason — that these apologies are more than symbolic.
Friendship is also a matter of consistency. And rare are the friendships without wounds. But those that are long-term are those where the actions that caused suffering and injustice have been repaired.
* Mission chez nous is a Catholic organization that works with Aboriginal communities.