(Quebec) On Friday evening around 8:15 p.m., Pope Francis left Iqaluit, thus ending his six-day visit to Canada. The Holy Father said “I’m sorry” in Inuktitut during his final public address to hundreds of people in Iqaluit, earning applause from the crowd.
Posted at 9:21 p.m.
Pope Francis spoke primarily in Spanish, which was translated into Inuktitut and English at the event. He also ended his speech by saying “thank you” in Inuktitut.
François ended his speech in Iqaluit by talking about Canada’s national sport. He said being in northern Canada makes him think about hockey and teamwork.
He emphasized that hockey combines discipline, creativity, physical strength and team spirit. He also asked how Canada manages to win so many Olympic medals for this sport.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops says the Pope’s visit to Canada is an important step on the road to healing and reconciliation. Francis called on the bishops to continue helping residential school survivors and their families heal from the trauma they suffered, a statement said.
The bishops will also review and update their action plan to include greater transparency of residential school records. They will also look at the Doctrine of Discovery, a Vatican document used in colonization.
Throughout his stay, several people pointed out that Pope Francis should have rescinded the Doctrine of Discovery — dating from the 15th century.e century — which justified the colonization of North America.
In fact, one person held up a sign earlier Friday calling for the Doctrine of Discovery to be rescinded as traditional Inuit singers and dancers performed for Pope Francis.
Residential school survivors wearing traditional ribbon skirts and an elder holding a feather were part of an Indigenous delegation that gathered Friday for a private audience with Pope Francis in Quebec City on the final day of his Canadian tour.
In opening remarks to the meeting, the pontiff told the indigenous delegation that he had come to Canada in a “spirit of penance” to apologize for the wrongs inflicted on them by “not just a few Catholics.” .
“I have come as a pilgrim, despite my physical limitations, to take new steps with you and for you,” he told the group seated before him.
I do this so that progress can be made in the search for truth, so that healing and reconciliation processes can continue, and so seeds of hope can continue to be sown for future generations — Indigenous and non-indigenous — who want to live together, in harmony, like brothers and sisters.
pope francis
Piita Irniq, residential school survivor and former commissioner of Nunavut, drum dances in front of Pope Francis in Iqaluit. Mr. Irniq also presented his drum to François and shook his hand.
The Inuit elder has been trying for decades to bring Johannes Rivoire, an Oblate priest accused of sexually abusing Inuit children, back to Canada to face charges.
The federal government says Canada has asked France to extradite Mr. Rivoire, who is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant issued in February.
Pope Francis told the crowd gathered in Iqaluit that he was truly sorry for the evil perpetrated by members of the Catholic Church.
He also asked for forgiveness for policies that contributed to cultural assimilation in residential schools for Indigenous children. He mentioned that it is wrong to break the bonds between parents and children.
This apology echoes others that the pontiff offered during his trip, during stops in Alberta and Quebec.
Enriched by stories
The 25-person Indigenous delegation included survivors and First Nations representatives from across eastern Canada, some of whom could be seen presenting gifts to the pope as the private audience began.
Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds-Ramsay performed for hundreds of people waiting to hear from Pope Francis at a public event in Iqaluit.
She sang Song of the River and Life’s Song. The singer told the crowd how her songs were inspired by people lifting up and remembering where they came from.
François said he was enriched by the stories of the Indigenous peoples he encountered in Canada.
“I can truly say that while I came to be with you, it was your life and your experiences, the Indigenous realities of these lands, that touched me, stayed with me and will always be a part of me,” he pointed out.
He cited the example of three women, including Kateri Tekakwitha, the first indigenous saint, as an inspiration to follow the path of reconciliation.
People lined the roads in Iqaluit to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis as the pontiff made his way to Nakasuk Elementary School.
Early Friday evening, hundreds of people gathered at the site where Francis was scheduled to participate in a public event later that day.
Inuit throat singing took place on a stage in front of many people, many of whom wore headphones to hear the Inuktitut translations.
Earlier Friday, Francis began his day with a private meeting with members of his religious order, the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.
During the tour, which included stops in Alberta, the pontiff apologized for the role played by Roman Catholic institutions in the residential school system.
Some said his apology didn’t go far enough because he didn’t make it clear that the Catholic Church, and not just a few bad people, was responsible for the abuses at the residential schools.
During an evening prayer service on Thursday, Francis acknowledged the sexual abuse of “minors and vulnerable people”, but he did not specifically say that sexual abuse had occurred in boarding schools.