Pope Francis began his official visit to Canada on Sunday with the aim of reconciling the Catholic Church with Indigenous peoples and offering them a formal apology for past abuses in residential schools.
The pontiff’s plane arrived in Edmonton on Sunday. He must also travel to Quebec and Iqaluit next week.
During the flight, the pope reminded reporters that his stay will have to be treated with care.
“I hope that, with the grace of God, my penitential pilgrimage can contribute to the path of reconciliation already undertaken,” said a message written on the pope’s Twitter account.
Shortly after leaving Rome, the pope moved on the plane with the help of his cane to greet the journalists. “I think I should get there,” he joked.
The sovereign pontiff was to be welcomed by the federal prime minister, Justin Trudeau, the governor general, Mary Simon, indigenous leaders as well as religious and political dignitaries.
During his six-day visit to the country, François will also visit Quebec and Iqaluit.
While in Alberta, he must visit the former Ermineskin boarding school in the community of Maskwacis.
This is where he is expected to issue the official apologies of the Catholic Church to the Indigenous peoples of Canada for the abuses they have suffered.
The pontiff said last week that he hoped the “penitential journey” would contribute to healing and reconciliation.
An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools in Canada, where neglect and physical and sexual abuse were rampant. More than 60% of schools were run by the Catholic Church.
Treaty 6 Grand Chief George Arcand Jr. said survivors suffered unimaginable trauma over many generations. The pope’s acknowledgment of their pain is a crucial step, he said.
“This is an important historical moment for survivors of the residential school system,” Arcand Jr. said last week.
Last April 1, after meeting for several days with First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups in the Vatican, Pope Francis apologized for the deplorable conduct of members of the Church in these residential schools. It was then that he promised to visit Canada.
Indigenous delegates, however, had told the pope that they wanted an official apology on Canadian soil.
First Nations leaders in Alberta have said they expect the pope’s presence to open old wounds for Indigenous people and that mental health counselors will be on hand. They hope the visit will be a step towards reconciliation.
“We are here with you and supporting you,” Louis Bull Tribe Chief Desmond Bull told survivors last week.
The Ermineskin residential school, located south of Edmonton, was one of the largest in Canada. Organizers of the papal visit said they expect around 15,000 people to be in Maskwacis to see 85-year-old Pope Francis.
Organizers pointed out that due to Pope Francis’ physical limitations, he will be attending public events for about an hour.
On Monday, the head of the Catholic Church will meet with parishioners at a church in downtown Edmonton. A large outdoor mass at the city’s football stadium is scheduled for Tuesday. The pope will then travel to nearby Lac Sainte-Anne to take part in an annual pilgrimage.
Pope Francis is expected in Quebec City on Wednesday, where he will meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon and is expected to deliver a public address there. Thursday, he will preside over a high mass at the basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, near Quebec.
The papal visit will end on Friday in Iqaluit, Pope Francis’ last stop in Canada before returning to the Vatican.
Thousands of people from different parts of the country are expected to attend Pope Francis events in Canada.
Mabel Brown, a 77-year-old residential school survivor, traveled to Edmonton from Inuvik to hear the Pope’s apology and find forgiveness and a path to healing with other survivors.
“It’s a very important moment in history,” she said. Better things are yet to come. »
There is a hotline to help residential school survivors and their loved ones who may be traumatized with the reminder of past abuse.
To reach the Indian Residential Schools Issues Resolution Health Support Program, call 1-866-925-4419.