(Vatican) Pope Francis has asked the faithful to pray for him on his upcoming trip to Canada, which he described as “a penitential pilgrimage”.
Posted at 8:55 a.m.
Updated at 9:41 a.m.
Addressing a crowd of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said that “God willing” he would begin his seven-day stay in Canada on July 24.
The Sovereign Pontiff will take advantage of this trip to present the Church’s official apologies to the Indigenous peoples for past abuses.
“Unfortunately, in Canada, many Christians, including some members of religious institutes, have contributed to policies of cultural assimilation which in the past have seriously harmed Indigenous communities in various ways,” he said. he declares.
After recalling that he had recently met in the Vatican with several groups of indigenous representatives to express his pain and solidarity, Francis said he hoped that this stay “will contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation already undertaken”.
Pope Francis is due to visit Canada July 24-29. He will travel to Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut. A major theme of his visit is reconciliation with Indigenous peoples for abuses suffered at federal residential schools for Indigenous people, many of which were run by members of Catholic religious congregations.