Lifestyle / The Pope’s Apology: A Closer Look At His “Pilgrimage Of Penance”

The Pope’s Apology: A Closer Look At His “Pilgrimage Of Penance”

Lifestyle Jul 28, 2022

by Hina P. Ansari

Ever since the discovery of the first graveyard belonging to Canada’s infamous residential school in Kamloops in May 2021 – which sparked a nationwide search for more such findings, the Indigenous community has since been longing for a meeting with the head of The Catholic Church. There was a small yet vital delegation that did make its way to the Vatican for talks earlier this year. However, they wanted something more: a personal meeting in Canada, their home and native land. The Pope agreed. Pope Francis arrived in Alberta on Sunday on a “Pilgrimage of Penance” to apologize to Indigenous populations for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system. We take a closer look at this historical gesture.

The Importance Of This Visit

It’s been 20 years since Canada hosted a Papal visit. Decades ago and during an entirely different time. The narrative changed in May 2021 with the discovery of 215 bodies of children in unmarked graves where the Kamloops Indian Residential School once stood. It shocked the country into a national conversation on Indigenous heritage and why their right to exist was taken away due to the Canadian government’s working hand-in-hand with the Catholic Church to assimilate the community into White Canada. A practice to eliminate a community who were seen as “savages” as per Prime Minister John A. MacDonald.

The Pope’s Apology: A Closer Look At His “Pilgrimage Of Penance" — **The Pope’s Apology: A Closer Look At His “Pilgrimage Of Penance”: Prime Minister John A. MacDonald.** Photo Credit: www.wikipedia.com

The calls for justice rang all the way to The Vatican in a quest to have the head of The Catholic Church address their participation on the dark history of Canada. Months of protests followed along with dismantling of statues across and recalling of names from institutions of notable Canadians who also participated in the residential school system. All this while taking this opportunity to educate Canadians what generational trauma truly is.

It wasn’t until earlier this year in April when a small and important delegation of Indigenous peoples went to The Vatican at the invitation of Pope Francis. It was a remarkable meeting. A meeting that couldn’t even be fathomed even just a year ago. This was the first time that this injustice was recognized by The Pontiff who in turn offered an official apology. The meeting concluded with the promise that Pope Francis would head to Canada, because an apology on Canadian soil was also desired by the residential school survivors of Canada.

Dubbed the “Pilgrimage Of Penance” Pope Francis landed in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday July 24, 2022. An official trip with the sole focus on delivering an official apology from The Catholic Church to the Indigenous peoples on their home and native land.

The seven day trip which had The Pontiff travelling around the country, first in Edmonton Alberta, then Quebec City, Quebec with The Pope’s plan to conclude his visit in Iqaluit, Nunavut by the end of the week.

The Apology

Would he apologize once or will be a consistent theme throughout his week-long excursion? And how direct will this apology be? Many questions were asked. It was just a matter of time to have them answered.

The first apology and the one that became international news took place in Maskwacis, Alberta, a 100 kilometres south of Edmonton. Less than 24 hours of his arrival. It was at the site of one of Canada’s largest residential schools where The Pontiff delivered his apology. A day-long service which concluded with a private service in Canada’s only designed Indigenous church.

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous Peoples,” The Pope expressed.” He continued, “I am here because the first step of my penitential pilgrimage among you is that of again asking forgiveness, of telling you once more that I am deeply sorry. Sorry for the ways in which, regrettably, many Christians supported the colonizing mentality of the powers that oppressed the Indigenous Peoples.

I am sorry. I ask forgiveness, in particular, for the ways in which many members of the church and of religious communities co-operated, not least through their indifference, in projects of cultural destruction and forced assimilation promoted by the governments of that time, which culminated in the system of residential schools.”

Read The Pope’s full apology here

As of Wednesday, The Pope repeated his apology to those who attended his service in Quebec City. A pattern which is expected to be repeated when he reaches his final destination.

What Was Missing

There was heavy criticism aimed at The Pope’s apology. According Murray Sinclair who was the head of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission that there was a notable discrepancy in his apology. The Truth & Reconciliation Commission was created by the federal government in 2007 to start focusing on the “reconciliation among former students, their families, their communities and all Canadians”. Sinclair felt that the Pope’s general reference of Christians’ role in the residential schools and not of the Catholic Church specifically and as an institution made the apology fall flat.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller was also disappointed at Pope Francis’ gesture of contrition. He along with numerous Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors felt that he should have also addressed the Doctrine of Discovery. A Papal doctrine which was used to justify the colonization of lands as they were deemed uninhabited at the time, when in fact they were by Indigenous Peoples. Miller noted that further conversations with The Vatican is needed in order to move forward for a more complete and total recognition of The Catholic Church’s role in residential school and the abuses that happened within those walls across the country.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), which represents northern First Nations also expressed their concern in The Pope not specifically addressing the sexual abuses. Miller noted that Pope Francis’ apology should have been more like the one delivered in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI where in his apology letter he addressed The Catholic Church’s role not only in the Residential schools but also in the sexual abuses that occured.

That specific mention was missing in Pope Francis’ apology.

However, The Pope did insist that an investigation needs to take place to understand the atrocities that were committed. That specific gesture was welcomed by everyone, most importantly by the Indigenous Peoples.

Moving forward as per Miller and Sinclair, the Pope’s visit does not signal the end of this discussion. This is just the first step of his gesture. A gesture that generations of Indigenous Peoples have long been waiting for.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.unsplash.com

Hina P. Ansari

Author

Hina P. Ansari is a graduate from The University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario). Since then she has carved a successful career in Canada's national fashion-publishing world as the Entertainment/Photo Editor at FLARE Magazine, Canada's national fashion magazine. She was the first South Asian in...

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The Pope’s Apology: A Closer Look At His “Pilgrimage Of Penance”

by Hina P. Ansari

Hina P. Ansari

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