Pope Francis won’t apologize for residential school legacy
The Catholic Church won’t be offering any apologies to Indigenous people for their experiences in Canada’s residential school system.
According to a release issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the pope is aware of the findings and the calls to action made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but he will not offer an apology to Indigenous people.
“As far as Call to Action #58 is concerned, after carefully considering the request and extensive dialogue with the Bishops of Canada, [Pope Francis] felt that he could not personally respond,” the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a letter addressed to the Indigenous People of Canada and signed by their President Lionel Gendron.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action referred to in the letter specifically identified the Roman Catholic Church, calling for an apology similar to the apology granted to Irish victims of abuse in 2010. The letter said the Catholic Bishops of Canada was in dialogue with Pope Francis and the Holy See regarding the suffering experienced by Indigenous people and noted the pope encouraged Bishops to engage in activities promoting reconciliation, healing, and solidarity with Indigenous people.