Exploring Theme: "Indigenous Responses to Pope's Apology"

NationTalk: Global News: George Arcand Jr., the former grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, says more than six months after Pope Francis visited Canada to deliver an apology on his people’s land, contact between First Nations leaders, Ottawa and the church has been almost non-existent. Ahead of his departure from the...

“The most important day of an apology is the day after, and the year after. We all need to be looking at what the Pope does then.” Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada NationTalk: With those wise words, Dr. Blackstock this week crystalized the essence of Pope Francis’s...

Indian Country Today (ICT) – Canadian Press: WASHINGTON – The “penitential pilgrimage” by Pope Francis to heal the relationship between Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the Catholic Church has been resonating in the United States, a country coming to terms with its own troubled history of residential schools.  In U.S., too, faint praise for papal...

CBC: The former Manitoba senator who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada says there’s a “deep hole” in the apology issued by Pope Francis Monday for the role Catholics played in Canada’s residential school system. Murray Sinclair says the historic apology, although meaningful to many residential school survivors and their families, fell short of Call to Action...

Treaty Six Territory, Edmonton, AB – Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) is issuing the following statement in response to the Papal apology delivered by the Pope on July 25, 2022. Grand Chief Garrison Settee states: “Taking the time to accompany MKO Survivors to attend a historic meeting with the Pope in Treaty Six territory was...

NationTalk: Xʷməθkʷəyə̓m (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesẖ (Squamish) and səlilw̓ətaʔɬ/sel̓ílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)/Vancouver, BC) — The First Nations Summit (FNS) recognizes and appreciates yesterday’s historic apology from Pope Francis and calls on the Pope to put substance and positive action to his words and continue to address the wrongs of the Catholic Church by rescinding the Papal Bull on the...

CTV News Edmonton: Métis reaction to Pope Francis’ apology to Indigenous People in Canada on Monday was mixed, with some accepting the pontiff’s words as genuine, others wanting more, and many demanding their trauma be recognized more fully. “Reconciliation – it didn’t begin and it didn’t happen today. Though we did, I feel, make another...

CBC: Although AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald appreciated the personal nature of Pope Francis’ apology she also felt that the apology fell short on a number of fronts: Failure to rescind the Doctrine of Discovery that was the primary instrument of colonization for the stealing of Indigenous land and genocide of Indigenous people. This doctrine...

NationTalk: TREATY SIX TERRITORY, ALBERTA – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Regional Chief Cindy Woodhouse, Indian day School Survivor, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Acting Grand Chief Cornell McLean, and Residential School Survivors, including former AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine, today reflected on Pope Francis’ historic apology on Treaty Six Territory. The Pope’s six-day visit...

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) has respectfully declined an invitation to participate in the Papal visit to Iqaluit on July 29, 2022, as it remains unclear if a formal apology will be made or not. The Roman Catholic Church operated three (3) residential schools in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR). Inuvialuit continue to bear the burden...

Governor General of CanadaRideau Hall1 Sussex Drive Ottawa, OntarioK1A 0A1                                                       Sent via email The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.Prime Minister of CanadaLangevin BlockOttawa, OntarioK1A 0A2                                                       Sent via email Re: Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Francis to Canada Dear Excellency and Prime Minister, I am grateful for my invitation to the Citadelle upon the...