Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald told Canadian Catholic News on Aug. 31 she will not be attending the planned Dec. 17-20 meetings between the Pope and delegations from Canada鱿鱼视频app First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities.
Canada鱿鱼视频app bishops, in a statement provided by the Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), say despite Archibald鱿鱼视频app decision they 鈥渉ope鈥� the meetings in the Vatican 鈥渨ill be a meaningful step鈥� in reconciliation for the Catholic Church鱿鱼视频app role in Canada鱿鱼视频app residential school system.
鈥淭he CCCB respects the decision of AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald and acknowledge her advocacy on behalf of First Nations people,鈥� said the statement provided by CCCB communications director Lisa Gall. 鈥淗ealing and reconciliation are of fundamental importance in the ongoing dialogue with our local and national Catholic communities and for all Canadians.鈥�
Archibald, who was elected to her post in July, said the AFN is still deciding how best to formally ask the Pope to make an apology on Canadian soil for the Catholic Church鱿鱼视频app role in Canada鱿鱼视频app residential school system, which was one of Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
鈥淚 know we need to press the Pope to come to Canada,鈥� Archibald said. 鈥淭he process of inviting him, I would say we are working on.
鈥淲e have been very public,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e want the Pope here in Canada.鈥�
For the CCCB, the meetings that have been arranged with the Pope in the Vatican are part of an ongoing process.
鈥淭he Bishops of Canada hope that the upcoming meeting between Pope Francis and First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit survivors, knowledge keepers, and youth will be a meaningful step in the long journey towards reconciliation. This journey requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous people being committed to walk together,鈥� the CCCB statement said.
鈥淚n that spirit of mutual commitment, we have been in regular conversation with Indigenous leaders 鈥� both at the local and national levels, and bilaterally with the First Nations, M茅tis, and Inuit national organizations 鈥� to ensure that this delegation gives residential school survivors the chance to be heard and to move towards healing and a future that is founded on hope.鈥�
Before Archibald became AFN National Chief in July, the previous AFN leader, Perry Bellegarde, announced on June 30 that a delegation of Indigenous leaders would be going to the Vatican to meet with the Pope in December.
鈥淭here are no guarantees of any apology or that he will even come back to Canada, but we have to make the attempt and we have to seize the opportunity,鈥� said Bellegarde at the time. 鈥淚 believe the spirit will move and things will happen in a good way. That is my hope and that is my prayer.鈥�
Calls for the Pope to make such an apology have been made before, including by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2018 the CCCB announced that Pope Francis 鈥渃ould not personally respond鈥� to requests to travel to Canada for an apology, while urging the bishops to continue reconciliation efforts.
Calls for the Pope to apologize have intensified since unmarked graves of children were found on the site of a former Catholic-run school in Kamloops, B.C., this past May.
The CCCB will hold its annual plenary assembly online this year from Sept. 20-24, though the agenda has not been made public as of Sept. 9.
The CCCB should 鈥渁nnounce their public invitation to Pope Francis to come to Canada to apologize as the Truth and Reconciliation requested,鈥� said Joe Gunn, the executive director of the Centre Oblat 鈥� A Voice for Justice.
鈥淭here have been tens of thousands of Canadians, many, many of them Catholics, who have directly communicated their unease with the bishops鈥� handling of this issue,鈥� said Gunn. 鈥淲ill the CCCB ignore them?鈥�