SASKATOON — The postponed meeting by Canada’s Indigenous delegation with Pope Francis will finally push through in the last week of March according to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The meeting was originally set for Dec. 17 to 20, 2021, but the rising cases of the coronavirus Omicron variant cancelled the scheduled four-day audience with the Pontiff.
The CCCB together with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council announced last week that the meeting with Pope Francis will be March 28, with the entire delegation having a final audience with the Pontiff April 1.
The CCCB said they decided to cancel the December trip with the sudden increase of COVID [Omicron] cases in Canada and the world, with the health and safety of the elderly members of the delegation in mind.
“The health and safety of all delegates remain our priority. In the weeks ahead, we will monitor conditions leading up to the revised travel dates and continue our dialogue with delegates, public health officials as well as relevant government and international authorities, travelling only when we feel it is safe to do so,” said a joint release by the CCCB, AFN, ITK and MNC.
“We remain committed to walking toward healing and reconciliation and very much look forward to the opportunity for Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, residential school survivors and youth to meet with Pope Francis.”
Almost 30 representatives from AFN, ITK and MNC along with Elders and residential school survivors are part of the delegation that will be accompanied by several members of the CCCB. AFN, ITK and MNC will have separate one-hour meetings with Pope Francis.
CCCB president Bishop Raymond Poisson, vice-president Bill McGrattan, Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith, Winnipeg Archbishop Richard Gagnon and Regina Archbishop Don Bolen will accompany the delegation.
McGrattan and Smith were quoted in the Catholic Register that the bishops will listen only during the scheduled meetings.
“Pope Francis and the bishops who will be present will be there to listen and to respond and to make sure that we are committed to this path of reconciliation,” said McGrattan.
“The essence of this encounter is heart speaking to the heart. The heart of the delegates, speaking from their hearts to the pope. We all know well the compassionate heart of the Holy Father. It’s with that heart that he will listen and it’s from that heart that he will respond,” added Smith.
Other Indigenous people, mental and health specialists and CCCB support staff will also join the trip, which includes former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Chief Wilton Littlechild among the more than 13 AFN representatives.
Littlechild is expected to present the TRC’s Call to Action No. 58 calling for the pope to issue an apology to the survivors, families and communities of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who suffered abuse — cultural, emotional, physical, sexual and spiritual — during their stay in Catholic-run residential schools.
MNC president Cassidy Caron took to Twitter to welcome the important and historic meetings between Indigenous people and the head of the Catholic Church.
“Dates have been set for AFN, ITK and MNC delegation to Rome. We look forward to continuing to work with Métis Nation citizens to ensure our stories, especially those of Métis survivors, are shared with @Pontifex (Pope Francis),” said Caron.
AFN and MNC spokespersons Jamie Monastyrski and Janna van de Sande told the Catholic Register that they won’t change the composition of their respective delegations, with the same delegates who were scheduled to attend the postponed meetings in December making the trip to Vatican City.
