SASKATOON — Between 25 to 30 Indigenous peoples will be joining the Canadian delegation that is set to meet with Pope Francis next month. The group will be accompanied by several members of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops when they meet the pontiff from Dec. 17 to 20 in the Vatican.
Representatives from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, their Knowledge Keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will be part of the delegation, according to CCCB.ca, the official website of Canada’s national assembly of bishops.
CCCB president Most Rev. Raymond Poisson said the meeting is another step forward in the hopes of repairing the strained relationship between Indigenous People and the Church caused by the abuses they experienced while attending residential schools partly run by Catholic nuns and priests.
“The journey towards healing and reconciliation is a long one, but we believe this will be a significant milestone in the Catholic Church’s commitment to renewing, straightening, and reconciling relationships with Indigenous Peoples across the land,” said Poisson.
“With this delegation, we hope to walk together in a new way, to listen with humility, and to discern the next steps that the Church can take to support residential school survivors, their families, and their communities.”
CCCB added members of the delegation will be coming from across Canada, representing multiple faith and linguistic backgrounds that bring “their own perspective on the history of colonialism and residential schools.”
The CCCB will take care of all the costs of travel and accommodations by the delegation, which will also have mental health care workers to help members of group deal with the painful memories and sentiments that they may experience when they talk to the pope.
Additional Indigenous Peoples have also been invited to participate in the healing journey that includes a final audience with Pope Francis.
In addition to this group of delegates, additional Indigenous Peoples have been invited to participate in the journey, including for a final audience with the Holy Father.
CCCB and their Indigenous partners agreed to use the theme: Indigenous Peoples and the Church: Walking Together Toward Healing and Reconciliation, where focus will be on the “principles of mutual trust, respect, and a shared desire to move forward for a more hopeful future.”
The meeting with Pope Francis was announced in June of this year with the goal of continuing the healing process between Indigenous peoples and the Catholic church. The meeting aims to have the delegation have a meaningful dialogue and encounter with the Holy Father.
The Assembly of First Nations, the Metis National Council, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and other Indigenous leaders were part of the planning stages for the delegation that included the travel itinerary and details of the meeting with the pope.
Specific details of the travel plans, and itineraries are also being directly coordinated with Vatican representatives where they confirmed that Pope Francis will join the private meetings with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis delegates.
The meeting will give the pope the chance to hear their respective personal stories on the lasting effects of their experiences while attending residential schools and share their “hopes and expectations” for the Holy Father’s planned pilgrimage to Canada.
