Pope Francis Apologizes For Abuses Of IP Kids In Canadian Schools

Pope Francis on Friday made a historic apology to Indigenous Peoples for the “deplorable” abuses they suffered in Canada’s Catholic-run residential schools and said he hoped to visit Canada in late July to deliver the apology in person to survivors of the church’s misguided missionary zeal, Nicole Winfield reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Photo Insert: Pope Francis begged forgiveness during an audience with dozens of members of the Metis, Inuit, and First Nations communities who came to Rome seeking a papal apology and a commitment from the Catholic Church to repair the damage.

Francis begged forgiveness during an audience with dozens of members of the Metis, Inuit, and First Nations communities who came to Rome seeking a papal apology and a commitment from the Catholic Church to repair the damage.

The first pope from the Americas said he hoped to visit Canada around the Feast of St. Anna, which falls on July 26.

More than 150,000 native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools from the 19th century until the 1970s in an effort to isolate them from the influence of their homes and culture.

The aim was to Christianize and assimilate them into mainstream society, which previous Canadian governments considered superior.

The announcement comes after the discovery last year of signs of unmarked graves with the remains of dozens of children, the New York Times also reported. “I feel shame and pain,” for the “deplorable” abuses, the pope said. “I ask forgiveness of God, and I join the Canadian bishops in apologizing.”

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