Indigenous leaders, residential school survivors to meet Pope Francis in Rome

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) says 25 to 30 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth will meet with Pope Francis in Rome next month.

The group will be accompanied by a small group of Canadian Bishops during their trip to the Vatican from December 17 to 20.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis agreed to meet with residential school survivors who are calling for a papal apology for the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of children.

“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, strengthening and reconciling relationships with Indigenous Peoples across the land,” said CCCB President, Rev. Raymond Poisson in a statement. “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.”

Pope Francis will participate in private meetings with the representatives from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities to hear their personal stories of the tragedies that occurred in residential schools across Canada.

Specific details about the trip have yet to be released but the CCCB says travel plans and itineraries are being coordinated with the delegates directly.

Back in September, the Canadian bishops’ conference apologized “unequivocally” and expressed “profound remorse” for the suffering experienced in the residential school system.

The bishops committed to providing records and documentation that would help identify those buried in unmarked graves.