The Catholic bishops of Canada are “very happy with the historic visit of Pope Francis” to their country. In a message published on the official website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishopson July 29, they expressed their “gratitude” for this “important step on the road to healing and reconciliation”.
At the end of Pope Francis’ apostolic journey to Canada (July 24-30, 2022), the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops published on its bilingual English-French website, Friday, July 29, a long message in which the Canadian bishops rejoice in to have “participated in this penitential pilgrimage” and pledge to continue their work with Aboriginal peoples, on a path of healing and reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is a journey that concerns us all, and the presence of the Holy Father has been a source of hope and inspiration for Canadians across the country,” say the bishops, who “sincerely thank the survivors for their bravery and their openness to participate in these meetings with the Holy Father and the indigenous partners for their help in the planning process”. “We are lucky, they continue, to have taken part in this penitential pilgrimage and we end this week with a renewed hope of walking together towards a better future”.
The bishops believe that Pope Francis “has kept his promise to manifest, by his very presence, his closeness to the indigenous peoples of this land”: “In his various public and private addresses”, they observe, Francis “presented sincere and solemn apologies to Indigenous peoples on behalf of the Catholic Church, expressed admiration for Indigenous culture and spirituality, expressed deep sadness at the lasting impact of colonization, acknowledged the impact disaster of the residential school system and asked for forgiveness for abuses, including sexual abuse, that were committed by members of the Church.”
Pope Francis has asked pastors to continue helping survivors and their families heal from the traumas they have suffered. “We have heard this call, they write, and we will study an updated action plan during our National Plenary Assembly this fall”. The Canadian Bishops hope “that the relationships forged during this planning process,” particularly with their Indigenous partners at the national and local levels, “will grow well beyond this visit and serve as a foundation” for the work ahead of them. .
Listening to their indigenous brothers and sisters, the pastors also express their commitment to “walking together in a renewed way” and the orientations that will be “decisive” for the next steps: “greater transparency” in the preservation and disclosure of residential school records, “support for addressing the issue of indigenous artifacts” deposited in the Vatican Museums, affirmation of the “inherent rights of indigenous peoples” and clarification on the “doctrine of discovery”, support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities “in the fight against systemic injustices that persist today” and financial support for initiatives “in the service of healing and reconciliation.
During their 2021 Plenary Assembly, the Canadian bishops had pledged to promote access to archives, educate clergy about Indigenous cultures and spirituality, continue their dialogue with Indigenous communities and their engagement with the Vatican on artifacts, and dedicate $30 million dollars for what became an Indigenous Reconciliation Fund.
“We are grateful to our Indigenous partners, governments and faithful Catholics who have helped us move forward in fulfilling these commitments, while recognizing that important work remains to be done,” the Bishops conclude in their message.
Canada: Catholic Bishops “Grateful” to the Pope – ZENIT – English