Catholic Church Apologizes for Century of Abuses in Canada’s Schools

OTTAWA (KI) – The Catholic Church apologized “unequivocally” on Friday to Canada’s indigenous peoples for a century of abuses at church-run residential schools set up by the government to assimilate children into the mainstream.
But indigenous leaders are still awaiting a mea culpa from the pope himself.
“We, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, express our profound remorse and apologize unequivocally,” read a statement, in which they said they were “fully committed” to reconciliation.
“Many Catholic religious communities and dioceses participated in this system, which led to the suppression of Indigenous languages, culture and spirituality, failing to respect the rich history, traditions and wisdom of Indigenous peoples,” read the statement.
“We acknowledge the grave abuses that were committed by some members of our Catholic community; physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cultural and sexual.”
The move follows recent discoveries, which convulsed Canada, of some 1,200 unmarked graves at three sites where indigenous children were forced to attend the schools.
In total, some 150,000 Indian, Metis and Inuit children were enrolled from the late 1800s to the 1990s in 139 of the residential schools across Canada, spending months or years isolated from the families.
It also comes less than a week before Canadians mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30.
An estimated 6000 First Nation children died while attending those schools.
Reacting to the statement, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) welcomed the apology but said the Church needs to follow up with “concrete actions.”
“On one hand, their unequivocal apology is welcomed,” AFN chief RoseAnne Archibald said. “However, I am disappointed that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops did not take the long overdue step of passing a motion/resolution to formally invite the Pope to Canada to offer his apology to First Nations and Indigenous Survivors and intergenerational trauma survivors here on Turtle Island.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized in June for the “harmful” government policy of indigenous assimilation in church-run schools across the country, and called on Pope Francis to come to Canada and do the same.
Earlier that month, the pontiff expressed his pain over the discoveries and pressed both religious and political authorities to shed light on “this sad affair,” but he stopped short of offering a formal apology.