Canada: Pope to meet with Indigenous delegation

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Source: CCCB/Vatican News

Pope Francis is due to meet with a delegation of indigenous people from Canada later this year...

In a statement on Tuesday, the Bishops of Canada said that a delegation of Indigenous People is scheduled to meet with the Holy Father from 17 to 20 December 2021, "to foster meaningful encounters of dialogue and healing."

This announcement comes after a statement from the Bishops on 10 June in which they expressed their commitment to engage wholeheartedly with the past and to "take truly meaningful active steps together with Indigenous Peoples in view of a future filled with greater respect and cooperation."

"The recent discovery of children's remains at a burial site of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia, remind us of a tragic legacy still felt today," the Bishops said.

Therefore, in conversation with indigenous people and communities, both at the local and national levels, and bilaterally with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit national organizations, the Bishops, the sponsors of the initiative, are preparing a delegation to meet with the Pope.

After that discovery in British Colombia, on 24 June the Chief of the Cowessess First Nation, announced the discovery of 751 unmarked graves of mostly Indigenous children at the cemetery of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in the southeast corner of the Saskatchewan province.

"Pope Francis is deeply committed to hearing directly from Indigenous Peoples, expressing his heartfelt closeness, addressing the impact of colonization and the role of the Church in the residential school system," the Bishops' statement said.

The visit will also provide the Pope with the opportunity to respond to "the suffering of the Indigenous Peoples and the ongoing effects of intergenerational trauma."

In his Angelus message on 6 June, Pope Francis spoke about the shocking discovery of the childrens' remains at the former residential school and, expressing his closeness to the Canadian people, he noted the importance of walking "side by side in dialogue, mutual respect and recognition of the rights and cultural values of all the daughters and sons of Canada."

The statement noted that the pastoral visit will include the participation of a diverse group of Elders/Knowledge keepers, residential school survivors and youth from across the nation, accompanied by a small group of Bishops and Indigenous leaders.

The Bishops also expressed their appreciation to the Holy Father for his spirit of openness in generously extending an invitation for personal encounter with each of the three distinct group of delegates - First Nations, Métis and Inuit - as well as a final audience with all the delegates together on the last day of the visit.

Concluding, the CCCB expressed its hope that the forthcoming encounters will "lead to a shared future of peace and harmony between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church in Canada."

Four churches on First Nation lands have been destroyed in arson attacks since the graves were discovered: The Sacred Heart church, on territory of the Penticton Indian Band and St Gregory's church, on land of the Osoyoos Indian Band.

Over the weekend, St Ann's Church on Upper Similkameen Indian Band land, and the Chopaka Church on the lands of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band were completely burnt down. All the churches were more than 100 years old,

The chief and council of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band said in a statement they were "in disbelief" and "angered" by the destruction of the churches. They said the loss would be "felt deeply for those that sought comfort and solace" there.

But the statement acknowledged the "the grief and rage" felt by many Indigenous communities after the discovery of unmarked graves by the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation in British Columbia and Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.

"This is a symptom of the intergenerational trauma our survivors and intergenerational descendants are experiencing, there are supports to help deal with these emotions in a more healing way.

Chief Keith Crow of the Lower Similkameen said in an interview with Castanet that the fires have been "devastating" for Catholics in the community, who recently had a service in the church two weeks ago - but he warned that people were "in for more hurt now" as searches for unmarked graves have started in other communities.

LINK

CCCB statement on delegation to Holy See - www.cccb.ca/announcement/cccb-statement-date-of-the-delegation-to-the-holy-see/