Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 35 martyrs, 75 injured in occupation targeting of civilians seeking food aid in Rafah, Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Da Silva: What is happening in Gaza is not a war, it is a genocide
Da Silva: Even the Jewish people do not want this war; it is revenge by a government against the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state
Brazilian President Lula da Silva: What we are seeing is not a war between two armies. [What we have is a] completely professional army that is killing women and children in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: We affirm our readiness to immediately begin a round of indirect negotiations to reach an agreement on the points of contention
Hamas: We welcome the continued Qatari and Egyptian efforts to end the war waged by the Zionist occupation against our people
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli occupation forces blew up Noura Al-Kaabi Hospital, designated for kidney dialysis patients, in the northern Gaza Strip
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli drone targets a car on the Ayta al-Shaab-Debel road in southern Lebanon
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: The remaining airlines that have not yet complied with the ban are urged to take this into serious consideration to ensure the safety of their aircraft and passengers
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: The YAF, after successfully imposing a partial ban on air traffic at Lydd Airport, are now working to impose a full ban on air traffic at the aforementioned airport in the coming period

Pope Francis calls Canada abuse trip a 'penitential pilgrimage'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Jul 2022 17:53
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The pontiff is expected to repeat an apology he made to Canadian delegations who visited the Vatican in April during his July 24-30 visit to Edmonton, Quebec, and Iqaluit.

  • x
  • Pope Francis with indigenous delegations from Canada at the Vatican, April 1, 2022. (REUTERS)
    Pope Francis with Indigenous delegations from Canada at the Vatican, April 1, 2022 (Reuters)

Pope Francis called his trip to Canada, where he will meet with Indigenous survivors of abuse at Catholic Church-run residential schools, a "penitential pilgrimage" on Sunday.

"Next Sunday, God willing, I will leave for Canada," he said at the end of the Angelus prayer, a clear reference to a knee problem that forced him to cancel a trip to Africa last month.

The pontiff is expected to use his July 24-30 visit to Edmonton, Quebec, and Iqaluit to repeat an apology he delivered to Canadian delegations who visited the Vatican back in April.

The Pope told the crowds gathered in Saint Peter's Square, on Sunday, that he "expressed my sorrow and solidarity for the harm they have suffered."

"And now I am about to make a penitential pilgrimage, which I hope, with God's grace, will contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation already undertaken," he said.

The visit to Canada is a significant step forward in the Pope’s efforts to address the global scandal of clerical sexual abuse of children and decades of cover-up.

From the late 1800s to the 1990s, approximately 150,000 First Nations, Metis, and Inuit children were enrolled in 139 residential schools across Canada as part of a government policy of forced assimilation.

They were separated from their families, language, and culture for months or years, and many were physically and sexually abused by headmasters and teachers.

More than 1,300 unmarked graves uncovered since last May

Related News

Aboriginal group sues Australia for $1.1bln iron ore claim

Australian PM calls for urgent reforms in indigenous welfare

It is noteworthy that in late March, Indigenous delegations met and pressed Pope Francis for an apology for church-run residential schools in Canada.

Since last May, more than 1,300 unmarked graves have been uncovered at church-run schools attended by Indigenous children in Canada as part of a government program of forced assimilation. Systemic violence affected 150,000 indigenous children between 1883 to 1996. 

The Catholic Church in Canada apologized in September to the indigenous community for a century of abuse at Church-run residential schools set up by the government.

In January, Canada announced its biggest settlement of $31.5 billion to reform its discriminatory child welfare system and compensate Indigenous families who had their families broken up. 

$20 billion will be allocated for First Nations children removed from family care and enrolled in state residential schools to assimilate them.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission labeled the almost-century-long legacy a "cultural genocide". Children were beaten for speaking their native language, which violently compelled the Natives into cultural isolation, then genocide. 

500+ indigenous children died in US-run schools

Similarly, a report from the US Department of the Interior revealed in May that more than 500 Native American children died in US government-run boarding schools at which students were physically abused and denied food.

The report found that "approximately 19 Federal Indian boarding schools accounted for over 500 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian child deaths."

"The Department expects that continued investigation will reveal the approximate number of Indian children who died at Federal Indian boarding schools to be in the thousands or tens of thousands," it mentioned.

According to the report, there are marked or unmarked burial sites at more than 50 locations, out of a total of more than 400 that made up the Federal Indian boarding school system between 1819 and 1969.

Read more: 'No Reason to Celebrate’: Tribes Mourn on Thanksgiving

  • Pope Francis
  • Canada
  • indigenous people
  • church

Most Read

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)AP)

Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift

  • Politics
  • 1 Jun 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Russia-Ukraine peace talks resume in Istanbul amid escalating war
Europe

Ukraine, Russia head for Istanbul talks as battles rage, cmdr. resigns

Australia urged to join Macron-led push for Palestinian statehood
Asia Pacific

Australia urged to join Macron-led push for Palestinian statehood

‘Israel’ lost international legitimacy for war on Gaza: Israeli media
Palestine

‘Israel’ lost 'international legitimacy' for Gaza war: Israeli media

MSF Chief: US-Israeli aid plan in Gaza ‘Dehumanising’
Politics

US-Israeli aid plan in Gaza used as tool for forced displacement: MSF

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS