the case for which the pope apologizes

( Spanish) — Pope Francis is already in Canada and has presented, on behalf of the Catholic Church, a long-awaited apology for the indigenous communities, victims of more than a century of abuse and a policy aimed at eliminating their culture through the system of residential schools for kids.

For 165 years, these residential schools forcibly separated First Nations, Métis and Inuit indigenous children from their families, subjecting them to malnutrition and physical and sexual abuse in what Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called “cultural genocide” in 2015. More than 4,000 indigenous children were killed.

The first residential school for indigenous people began to function in Canada in 1831. Its antecedents, however, date back to the beginning of the 17th century. At that time and until the 19th century, religious orders ran missionary schools for indigenous children that would be the forerunners of this system of residential schools.

In a 2008 apology speech by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the politician stated that these schools were intended to “separate and isolate children [indígenas] from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and assimilate them into the dominant culture”, under the assumption that Aboriginal cultures were inferior and unequal.

This goal was not hidden. In fact, in 1876 the Indigenous Law was introduced in the country, whose purpose was to eradicate the culture of the First Nations in favor of assimilation into Euro-Canadian society. A few words spoken in 1920 by Duncan Campbell Scott, Assistant Superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs, show the extent to which this view prevailed.

“I want to get rid of the Indian problem … Our goal is to continue until there is not one Indian in Canada who has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is not an Indian question, nor an Indian department, that is the whole point of this bill,” the politician said at the time in proposing that attendance at residential schools be compulsory for all First Nations children between the ages of 7 and 16.

What was the role of the Catholic Church?

At least 130 schools were in operation across Canada between the late 19th century and 1996, many of them run by the Catholic Church.

In fact, the school system relied almost exclusively on the churches to provide teachers, administrators, and religious instructors.

The discovery of unmarked graves in the “Alcatraz of Canada”

The horror of these schools returned to the front pages exactly one year ago, in July 2021, when the Penelakut tribe of British Columbia announced that they had found 160 “undocumented and unmarked” graves on the province’s southern Gulf islands, where a residential school known as the “Alcatraz of Canada” had been installed.

The discovery added to another 1,000 unmarked graves that had been found between May and July in former boarding schools in that province and Saskatchewan.

The investigations have continued and this year the existence of more graves has been revealed.

Francis’ “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada

The Vatican has called Francis’ trip a “penitential pilgrimage.”

In April, the pope told indigenous leaders at the Vatican that he feels “pain and shame for the role that various Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that hurt them, in the abuses they suffered and in the lack of respect shown for their identity, their culture and even their spiritual values”.

The Oblates, who were involved in running many of the residential schools, have said that they intend to reveal all historical documents about their involvement. “We deeply regret our involvement in residential schools and the harm they caused to indigenous peoples and communities,” the groups said in a statement.

A protester holds a sign reading “The Vatican cannot hide genocide” during Pope Francis’ arrival in Canada on July 24. (Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/ AFP/ Getty Images)

The Church’s apology would comply with call to action number 58 set out in the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canadawhich was created for the purpose of documenting the impact of Canadian Aboriginal residential schools on students and their families.

And it is, as Cowessess boss Cadmus Delorme said in 2021, “one of many stages in the healing journey”.

With information from Rob Picheta, Livia Borghese, Cecilia Armstrong, Dave Alsup, Rebekah Riess, Nicole Chavez, and Paula Newton.