The Roman Catholic Church has yet to offer a former apology for residential schools and Assembly of First Nations Chief Gerald Antoine, along with his fellow delegates, will be seeking atonement from Pope Francis during a meeting in Rome on March 31.
Ideally, that apology will come in Canada, according to Antoine.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is something that is an important step. So what we are calling on the Holy Father (to do) is to accept our invitation to come home to visit our family and to apologize,SA国际影视传媒� the national chief said during a March 24 news conference. SA国际影视传媒淚 think this is an issue which is long overdue.SA国际影视传媒�
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #58 seeks a formal Papal apology for the Catholic ChurchSA国际影视传媒檚 role in residential schools and their related harms.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur people have endured a lot of things,SA国际影视传媒� said Antoine. SA国际影视传媒淭hey have a sense of hope. TheySA国际影视传媒檙e optimistic about how things will unfold in a good way. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e very hopeful he would come to visit us.SA国际影视传媒�
The meeting will include former AFN national chief Phil Fontaine, former grand chief Dr. Wilton Littlechild and youth representative Taylor Behn-Tsakoza of the Fort Nelson First Nation in B.C., among several others.
Behn-Tsakoza said Indigenous youth SA国际影视传媒渁lso have a voice to share.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 just, ISA国际影视传媒檓 very thankful and glad that our delegation recognized the importance of having this youth voice shared and the story of intergenerational survivors also having a space,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎lthough my generation didnSA国际影视传媒檛 attend the residential schools, we still feel the impacts every single day.
SA国际影视传媒淲e want to be part of this healing journey with our survivors and with those who really did the hard part,SA国际影视传媒� she added.
According to Antoine, there are a number of other items that will be sought on the path to reconciliation.
SA国际影视传媒淲e also call on their church to make a number of amendments or to make amends now and in the future,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚mmediate actions (include) returning the land properties back to First Nations on whose traditional lands they are situated, investment into long-term healing initiatives beyond the recent commitment of $30 million on Sept. 27 2021 (and) to ensure support programs and services for survival and their descendants.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e also asking the Holy Father to renounce and formally revoke the doctrines of discoveries that were made starting from 1493 and replace it with a new table that decrees Indigenous people and cultures are valuable, worthy and must be treated with dignity and respect,SA国际影视传媒� Antoine said.
Former Dene national chief and regional AFN chief Norman Yakeleya was planning to lead a delegation of First Nations delegates to the Vatican last December in search of an apology.
RELATED REPORTING: Norman Yakeleya, Northwest Territories AFN regional chief, to lead delegation to Vatican
However, that meeting was delayed due to the Omicron variant of Covid.
RELATED REPORTING: Pope meeting postponed due to Omicron variant
