Papal visit 2022

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/03/2022 (1594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Special human moment made everyone smile

Linda Daniels, a residential school survivor from Long Plains First Nation, is overcome with emotion as she is greeted at the Winnipeg airport by drummers and family after returning from her week-long trip to Rome as part of the First Nations delegation to meet with Pope Francis. (John Longhurst / Winnipeg Free Press)

Posted:

My time in Rome last week was filled with many more stories than I could write, an ocean of information and emotion from having a front row seat to history in the making as Métis, First Nations and Inuit delegates shared their stories with Pope Francis — and received a personal apology in return.

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Day of symbolic connection, not reconciliation

The final audience stands with Pope Francis and members of the Indigenous delegation where the Pontiff delivered an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system, at the Vatican, Friday, April 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Vatican Media *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Posted:

At the end of a remarkable week at the Vatican in Rome — where delegations of Métis, Inuit and First Nations leaders met with the Pope to discuss the abuses perpetrated by the Catholic Church and ask for an apology in Canada — the Holy Father offered each group a bronze olive branch as a gift representing “peace” and “reconciliation.”

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Pieces of Brandon residential school to be left in Rome

Jade Harper holds a brick from the former Brandon residential school attended by her grandmother and other relatives while in Rome this week. Jade Harper, a member of Peguis First Nation, came to Rome to help make a documentary about the First Nations delegation to see the Pope, she knew what she needed to bring. (Fred Cattroll)

Posted:

ROME — When Jade Harper of Peguis First Nation came to Rome to help make a documentary about the First Nations delegation meeting the Pope this week, she knew what she needed to bring: a brick.

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Papal apology for Catholic Church's role in residential schools

Former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine, and residential school survivor Linda Daniels from the Long Plains First Nation (right), present Pope Francis with a stole that was made by Therese Dettanikkeaze from Northlands Denesuline Nation in Manitoba, at the Vatican, Friday, April 1, 2022. The final audience stands with Pope Francis and members of the Indigenous delegation where the Pontiff delivered an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system, at the Vatican, Friday, April 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Vatican Media *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Posted:

ROME — “With all my heart, I am very sorry.”

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‘Very clear’ Pope was listening: Fontaine

Members of a delegations by the Assembly of First Nations meet the journalists outside St. Peter’s Square at the end of a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, Thursday. (Andrew Medichini / The Associated Press)

Posted:

ROME — When he came to Rome in 2009 to meet Pope Benedict XVI, former Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine asked for an apology to Indigenous people. The Pope declined to do that.

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Vatican Museum’s Indigenous ‘gifts’ belong in Canada, delegates say

Most of the objects were collected by Pope Pius XI for a world mission exhibition in 1925. (Archdiocese of Edmonton)

Posted:

ROME — As delegates from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities travelled by bus from Rome’s airport to their hotel Sunday morning, a tour guide proudly pointed out various landmarks.

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Papal apology mandatory for reconciliation, B.C. chief says

KELLY GERALDINE MALONE / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Chief Rosanne Casimir said moving forward will require acts of contrition so “wrongs can be made right for our people.”

Posted:

ROME — It’s nearly 9,000 kilometres from the Vatican to Kamloops, B.C., but for Rosanne Casimir, Kúkpi7 (chief) of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc in that interior B.C. community, the two are strongly linked.

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Métis fiddler honoured to support delegation

John Longhurst / Winnipeg Free Press
Fiddler Alex Kusturok led the Métis delegation out of the Vatican earlier this week. Kusturok teaches fiddle, jigging, dancing and playing the spoons in Métis settlements and First Nations communities in Alberta.

Posted:

ROME — When fiddler Alex Kusturok led the Métis delegation out of the Vatican Monday, his one-month-old son was on his mind.

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Winnipeg good place for Pope’s apology: Fontaine

Pope Francis delivers a blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square during the Angelus noon prayer at the Vatican, Sunday, March 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Posted:

ROME — Phil Fontaine believes Pope Francis intends to issue an apology to Indigenous people on Canadian soil.

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Métis, Inuit delegations call on Pope to commit to reconciliation

JOHN LONGHURST / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Cassidy Caron, president of the National Metis Council, speaks at the media scrum after meeting with the Pope.

Posted:

ROME — It might have been the first time the Red River Jig was played in St. Peter’s Square.

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Métis delegates first to meet with Pope

Métis National Council president Cassidy Caron wears her new beaded jacket with Mitchell Case, showing the red moccasins for the Pope. (John Longhurst / Winnipeg Free Press)

Posted:

ROME — Mitchell Case gave Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council, two traditional handmade gifts before delegates from the organization met with Pope Francis on Monday.

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Indigenous tell pope of abuses at Canada residential schools

FILE - Native Canadian Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, attends Pope Benedict XVI general audience in St. Peter

Posted:

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Indigenous leaders from Canada and survivors of the country’s notorious residential schools met with Pope Francis on Monday and told him of the abuses they suffered at the hands of Catholic priests and school workers. They came hoping to secure a papal apology and a commitment by the church to repair the harm done.

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Sunrise ceremony before papal visit

Elder Fred Kelly leads the sunrise ceremony before the first visit to the Pope in Rome. (John Longhurst / Winnipeg Free Press)

Posted:

ROME — Delegates and supporters from the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami gathered on the roof of their hotel Monday morning for a sunrise ceremony before the first meetings with Pope Francis in Rome.

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Doctrine of Discovery on agenda at meeting between Pope, First Nations

Pope Francis delivers a blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter

Posted:

ROME — When delegates from the Assembly of First Nations meet Thursday with Pope Francis, they intend to ask him not just for an apology but to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery issued in 1493.

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Indigenous delegations’ meetings with Pope expected to drive reconciliation

“The reality is we have broken relationships with Indigenous people here in Canada,” said Winnipeg Archbishop Richard Gagnon. (Sasha Sefter / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Posted:

A journey that started four years ago — interrupted twice by the COVID-19 pandemic — takes an important step next week when delegations from the Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami meet Pope Francis in Rome.

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Residential schools apology to be sought in Rome

Tk

Posted:

For Assembly of First Nations Northwest Territories regional chief Gerald Antoine, this week’s trip to Rome to meet with Pope Francis “has been a long time in coming.”

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Oblates to open Rome residential school archives

An exterior view of the residential school of the Obaltes Sisters in Fort Alexandre is shown in this handout image provided by the archives of the Société historique de Saint-Boniface.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Archives of the Société historique de Saint-Boniface

Posted:

WINNIPEG - A Catholic religious order that operated some residential schools in Canada says it will open its archives in Rome to researchers.

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Reconciliation needed with Catholic Church

A view of St. Peter

Posted:

One week from today, on March 28, a 13-person delegation from the Assembly of First Nations will arrive at the Vatican in Rome to meet with the Pope.

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History

Updated on Monday, March 28, 2022 12:54 PM CDT: Updates images, summary.

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