Catholic dioceses previously failed to raise money promised to survivors. Will they now?

WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing.

When 48 Catholic church entities signed on to fundraise $25 million for survivors under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, it was spelled out they would do so through their "best efforts."

Ken Young puts it another way.

"It was a weasel clause," the former Manitoba regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations said in a recent interview.

"And they used it."

In total, the campaign raised less than $4 million. It made up one piece of the compensation package Catholic entities agreed to pay under the settlement struck in 2006 with Ottawa, former students and Indigenous leaders.

Nine years later, a Saskatchewan judge ruled that the church bodies — who had sought to relieve themselves of their remaining obligations — could indeed walk away.

"They said, 'We used our best efforts and we failed,"' recalled Young, who is himself a survivor of residential schools.

"I was disappointed."

That history set the stage for a new promise Canadian bishops made last September that dioceses would put $30 million toward initiatives that offer healing opportunities for residential school survivors, their relatives and larger communities.

The discovery last year of what are believed to be hundreds of unmarked graves at former schools in Western Canada also shone a fresh spotlight on the failures of Catholic entities to raise the funds for survivors in the past.

Now, bishops are preparing for the impending arrival of Pope Francis, who is expected to apologize for the Catholic Church's role in operating residential schools.

Catholic leaders are seeking donations to help support his visit, including through the sale of what a spokeswoman said will be "modest quantities" of T-shirts, hats and bandanas.

"Any small profits will be directed towards the papal visit and the ongoing healing and reconciliation journey," said Laryssa Waler.