Pope Francis' visit to Canada to include stop at residential school
CTV
The Vatican has released the program for Pope's visit to Canada next month, which includes visiting the site of a former Alberta residential school with survivors of the institutions.
The Vatican has released the program for Pope's visit to Canada next month, which includes visiting the site of a former Alberta residential school with survivors of the institutions.
The papal visit is set to start in Edmonton on July 24 and end in Iqaluit on July 29. It is to include public and private events with an emphasis on Indigenous participation.
"We pray this pilgrimage will serve as another meaningful step in the long journey of healing, reconciliation and hope," said Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, the general co-ordinator of the papal visit to Canada.
Pope Francis is expected to deliver an apology for the Roman Catholic Church's role in residential schools during the journey to Canada.
On April 1, after meetings over several days with First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups at the Vatican, the Pope apologized for the deplorable conduct of church members involved in residential schools.
Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in Edmonton on July 24 to a brief ceremony at the airport. The next day he is set to join survivors at the Ermineskin Indian Residential School in the community of Maskwacis south of the city.
Ermineskin was one of the largest institutions in Canada. Smith said it "will have a representative role for all residential schools." He anticipates the apology will come in front of survivors at the school.
