OTTAWA-
Crown Minister for Indigenous Relations Marc Miller says “gaps” in Pope Francis’ apology to residential school survivors cannot be ignored.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Miller emphasized how the pontiff’s words, delivered to a crowd of survivors and others gathered near Edmonton on Monday, are deeply important to those now absorbing them.
“This is still an emotional moment.”
The minister said that the indigenous people will decide for themselves what they think.
Two concerns expressed, however, are that Francis did not mention sexual abuse in his comments and mentioned “evil” committed by Christians, but not by the Catholic Church as an institution.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has clearly called for a papal apology to be similar to the apology the Vatican gave to victims in Ireland in 2010, Miller said.
The minister said that the apology – delivered by Pope Benedict XVI through a letter – referred directly to the sexual abuse suffered by Irish children and the role played by the Catholic Church.
“That’s a clear distinction between the two,” Miller said. “The discrepancies speak for themselves.”
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), which represents Northern First Nations, said in a statement that it was happy to see survivors receive an apology, but noted the failure to apologize for sexual abuse.
“Apologizing and acknowledging the damage that has been caused is just one step of many that must happen. There is much more work to do.”
He joined other indigenous leaders, along with survivors and advocates, in expressing the hope that the pope will renounce the Doctrine of Discovery, a policy stemming from a series of Catholic Church decrees dating back to the 15th century. Countries have used it to justify the colonization of lands considered uninhabited, but which were actually home to indigenous peoples.
They say the policy laid the groundwork for future assimilation efforts, such as the residential school system, and where paternal attitudes toward indigenous people are entrenched.
“It was a bit surprising that the Doctrine of Discovery was also not mentioned, but maybe that will be later,” MKO said in its statement.
The organizers of the papal visit, including the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, have not yet responded to a request for comment on the concerns raised.
Among the harshest critics of the apology was Murray Sinclair, who chaired the TRC.
Sinclair has said the pope’s words left a “deep hole” in acknowledging the full role the Catholic Church played in running residential schools by highlighting the actions of Christians, not the church as an institution.
Miller, who traveled to Alberta for the papal visit, said the government will seek more details about what Pope Francis meant when, in his apology, he said a “serious investigation” would be needed into what happened at the residential schools.
The CVR, when drafting its final report, collected testimonies from more than 6,000 witnesses over six years.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on July 27, 2022.