A Saskatchewan First Nation chief believes a papal visit and possible apology for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s Residential School System is “meaningless” without action.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops announced on Wednesday Pope Francis will be visiting Canada to meet with Indigenous people. No word yet on when the papal visit would occur or where in Canada Pope Francis would visit.
Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme told the Canadian Press a papal visit would be a step toward reconciliation. However, he says to verify and validate the pain many residential school survivors still live with today, he says it would have to come with an apology for the church’s role in the school system.
When speaking with MBC News Little Pine First Nation chief Wayne Semaganis took it one step further and says even if an apology comes, meaningful action has to follow.
“The day after he says he’s sorry is anything going to change,” said Semaganis. “So for me, for Pope Francis to come here it will take a long time to truly apologize to everybody he has hurt through the church, and (not just him) the whole church, the whole system. So we have to ask ourselves what will it change and what will it make better.”
The comments echo previous comments Chief Semaganis made to MBC News in the past on a possible papal apology.
“If the Catholic Church would come with a plan and say this is how we intend for our apology to truly work then maybe I would feel some comfort and maybe I would have some hope that things will change, but the way it is now, sad to say, I find it meaningless.”
The Assembly of First Nations is also looking for more than apology from the Pope.
In a statement released today, National Chief RoseAnne Archibald called on the church to make reparations. These include supporting long-term healing and support programs for Indigenous people and returning diocese land properties.
On September 24, the Catholic Bishops of Canada apologized but also committed to fundraising to support local Indigenous issues. In addition to that, a delegation of Indigenous leaders is scheduled to visit the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis there to discuss the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s Residential School System.
Chief Semaganis believes these visits do have the possibility to inspire change.
“But for me as a chief of my community there is so much that needs to be made right and a simple apology is not going to be enough.”
(With files from Dan Jones, Sam Campling and the Canadian Press)
(PHOTO: Chief Semaganis. Photo by Dan Jones.)