A #toosoon moment? Pope in headdress draws mixed response
Phoenix, United StatesAP It was a stunning image: Pope Francis briefly wearing a full Indigenous headdress, its rows of soft white feathers fastened in place by a colourful, beaded headband after he apologised for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s “disastrous” residential school system for Indigenous children. Chief Wilton Littlechild, a residential school survivor himself, […]
At Mass in Canada, Pope praises Indigenous reverence for elders
Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaReuters Pope Francis on Tuesday praised the Indigenous tradition of showing great respect for elders and learning from them, saying their memory must not be lost in modern society’s “fog of forgetfulness”. Francis is on a week-long tour of Canada to apologise for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in running residential schools that […]
Pope has fun, security frets, as pontiff takes wheelchair detour
Edmonton, Alberta Reuters Pope Francis had some fun on Monday and made Canadian security sweat when he asked a Vatican aide to push his wheelchair close to people waiting outside a church instead of going to his car as planned. Francis had just finished a visit to the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples […]
Pope apologises for “deplorable evil” of Canadian Indigenous schools
Maskwacis, Alberta Reuters Pope Francis apologised on Monday to Canada’s native people on their land for the church’s role in schools where Indigenous children were abused, calling their forced cultural assimilation a “deplorable evil” and “disastrous error.” Speaking near the site of two former schools in Maskwacis, Alberta, Francis apologised for Christian support of the […]
Pope arrives in Canada on tour of “penance” for Indigenous abuse
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Reuters Pope Francis landed in Canada on Sunday to kick off a week-long trip that will centre around his apology on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church for the abuse that Indigenous children endured at mostly church-run residential schools. “This is a trip of penance. Let’s say that is its spirit,” the […]
Pope, starting Canada trip, says he has “great desire” to visit Kyiv
Aboard the papal planeReuters Pope Francis said on Sunday he yearned to visit Ukraine, in his efforts to try and bring an end to a five-month-old war that he has repeatedly decried. “I have a great desire to go to Kyiv,” the Pope said when asked about a possible future trip to Ukraine. He was […]
Papal trip: Indigenous Canadians wary, hopeful as Pope prepares apology
PETER SMITH, of Associated Press, on how, ahead of the papal trip this week, Indigenous Canadians are voicing a range of scepticism, wariness and hope…
When Pope visits Canada, Indigenous people look for healing – and action
Toronto/Winnipeg, CanadaReuters When Pope Francis travels to Canada, Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors say, they are hoping for more than an apology: They want action. Francis, who will be the first pope in nearly 20 years to visit Canada, said on Sunday he was making a “pilgrimage of penance” to help heal the wrongs […]
Vatican releases Pope’s Canada itinerary, a sign trip is on
Rome, ItalyAP The Vatican on Thursday released the itinerary for Pope Francis’ 24th to 30th July visit to Canada, providing a sign he intends to go ahead with the trip despite knee problems that forced him to cancel a six-day visit to Africa also planned for next month. Francis is due to visit Canada to […]
Pope apologises for having to cancel Africa trip
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis apologised to the people of Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan on Sunday for having to cancel his visit because of walking problems, and said he was hopeful his condition would improve. The Vatican announced on Thursday that the 2nd to 7th July trip had been postponed indefinitely because of […]