Why did Pope Francis apologize to Canada’s indigenous community in a video?
Why did Pope Francis apologize to Canada’s indigenous community in a video?
Pope Francis apologizes to Canada’s indigenous community on July 26 for mistreating their children in residential schools run by the Catholic Church
The apology comes after hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered in former residential school sites last year
Between 1883 and 1996, an estimated 150,000 Native children in Canada were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools in an effort to assimilate into the European lifestyle.
As of September last year, more than 1,300 unmarked graves had been discovered on grounds that once housed these church-run schools.
In his first public remarks in Canada, Pope Francis asked for forgiveness from indigenous residential school survivors.