Pope asks pardon for church’s sins

POPE Francis has apologised for the sins and “offences” committed by the Catholic Church against indigenous peoples during the colonialera conquest of the Americas.

History’s first Latin American pope “humbly” begged forgiveness during an encounter in Bolivia with indigenous groups, in the presence of Bolivia’s first indigenous president, Evo Morales.

Francis noted Latin Ameri- can church leaders had acknowledged “grave sins were committed against the native peoples of America in the name of God”.

St John Paul II, for his part, apologised to the continent’s indigenous for the “pain and suffering” caused during the 500 years of the church’s presence on the continent during a 1992 visit to the Dominican Republic.

But Francis went a step further.

“I humbly ask forgiveness, not only for the offences of the church herself, but also for crimes committed against the native peoples during the socalled conquest of America,” he said to applause and cheers from the crowd.