Vatican trip delayed by variant
Indigenous delegation puts off visit over Omicron fears
a week before their highly anticipated trip to the Vatican was to happen, an Indigenous delegation that was set to meet with Pope Francis amid calls for a papal apology over Canadian residential schools has officially postponed the journey.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the delegates — made up of 30 representatives from Canadian Bishops, Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami — said they have decided to reschedule the trip due to concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
No new date has been set but the trip will be held at “the earliest opportunity” in 2022, according to the delegation.
“The decision to postpone was a heartbreaking one, made after careful consultation with delegates, family members, community leaders, public health officials and the leadership of each of the three National Indigenous Organizations,” said the joint statement.
“Particularly for many elderly delegates as well as those who live in remote communities, the risk of infection and the fluid nature of the evolving global situation presents too great a threat at this time.”
Despite the delay of the trip, the delegates said they take comfort in the desire conveyed by the Holy See that the safety of the delegation should inform any decision to move forward.
“Our shared commitment to walking together towards healing and reconciliation remains strong,” said the statement. “The Holy See is very much committed to rescheduling this visit in the new year and we look forward to the opportunity for Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth to participate in private meetings with Pope Francis.”
The delegation was set to leave Toronto on Dec. 14 and had scheduled meetings with the Holy Father over four days to share members’ personal stories of the lasting legacy of residential schools and their hopes and expectations for the pontiff’s visit to Canada expected next year.
Nearly three-quarters of Canada’s 130 residential schools were run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, which an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend. Others were run by the Presbyterians, Anglicans and the United Church of Canada, now the largest Protestant denomination in the country.
The institutions saw Indigenous kids systematically removed from their homes with the goal of assimilating them into European colonial culture, and many physical, mental and sexual abuses were documented.
Ottawa, along with the ProtesJust tant churches, have all apologized for the policy and abuses, as have the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Pope Francis would be one of the last major leaders of an organization instrumental in the abusive system to apologize. No date has been set for his visit to Canada, nor has there been an explicit promise of an apology.
In October, the Pope accepted an invitation by the Catholic bishops to visit the country on a “pilgrimage of healing and reconciliation,” just months after unmarked graves were identified near former residential school sites in Kamloops, B.C., and other parts of Canada.
In November, the bishops announced the invitation to the Vatican for Indigenous community leaders and members to speak to the Pope about the timing, focus and themes in preparation for his pilgrimage to Canada.
Indigenous leaders have said they would like the Pope to address the issue of compensations to the survivors, return Indigenous lands and release all records related to residential schools despite any legal implications to doing so.