The Pope’s visit is always news to talk about. The Vatican has finally shared the details of Pope Francis’s much-anticipated visit to Canada. The Pope will be visiting during the final week of July, from the 24th through the 30th. His week-long visit will see him travel to the cities of Québec, Edmonton, and Iqaluit.
Roman Catholics are the single largest religious group in Canada. With around 40% of the population identifying as Catholic, many Canadians are sure to be anticipating Francis’s visit. Still, a growing number of Canadians are identifying as less religious. For more secular Canadians, the Pope’s upcoming visit is attracting attention for other reasons.
Catholicism and Canada’s Indigenous Community
The Pope’s visit comes amidst an ongoing conversation about Canada’s history of oppression against its indigenous population. The latter portion of 2021 saw a renewed focus on the country’s decades-long residential school program.
Canada was forced to reckon with its legacy of forced relocation, family disruption, and rampant abuse when geologists uncovered several mass graves where residential schools once stood. These findings were a painful reminder of the atrocities levied against indigenous people in Canada and prompted a national outcry.
While Indian residential schools were commissioned by the Canadian government, officials typically looked toward religious bodies to manage them. While various Christian denominations operated these schools, Canada’s large Catholic population meant that residential schools were disproportionately run by the Catholic Church. As such, indigenous activists in Canada have long sought an official apology from the Vatican.
While an official apology has yet to be given, Pope Francis’s upcoming trip may signal that a change is soon to come.
The Pope’s Promise
Prompted by the discovery of the mass graves, a delegation of indigenous Canadians visited Vatican City in the spring of this year. There, the delegates met with the Pope and other clergy members to express the ways in which the Catholic Church had harmed indigenous Canadians.
On this day, Pope Francis made history by making a formal apology to indigenous Canadians for the Church’s role in the residential school program. Known for his progressive social stances compared to his predecessors, Pope Francis’s apology does not necessarily reflect the views of the Catholic Church itself.
While a formal apology by the Church was not made, it was here that the Pope vowed to visit Canada in order to meet with more activists and community leaders. Pope Francis is expected to apologize once more, although it remains to be seen whether or not this will be endorsed by the Vatican.
The Pope’s Itinerary
While details are still emerging, Canada’s indigenous community will be the focal point of his upcoming visit. During his stay, he will be visiting cities and communities with strong populations of indigenous people. During this time, he will make space for survivors and their families to tell their stories. Additionally, the Pope will be visiting some of the sites where residential schools once stood.
Francis’s visit to Edmonton is likely the most crucial part of his Canadian tour. Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, which is home to Canada’s second-largest population of indigenous peoples. In a stark reminder of the country’s past, Alberta was also once home to more than two dozen residential schools.
Local activists and leaders have communicated that an apology on Canadian soil would mean very much to them. Likewise, local leaders in the Catholic Church are also looking forward to an open dialogue that will bring about healing, understanding, and forgiveness.
As Canada continues to navigate its religious identity in a changing world, the Pope’s upcoming visit is likely to shape our understanding of the role of religion in the years to come.
In May of 2021, the world was met with a shocking discovery. Anthropologists working in Kamloops, British Columbia, detected anomalies in the ground via radar scans. Upon examination, experts concluded that around 200 unmarked graves lay beneath the surface. The months that followed would yield similar grim findings and cast new light on a tragic part of Canada’s history.
Each of the gravesites was uncovered where a Canadian Indian Residential School once stood. Canada’s Indian Residential School System was a program of forced re-education mandated by the government and administered by various Christian churches. The program was characterized by the forced separation of Indigenous families, rampant physical abuse, and staggering death tolls due to neglect and illness. The tragic legacy of these boarding schools carries on to this day.
The Role of the Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church was complicit in the oppression of Indigenous people while this program was in place. As a part of the government’s policy of forced assimilation, Indigenous children were mandated to accept Christianity. To ensure that they did, the Canadian government provided funding to a number of Christian denominations so they could open and operate these schools.
While the government provided funds, maintenance, and facilities, the churches were allowed to handle lesson planning and discipline as they saw fit. Under this policy, Indigenous children could be punished for speaking their native languages and practicing their own spiritual practices.
For much of this program, the Catholic Church was disproportionately represented. At its peak in 1931, the Indian Residential School System consisted of around 80 boarding schools. Of these, more than half were operated by the Catholic Church. For this reason, many Indigenous people see the Catholic Church as directly responsible for lasting generational trauma within their communities.
In the years since, various representatives of the Church have alluded to the atrocities committed under the Residential School System. However, a recent statement by Pope Francis is the first formal apology extended to Indigenous Canadians on behalf of the Church.
The Pope Apology
Over the years, bishops practicing ministry in Canada have issued their own statements on Catholic involvement in the Residential School System. Generally, though, these statements were made of their own accord rather than sanctioned by the Church.
In 2009, a delegation of Canadian bishops and First Nations representatives obtained an audience with then-Pope Benedict XVI. The delegation sought an official apology from the pope, but ultimately left disappointed. The official statement acknowledged that acts of abuse were intolerable and offered prayers to the victims; however, it did not offer an apology.
In early April of 2022, a similar delegation of First Nations representatives traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Francis. Considered by many to be a more progressive Catholic, Pope Francis is the first to extend a personal apology in solidarity with Canadian bishops who have already done so.
In his statement, Francis condemned Catholic boarding school practices as “deplorable” and asked his God for forgiveness. Additionally, he expressed his intention to travel to Canada in July to meet with survivors and their families.
Why Apologies Are Important
The words of Pope Francis are the first step toward healing. Something as destructive as Canada’s history of oppression against Indigenous communities required millions of people to be complicit.
When institutions like the Catholic Church acknowledge wrongdoing, it helps to affirm the experiences of those who were harmed. Additionally, it lays the groundwork for dialogue and reflection among individuals who justified inhumanity in the name of faith or ideology. Of course, apologies are not able to change the past. However, they are critical to fostering hope for a better future.
While taking a religious tour, you get to see the inner workings of how churches function.
Even if you aren’t religious, there’s a lot that can be learned by taking a religious tour within a city. You may need to call and make arrangements if you want to tour the inside of the church, but you don’t even have to go inside to see the architecture of the building. Make sure you don’t interrupt worship services. Vancouver is not one of the oldest cities in Canada, but there’s still a lot of heritage within the city. Here are some of the best churches to visit when you’re in town.
Different Churches to Visit On Your Religious Tour
Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1905. It is now a heritage building that cannot be torn down, nor have the integrity of its design altered. It’s a Gothic Revival design, and when you go inside, there’s a replica of a medieval labyrinth laid in the floor. It’s not a maze, but a walking path that leads into the centre and back out again. People of all faiths use it for meditation and reflection. The labyrinth is open to the public during certain times of the day.
Christ Church Cathedral is noted for its stained glass windows. It’s such a popular exhibit that the church has a self-guided tour that can be downloaded to walk you through the building. The church itself is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture built at the turn of the 20th You might even think that it was taken out of the English countryside and moved to its location in Vancouver. In 1995, the church began a restoration project that took about 11 years. Visitors are invited to take a walking tour through the building to enjoy its rich heritage.
The Holy Rosary Cathedral is home to the Roman Catholic faith. Pope John Paul II visited this church when he came to Vancouver. This building was built in the French Gothic style, and it features 21 beautiful pictorial stained glass windows. It’s one of three places in British Columbia where bells are hung in the English way. The bells made three oceanic crossings before the final installation. After one installation, the bells were not considered melodic enough and had to be sent to England to be melted down and recast.
Andrew’s-Wesley United Church is a short walk from downtown. The Gothic building was completed in 1933, and it’s a popular venue for music concerts. Every Sunday, the church offers Jazz Vespers in the afternoon and candlelight and music service in the evening as extra worship services for the community. The church also houses many stained glass windows and liturgical hangings to help understand the faith.
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral is a beautiful building that did not receive the designation of Cathedral until 1983, but the parish was established in 1937. On the first Friday of the month, the church hosts a Ukrainian supper featuring pirogies and cabbage rolls at great prices. The inside of the Cathedral features beautiful paintings of icons. Worshippers venerate, not worship, these icons and show respect for their faith by genuflecting before the icon painting.
Learning more about faiths outside of your own opens your eyes to the similarities and differences between different religions. It can bridge gaps between individuals and in communities. Take a religious tour of your own town if you can’t get to Vancouver to explore its religious heritage. Look at the difference in architecture, decorations and stained glass windows. You don’t have to be a believer to see the beauty in the history of the building and interior décor. Understanding how religion affects someone’s life helps you understand their morals, their celebrations and their lifestyle. And it gives you a better understanding of the world.
The Pope’s visit is always news to talk about. The Vatican has finally shared the details of Pope Francis’s much-anticipated visit to Canada. The Pope will be visiting during the final week of July, from the 24th through the 30th. His week-long visit will see him travel to the cities of Québec, Edmonton, and Iqaluit.
Roman Catholics are the single largest religious group in Canada. With around 40% of the population identifying as Catholic, many Canadians are sure to be anticipating Francis’s visit. Still, a growing number of Canadians are identifying as less religious. For more secular Canadians, the Pope’s upcoming visit is attracting attention for other reasons.
Catholicism and Canada’s Indigenous Community
The Pope’s visit comes amidst an ongoing conversation about Canada’s history of oppression against its indigenous population. The latter portion of 2021 saw a renewed focus on the country’s decades-long residential school program.
Canada was forced to reckon with its legacy of forced relocation, family disruption, and rampant abuse when geologists uncovered several mass graves where residential schools once stood. These findings were a painful reminder of the atrocities levied against indigenous people in Canada and prompted a national outcry.
While Indian residential schools were commissioned by the Canadian government, officials typically looked toward religious bodies to manage them. While various Christian denominations operated these schools, Canada’s large Catholic population meant that residential schools were disproportionately run by the Catholic Church. As such, indigenous activists in Canada have long sought an official apology from the Vatican.
While an official apology has yet to be given, Pope Francis’s upcoming trip may signal that a change is soon to come.
The Pope’s Promise
Prompted by the discovery of the mass graves, a delegation of indigenous Canadians visited Vatican City in the spring of this year. There, the delegates met with the Pope and other clergy members to express the ways in which the Catholic Church had harmed indigenous Canadians.
On this day, Pope Francis made history by making a formal apology to indigenous Canadians for the Church’s role in the residential school program. Known for his progressive social stances compared to his predecessors, Pope Francis’s apology does not necessarily reflect the views of the Catholic Church itself.
While a formal apology by the Church was not made, it was here that the Pope vowed to visit Canada in order to meet with more activists and community leaders. Pope Francis is expected to apologize once more, although it remains to be seen whether or not this will be endorsed by the Vatican.
The Pope’s Itinerary
While details are still emerging, Canada’s indigenous community will be the focal point of his upcoming visit. During his stay, he will be visiting cities and communities with strong populations of indigenous people. During this time, he will make space for survivors and their families to tell their stories. Additionally, the Pope will be visiting some of the sites where residential schools once stood.
Francis’s visit to Edmonton is likely the most crucial part of his Canadian tour. Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, which is home to Canada’s second-largest population of indigenous peoples. In a stark reminder of the country’s past, Alberta was also once home to more than two dozen residential schools.
Local activists and leaders have communicated that an apology on Canadian soil would mean very much to them. Likewise, local leaders in the Catholic Church are also looking forward to an open dialogue that will bring about healing, understanding, and forgiveness.
As Canada continues to navigate its religious identity in a changing world, the Pope’s upcoming visit is likely to shape our understanding of the role of religion in the years to come.
In May of 2021, the world was met with a shocking discovery. Anthropologists working in Kamloops, British Columbia, detected anomalies in the ground via radar scans. Upon examination, experts concluded that around 200 unmarked graves lay beneath the surface. The months that followed would yield similar grim findings and cast new light on a tragic part of Canada’s history.
Each of the gravesites was uncovered where a Canadian Indian Residential School once stood. Canada’s Indian Residential School System was a program of forced re-education mandated by the government and administered by various Christian churches. The program was characterized by the forced separation of Indigenous families, rampant physical abuse, and staggering death tolls due to neglect and illness. The tragic legacy of these boarding schools carries on to this day.
The Role of the Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church was complicit in the oppression of Indigenous people while this program was in place. As a part of the government’s policy of forced assimilation, Indigenous children were mandated to accept Christianity. To ensure that they did, the Canadian government provided funding to a number of Christian denominations so they could open and operate these schools.
While the government provided funds, maintenance, and facilities, the churches were allowed to handle lesson planning and discipline as they saw fit. Under this policy, Indigenous children could be punished for speaking their native languages and practicing their own spiritual practices.
For much of this program, the Catholic Church was disproportionately represented. At its peak in 1931, the Indian Residential School System consisted of around 80 boarding schools. Of these, more than half were operated by the Catholic Church. For this reason, many Indigenous people see the Catholic Church as directly responsible for lasting generational trauma within their communities.
In the years since, various representatives of the Church have alluded to the atrocities committed under the Residential School System. However, a recent statement by Pope Francis is the first formal apology extended to Indigenous Canadians on behalf of the Church.
The Pope Apology
Over the years, bishops practicing ministry in Canada have issued their own statements on Catholic involvement in the Residential School System. Generally, though, these statements were made of their own accord rather than sanctioned by the Church.
In 2009, a delegation of Canadian bishops and First Nations representatives obtained an audience with then-Pope Benedict XVI. The delegation sought an official apology from the pope, but ultimately left disappointed. The official statement acknowledged that acts of abuse were intolerable and offered prayers to the victims; however, it did not offer an apology.
In early April of 2022, a similar delegation of First Nations representatives traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Francis. Considered by many to be a more progressive Catholic, Pope Francis is the first to extend a personal apology in solidarity with Canadian bishops who have already done so.
In his statement, Francis condemned Catholic boarding school practices as “deplorable” and asked his God for forgiveness. Additionally, he expressed his intention to travel to Canada in July to meet with survivors and their families.
Why Apologies Are Important
The words of Pope Francis are the first step toward healing. Something as destructive as Canada’s history of oppression against Indigenous communities required millions of people to be complicit.
When institutions like the Catholic Church acknowledge wrongdoing, it helps to affirm the experiences of those who were harmed. Additionally, it lays the groundwork for dialogue and reflection among individuals who justified inhumanity in the name of faith or ideology. Of course, apologies are not able to change the past. However, they are critical to fostering hope for a better future.
While taking a religious tour, you get to see the inner workings of how churches function.
Even if you aren’t religious, there’s a lot that can be learned by taking a religious tour within a city. You may need to call and make arrangements if you want to tour the inside of the church, but you don’t even have to go inside to see the architecture of the building. Make sure you don’t interrupt worship services. Vancouver is not one of the oldest cities in Canada, but there’s still a lot of heritage within the city. Here are some of the best churches to visit when you’re in town.
Different Churches to Visit On Your Religious Tour
Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1905. It is now a heritage building that cannot be torn down, nor have the integrity of its design altered. It’s a Gothic Revival design, and when you go inside, there’s a replica of a medieval labyrinth laid in the floor. It’s not a maze, but a walking path that leads into the centre and back out again. People of all faiths use it for meditation and reflection. The labyrinth is open to the public during certain times of the day.
Christ Church Cathedral is noted for its stained glass windows. It’s such a popular exhibit that the church has a self-guided tour that can be downloaded to walk you through the building. The church itself is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture built at the turn of the 20th You might even think that it was taken out of the English countryside and moved to its location in Vancouver. In 1995, the church began a restoration project that took about 11 years. Visitors are invited to take a walking tour through the building to enjoy its rich heritage.
The Holy Rosary Cathedral is home to the Roman Catholic faith. Pope John Paul II visited this church when he came to Vancouver. This building was built in the French Gothic style, and it features 21 beautiful pictorial stained glass windows. It’s one of three places in British Columbia where bells are hung in the English way. The bells made three oceanic crossings before the final installation. After one installation, the bells were not considered melodic enough and had to be sent to England to be melted down and recast.
Andrew’s-Wesley United Church is a short walk from downtown. The Gothic building was completed in 1933, and it’s a popular venue for music concerts. Every Sunday, the church offers Jazz Vespers in the afternoon and candlelight and music service in the evening as extra worship services for the community. The church also houses many stained glass windows and liturgical hangings to help understand the faith.
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral is a beautiful building that did not receive the designation of Cathedral until 1983, but the parish was established in 1937. On the first Friday of the month, the church hosts a Ukrainian supper featuring pirogies and cabbage rolls at great prices. The inside of the Cathedral features beautiful paintings of icons. Worshippers venerate, not worship, these icons and show respect for their faith by genuflecting before the icon painting.
Learning more about faiths outside of your own opens your eyes to the similarities and differences between different religions. It can bridge gaps between individuals and in communities. Take a religious tour of your own town if you can’t get to Vancouver to explore its religious heritage. Look at the difference in architecture, decorations and stained glass windows. You don’t have to be a believer to see the beauty in the history of the building and interior décor. Understanding how religion affects someone’s life helps you understand their morals, their celebrations and their lifestyle. And it gives you a better understanding of the world.
