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.
