Pope Francis asked this Monday for “forgiveness for the evil committed” against the natives of Canada, in particular in the boarding schools for Native American children run by the Church, and lamented that some of its members have “cooperated” in policies of “cultural destruction”. “. “.
“I am afflicted. I ask forgiveness,” the pope told thousands of natives in Maskwacis, in western Canada.
Referring to a “devastating mistake,” he acknowledged the responsibility of some members of the Church in this system in which “children suffered physical and verbal, psychological and spiritual abuse.” The Pope’s words, translated into English, were greeted with loud applause after the request for forgiveness.
“A cry of pain, a gasp”
In total, the sovereign pontiff asked for “forgiveness” three times, “with shame and clarity”, during this long-awaited first speech, delivered in Spanish on the site of the former Ermineskin boarding school, in the presence of many survivors and members of indigenous communities (First Nations, Métis and Inuit).
“The place where we find ourselves now makes a cry of pain resound in me, a muffled cry that has accompanied me in recent months,” he insisted, referring to the “traumas” suffered by generations of indigenous people and the “still open wounds.” ”. .
This violence, described as “cultural genocide” by a commission of inquiry, killed at least 6,000 people between the end of the 19th century and the 1990s and created a shock wave for several generations, revived by the discovery of thousands of anonymous graves. in 2021.
The need to “remember”
“Assimilation policies have ended up systematically marginalizing indigenous peoples (…) Your languages and your cultures have been denigrated and suppressed,” Francis continued.
“Remembering the devastating experiences that occurred in boarding schools moves us, angers us and hurts us, but it is necessary,” he added.
Insisting on the need to “remember”, the 85-year-old Argentine Jesuit, who arrived in Canada on Sunday for this six-day visit, also said that “the apology (was) not a final point” but “only the first”. step” on the way to “healing”.
Source: BFM TV
