In Canada, the Pope asks for “forgiveness” and denounces “ideological colonization”

Pope Francis lashed out this Wednesday at the “ideological colonizations” in Quebec, the second stage of his visit to Canada, and again asked for “forgiveness” before the authorities who invited him to take concrete actions for reconciliation with the indigenous people.

“Even today, the ideological colonizations that oppose the reality of existence suffocate the natural attachment to the values ​​of peoples, trying to uproot their traditions, their history and their religious ties,” the Pope said during a speech before the authorities. civilians, the native representatives. and the diplomatic corps at the Citadel of Quebec.

Minutes earlier, the Argentine Jesuit had been received with military honors at the British fortress, located on the banks of the San Lorenzo River.

He spoke briefly with Governor General Mary Simon, who represents Queen Elizabeth II in the country and who is the first Inuk to hold this position, and then with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

First stage

In front of authorities this Wednesday, Pope Francis once again denounced the “policies of assimilation and uprooting” that have “destroyed many indigenous families”, renewing his “request for forgiveness” with “shame and pain” for the actions of “many Christians”. However, without questioning the institution itself.

“It is our responsibility to see our differences not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to learn, to understand each other better and to take action,” said the Canadian Prime Minister.

Mary Simon then insisted on the follow-up to the papal apology, saying she was “waiting to hear what actions the Church will take to continue this essential work.” The Pope himself called the apology “the first step” in a “healing” process.

This Thursday morning, the pope will preside at a mass at the national shrine of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, the oldest pilgrimage site in North America that welcomes a million visitors each year. Thousands of faithful are expected there, in this French-speaking province that has the largest number of Catholics in Canada, despite lower attendance than that announced by the organizers since the beginning of the visit.