Pope in Canada to apologize to Indigenous groups

The Catholic Church along with the other religious organizations that participated in running these Residential Schools - all have their fair share of apologizing / atonement to undertake for the criminal behavior inflicted through neglect, physical, psychological & sexual abuse among other indiscretions.

But be clear - the entire sorted history of the Residential Schools was devised and orchestrated by the Department of Indian Affairs through the Canadian Federal government. It was this legislation that called for all Indigenous children to be ripped away from their maternal parents and put into these schools. This was the basis for the genocide of the Indigenous peoples in the country and it is owned by the Canadian Federal Government.

It was also an obligation of the Federal Government to educate native children. It was put into treaties with indigenous groups at the insistence of those groups, because they wanted their children to have better futures. The government didnt do this on their own, out of evil or malign intent.

There was no genocidal intent. The intent was assimilation. As it was with all the immigrants to Canada who came in the same time period. Today we know better, but at that time it was considered best educational practice.

There was criminal behavior by a minority of those entrusted with caring for the children. Those people need to be named, shamed, and prosecuted. The pope already apologized in the Vatican, now he is being magnanimous and doing so again in Canada. I applaud him for that.

The Catholic Church must pay, not just with apologies and prayer.

Firm handshakes, no masks. I guess the pope isn't a big fan of fist jabs or elbow bumps.