Pope addresses "shocking discovery" of 215 children buried at BC residential school

Pope Francis addressed the “shocking discovery” of the remains of 215 children buried at the Kamloops Indian Residential School on Sunday.

Speaking to a crowd of worshippers in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pope urged Canada’s political and religious authorities to “shed light on the sad affair” and work towards reconciliation.

He later shared a similar sentiment on social media, expressing his “closeness to the Canadian people” who had been traumatized by the discovery.

The Pope stopped short of issuing an apology for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system, as requested by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday.

I join the Canadian Bishops and the whole Catholic Church in Canada in expressing my closeness to the Canadian people, who have been traumatised by shocking discovery of the remains of two hundred and fifteen children, pupils at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 6, 2021

These difficult times are a strong call for everyone to turn away from the colonial model and walk side by side in dialogue, mutual respect and recognition of the rights and cultural values of all the daughters and sons of Canada.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 6, 2021

• See also:
  • Remains of 215 children found buried at former residential school in BC
  • Trudeau “disappointed” Catholic Church refuses to release residential school records
  • NDP leader calls for all Canadian residential schools to be examined for mass graves

During a press conference, Trudeau called upon the church to take responsibility for its part, adding that he was “disappointed” in its refusal to release records from the schools.

“As a Catholic, I am deeply disappointed by the position that the Catholic Church has taken now, and over the past many years,” Trudeau said.

An official apology from the Pope was one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 calls to action in 2015.