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

Jun 6 2021, 6:43 pm

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.

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.

Zoe DemarcoZoe Demarco

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