"Without an apology, it would be impossible to forgive," Fontaine says after taking a few moments to contemplate the historic moment.This week marks a year since Pope Francis arrived in Canada. He delivered his first apology in Maskwacis, a Cree community south of Edmonton, in front of thousands of survivors, leaders and community members.
Some criticized Francis for not going far enough. Others thought Indigenous Peoples and organizations should disengage with the church altogether because they’d expended enough energy on it. Many called for actions, not words.The abuse inside the schools was long kept quiet nationally, but Fontaine broke the silence in 1990 when he spoke about his own experiences at the Fort Alexander Residential School in Manitoba.
The apology may not have been accepted by everyone, but Francis’s plea for forgiveness is just part of the journey the church must take, Fontaine says. Pope Francis asked Canadian Catholics to commit to four things: to ensure history is told in a truthful way; to support Indigenous language, culture and traditions; to be an ally in the pursuit of justice; and to appreciate Indigenous wisdom to care for the land and environment.Bolen reflected on what the church accomplished in the last 12 months. Many dioceses, including his own, have been working on providing access to archives.