Pope Francis visits Canada to apologize for abuse of indigenous people in Catholic boarding schools

In April, the Pope told indigenous leaders at the Vatican that he felt “sad and shameful for the role that a number of Catholics, especially those with educational responsibilities, have played, in all these things that have befallen you, in the abuses you have suffered and in the disrespect for your identity, your culture and even your spirituality.” .

The Pope will also travel to Quebec and Iqaluit, the capital of the Canadian province of Nunavut, during the trip. He will be accompanied during his visit by two Canadian cardinals, Cardinal Mark Ole and Cardinal Michael Czerny.

Francis, 85, had a trip to Africa canceled earlier this month due to problems with his knee.

“I would like to go, it is possible that I can go to Ukraine. The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help, but I would like to go to both capitals,” Francis said.

In an interview with Italy’s La Stampa newspaper in June, Francis said the war “may have been in some way either a provocation or not prevented.”

Pope Francis said that prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine he met a “head of state” who was “very concerned about how NATO would move.”