The Pope's words were clear.
As the indigenous people of Canada had requested, Francis asked forgiveness for the role of the Catholic Church.
And he spoke openly about what was done to the children in the schools, the last of which only closed their doors in the 1990s, in order to adapt them to "Christian civilisation", as it was called.
The image of the pope wearing a feather headdress expressed that the indigenous community felt his gesture was sincere.
Acknowledging suffering is important.
The consequences are just as important.
Unmarked children's graves have been discovered in many former boarding schools;
more are suspected in other former schools.
Indigenous people have been demanding access to archives for years.
Among other things, it is about registration lists in order to be able to assign names, years of birth and home reservations when the graves are opened.
It's also about money
The Canadian state and church have repeatedly promised help.
However, representatives of the indigenous people complain that not all the requested files are handed over.
It's also about money.
The process of identifying victims is complex and costly.
The indigenous people need support.
After all, it's not just about coming to terms with the past.
Many survivors of the school system and their children still live in precarious conditions today.