Leaving from an indigenous community, they walk 275 kilometers to hear the apologies of the Pope in Quebec

Pope Francis on a television screen on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec, Canada, Wednesday, July 27, 2022. AP - Bernard Brault

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Leaving from an indigenous community 275 km from Quebec, a group of about fifteen walkers was enthusiastically welcomed on the Plains of Abraham, a few hours before Pope Francis marched through this large park aboard his popemobile. and apologize again.

A process that many consider as a way to heal from this trauma.

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From our correspondent in Quebec,

Dressed in their orange T-shirts, a symbol of solidarity with missing children in boarding schools, walkers join the public waiting for them on the Plains of Abraham with a smile on their face. 

Members of several nations and of different generations, these people testify to their solidarity with the victims of religious residential schools.

Thérèse Télesh Bégin took 35 years to break the silence on the sexual assaults suffered as a child in the religious boarding school where she was staying. 

Thank you to the walkers of @PuamunMeshkenu on the Plains of Abraham stage in Quebec after a 275 km walk from the site of the last residential school in Quebec, to meet Pope Francis @Pontifex_fr #MarcherEnsemble @JayLauniere @DrVollant pic.twitter. com/4lMiElA8is

— Papal visit to Canada (@visite_papale) July 27, 2022

Kilometer after kilometre, she shared her joys and sorrows with members of the different Aboriginal nations: “ 

 »

We were a good little group that was moving forward, who also wanted to heal.

275 kilometer walk to heal from the trauma of Canadian residential schools

Pascale Guericolas

Leaning on her painful ankle, Mikesh Amélie shows the solidarity she feels for the victims of residential schools.

“ 

 »

New apologies from the Pope

The marchers later heard the Pope renew his apologies for the trauma experienced by children in religious boarding schools.

Indeed, since he started what he himself calls a “ 

 ”, Pope Francis has repeatedly asked for forgiveness for the actions committed by certain religious towards the children of boarding schools.

He first did it in the west of the country, then again yesterday in Quebec. 

With the Bishops of #Canada, I renew my request for forgiveness for the evil committed by many Christians against #IndigenousPeople.

It is tragic when believers adapt to the conveniences of the world rather than to the gospel.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex_fr) July 28, 2022

However, some, such as Ghislain Picard, who chairs the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, expect more from the sovereign pontiff: " 

 »

We always succeed in drawing this line between the responsibility of certain Christians, of certain individuals, and the responsibility of the Church as an institution.

Papal apologies that struggle to convince

Pascale Guericolas

Natives from all over Quebec have been camping for several days around the Basilica of Sainte-Anne.

For these women and men often bruised by the family consequences of the traumas experienced in boarding schools, the presence of the Pope and the message he will deliver to them are of the utmost importance.

They see it as a first step on the road to recovery. 

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