Anthea Butler: There's an even bigger apology Pope Francis should be making this week
yelled out at the pope Monday, “Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery! Renounce the papal bulls! End genocide!” But Francis has said nothing to repudiate the doctrine. Such a repudiation is important, not just for healing, but for the restoration of the lands stolen from First Nation people, and for the return of sacred First Nation items taken by Catholic leaders.
While Francis is listening, praying and interacting with First Nation people in several stops in Canada, it is imperative to understand that he must do more — and do it immediately — to ensure the continued healing and support for those who have suffered at the hands of the church.
Forgive me, then, if I am side-eying the apostolic visit. While these penitential shows of forgiveness are an important step of healing, they do not provide the material support for the deep scarring at the hands of religious leaders who believed that these Native children were less than human. Therefore, there must be more than apologies on the part of the pope and the cardinals and bishops in Canada.
As someone who has written about Catholic abuse for years, I’ve read and heard the pain and suffering of those who experienced terror at the hands of people claiming to represent God, and I was personally moved by watching First Nation people cry at the pope’s first stop, where he met First Nation, Metis and Inuit peoples outside Edmonton. These children and their families have experienced so much. If Francis is serious, his actions won’t stop with an apology.
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