Squamish Nation Catholic deacon disappointed pope won’t be issuing apology
Posted March 30, 2018 10:57 pm.
Last Updated March 11, 2019 12:09 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – This past week, Canada’s First Nations learned Pope Francis was not going to come to Canada to apologize for the Catholic church’s role in the residential school system, as recommended in the final Truth and Reconciliation report.
“I am disappointed that he’s not coming and apologizing,” says Catholic deacon and Squamish elder Rennie Nahanee.
“It’s not just to apologize to former students, but I thought he might sway other Canadians into realizing that what happened to the indigenous people of Canada is the truth in colonial history.”
Nahanee, whose parents and siblings attended residential schools, believes the expression of regret issued by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 was a good start. The statement was delivered to a delegation from Canada’s Assembly of First Nations at the Vatican.
“That’s not the same as an apology. The statement wasn’t delivered for the whole world to hear,” says Nahanee.
He feels it’s a good sign that Pope Francis has been apologizing to indigenous people in other parts of the world, but it’s time to turn the page here in Canada.
“That includes having a new relationship between indigenous people and the church. That’s not the church telling indigenous people what to do, nor indigenous people telling the church what to do. It’s a meeting of both sides as equals.”
He says one way to advance that relationship is to allow Canadian indigenous communities to incorporate some of their cultural practices and language into the Catholic mass, similar to what is done in Africa and India.
Incidentally, Nahanee is headed to Rome in June, to take part in a discussion about sex abuse and the clergy.
