Pope Francis met with delegations of Métis and Inuit Indigenous Canadians in the Vatican.
The meetings mark the first day in a week of encounters between Pope Francis and three delegations of Indigenous Canadians.
They are meant to address the Church's role in operating residential schools throughout Canada for nearly 150 years, during which some 150,000 Indigenous children were taken from their homes to live in schools, often operated by Catholic congregations, where many fell victim to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Last June, Pope Francis expressed his sadness at the discovery of the remains of 215 children at Canada's largest residential school during the Angelus. Now, he will have the chance to do so with survivors of the residential schools and representatives of Indigenous Canadians in person.
JM
