Canada welcomes Pope Francis

Press release of the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC)

The Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) is pleased to welcome Pope Francis for this long-awaited visit, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Specifically, call to action no. 58 asked that the Pope “issue an apology to Survivors, their families, and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic-run residential schools,” and that the apology “be delivered by the Pope in Canada.”

The religious congregations and the institutes of consecrated life of Canada are keenly aware of the importance of this visit, of the significance of the meetings between the Indigenous delegations and Pope Francis, and of the weight the words of his apology will carry. [...] 

The theme of this papal visit, Walking Together, simply expresses what the Spirit of the Creator God invites humanity to live by, though it is often challenging: learning to welcome each other with our differences, respecting and valuing each other, living in solidarity, and working for justice. In other words, walking together so communion and friendship may lead us to sit at the same table, and to share from “the Dish With One Spoon”.