Pope Francis' April 1st, 2022 Statement

It is indeed “good news” that the Indigenous Peoples delegation felt some relief and consolation from the words Pope Francis spoke in the Vatican on April 1^st.  There are never enough words of regret, sorrow, shame, and guilt Indigenous Peoples deserve to hear about the way they have experienced from “contact,” aka colonial imperialism, by European explorers, settlers, and religious leaders over the last five-plus centuries.

Pope Francis spoke with heartfelt sincerity to the many “stories of the suffering, hardship, discriminations and various forms of abuse that some of you experienced, particularly in the residential schools. It is chilling to think of determined efforts to instill a sense of inferiority, to rob people of their cultural identity, to sever their roots, and to consider all the personal and social effects that this continues to entail: unresolved traumas that have become intergenerational traumas.” (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-pope-francis-apology-residential-schools-full-text/, printed April 2, 1922 Globe & Mail, p. A5)

The moving statement included the term “evil”, which made the Pope feel “indignation” and “shame”. 

“I feel shame – sorrow and shame – for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered and in the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values. All these things are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For the deplorable conduct of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask for God’s forgiveness, and I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry. And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon.”

For all the sincerity and humility of Pope Francis’ statement, I give thanks as a fellow Christian.  For his clear understanding that in the Residential Schools and over the 500 year since contact, disrespect and subjugation experienced at the hands of Catholic Settlers were contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I applaud the Pope’s unvarnished candor and compassion. 

What's Missing?

Nevertheless, as a Christian and religious leader, I am not satisfied – though my feelings are far less important than the fact Indigenous sisters and brothers can feel comforted and blessed by Francis’ statement. 

 What troubles me, however, is that in customary fashion, the Pope has attributed “the evil” to “a number of Catholics” with “deplorable conduct”.  Roman Catholic Church leaders tend to lay the blame for these and other sins (e.g. priests sexually abusing children) on the shoulders of individuals, but they fail to acknowledge the systemic nature of the “evil” being considered.   Generally, they fail to attribute this “evil” to the institution – the Roman Catholic Church itself - and its teaching, resulting in avoidance of the systemic dimensions of the "evil".

Papal Bull Inter Caetera 1493

We need to remember that it was the Vatican as the principal authoritative voice of western Christianity, which, in the 15^th century, set the directions for what happened to Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island – the Americas - in the following centuries.  Pope Alexander VI, doubtless seeking to solve political problems among competitive kings of the Holy Roman Empire, issued the Bull “Inter Caetera” on May 4, 1493,  now referred to as  “The Doctrine of Discovery”. This Bull, plus the “terrae nullius” concept (transl.:  no one’s lands) were pronouncements cloaked in the Church’s presumed divine authority.  They delegated to Christian monarchs the right to claim lands “discovered” by their explorers. Incredibly, these “legitimations” still form the de facto base upon which the dominance of Settler Colonial government in Canada is sustained.   The government has not formally repudiated this legal base.

If this wasn’t enough presumption, the Vatican also issued the racist and intolerant mandate to religious leaders to convert to the “true faith” indigenous peoples, "saving" them from their barbarian and pagan – sub-human - ways. 

Systemic Sin and Evil

These were not simply the actions of some “members of the Catholic Church”.  These were decisions and policies promulgated by the Church’s institutional hierarchy claiming divine authority  to empower Settler Colonial governments and Christian churches in their relationship with Indigenous Peoples. At the core of this fraught relationship, “evil” were systemic and institutional legitimations, corrupting all that was entailed in the “contact” between Colonial Settlers and Indigenous Peoples.

This systemic evil adversely affected both Settler and Indigenous peoples.  Settlers internalized the racist superiority and illegitimate authority, by which Settler Colonial paternalistic attitudes, dependency creating policies, and assimilation strategies appeared “justified”. 

For Indigenous Peoples, it meant 500 years of disrespect for their humanity, identity, spiritual values, and rights, especially their rights to the land – their mother and home.  The consequence of systemic evil was subjugation and dependency, dispossession and plundering of land resulting in poverty, abuse, intergenerational trauma, and attempted genocide.

“This was more than abuses by a few individuals,” said Union of BC Indian Chiefs president Grand Chief Stewart Phillip. “It was, in its entirety, a massive human rights violation and part of a systemic and institutionalized attempt to destroy our communities that left deep intergenerational emotional damage and harm that continues to date.”  (cited in The Tyee, “The Pope’s Apology Must Come with Real Change” by Jackie Wong, 4 April 2022 – on line)

More Than Individuals

 Settler Colonial peoples, in general, and Settler Colonial Christians of which I am one, in particular – all have benefited and still benefit from the heritage of ancestors, and therefore, we all have much to confess about the privileged position we have occupied and still occupy in Canadian society.

The Spirit is calling us to repent and share in the penitential work we must do toward a new relationship with Indigenous Peoples and a healthier Canadian society.  An apology by itself is not enough; nor is the symbolic acknowledgement of Indigenous lands enough.  The repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery and terrae nullius is essential and shared efforts toward a more just and equitable sharing of land and resource is indispensable.

So, for me,  a personal apology for the Residential Schools saga by Pope Francis can only be considered as a partial – albeit significant – step for the Roman Catholic Church.  But it doesn’t do justice to “the evil” Indigenous Peoples have suffered. 

The Churches 

The Roman Catholic Church has been slow to assume its full responsibility, Pope Francis’ statement, notwithstanding.  The other Christian Churches involved in the Residential Schools debacle have gone a long way towards taking responsibility for the “evil” they participated in.  The Anglican Church, the United Church, the Presbyterian Church through their governance structures have all issued apologies and renunciations of the Doctrine of Discovery and the terrae nullius concept. They have also sought, consistent with the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,  tangible ways and means beyond words to live out their apologies, including financial compensation agreed to in the settlement agreement of 2007 involving the Government of Canada, the Churches, and residential school survivors  – all with the intention of nurturing a new relationship with Indigenous Peoples.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called all the Churches to develop ongoing education strategies “to ensure that their respective congregations learn about their church’s role in colonization, the history and legacy of residential schools, and why apologies to former residential school students, their families, and communities were necessary” (Call to Action 59). Educating leaders of faith groups should involve Indigenous elders so that Indigenous spirituality and history are respected (Action 60).  And permanent funding should be established for Indigenous Peoples for healing and reconciliation, to foster culture and language, to enhance education and relationship building projects for Indigenous people.

Call to Action #58, however, specifically addresses the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. It calls for an apology issued by the Pope “for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nation, Inuit, and Metis children in Catholic-run schools. We call for an apology to be similar to the 2010 apology to Irish victims of abuse and to occur within one year of the issuing of this Report and to be delivered by the Pope in Canada.”  (my emphasis)

The Irish apology was issued in a lengthy pastoral letter by Pope Benedict XVI to the Irish people and Church and especially to victims of abuse.  Significantly, it addresses Church authorities and religious leaders in official roles in the Church.  It outlines in detail many penances and reforms needed to give substance to an apology. The quotes following are from the letter found at: (https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/letters/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20100319_church-ireland.html)

 “I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.”

The Letter identifies “… among the contributing factors…: inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient human, moral, intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in society to favour the clergy and other authority figures; and a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of every person. Urgent action is needed to address these factors, which have had such tragic consequences in the lives of victims and their families, and have obscured the light of the Gospel to a degree that not even centuries of persecution succeeded in doing.”  “To the victims of abuse and their families:  You have suffered grievously, and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated.” 

The Church's Sin

Benedict acknowledges the sins of individuals, but goes beyond that to address Church authorities and  the Church in Ireland itself for their collective responsibility in this abuse of people and the need to confess and for the Church to be reborn to new ways of being faithful.  “I am praying earnestly that, by God’s grace, the wounds afflicting so many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in Ireland may experience a season of rebirth and spiritual renewal.”  “…The Church in Ireland must first acknowledge before the Lord and before others the serious sins committed against defenseless children. Such an acknowledgement, accompanied by sincere sorrow for the damage caused to these victims and their families, must lead to a concerted effort to ensure the protection of children from similar crimes in the future.” (my emphasis)

What Will Pope Francis Bring To Canada?

In August 2018, Pope Francis re-affirmed his predecessor’s apology “for the crimes committed”, the negligence of church authorities in dealing with these crimes, and the suffering of women and children.   He knows what Benedict was willing to risk saying.

No news has been published about the when and what of Pope Francis’ summer visit to Canada. We don’t know whether it will go beyond what he has already said personally; will he speak authoritatively as Benedict did as the Pastor of the universal Church;  repudiate the theological and ecclesiological doctrine that legitimized the evil; acknowledge the systemic nature of the crimes and sins against Canada’s Indigenous Peoples;  add to his words,  actions of contrition, including financial, and a plan for the renewal and healing of the Church and its relationship with Indigenous Peoples;  launch a theological revolution that calls for more faithful Spirit-led observance of  Jesus'  Golden Rule and Great Commandment? 

I believe that Pope Francis has the spiritual and moral fibre to move in such directions, but whether he is willing to risk bravely or whether he can, considering political forces in the Church that still adhere to the Constantinian, imperialistic, triumphant, male-dominated version of Christianity – we’ll have to wait and see.

Whatever Pope Francis can do, it will be long overdue. It is high time for confession, repudiation of false teaching, penance, and acts of contrition that move the Roman Catholic Church closer toward a shared pan-Christian Canadian Settler Peoples' understanding that we have sinned. 

We need to confess and receive the Spirit’s redeeming blessing of forgiveness to free us to pursue just and respectful relations with Indigenous Peoples.  I pray that it might even enable these sisters and brothers of the one global human family to forgive what has been so unjustly laid upon them over the centuries.

[For more reflection on this theme visit my blog post:  https://www.minister.ca/apologies-and-reconciliation]