‘A new beginning’: Residential school survivors reflect on papal apology
Global News
Residential school survivors are reflecting on the papal apology, as Pope Francis returns to Rome following his Canadian visit.
Residential school survivors are reflecting on the papal apology, as Pope Francis returns to Rome following his Canadian visit.
For many it’s bringing a wide-range of emotions.
“It was an admittance of the abuses that occurred in our country. It’s an admittance and it’s a step towards reconciliation… Apologizing is the first step towards reconciliation in my eyes,” said Jennifer Wood, a third generation residential school survivor who attended the Portage Indian Residential School. Wood travelled to Edmonton last week for the papal apology.
“For me to be there, bearing witness and hearing that, I believe it’s going to be a game changer in Canada, for all other churches in Canada, for governments in Canada, for corporations in Canada, and social groups and social agencies,” Wood said.
“It is a start of a new beginning, it’s a start of a new chapter. It’s paving a way toward people to feel valued, for people to feel understood, to open up our trust and take down our barriers. It’s going to create a path that we can come together and start to understand ourselves and what has happened to us and what needs to be done to heal ourselves.”
But Wood noted emotions were wide-ranging for many survivors, with feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, calmness, and relief. She hopes the work won’t stop now that the Pope has returned to Rome.
“I believe that this is the start in the right direction of the Pope coming to Canada. The admittance of the abuses in Canada will hopefully influence other churches in Canada that might look at providing monetary funding towards housing, addiction, suicide, unemployment,” Wood said, adding that she hopes this will be a pivotal moment for all Canadians.
“We don’t have to continue to try to prove ourselves that this occurred. This happened to our people. It did happen. He admitted it. So now what happens after that? I am hoping that we’ll look at national programs that will address abandonment and trauma. That will look at addressing the mental illnesses and how trauma affected our lives.”