Striking the right tone for Pope's visit 'a big challenge,' says Quebec archbishop
CBC
Finding a balance between healing and celebrating when Pope Francis visits Canada later this month is "a big challenge," said Quebec Archbishop Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Canadian primate of the Roman Catholic Church, at a news conference Thursday.
While some people are excited to meet the pontiff, it's also a dark and traumatic moment for many Indigenous people, Lacroix said.
The Pope's pilgrimage to Canada, from July 24 to 29, comes in the wake of his apology to First Nations, Inuit and Métis representatives in April for the harm done by residential schools that were run by the Catholic Church.
Given that, the archbishop said it is important to strike the right tone for Pope Francis's visit and acknowledge the occasion with respect and sensitivity.
"Some people don't have the heart to party," Lacroix said. "It can't be too festive, but at the same time it's not a funeral."
The Quebec and Labrador regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, Ghislain Picard, said the visit is not a festive one, and it should be up to the survivors to determine if and how any cultural ceremony happens.
"We definitely have to stay away from any kind of celebration," he said. "Hopefully we can have talks with the people responsible [for the visit] to make sure that everything that happens will respect the wishes of the survivors."
The Quebec archdiocese is planning to set up designated safe spaces where residential school survivors or anyone who needs support will be able to access professional help from social workers, psychologists and community workers, in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada.
Pope Francis will make three stops in Canada, and each represents a symbolic phase, Lacroix explained.
His stop in Alberta will focus on recognizing and acknowledging the harm done to Indigenous people by the Catholic Church. Lacroix said the Pope chose Edmonton as his first stop because Alberta had more residential schools than any other province in the country.
The Pope's time in Quebec will emphasize reconciliation.
"Now that we've got the truth out there, and we've expressed the truth, we've recognized what happened and we [own up to it] — now, how are we going to reconcile and be able to look at each other face to face and walk together?" Lacroix asked.
"In Quebec, everything will be about that."
The Pope's last stop, in Iqaluit, will focus on hope for the future.
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