Pope’s health ‘extreme concern’ but trip to Canada unchanged: Miller

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OTTAWA — Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller mentioned Wednesday Pope Francis’s upcoming journey to Canada stays unchanged for the time being, however the pontiff’s well being is an “excessive concern.”

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Miller’s feedback come after the Vatican introduced final week the 85-year-old Pope would reschedule an upcoming journey to Africa to keep away from interrupting remedy he’s present process for his knee.

His journey to Congo and South Sudan had been scheduled to happen from July 2 to 7, simply weeks earlier than he’s set to journey to Canada to ship a long-awaited apology to Indigenous individuals for the Catholic Church’s position in working residential colleges.

“We’re all methods go in Canada by way of internet hosting, successfully, what’s a head of state,” Miller mentioned earlier than getting into a gathering of the Liberal caucus.

“However clearly his precarious well being is of utmost concern.”

An estimated 150,000 Indigenous kids have been compelled to attend these church-run, government-funded establishments, the place bodily and sexual abuse, in addition to neglect, have been rampant.

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The ultimate report launched in December 2015 from the Reality and Reconciliation Fee of Canada, which collected testimony from hundreds of survivors, known as for a papal apology to happen on Canadian soil for the position performed by the Catholic Church and its clergy for working these colleges.

That request went unheard till earlier this yr, when Pope Francis apologized to First Nations, Inuit and Metis delegates who travelled to the Vatican to talk to him in regards to the matter.

Survivors nonetheless hope to see him ship an apology in Canada.

On Wednesday, the Nationwide Indian Residential Faculty Circle of Survivors launched a recommended textual content for the apology, which it mentioned it additionally shared with the Canadian Convention of Catholic Bishops.

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The survivors’ circle mentioned it needs to make sure the Pope’s apology is accepted and in it, he should acknowledge the church’s wrongdoing and search forgiveness, whereas additionally committing to creating adjustments and providing restitution.

The textual content requires the Pope to just accept the Catholic Church’s position in “Canada’s assimilation coverage,” and acknowledge the numerous methods Indigenous kids and their households suffered beneath the system, together with by burying kids in unmarked graves.

Ken Younger, a former Meeting of First Nations regional chief and member of the survivors’ circle, says he hopes they and the Canadian bishops group can work collectively on the wording of an apology, saying he believes the Pope wants to supply one on behalf of the Catholic Church as a complete, and never particular person clergy.

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By way of reparation, Younger says he believes the church should surrender its Doctrine of Discovery, return land it took again to First Nations in addition to the cultural property it holds.

Miller saidearlier Wednesdaythat so far as he’s conscious, Pope Francis’s upcoming journey to Edmonton, Quebec Metropolis and Iqaluit stays on monitor.

“There’s no change. Clearly his state of well being would maybe require some lodging,” the minister mentioned, including these particulars will probably be sorted out with the events concerned.

A spokesman for the papal go to mentioned final week that the Canadian Convention of Catholic Bishops is in common contact with the Vatican in regards to the pontiff’s upcoming journey.

Neil MacCarthy has mentioned care has been taken to make sure Pope Francis, who has not too long ago been photographed utilizing a wheelchair, can relaxation in between occasions.

On Wednesday, Miller mentioned a lot of the work left to do is logistics round how survivors, a lot of whom are aged, will have the ability to meet with the Pope and what psychological helps will probably be in place.

“There’s lots of work that we have to do to make it possible for survivors can correctly have that second with the Pope. And that’s the help that the federal government will at all times present,” Miller mentioned.