‘Walking toward forgiveness’: Pope Francis arrives in Edmonton

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Pope Francis started the Alberta leg of his “penitential pilgrimage” Sunday morning after the pontiff’s aircraft touched down at Edmonton Worldwide Airport.

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The arrival adopted a 10-hour flight that started at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy, journey organizers mentioned Saturday, however the Pope wasn’t scheduled to have a good time a public mass or make a proper announcement simply but.

“His first public phrases spoken in Canada would be the Monday go to to the previous residential faculty website in Maskwacis,” organizers mentioned, referring to the previous Ermineskin Residential Faculty website south of Edmonton. In response to the Nationwide Centre for Fact and Reconciliation, the varsity operated from 1895 to 1975.

The pontiff’s journey marks the fourth papal go to to Canada in virtually 40 years, and comes after an April apology he delivered earlier than Indigenous delegates in April for the Catholic Church’s position within the harms attributable to residential faculties.

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Nevertheless, many have been calling for the Pope to ship an apology on Canadian soil, which can also be one of many Fact and Reconciliation Fee’s 94 calls to motion.

Whereas it’s not but clear whether or not or not Francis intends to apologize on this journey, Chief Vernon Saddleback of Samson Cree Nation has mentioned it will be nicely obtained.

“For him to return out right here to do it in individual — I can’t say sufficient how vital that’s as a result of that’s the place therapeutic begins,” Saddleback mentioned at a information convention Thursday. “Once you come clean with actions, then you can begin the method of strolling in the direction of forgiveness.”

Certainly, “strolling collectively” is the theme of the newest papal go to. Francis himself has known as the journey a “penitential pilgrimage,” wherein he’ll encounter Indigenous folks at a number of occasions within the Edmonton space, together with a Tuesday cease at Lac Ste. Anne, a pilgrimage website about 60 km northwest of town.

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About 120 passengers travelled with the Pope from Rome, together with Canadian journalists, Vatican-accredited media and papal workers equivalent to medical and safety personnel, organizers mentioned. The Pope additionally travelled with an entourage of Vatican officers — a kind of “interior circle” often known as the “seguito,” organizers mentioned.

After the Pope deplaned, he was transported by a automobile after which a wheelchair right into a hangar the place he greeted Indigenous representatives and members of the clergy alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon. Amongst these within the procession, Francis met Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations George Arcand Jr., and nicely as Nationwide Chief of the Meeting of First Nations RoseAnne Archibald. Native political leaders Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Premier Jason Kenney additionally joined the welcoming ceremony, which obtained the Pope with a army salute and track by a drum group from Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.

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In an announcement Sunday, Kenney mentioned it was an excellent honour to welcome Francis on his pilgrimage.

“The painful legacy of residential faculties, which is the main target of this papal go to to Alberta, requires each expressions of regret and concrete actions,” Kenney mentioned. “The go to of Pope Francis is each, and the province of Alberta is proud to host it.”

After the brief welcoming ceremony, Francis left the hangar in a motorcade to St. Joseph’s Seminary, the place he’ll spend the rest of the day privately, organizers mentioned.

A number of autos parked on Gateway Boulevard in Edmonton, presumably hoping to catch a glimpse of the procession together with waving bystanders subsequent to the curb.

Pope Francis shall be taking the remainder of the day to relaxation, and has a packed day booked for Monday.

Within the morning, the Pope will journey south to Maskwacis, arriving at 9:45 a.m., the place he’ll go to the previous Ermineskin Residential Faculty. He’s scheduled to spend about an hour in the neighborhood earlier than travelling again to Edmonton, the place he’s due for an hour-long go to at Sacred Coronary heart Church of the First Peoples in central Edmonton.

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There’ll once more be rolling closures of components of the QEII in addition to on Freeway 2A and alongside Freeway 611 all through the day.

This implies the freeway shall be closed alongside the route earlier than and after the motorcade passes by means of, in accordance with a information launch from the province.

Highways 611 and 2A will see restricted entry within the neighborhood of Ponoka, Maskwacis and Wetaskiwin to accommodate friends travelling to the occasion. The province advises drivers to contemplate alternate routes moreover QEII.

Drivers may also count on closures, vital delays and restricted entry alongside components of Freeway 611, eastbound and westbound, all day on Monday and are requested to contemplate routes apart from Highways 53 and 13.

The QEII Freeway northbound between Maskwacis and Edmonton shall be closed when the Pope returns to Edmonton and travellers can count on short-term delays to accommodate the rolling closures.

hissawi@postmedia.com

@hamdiissawi