Road to Truth

The Pope’s Visit ◦ July 2022

APTN News

APTN News followed the journey of many as the head of the Catholic Church visits Edmonton, Quebec City and Iqaluit. Decades have passed since the last school closed its doors – but the pain and trauma are still very much alive in survivors across the country.

 

APTN provided a space for stories – and opinions – on the Pope’s visit in what we’re calling The Road to Truth.

Schedule

ALBERTA

11:20 AM (MDT) – Arrival of Pope Francis in Canada | Edmonton International Airport, Alberta

ALBERTA

10:00 AM (MDT) – Meeting with Indigenous peoples, First Nations, Métis and Inuit | Former Ermineskin Residential School, Maskwacis, Alberta

 

4:45 PM (MDT) – Meeting with Indigenous peoples and members of the parish community of Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, Edmonton, Alberta

ALBERTA

9:15 AM (MDT) – Holy Mass at Commonwealth Stadium | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta

 

5:00 PM (MDT) – Pilgrimage to the site of Lac Ste. Anne and Liturgy of the Word | Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta

ALBERTA / QUEBEC

9:00 AM (MDT) – Departure of Pope Francis from Edmonton to Quebec City | Edmonton International Airport, Alberta

 

3:05 PM (EDT) – Arrival of Pope Francis in Quebec City | Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, Quebec City, Quebec

 

3:40 PM (EDT) – Visit with State Officials and Public Address | Citadelle de Québec / Plains of Abraham, Quebec

QUEBEC

10:00 AM (EDT) – Holy Mass at the National Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré | National Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec

 

5:15 PM (EDT) – Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers | Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, Quebec City, Quebec

QUEBEC / NUNAVUT

9:00 AM (EDT) – Private meeting with the members of the Society of Jesus | Archbishop’s Residence, Quebec City, Quebec

 

10:45 AM (EDT) – Meeting with a delegation of Indigenous peoples from Eastern Canada | Archbishop’s residence, Quebec City, Quebec

 

12:45 PM (EDT) – Departure of Pope Francis from Quebec City | Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, Quebec City, Quebec

 

3:50 PM (EDT) – Arrival of Pope Francis to Iqaluit | Iqaluit International Airport, Iqualuit, Nunavut

 

4:15 PM (EDT) – Private meeting with former residential school students | Iqaluit, Nunavut

 

5:00 PM (EDT) – Public Event in Iqaluit Hosted by Inuit | Iqaluit, Nunavut

 

6:15 PM (EDT) – Farewell Ceremony / Departure of Pope Francis from Canada | Iqaluit International Airport

Our Coverage

Pope’s Iqaluit visit well attended, but only at first

Jul 30, 2022 | When Pope Francis took to the stage outside the Nakasuk School in Iqaluit, Nunavut, he was an hour behind schedule but still had thousands of people in attendance. By the time he finished, 80 per cent of the crowd was gone.

Doctrine of Discovery is a ‘legal fiction,’ but revoking it won’t herald immediate changes, experts say

Jul 29, 2022 | Pope Francis and his entourage of Vatican officials on their week-long Canadian pilgrimage have faced mounting pressure to renounce, repudiate and revoke something scholars increasingly describe as a legal fiction rooted in imperial ideology: the Doctrine of Discovery.

Meeting between First Nation chiefs and bishops ‘missed opportunity’ says Cree leader

Jul 29, 2022 | The Pope’s final hours in Quebec City were met with ambivalence as he met with residential survivors and supporters before flying to Iqaluit.

Director of Caring society says only public pressure can hold Church to account for role in residential school system

Jul 29, 2022 | The head of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society says what happens next is far more important than the Pope’s trip to Canada or his apology to residential school survivors.

‘It was all backwards’: A survivor’s view from inside the basilica

Jul 28, 2022 | The Pope’s visit has caused an ‘overwhelming’ increase in number of people reaching out to wellness line.

First Nations leaders to meet top Canadian bishop to discuss papal bulls, Church records

Jul 28, 2022 | The invitation was sent to Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief RoseAnne Archibald and regional chiefs on behalf of Mandy Gull- Masty, grand chief of the Cree Nation in Quebec.

‘There were 13 people walking, but thousands were with them’: Marchers end one journey in Quebec City

Jul 27, 2022 | After six days of being on the road, a stream of people clad in bright orange shirts filed along a boulevard in Quebec City under the hot summer sun.

‘I want to heal’: Survivors, families flock to Lac Ste Anne for Pope’s last day

Jul 26, 2022 | People arrived early at the lake. In contrast to the high emotions as Maskwacis, the feeling at Lac Ste. Anne was relaxed and celebratory.

Pope’s apology leaves ‘deep hole’ by blaming individual Catholics for residential school abuses, says former TRC chair

Jul 26, 2022 | Murray Sinclair says ‘in many instances, it was not just a collaboration, but an instigation’ by the church

Translator hopes Pope’s visit results in support for Indigenous language revitalization

Jul 26, 2022 | Henry Pitawanakwat says working on the papal tour is no easy task because of some of the painful memories it brings up.

Mixed reaction from survivors greets Pope’s apology

Jul 26, 2022 | When you hear the stories of survivors, some of them are difficult to hold. Brian Buffalo says he was assaulted as a child in Grade 3. He also watched some of his fellow classmates be abused.

Powerful moment as woman sings O Canada in Cree to the Pope

Jul 25, 2022 | It was a powerful moment during the Pope’s visit to Treaty 6 on Monday, as a woman stood in her regalia and sang an emotional rendition of O Canada in Cree directly to the leader of the Catholic Church following his apology to residential school survivors.

Cree community in Quebec opts out of sending delegation to see the Pope

Jul 25, 2022 | While thousands will be flocking to Québec City to participate in the upcoming Papal visit – the Cree Nation at Chisasibi is opting not to send an official delegation to partake in proceedings.

U.S. watching as Pope apologizes for Catholic role in residential schools

Jul 25, 2022 | Cara Currie Hall said Canada wasn’t alone in building a federally funded program to assimilate Indigenous Peoples into mainstream society.

‘I am sorry’: Full text of the Pope’s residential school apology

Jul 25, 2022 | Pope Francis delivered an apology to residential school survivors in Maskwacis in Treaty 6 territory on Monday after a visit to the former site of the Ermineskin Indian Residential School.

‘No, never’: French priest denies sex charge in Canada

Jul 25, 2022 | Fugitive priest Johannes Rivoire says Nunavut RCMP have yet to speak to him about allegations.

Sacred Heart Church in Edmonton awaits visit from Pope Francis

Jul 24, 2022 | It’s only the second time mass has happened since the Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples reopened after a fire. The church is full of close to 100 people and full of anticipation about the visit from Pope Francis.

Meet the Cree-Métis priest responsible for helping coordinate Pope’s visit

Jul 22, 2022 | When Fr. Cristino Bouvette was chosen to be the national liturgical coordinate for Pope Francis’ visit to Canada, he says he couldn’t believe it.

13 people from First Nations in Quebec marching together towards Pope’s visit

Jul 22, 2022 | Nervousness, sadness, resilience, and anger, all the emotions felt and expressed by a group of 13 residential school survivors and supporters embarking on a seven-day, 275 km trek from the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh to Québec City in time for Pope Francis’ arrival.

Efforts by Canada to help school survivors attend Pope’s visit falling well short

Jul 21, 2022 | While the official name of the Papal visit is Walking Together, residential school survivor Geraldine Shingoose says she feels like she is walking alone.

Survivor says there needs to be ‘recovery plan’ associated with Pope’s visit

Jul 20, 2022 | Sts’ailes Chief Ralph Leon Jr. is not attending any of the Pope-related gatherings or sure what the Pope will say in any of his sermons. But he feels the Catholic church needs to do more to help Indigenous Peoples.

Residential school survivors across Denendeh preparing for Pope’s visit

Jul 19, 2022 | Martina Norwegian remembers the positive impact the 1987 Papal visit had in her community of Łiidlı̨ı̨ Kųé, Northwest Territories – and she’s hoping Indigenous communities will experience the same when Pope Francis arrives.

Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation gets Lac Ste Anne pilgrimage site ready for Pope’s visit

Jul 18, 2022 | Thousands of people are expected to travel to Lac Ste Anne in Treaty 6 territory as part of a pilgrimage that has been ongoing for well over a century.

Pope’s apology in Canada won’t make ‘a lick of difference’ says survivor

Jul 14, 2022 | Clinton John Marty still has nightmares from his childhood. He is unable to work, but has overcome alcohol addiction and has a family. He’s also a grandfather.

Livestream

APTN News live streamed all events during the Pope’s visit to Canada. Watch the archived videos below.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

Arrival of Pope Francis in Canada | Edmonton International Airport, Alberta

Monday, July 25, 2022

Meeting with Indigenous peoples, First Nations, Métis and Inuit | Former Ermineskin Residential School, Maskwacis, Alberta
Meeting with Indigenous peoples and members of the parish community of Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, Edmonton, Alberta
Holy Mass at Commonwealth Stadium | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Pilgrimage to the site of Lac Ste. Anne and Liturgy of the Word | Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta
Pilgrimage to the site of Lac Ste. Anne and Liturgy of the Word | Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Departure of Pope Francis from Edmonton to Quebec City | Edmonton International Airport, Alberta

Arrival of Pope Francis in Quebec City | Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, Quebec City, Quebec

Visit with State Officials and Public Address | Citadelle de Québec / Plains of Abraham, Quebec

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Holy Mass at the National Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré | National Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec

Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers | Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, Quebec City, Quebec

Friday, July 29, 2022

Meeting with a delegation of Indigenous peoples from Eastern Canada | Archbishop’s residence, Quebec City, Quebec

Arrival of Pope Francis to Iqaluit | Iqaluit International Airport, Iqualuit, Nunavut

Public Event in Iqaluit Hosted by Inuit | Iqaluit, Nunavut

Farewell Ceremony / Departure of Pope Francis from Canada | Iqaluit International Airport

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