‘Need to do better’: FSIN reacts to Pope’s statement on residential schools

Pope Francis expressed sadness on the weekend over a grim discovery at a Kamloops residential school, but the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) believe his words fall short of an apology.

“I think there’s still that feeling that (the Catholic Church) don’t want to admit (they did wrong) because that’s what an apology does — it’s an admission that you’ve done harm, you were wrong and you want to make amends. That’s what an apology means to me,” FSIN vice-chief Heather Bear said Monday.

The day before, Pope Francis expressed sorrow after the discovery of 215 children’s graves at a Kamloops, B.C., residential school.

“I join the Canadian Bishops and the whole Catholic Church in Canada in expressing my closeness to the Canadian people, who have been traumatized by shocking discovery of the remains of 215 children, pupils at the Kamloops Indian Residential School,” Pope Francis said.

“These difficult times are a strong call for everyone to turn away from the colonial model and walk side by side in dialogue, mutual respect and recognition of the rights and cultural values of all the daughters and sons of Canada.”

Bear said those words were not good enough considering how prominent the Catholic Church was when it came to the running of the residential schools.

“I think the Pope needs to do better and come to a realization that unless he truly apologizes and makes things right, that’s going to be the legacy of the Catholic Church,” Bear said.

She said an apology could help survivors continue to heal from the abuse they received from the schools.

“It’s about letting go of any kind of guilt that many survivors walk painfully in this world feeling that guilt and that shame, all the abuses that happened to many. The ones who suffered that abuse, it’s all about healing,” Bear said.

“It’s about justice and accommodation as well. It’s not just words to people. It’s about legacy: Are you truly with us on this?”

She said the FSIN will continue to push for an apology, as well as the release of the records that reveal all the children who were taken from their homes by the church.

“Wouldn’t you? I like to put the question back – if that was you and your families and if you come from a small town, imagine if all of your children were taken away and put into residential schools and years later, you find that there’s 215 of them in a mass grave and that’s just one school,” Bear said.

“That act of cruelty and inhuman treatment will always be there, especially now with the whole picture in your mind (and) in my mind – 215 little souls in a mass grave and that sends a powerful message.

“I think it’s time that the Catholic Church and Pope Francis comes to terms with the simple fact that they did wrong and how they can make some amends is releasing those records.”