(Vatican) Pope Francis has asked the faithful to pray for him on his upcoming trip to Canada, which he described as “a pilgrimage of penance”.
Posted 8:55am Updated 10:30am
Frances D’emilio Associated Press
Speaking to a crowd of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope said that, God willing, he will begin his seven-day visit to Canada on July 24.
The sovereign Pope will use this trip to present Aboriginal people with the church’s official apology for past abuses.
“Unfortunately, in Canada, many Christians, including some members of religious institutes, have contributed to policies of cultural assimilation that have historically severely harmed indigenous communities in various ways,” he said.
After recalling that he had recently met several groups of indigenous representatives at the Vatican to express his pain and solidarity, Francis said he hoped that this stay “will contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation already undertaken”. .
Pope Francis will visit Canada July 24-29. He will travel to Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut. A key theme of his visit is reconciliation with indigenous peoples over abuses suffered at state-run boarding schools for indigenous peoples, many of which were run by members of Catholic religious communities.
Pilgrims must be patient in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
A spokesman for the Organizing Committee of the Pope’s visit to Canada, who questioned the validity of the schedule of the Pope’s visit to Quebec, believes no better plan could be put in place.
During a press conference earlier this week, Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre admitted to wondering whether it was excessive to require survivors of boarding schools for Aboriginal children, many of whom are very old, to arrive very early to attend a to take the shuttle.
“I didn’t know if we were asking too much of them,” he said. We have done our best to find the right balance between safety and a good welcome for all survivors from Indian children’s boarding schools. »
If you were able to get a ticket for the papal mass on July 28 in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, you have to be there early. You must take one of the available shuttles to get there from the Videotron center in Quebec City or Mont-Sainte-Anne. They are on duty from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. The fair begins at 10 a.m.
No vehicles are permitted on the premises.
The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré basilica can accommodate around 1,600 people. Around 10,000 other people can listen to the mass on large screens outside the monumental building, 70% of which tickets were reserved for indigenous communities. The approximately 2,000 tickets for the general public were sold out within 10 minutes.
“If you don’t have a ticket, for God’s sake don’t come to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré,” said Benoît Thibault, president of the organizing committee for the Pope’s visit to Quebec. He pointed out that the event required significant logistics.
Due to the expected long wait times, organizers encourage spectators to bring food, a camp chair, umbrellas and coolers. Counseling services are provided for Aboriginal participants. A field hospital is also being built.
The Pope is expected to arrive at the venue 45 minutes before the start of Mass, which will be celebrated in his native language, Spanish.
English and French subtitles are available on the big screens. The official website of the Pope’s visit also translates the Mass into a dozen indigenous languages.
The fair will also be shown on a giant screen in the Plains of Abraham and in the 143 cinemas of the Guzzo chain in the greater Montreal area.
With the Canadian Press