Indigenous leaders hope Vatican continues reconciliation efforts advanced by Francis

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon delivers opening remarks to kick off the First Annual National Defence Conference at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Indigenous leaders in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis say they hope the Vatican continues to promote the reconciliation efforts he championed during his papacy.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says the pontiff’s apology for widespread abuses in the residential school system was a significant step in addressing historical injustices.

• In Pictures: The funeral of Pope Francis

Canada’s first Indigenous governor general led the Canadian delegation at the funeral this morning, where she reflected on Francis’s monumental visit in 2022 to reach out to Indigenous Peoples.

She and Wilton Littlechild, a residential school survivor who served as a commissioner for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, say they hope Francis’s successor continues those efforts.

Simon called the apology “a significant milestone” on the “journey of reconciliation,” while Littlechild said there’s a need to “elevate our work on reconciliation.”

They were among the dignitaries and religious faithful who bid farewell to Pope Francis and remembered his efforts to reach out to marginalized communities including migrants, the poor and the sick.

“I hope that the new pope will carry on the work that Pope Francis was doing,” Simon said Saturday, reached by phone in Rome hours after the funeral.

“The apology was a significant milestone, and we have to continue working together on the journey of reconciliation. The fact that he came to Canada and apologized on Canadian lands, on Indigenous lands, was very significant.”

Littlechild said it’s important to continue that work for “our healing journeys.”

“I’m hoping that there will be a continuation with the new pope not having to start over, but continue, but elevate the work in terms of really challenging ourselves and each other,” he said.

The papal visit in July 2022 was described as a “penitential pilgrimage” because Pope Francis insisted on meeting with Indigenous survivors of residential schools and hearing their stories.

In Maskwacis, Alta., Francis begged for forgiveness and expressed shame for abuses committed by some members of the Church. In Nunavut, he met survivors who showcased traditional practices banned in residential schools, including dancing, drumming and throat singing.

While the visit was recognized as a milestone, some criticized Francis for not naming the crimes and abuses. Others called for action, such as the return of sacred artifacts held by the Vatican.

Simon said it’s important for the Vatican to continue efforts at reconciliation.

“It’s a long process, but you see things moving forward. And I hope that will continue to happen.”

About 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools, more than 60 per cent of which were run by the Catholic Church.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2025.

Nicole Thompson and Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press