Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has finalized plans to visit Canada this summer to apologize in person for abuse suffered by indigenous people at the hands of the church..The Vatican formally announced on Friday his visit will take place from July 24 to 29. He will make three main stops in Alberta, Quebec, and Nunavut..The Pope will touch down in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit..In March, Pope Francis made an historic apology to indigenous representatives in Rome for the widespread abuses in Canada’s residential schools, many of which were managed by Catholic priests and nuns..The pontiff voiced “sorrow and shame” for the abuse and lack of respect for indigenous identities, culture, and spiritual values in the residential school system..Attendance was compulsory in the residential schools between 1894 and 1947. The school network was funded by the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs and was administered by Christian churches. The system was created to isolate First Nation children from the influence of their own culture and religion in order to assimilate them into the dominant Canadian culture..The Pope said he wants to personally deliver his apology in Canada to survivors for the cultural damage and the pain caused by Catholic missionaries' abuses..A spokesman for the Pope, Matteo Bruni, said Francis is “accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and the indigenous communities” in making what the Holy See termed an “apostolic journey”..As the Vatican confirmed the visit, Pope Francis appeared at another public appearance in a wheelchair..After weeks of limping badly due to what the Vatican said is a badly strained knee ligament, Francis began arriving at some public appearances in his wheelchair, but Sunday he was, however, able to stand at a window of the Apostolic Palace to greet the pilgrims and tourists in St Peter’s Square..The Vatican announced details of the Canada trip will be made public in the coming weeks..The Pope is now 85-years-old and the trip will test his stamina to a great extent..Even before the Canadian trip, he will face another mobility challenge. In early July, he is scheduled to go to Congo and South Sudan, a trip meant to foster reconciliation..The last time a Pope visited Canada was in 1984. For 12 days, Pope John Paul II toured Canada, starting in Quebec and stopping in Toronto, St. John’s, Moncton, Halifax, Midland, Ont, Winnipeg, St. Boniface, Man, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Yellowknife. He returned to Rome on September 20. He would be back two more times afterwards — a five-hour stop in Fort Simpson, NWT in 1987, and World Youth Day in 2002..Canadian Catholic bishops are delighted with the announcement Francis is coming to Canada..“We are immensely grateful that the Holy Father has accepted our invitation to continue the journey of healing and reconciliation with indigenous peoples of this land,” said Bishop Raymond Poisson, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.”.According to a 2011 census, Canada is home to some 12,728,900 Roman Catholics, representing 38.7% of the country’s population as a whole.
