‘It was important for them to hear that’: Kahnawake women reflect on Pope Francis’ apology for residential schools

Cousins from Kahanwake, Que. speak about the legacy of Pope Francis's apology for residential schools.

In 2022, Pope Francis came to Quebec and apologized for Catholic Church offiicials’ wrong done to Indigenous people in Canada’s residential school system.

It was the first time a pope visited traditional Indigenous territory in Canada and said sorry for the damage done to children and their families and communities for generations.

“In that deplorable system, promoted by the governmental authorities of the time, which separated many children from their families, different local Catholic institutions had a part,” Pope Francis said. “For this reason, I express my deep shame and sorrow, and, together with the bishops of this country, I renew my request for forgiveness for the wrong done by so many Christians to the Indigenous peoples.” 

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A small group from the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) community of Kahnawake on Montreal’s South Shore travelled to Saint-Ann-de-Beaupré where Pope Francis delivered mass.

Wendy Skye and her cousin Beverly Delormier are lifelong Catholics and were among the group.

“They [survivors] wanted to hear that,” said Skye. “It was important for them to hear that to bring them something, some peace.”

“I felt that it would do some good,” said Delormier. “I was happy about it, that he came here to reconcile this whole, I don’t know how to put it, like a lifetime of suffering… For him to come here and say, the church is sorry for what they for their part of what happened, I was happy about that, and I think a lot of people were and a lot of people weren’t.”

The two women went to Indian Day School in the community, and had family members who were sent away to residential school.

Delormier’s late husband was one of those, who, along with his three brothers, was sent away as a child.

“He never really talked about it, but we knew his feelings,” she said. “Once in a while, he would say something here, something there, and he was always sad, we found, and I think he had a hard time. He never really dealt with it.”

Both women said they felt the pope’s apology was sincere and that he heard the survivors who spoke to them about their history and pain.

“He was sincere in his prayer too, but he was also, when he talks to people, he really listens, he really listens to you. And I know that he was in pain when he was here,” said Delormier.

Though they both admitted that not everyone in Kahnawake was satisfied with the apology or visit, they were happy that he came to their traditional territory to make the historic apology.

“I think it meant a big deal,” said Skye. “He’s the head of the Church, and it meant something that he took the trouble because he was already older and frail, and just for him to stand up was an ordeal, and to make the trip.”

Skye said seeing the survivors in the front row in wheelchairs, listening to the mass, was moving.

“When I looked at them, it was so profound,” she said.

“They knew the difference between God and man, because obviously, they’re still religious … They went through some horrors, and yet they were there, and I guess the apology was very important to them … I just felt so happy to get that strength to from them, and that people can move on in certain ways, and this is maybe it was part of it for them.”