Pope Francis on Sunday expressed sorrow about the finding of remains of 215 children, pupils of the Kamloops Indian Residential School, in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The Holy Father’s words came after praying the noonday Angelus on June 6, 2021, with the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
“With sorrow, I follow the news from Canada about the shocking discovery of the remains of two hundred and fifteen children, pupils at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in the Province of British Columbia,” Pope Francis said. “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 this shocking news.
“This sad discovery further heightens awareness of the pain and sufferings of the past. May the political and religious authorities in Canada continue to work together with determination to shed light on this sad event and humbly commit themselves to a path of healing and reconciliation. These difficult times are a strong call for everyone to turn away from the colonial model and also from the ideological colonization of the present, 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. We commend to the Lord the souls of all the children who have died in the Canadian residential schools, and we pray for the grief-stricken indigenous families and communities of Canada.”
The Pope also offered prayers for the victims of recent attacks that claimed 130 lives in Burkino Faso. And he renewed his pleas for peace in Myanmar and the Holy Land.
“I wish to assure my prayers for the victims of the bloodshed committed the night between Friday and Saturday in a town of Burkina Faso,” Francis said. “I am close to the family members and to the entire Burkinabé population that is suffering a great deal due to these repeated attacks. Africa needs peace and not violence!
“The day after tomorrow, Tuesday, 8 June, at 1:00 p.m., International Catholic Action is calling for the dedication of one minute for peace, each according to his or her own religious tradition. Let us pray in particular for the Holy Land and for Myanmar.”
