Ottawa, Canada, Apr 16, 2009 / 21:03 pm
On April 29 Pope Benedict XVI will meet with a delegation of aboriginal representatives from Canada along with representatives of Canadian Catholic dioceses and religious communities. A leading Canadian archbishop expressed hope the meeting would show a “renewed partnership and a new beginning” between the Catholic and indigenous communities.
Among the delegation will be Chief Phil Fontaine, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Archbishop V. James Weisgerber, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will also be part of the meeting.
“During the meeting the Pope will express concern for aboriginal peoples in Canada who continue to suffer from the impact of the former Indian Residential Schools, the majority of which were managed by a number of Catholic dioceses and religious orders,” a press release form the CCCB said.
At a Wednesday press conference at the Ottawa offices of the Assembly of First Nations, in the presence of Chief Fontaine, Archbishop Weisgerber said that the meeting with Pope Benedict would serve as a witness to the “mutual determination” of the Catholic Church of Canada and the First Nations for a renewed partnership and a new beginning.