Pope's apology is meaningful only if there's action, says Canada's Assembly of First Nations chief

Published July 29, 2022 at 11:11 AM CDT

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Pope Francis wears a headdress presented to him by Indigenous leaders during a meeting at Muskwa Park in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada, on July 25, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Pope Francis is in the northern Canadian village of Iqaluit Friday on the final day of his weeklong visit to the country. The trip was part of the church’s acknowledgment of its role in the forceful removal, assimilation, abuse and in many cases deaths of more than 150,000 children forcibly taken from their families and placed in so-called residential schools.

While the Pope has apologized for the “evils” committed by “so many Christians.” Many, including Assembly of First Nations Chief Roseanne Archibald, are also calling for action, including the revocation of the church’s Doctrine of Discovery. She joins Here & Now‘s Scott Tong to discuss the visit.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.