Pope lands in Canada, set for apologies to Indigenous groups

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) – Pope Francis has landed in Canada, beginning a fraught visit to apologize to Indigenous peoples for abuses by missionaries at residential schools.

The trip is a key step in the Catholic Church’s efforts to reconcile with Indigenous communities and help them heal from generations of trauma.

Francis flew from Rome to Edmonton, Alberta, where his welcoming party included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mary May Simon, Canada’s first Indigenous governor general.

On Monday, the pope is meeting with school survivors in Maskwacis, where he is expected to deliver an apology. Indigenous groups are seeking more, though, including access to church archives to learn the fate of children who never returned home.