@ Pope visits Canada to apologize for residential schools

[NewOrleans]

The Indigenous people he is meeting with seem to appreciate this, per the article. Can’t he pony up some Church money for them as part of this apology tour?

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” Francis, sitting in a white chair with two Indigenous chiefs on either side, said to the crowd. “In the face of this deplorable evil, the Church kneels before God and implores his forgiveness for the sins of her children.” (Great image in the article of him sitting alongside Chiefs)

Francis’ apology commences a week-long “penitential pilgrimage” across the country to atone for the conduct of Christian missionaries, who, along with the Canadian government, forcibly removed at least 150,000 Indigenous children from their homes and banned their languages as well as religious and cultural practices — forcing assimilation into the country’s Christian society.

www.politico.com/amp/news/2022/07/25/pope-francis-apologizes-for-abuse-of-indigenous-children-in-canadian-schools-promises-investigation-00047729

[heygrey]

I ranted to H extensively yesterday about “where’s the fucking money??” An apology is so empty with nothing concrete to back it up. But welcome to Canada and the general attitude towards reparation. Ugh, I’m so pissed. I work everyday with kids who are deeply effected by the generational trauma caused by residential schools and the fuckery of the RCMP, government, and religious organizations.

I’m definitely seeing this painted in a positive light in the media (which I’m mostly trying to avoid because it’s not great for my blood pressure), but among my close friends/coworkers who are indigenous, they would be happy if the pope went away and this whole show stopped. No apology is going make it okay for the kids and families living in this hell.

[erbear]

I have been following this and wondering how it’s being received by indigenous people (as a white American, I’m well aware that my opinion on this doesn’t actually matter). I cringed at the photo with the headdress but again, my lens.

[Michelle]

Jul 26, 2022 10:54:54 GMT -5 erbear said:

I have been following this and wondering how it’s being received by indigenous people (as a white American, I’m well aware that my opinion on this doesn’t actually matter). I cringed at the photo with the headdress but again, my lens.

What made you cringe? Those are native chiefs wearing their traditional regalia. 

[Michelle]

Jul 26, 2022 10:25:33 GMT -5 heygrey said:

I ranted to H extensively yesterday about “where’s the fucking money??” An apology is so empty with nothing concrete to back it up. But welcome to Canada and the general attitude towards reparation. Ugh, I’m so pissed. I work everyday with kids who are deeply effected by the generational trauma caused by residential schools and the fuckery of the RCMP, government, and religious organizations.

I’m definitely seeing this painted in a positive light in the media (which I’m mostly trying to avoid because it’s not great for my blood pressure), but among my close friends/coworkers who are indigenous, they would be happy if the pope went away and this whole show stopped. No apology is going make it okay for the kids and families living in this hell.

A creation of a program (or at least a fund) led by indigenous leaders and experts in the space of healing/coping with generational trauma would definitely be more impactful and take more accountability. 

[erbear]

Jul 26, 2022 11:28:13 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Jul 26, 2022 10:54:54 GMT -5 erbear said:

I have been following this and wondering how it’s being received by indigenous people (as a white American, I’m well aware that my opinion on this doesn’t actually matter). I cringed at the photo with the headdress but again, my lens.

What made you cringe? Those are native chiefs wearing their traditional regalia. 

I mean the one of the pope wearing it. I can only assume it was given to him as a gift so cool, but the photo made me feel some kinda way. Which is why I asked if anyone knew the story (and yes, I could definitely Google this and will when I’m home)

[livinitup]

Yes, the Pope was gifted a traditional head dress, he wore it (without speaking), and it does not seem to be well received by native advocates. “You have to earn it to wear it” seems like a good summation. “Pageantry for the cameras” also seems deserved.

The pope’s visit and apology has sent me down another deep dive into residential schools in Canada and the US. It’s just so raw and horrible that it leaves me gutted.

[Michelle]

Jul 26, 2022 11:38:04 GMT -5 erbear said:

Jul 26, 2022 11:28:13 GMT -5 Michelle said:

What made you cringe? Those are native chiefs wearing their traditional regalia. 

I mean the one of the pope wearing it. I can only assume it was given to him as a gift so cool, but the photo made me feel some kinda way. Which is why I asked if anyone knew the story (and yes, I could definitely Google this and will when I’m home)

Ohhhhh - i missed that pic. ::slaps forehead::

That is definitely a bit of an awkward gift - do you don it, do you accept it and have it on display but never wear it? What is the proper etiquette? 

[whatnext]

In Australia the Catholic Church amd others made payouts as part of the National Redress Scheme

The stolen generation has received payments from the government

My understanding is some indigenous Australians would be eligible for both programs depending on where they were placed when they were taken from.their families

Saying sorry isn't enough and for many the above payments would cover years of counselling but not much else

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/03/stolen-generation-survivors-in-victoria-to-receive-100000-payments-through-redress-scheme

www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/catholic-church-makes-record-payout-in-child-sex-abuse-case-20210120-p56vng.html

[Deleted]

Jul 26, 2022 13:12:14 GMT -5 Michelle said:

Jul 26, 2022 11:38:04 GMT -5 erbear said:

I mean the one of the pope wearing it. I can only assume it was given to him as a gift so cool, but the photo made me feel some kinda way. Which is why I asked if anyone knew the story (and yes, I could definitely Google this and will when I’m home)

Ohhhhh - i missed that pic. ::slaps forehead::

That is definitely a bit of an awkward gift - do you don it, do you accept it and have it on display but never wear it? What is the proper etiquette? 

I have to imagine that there is a lot of communication with the Pope’s people before publicly presenting a gift, and I would imagine that expectations about what to do/not do with it would be communicated! I’d really like to know how this conversation went. Was he told to wear it? Not wear it?

[NewOrleans]

Re: the headdress. Many Indigenous people are unhappy about it, but it also explains why the Chief provided it and the protocols he followed to do so.  

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/2022/07/26/8226d7c4-0d2d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html

[livinitup]

Jul 27, 2022 8:07:24 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Re: the headdress. Many Indigenous people are unhappy about it, but it also explains why the Chief provided it and the protocols he followed to do so.  

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/2022/07/26/8226d7c4-0d2d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html

This is behind a paywall for me. Is there a paragraph or two you can highlight and share?

[NewOrleans]

Jul 27, 2022 8:17:33 GMT -5 livinitup said:

Jul 27, 2022 8:07:24 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Re: the headdress. Many Indigenous people are unhappy about it, but it also explains why the Chief provided it and the protocols he followed to do so.  

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/2022/07/26/8226d7c4-0d2d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html

This is behind a paywall for me. Is there a paragraph or two you can highlight and share?

A criticism: Russ Diabo, a member of the Kahnawake Mohawk tribe in Canada and an Indigenous advocate and policy analyst, described the scene as “pageantry” and the pope’s statements as “facile.”
Diabo said on Twitter it was “the Catholic Church and Canada collaborating in creating a mythology for a shared ‘Reconciliation’ agenda narrated by prominent federal collaborators/residential school survivors!”

defenses:
Maka Black Elk, executive director of Truth and Healing at Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, described the scene on Twitter as a “#toosoon moment.”
“The discourse around the #PopeFrancis headdress is unfortunate,” wrote Black Elk. “He did not request that. It wasn’t his fault. But it’s also clear the givers did not consider how it would make other Indigenous people feel.”

“I do think that Chief Littlechild felt it was important to honor this moment, and this was a significant moment,” he added.

and then 
“Chief Littlechild followed his protocols,” Fontaine said. “There is a protocol for that kind of gift. He went to the elders, he went to the leadership and requested permission to present that gift. It is entirely consistent with the way they follow their customs and protocol here.”

[audette]

Jul 27, 2022 8:17:33 GMT -5 livinitup said:

Jul 27, 2022 8:07:24 GMT -5 NewOrleans said:

Re: the headdress. Many Indigenous people are unhappy about it, but it also explains why the Chief provided it and the protocols he followed to do so.  

www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/a-toosoon-moment-pope-in-headdress-draws-mixed-response/2022/07/26/8226d7c4-0d2d-11ed-88e8-c58dc3dbaee2_story.html

This is behind a paywall for me. Is there a paragraph or two you can highlight and share?

I'm a subscriber, and can gift articles, I think.  This is a gift-sharable link for that article, which I think means folks can read it without a subscription themselves: wapo.st/3vm8jfc


(I hope doing this occasionally is OK here - I can take it down if not.)

[basilosaurus]

I saw the pic and thought WTF. Then I thought, maybe it was a gift he was told to wear. But still WTF.

I think my final thought was hey, at least they're apologizing for something terrible. Wear what you want when doing so, you're acknowledging at least 1 of the many wrongs the Catholic church has brought. Now... continue on that apology tour. It will keep you going your entire life.