Pope OKs Canada trip to help healing with Indigenous peoples

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis has agreed to visit Canada to help reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples following shocking revelations of the Catholic church’s role in the abuse and deaths of thousands of native children. The Vatican said in a brief statement on Wednesday that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has invited the pope to make an apostolic journey to Canada “also in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.” The Vatican says Francis has indicated his “willingness” to visit Canada at a date to be determined.