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Posted on 27 July 2022 by admin

Events for Pope Francis in Quebec City pushed back due to flight delays

Pope Francis is continuing his pilgrimage of penance in Canada with a visit to Quebec City.

A plane carrying the Pope left Edmonton Wednesday and is headed east for the next leg of his reconciliation visit.

However, the event at the Citadelle de Québec has been pushed back an hour due to a delay involving a flight carrying Indigenous leaders.

Organizers say the event is now scheduled to begin at 4:40 p.m. and the Pope’s tour of the Plains of Abraham will be pushed back to 6:15 p.m.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops reports that the Pope plans to listen to and speak with representatives of different Indigenous communities to address the impacts of colonization and the Roman Catholic Church’s involvement in the residential school system.

The visit is also supposed to be an opportunity to connect with the Catholic community in Canada.

The Pope is scheduled to first meet with government officials and deliver a public address on the Plains of Abraham.

Thursday, he will go to the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, where he will celebrate mass at 10 a.m.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 people are expected to attend, with space for guests inside and outside the basilica.

The mass will also be broadcasted on the Plains of Abraham.

Later in the afternoon, the Pope is slated to go to the Cathédrale-Basilique Notre-Dame de Québec to meet with bishops, priests, deacons, seminarians and more.

Friday, Pope Francis is expected to have a private meeting at 9 a.m. with members of the Jésus à l’Archevêché de Québec.

At 10:45 a.m., he will meet with a delegation of Indigenous people from eastern Canada — his last activity in Quebec City.

His plane is expected to leave Jean-Lesage International Airport at 12:45 p.m. and land at 3:50 p.m. at Iqaluit International Airport in Nunavut.

At 4:15 p.m., the Pope will meet with former students of residential schools in Iqaluit before participating in a public event presented by the Inuit community.

A departure ceremony for the Pope is slated to take place at 6:15 p.m. at the Iqaluit Airport, ending his stay in Canada as he heads back to the Vatican.

— This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 27, 2022.

Posted on 15 July 2022 by admin

Papal visit organizers say survivors will be given priority at Alberta events

Ed Upland, left, and Ashley Sparvier, right, work to make a medicine wheel garden at the Ermineskin Residential School memorial in Maskwacis, Alta., on June 27. The garden will have quarters of red, green, yellow and white flowers with an orange perimeter.Amber Bracken/for the Globe and Mail

With only 10 days to go until the first papal visit to Canada in 20 years, organizers of the papal visit are scrambling to prepare for his arrival as thousands of people expect to attend.

In Alberta – the first stop in the six-day tour beginning July 24 – organizers estimate up to 15,000 people will attend a public event at Maskwacis, home of four First Nations, located south of Edmonton. Another 25,000 are expected to participate at the pilgrimage at Lac Ste. Anne, said Shane Schreiber, assistant deputy minister for the government of Alberta, at an Edmonton press conference Thursday. A mass at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on July 26 has capacity for roughly 65,000 people.

Pope Francis’s visit, with the slogan “Walking Together,” will focus on healing and reconciliation with Indigenous people and the devastating legacy of the residential school system. The papal visit is also expected to draw thousands of practising Catholics from across the country. After arriving in Edmonton, the Pope will attend several events before travelling to Quebec City and ending his trip in Iqaluit.

Confirmation of the visit came six weeks after Pope Francis apologized at the Vatican on April 1 to almost 200 Indigenous delegates and survivors for abuses against children in the schools. Many survivors want to see the Pope issue a stronger apology when he is in Canada for the Catholic Church as a whole, rather than for the harms inflicted by individuals.

Ottawa commits more than $35-million for supports during Pope’s visit to Canada

The Catholic Church ran about 60 per cent of the government-run residential schools that operated for over a century and inflicted harms and abuse against Indigenous children. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called upon the Pope to apologize, in Canada, to survivors and their families for the abuses in the schools.

The Pope is expected to expand on his previous apology to residential school survivors at his first stop at the former Ermineskin Residential School in Maskwacis.

Anne Wildcat, the papal visit’s Maskwacis site co-ordinator, said organizers need to be mindful of emotions and trauma for survivors in their planning and logistics.

“This is really a solemn and emotional event, and so we’re trying to be very careful with our survivors, to ensure we have ample supports available at the event,” said Ms. Wildcat.

“We’re really hoping for the Holy Father’s visit is that it will be simple, meaningful and beautiful for those who will be able to view the events,” said Marion Haggarty-France, the papal visit’s Alberta sites co-ordinator, at the press conference.

Ms. Haggarty-France said they have had to plan the visit on a shorter than normal time frame. “Normally these events have years to plan for; we’ve had about four months,” Ms. Haggarty-France said.

The Alberta government is co-ordinating park and ride services for those who’ve registered for the events to help minimize traffic and is expecting temporary road closures and detours. Organizers are encouraging people to arrive early.

While organizers have assured several Indigenous communities that survivors will not be turned away from events, they said Thursday that capacity limits at each event will need to be taken into account. Prioritization will be given to survivors, particularly elders.

Ms. Wildcat said that Maskwacis is doing their best to manage expectations, capacity limits and safety, knowing a large number of people want to hear the apology in person. “We don’t want to turn anyone away, we don’t … specifically survivors, because this is for them and they’re our focus,” she said.

In Quebec City, organizers said last week that use of public transport is encouraged by anyone wishing to attend events there from July 27-29. Public viewing will be available on the Plains of Abraham, which has a capacity of 140,000 people. Indigenous survivors and their families will be given priority seating at all Quebec City events and the public viewing location.

The papal visit will cost Alberta between $10-million and $20-million, said Mr. Schreiber, amid infrastructure upgrades and road pavings.

The federal government said this week it will contribute more than $35-million during the visit to support survivors and Indigenous communities. This will include money for travel for survivors, community-led activities and translation of events in Indigenous languages.

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Posted on 14 July 2022 by admin

Large crowds, road closures and heavy security expected for Pope Francis’ visit to Alberta | Globalnews.ca

Organizers of the Pope’s upcoming visit to Alberta are asking people to arrive early to events and follow the rules so Indigenous residential school survivors, elders and youth can attend them with dignity in the spirit of reconciliation and healing.

On July 25 and July 26, people from across the country and around the world are expected to flock to the Edmonton area, where 85-year-old Pope Francis is to meet and apologize to residential school survivors, say a mass and participate in a pilgrimage. After that, the Pope will make stops in the Quebec City area and Iqaluit.

Representatives from the province, the City of Edmonton, two police services and coordinators of the papal visit said during a news conference Thursday that co-operation from the public will be needed. There will be multiple road closures, no parking at some events and no overnight camping permitted at event spaces.

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“This is a really emotional event as well as solemn,” said Anne Wildcat, who is co-ordinating the Pope’s visit to the former site of one of Canada’s largest residential school in Maskwacis, south of Edmonton.

“Incredible amount of logistics have gone into this event. When we’re meeting, we have to keep reminding ourselves there are emotions involved here. It’s not just a visit .. and a few words. There’s a lot of prayer, a lot of hope. This will assist many survivors to move forward.”

Marion Haggarty-France, the Alberta sites co-ordinator for the papal visit, said papal visits normally happen after years of planning.

“We’ve had about four months,” she said.

The Pope is to participate in four events in Alberta after he arrives at Edmonton International Airport in 10 days. The Queen Elizabeth II Highway will be closed temporarily before, during and after the Pope’s motorcade takes him from the airport to where he is staying.

“As is customary with visits of all foreign dignitaries, Pope Francis’ security is being managed by the RCMP in close collaboration with the Vatican,” said an email from Laryssa Waler,a spokesperson for the papal visit.

“Given the nature of this work, it would be inappropriate to speak to any specifics.”

The day after his arrival, organizers anticipate a crowd of about 15,000 people at the first event in Maskwacis, where the Pope is to apologize to survivors. Organizers said no parking is available. Overnight camping is only available in nearby communities offering a space and those needing to do so must register in advance.

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Some roads leading the Pope back-and-forth from Maskwacis and Edmonton will temporarily closed again for his motorcade.

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Emotional support workers preparing for Pope Francis’ visit to Maskwacis

Emotional support workers preparing for Pope Francis’ visit to Maskwacis

Later that day, he is to meet the parishioners of a inner-city church in Edmonton that practices Catholicism with Indigenous rituals and symbols. This event is invitation-only.

On the second day of his visit in Alberta, the Pope is to participate in a mass at the Commonwealth Stadium with about 64,000 people.

Click to play video: 'Initial set of tickets for Pope’s mass in Edmonton booked within minutes'

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Initial set of tickets for Pope’s mass in Edmonton booked within minutes

Initial set of tickets for Pope’s mass in Edmonton booked within minutes – Jul 6, 2022

The last event, a pilgrimage, is to take place that afternoon in Lac Ste. Anne, Alta., where 25,000 people are anticipated. Many are expected to walk to the county in accordance with pilgrim tradition. Some have also been asked to register with nearby communities that have made space for overnight camping.

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Organizers said there will be shuttle buses for attendees to travel to and from different communities. Attendees can register for the services online.

“We need people to register so we can figure out how many buses (there are) so we can get people there in a timely fashion,” said Shane Schreiber, assistant deputy minister of parks.

“Many people coming to the pilgrimage are coming from the North, from northern Manitoba, and they will bring their own buses. We’re asking for those individuals to register their buses as well,” added Haggarty-France.

“We require registration and that’s simply to manage capacity.”

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Small community of Lac Ste. Anne prepares for papal visit

Small community of Lac Ste. Anne prepares for papal visit

The city said people can use their registration tickets to ride on public transit for free to events within the city.

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“A number of road closures, traffic detours, parking restrictions, transit adjustments will also be in effect during the papal visit,” said Nicole Poirier, the director of civic events and festivals for the City of Edmonton.

Schreiber said during the news conference the government has invested up to $20 million to pave roads and upgrade infrastructure in the various communities the Pope will visit.

This move has been criticized by many, including the Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller while he was in Washington Thursday.

“It’s important that as part of investing in infrastructures in Indigenous communities that provinces are stepping up,” said Miller.

“It shouldn’t take the visit (from the) Pope to actually get the road paved. That’s a reactionary approach to things.”

Schreiber said the province is hoping to share the cost of the upgrades with others.

Haggarty-France said the archdiocese is fundraising up to $18 million for the Pope’s visit.

She said organizers worry day and night about making sure the events run smoothly.

“The Holy Father… is determined to get here but we also have to keep him safe and able to do the whole trip,” she said. “There’s lots of plans. Everything’s down to the 30-second increment about how we get there.”

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“We’re hoping to get it roughly right versus precisely wrong.”

Posted on 24 June 2022 by admin

‘Miraculous event:’ Pope visiting former Alberta residential school site during visit – Cowichan Valley Citizen

The program for Pope’s trip to Canada next month includes a visit to the site of a former Alberta residential school with survivors, the Vatican said Thursday.

The papal visit is set to start in Edmonton on July 24 and end in Iqaluit on July 29. It is to include public and private events with an emphasis on Indigenous participation.

“We pray this pilgrimage will serve as another meaningful step in the long journey of healing, reconciliation and hope,” said Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, the general co-ordinator of the papal visit to Canada.

Pope Francis is expected to deliver an apology for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in residential schools during the trip, building on sentiments expressed earlier this year during an Indigenous delegation to the Vatican.

At that time, the Pope apologized for the deplorable conduct of church members involved in residential schools.

Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in Edmonton on July 24 to a brief ceremony at the airport. The next day he is set to join survivors at the Ermineskin Indian Residential School in the community of Maskwacis south of the city.

Gilda Soosay, a member of Samson Cree Nation, said it is a “miraculous event” for her people.

“We have to look forward to what’s coming for our people, our grandchildren and the children coming after that,” said Soosay, who is part of the local committee preparing for the visit.

“We need to begin a healing process for our people here in Maskwacis.”

In a statement, the Maskwacis Tribal Council representing the four local First Nations emphasized the importance of the visit.

“This is a pivotal moment for the world to witness and understand the impacts of the intergenerational traumas suffered by Indigenous people in residential school systems in Canada and around the world,” they said. “This is an important step toward reconciliation for everyone to be a part of.”

Ermineskin was one of the largest institutions in Canada. Smith said it “will have a representative role for all residential schools.” He anticipates the apology will come in front of survivors at the school.

Francis is also scheduled to visit Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, an Indigenous church in downtown Edmonton, on July 25.

Fernie Marty, an elder originally from Cold Lake, Alta., said he was excited and nervous about meeting Pope Francis.

“We have a unique history happening here. It’s important for my own personal healing to continue,” said Marty, who is a day school survivor and works at Sacred Heart Church.

The following day, Francis is scheduled to attend a large mass at Commonwealth Stadium, home of the Edmonton Elks CFL football team. The facility can hold about 65,000 people.

The pontiff is to go to Lac Ste. Anne that evening where a large pilgrimage takes place each year.

“People are looking forward to being with him. Praying with him at Lac Ste. Anne,” said Rev. Garry LaBoucane, a Métis priest and spiritual director of the pilgrimage.

Due to the 85-year-old Pope’s advanced age and limitations, Francis will take part in public events for about one hour, organizers said.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said the federal government will be providing support to transport survivors, but he did not provide a cost. Planning is taking place to avoid a “logistical nightmare,” he said.

Miller added that he expects to attend events in Alberta.

The Pope is next scheduled to travel to Quebec City on July 27, where he is to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, and later deliver a public address.

The pontiff is then scheduled to travel to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré on July 28 for a mass. Between 10,000 and 15,000 guests are anticipated to attend.

“The Pope is very much looking forward to coming here,” Archbishop of Quebec Gérald Cyprien Lacroix said. “Despite his limited health, he will be fully present with us to live this next step in the process of reconciliation and healing with the Indigenous Peoples of our country.”

Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with Indigenous leaders from Eastern Canada on July 29 before flying to Iqaluit. There, Francis will have a private meeting with residential school survivors and attend a public community event.

The Pope’s priority during the visit is the relationship with Indigenous Peoples, Smith said, adding the pontiff has heard the cry for reconciliation and the longing for hope.

“This is one step in the journey,” Smith said. “But it’s a huge step.”

The program’s release comes as some worried the pontiff’s health may delay the journey to Canada. Earlier this month, a scheduled trip to Congo and South Sudan was cancelled “in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee,” the Vatican said.

Smith said the Vatican’s release of the program should provide an assurance that Pope Francis will come to Canada.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

—Kelly Geraldine Malone and Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press

Indigenous Pope Francis residential schools

Posted on 23 June 2022 by admin

‘Miraculous event:’ Pope visiting former Alberta residential school site during visit

The program for Pope Francis’ trip to Canada next month includes a visit to the site of a former Alberta residential school with survivors, the Vatican said Thursday.

The papal visit is set to start in Edmonton on July 24 and end in Iqaluit on July 29. It is to include public and private events with an emphasis on Indigenous participation.

Pope Francis is expected to deliver an apology for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in residential schools during the journey to Canada.

On April 1, after meetings over several days with First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups at the Vatican, the Pope apologized for the deplorable conduct of church members involved in residential schools.

Gilda Soosay, a member of Samson Cree Nation, is calling the Pope’s visit to Maskwacis a “miraculous event” for her people.

“It’s a step forward to the path of healing for the Indigenous people. … We have to look forward to what’s coming for our people, our grandchildren and the children coming after that,” said Soosay, who is part of the church committee in Maskwacis preparing for the pope’s visit.

“We need to begin a healing process for our people here in Maskwacis.”

Francis is also scheduled to visit Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, an Indigenous church in downtown Edmonton, on July 25. The church was recently restored after a significant fire in 2020.

Fernie Marty, an elder originally from Cold Lake, Alta., said he is filled with excitement and nervousness at meeting Pope Francis.

“We have a unique history happening here. It’s important for my own personal healing to continue,” said Marty, who is a day school survivor and works at Sacred Heart Church.

The following day, Francis is scheduled to attend a large mass at Commonwealth Stadium, home of the Edmonton Elks CFL football team. It is to be open to the public and the facility can hold about 65,000 people.

The pontiff is to go to Lac Ste. Anne that evening where a large pilgrimage takes place each year.

“People are looking forward to being with him. Praying with him at Lac Ste. Anne,” said Rev. Garry LaBoucane, a Métis priest and spiritual director of the pilgrimage.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said that due to the 85-year-old Pope’s advanced age and limitations, Francis will take part in public events for about one hour.

The Pope is next scheduled to travel to Quebec City on July 27, where he is to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon. He is to have private meetings at La Citadelle and later deliver a public address.

The pontiff is then scheduled to travel to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré on July 28 for a mass. Between 10,000 and 15,000 guests are anticipated to attend.

The Canadian bishops said the public is also invited to a dedicated area during the Quebec City leg of the journey to watch the papal events on large screens and take part in Indigenous cultural events.

The Pope’s priority during the visit is the relationship with Indigenous Peoples, Smith said, adding the pontiff has heard the cry for reconciliation and the longing for hope.

“This is one step in the journey,” Smith said. “But it’s a huge step that has enormous positive possibilities associated with it in moving this relationship forward in a good way.”

Francis has been using a wheelchair and has struggled to walk and stand.

Smith said the Vatican’s release of the program should provide an assurance that Pope Francis will come to Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 23, 2022.

Kelly Geraldine Malone and Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press