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Home>PopeFrancisApologizestoIndigenousPeoplesforGraveSinsofColonialism

7/10/15

PopeFrancisApologizestoIndigenousPeoplesfor
GraveSinsofColonialism
Inalandmarkspeech,PopeFrancisapologizedonThursdayforthegravesinsof
colonialismagainstIndigenousPeoplesofAmericainaspeechtograssrootsgroupsin
Bolivia.
Somemayrightlysay,Whenthepopespeaksofcolonialism,heoverlookscertainactionsof
thechurch,thePopesaid,accordingtoTheNewYorkTimes.Isaythistoyouwithregret:
ManygravesinswerecommittedagainsttheNativepeopleofAmericainthenameofGod.
Hedidntstopthere.
Ihumblyaskforgiveness,notonlyfortheoffenseofthechurchherself,butalsoforcrimes
committedagainstthenativepeoplesduringthesocalledconquestofAmerica,TheNew
YorkTimesreported.
Hespoketoacrowdofmorethan1,500attheWorldMeetingofPopularMovements,
standingsidebysidewithBolivianPresidentEvoMorales,theAndeannationsfirst

indigenouspresident.
AlthoughLatinAmericanchurchleadershaveissuedapologiesinthepast,thisonewent
furtherandwasmuchmoretargeted,theAssociatedPressreported.Previousapologieshad
notbeendirectedatIndigenousPeoplesoftheAmericas,APsaid.
TheCatholicChurchwasoneofmanyChristiandenominationsthatranboardingschoolsin
CanadaandtheU.S.designedtokilltheIndianinthechildbytakingkidsfromtheir
families,cuttingthemofffromtheircultureandeducatingtheminthewaysoftheEuropean
mindedsettlers.TheCanadianTruthandReconciliationCommissiononJune2cameout
withareportcallingsuchpracticesculturalgenocideandrecommendingthatPrimeMinister
StephenHarperaskthePopeforanapology.ThoughHarpermetwithPopeFrancisand
mentionedthereport,hedidnotspecificallyrequesttheapology,andthePontiffswordsin
BoliviadidnotreferencetheTRCdocument.
RELATED:PopeFrancisandPrimeMinisterStephenHarperTalkTruthandReconciliation
atVatican
ManyhavecalledforhimtooutrightrescindtheDoctrineofDiscovery,whichpavedtheway
forcenturiesofoppressionagainstIndigenousPeoples.
RELATED:NunsUrgePopetoRescindDoctrineofDiscovery
ThePontiffistouringSouthAmericaforeightdays,withstopsinEcuador,Boliviaand
Paraguay.Hehascomeoutstronglyagainsttheenvironmentalravagesandsocialinjustice
ofclimatechange,andinThursdaysspeechhecontinuedinthatvein,bycallingleaderswho
donotdefendMotherEarthcowards.Healsosaidtheyarecommittingagravesin,AP
said.
RELATED:PopeFrancis:ProtectingMotherEarthIsOurDuty,NotanOption
PopeFrancis:IndigenousPeoples'ShouldBethePrincipalDialoguePartners'onProjects
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SourceURL:http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/07/10/popefrancisapologizesindigenous
peoplesgravesinscolonialism161030