Pope accepts Canadian invitation focussing on reconciliation

Canadians heading to the Vatican to meet with the Pope will discuss reconciliation with Indigenous people and a future papal visit to Canada.

On Wednesday, The Holy See announced Pope Francis will be coming to Canada at a future date.

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"The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has invited the Holy Father to make an apostolic journey to Canada, also in the context of the long-standing pastoral process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples," The Holy See Office, the Catholic Church's universal government says in a statement.

The Pope has accepted the invitation.

“We pray that Pope Francis’ visit to Canada will be a significant milestone in the journey toward reconciliation and healing," CCCB President, the Most Rev. Raymond Poisson, says in a statement.

The Catholic Bishops of Canada are grateful that Pope Francis has accepted their invitation to visit Canada on a pilgrimage of healing and reconciliation. Full statement here: https://t.co/et5s65G1NN

— CCCB (@CCCB_CECC) October 27, 2021

There is no date set, but that will be discussed at a deligation before Christmas with Indigenous and Catholic leaders from Canada.

The Catholic Bishops of Canada (CCCB) says this visit will come after Residential School Survivors, Elders, and Indigenous knowledge keepers and youth visit him between December 17 to 20 this year.

They will be discussing reconciliation and healing during the December pilgrimage, as well as what an upcoming visit to Canada could look like. 

“We will invite the delegation of Indigenous survivors, Elders, knowledge keepers, and youth who will meet with Pope Francis to open their hearts to the Holy Father and share both their suffering as well as their hopes and desires for his eventual visit to Canada."