Pope Francis' Visit to Canada to Apologize for Genocide

In July of 2022 Pope Francis had made a visit to Canada to apologize to the indigenous peoples for the genocide that the catholic church was responsible for in the time of residential schools. Is an apology from the Pope enough to reconcile the years and generations of trauma that this genocide has caused?

"At the schools, children faced emotional, physical and sexual abuse from school authorities, oftentimes clergymen who worked there. Unsafe living conditions and abuse resulted in an undocumented number of deaths at the schools that went mostly unreported." Children who were forced from their families in the times of residential schools went through traumas no children should have to endure. Some children did not survive the residential schools and those children's bodies were discovered in our backyard. The children who did survive the residential schools are faced with psychological damage and a loss of their sense of self. This can be called indigenous homelessness. The indigenous peoples of Canada are faced with intergenerational trauma that doesn't go away with an apology from the Pope.

What are some ways the Catholic church can actually reconcile the damage they have done to our indigenous peoples? I believe that more can be done than an apology or giving them money. Providing these communities with programs that bring back their culture and language. Programs and people who specialize in providing mental help for the indigenous. Recognition of their culture. Allowing them to be given back what they had taken from them. No amount of apologies or finances can undo the abuses they had to go through. An apology can be a step in the right direction, but not enough.

Works cited:
Kohli, Anisha. “Pope Visits Canada to Apologize to Indigenous Communities.” Time, Time, 23 July 2022, time.com/6199934/pope-canada-indigenous-apology/.

While an apologize is warranted for the horrendous crimes that were committed against the Indigenous people I do not think it is enough by any means. For some many of been waiting years for this from the catholic faith and have appreciated it however from what I have read many are saying it is a little to late.