Manitoba politicians ask Pope to come here

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This article was published 28/04/2022 (1009 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An invitation will be extended to Pope Francis to come to Manitoba, the graves of children who died in residential schools and to bestow a blessing on the grave of Louis Riel.

On Thursday, a motion by the Manitoba New Democratic Party called on the Manitoba Legislative Assembly to invite the Pope to the province when hecomes to Canada. It passed unanimously.

“Healing is a journey,” said Keewatinook MLA and NDP critic for reconciliation Ian Bushie, who told the house about his family members’ experiences, both good and bad, with the Roman Catholic Church.

“Indigenous people in Manitoba have experienced many hardships,” including attempted genocide and extermination of their culture for which the church bears some responsibility, Bushie said.

“There are very devout Catholic parishioners in Indigenous communities,” Bushie said. The invitation to the Pope to visit Manitoba was being made “in the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation,” he said.

Government house leader Kelvin Goertzen said it is appropriate to ask the Pope to visit Manitoba, adding that personal connections, interactions and experiences facilitate an understanding of residential schools that cannot be achieved by reading or hearing about the system.

“So much of it is about listening and learning,” Goertzen said.

The Progressive Conservatives requested minor amendments to the NDP motion to show that the invitation came from elected officials regardless of party affiliation.

“This place can be powerful, in a very meaningful way, when we do it together across party lines,” Goertzen said.

During a recent delegation to Vatican City, the Manitoba Metis Federation also met with Pope Francis and requested he visit the province and bless the grave of Louis Riel, who is buried at the St. Boniface Cemetery. His itinerary has not yet been confirmed by the Vatican.

The CBC has cited sources as saying the Pope will make stops in Edmonton, Quebec City and Iqaluit during a four-day trip to the country.

Métis federation president David Chartrand expressed gratitude to the legislature for extending an all-party invitation to Pope Francis.

“For the Red River Métis, there can be no more sincere act of reconciliation than Pope Francis coming to the heart of our homeland and blessing the grave of Louis Riel, the father of Manitoba and our first premier,” Chartrand said in an email.

“When he went into battle, Riel did not carry a gun, he carried a cross. This same man died because he fought for religious and language rights in Canada, rights we still enjoy today. We will continue to pray that the Holy Father heard our words and feels the call to come to our province.”

— with files from Danielle Da Silva

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca