Le comunità indigene canadesi incontrano papa Francesco

I popoli indigeni canadesi hanno subito dal 1880 abusi sistematici in scuole gestite da organizzazioni cristiane in cui si mirava all’assimilazione culturale e alla conversione dei giovani indigeni. Insieme al rappresentante della Chiesa cattolica vogliono intraprendere un cammino di «verità, giustizia, guarigione, riconciliazione».

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, wears a traditional beaded jacket for for her meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Mitchell Case, Community-based historian and educator and Region 4 Councillor, Metis Nation of Ontario, right, hugs the President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, who is wearing a traditional beaded jacket for her meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Mitchell Case, Community-based historian and educator and Region 4 Councillor, Metis Nation of Ontario, right, and the President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, pose for photographers showing a pair of traditional Metis pointed-toe style moccasin as a gift to Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron shows a scarf she will wear with a meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron and Mitchell Case, left, Community-based historian and educator and Region 4 Councillor, Metis Nation of Ontario, show to journalists a pair of traditional Metis pointed-toe style moccasin as a gift to Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, left, leaves the hotel with a Metis National Council delegation to meet with Pope Francis in Rome, Monday, March 28, 2022. A Canadian indigenous delegations is scheduled to have a week of meetings with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, speaks to the media in St. Peter's Square after their meeting with Pope Francis at The Vatican, Monday, March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, second from right, arrives to speak to the media in St. Peter's Square after their meeting with Pope Francis at The Vatican, Monday, March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, center, speaks to the media in St. Peter's Square after their meeting with Pope Francis at The Vatican, Monday, March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

President of the Metis community, Cassidy Caron, at center in black outfit, and other delegates arrive to speak to the media in St. Peter's Square after their meeting with Pope Francis at The Vatican, Monday, March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Le delegazioni di indigeni del Canada si sono recate in Vaticano per chiedere al Santo Padre giustizia per gli abusi perpetrati durante decenni nelle scuole residenziali istituite dal governo canadese e affidate alle Chiese cristiane locali, tra cui quella cattolica.

I primi incontri si sono svolti lunedì 28 marzo, quando papa Francesco ha ricevuto in udienze separate la delegazione dei popoli Métis e Inuit, e ha ascoltato e condiviso il loro dolore, come ha raccontato alla stampa Cassidy Caron, giovane presidente dei Métis. Giovedì 31 marzo il vescovo di Roma incontrerà la delegazione First Nations, e il 1° aprile riceverà in udienza in Sala Clementina le diverse delegazioni e la Conferenza episcopale canadese.

Il Papa aveva già espresso sgomento durante l’Angelus del 6 giugno 2021, dopo aver appreso del ritrovamento di una fossa comune dei resti di 215 bambini alunni della “Kamloops Indian Residential School”. Da lì, l’episcopato canadese ha attivato una serie di progetti orientati a sostenere le comunità indigene e ad avviare un processo di riconciliazione. Il Pontefice ha ugualmente annunciato la sua intenzione di vistare il Canada in un futuro viaggio apostolico ancora da confermare.

(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)