(CNN) — Pope Francis has spoken of his “sorrow, anger and shame” over the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of indigenous children in residential schools.
In a speech at a meeting with indigenous peoples in Edmonton, Alberta on Monday, the pope apologized for what happened and promised a “serious investigation.”
Tribal leaders have long called for a papal apology for the decades-long damage done to tribal children by abuse in the country’s residential schools and the destruction of indigenous culture.
“In particular, I apologize for the way in which many members of the Church and religious communities collaborated, especially through their indifference, in the programs of cultural destruction and forced assimilation promoted by the governments of the time, culminating in the residential school system,” the Pope said.
Pope Francis wears a headdress to the indigenous people of Maskwazi in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday.
Last year, hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada reported that more than 4,000 aboriginals died as a result of neglect or abuse in residential schools, many of which were run by the Catholic Church.
“Faced with this despicable evil, the Church kneels before God and asks forgiveness for the sins of his children,” Pope Francis said. “I humbly apologize for the evil that many Christians have done against indigenous peoples.”
And the Pope emphasized that the first step to correcting these wrongs is to ask for forgiveness.
“An important part of this process is finding the serious truth about what happened in the past and helping residential school survivors heal from the trauma they experienced,” she said.
During this trip, Pope Francis will also visit Quebec, the capital of Nunavut, Canada, and Iqaluit. Two Canadian cardinals will accompany him throughout his visit, Cardinal Mark Olette and Cardinal Michael Czerny.
Francisco, 85, canceled a trip to Africa earlier this month due to knee problems.
With reporting by CNN’s Rob Picheta, Livia Borghese and Cecilia Armstrong
