Residential school survivors hoping Vatican talks lead to more than just apology

Indigenous leaders and residential school survivors are at the Vatican this week for meetings with Pope Francis, hoping to get an apology from the Catholic Church for its role in Canada’s residential school system.

Residential school survivor Vivian Ketchum is left watching the delegation in Winnipeg – over 7,700 kilometres away – and says she feels left out.

“We can’t get forget about the other residential school survivors that are here in Canada and I think that there are more than a few of us that are getting triggered by this. Too bad the Pope couldn’t come here for the trip, but you can’t forget. There are still thousands of us back here in Canada,” explained Ketchum.

“I really hope that something positive comes out of it because I have mixed emotions about this.”

---

RELATED:

• Métis and Inuit delegates meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican
• ‘Opportunity to seek justice:’ Inuit leader not celebrating meeting with Pope Francis

---

The visit to the Vatican comes after thousands of unmarked graves were discovered across Canada at the sites of former residential schools. Survivor Susan Caribou says an apology is just words, she wants to see real action.

“They have been having a lot of meetings, a lot of conferences and nothing ever comes out to help the next generation or the survivors. All that money they spent to go see the Pope for an apology, they should have gone to some healing centres for the next generation.”

Caribou says this delegation is a step in the right direction towards reconciliation but talking about it can be triggering.

“We’re still living the residential school life to this day. A lot of the survivors are having nightmares again, they are re-living residential schools in their own homes,” she explained. “It’s not going to get any better for the next generation if we are stuck in re-living what we went through in the residential school system.”

Ketchum says the right thing for the Pope to do, is to come to Canada, visit the sites of the unmarked graves, and meet with the survivors of the residential school system.

“Yes, there is a delegation in Rome, but don’t forget us, survivors, back here. We still have our stories; we are still here.”