The public will have a chance to see the Pope when he visits Iqaluit on July 29 at an event in the square outside Nakasuk School, starting at 5 p.m. (File photo)
Pope to hold public event in Iqaluit outside Nakasuk School
Pope Francis also scheduled to meet privately with Inuit residential school survivors while in Iqaluit
Pope Francis will hold one public event when he visits Iqaluit on July 29, according to a schedule released by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday.
The public will be able to see the Pope at 5 p.m. in the square outside Nakasuk Elementary School, the schedule states. Tickets are not needed for the event.
Before that, at 4:15 p.m., Francis will meet privately with Inuit residential school survivors.
The Pope’s flight is expected to touch down at the Iqaluit airport at 3:50 p.m., arriving from meetings earlier in the day in Quebec City. A departure ceremony at the airport, closed to the public, is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The Pope will fly back to Rome overnight.
According to an article in Vatican News published Wednesday, Francis will be joined by his papal entourage when he visits Canada, including two Canadian cardinals, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Cardinal Michael Czerny.
More than 60 journalists will also accompany the Pope on his plane, according to the article.
In March, When Francis met at the Vatican with delegations of Inuit, Métis and First Nations, he said he hoped to be able to visit Canada.
Toward the end of that visit, on April 1, Francis apologized for the role some Roman Catholic clergy played in abuses that occurred in the residential school system. It’s expected he will apologize again when he is in Canada.
A papal apology, in Canada, for the church’s role in the residential schools system is one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action that were published in 2015.
Francis is scheduled to start his Canadian trip in Edmonton on July 24 and spend the next three days with Indigenous groups there, including the celebration of a public mass at Commonwealth Stadium – normally home of the Edmonton Elks CFL football team – on July 26 where more than 60,000 people are expected, before flying to Quebec City.
While in Quebec City, Francis is scheduled to receive an official welcome from Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and will meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Will an apology do? so many little children suffered so much as young as 4. They were led as sheep to slaughter houses in terms of abuse, so the care keepers had their way with so many children…..the past is terrible, what will the generation 60 yrs from now say about the current population?
Oh, today’s population is setting itself up to be completely evicerated in the near future. Today’s infants will have MUCH to say about today’s 40-year olds – little of it good.
Bringing the closest man to God all the way over here for an apology for residential school survivors is a true commitment from the RC church because the pope has more pressing issues all over the world.
Let this be a chance not just an apology let be a chance for him to pray us and Nunavut as whole and for its people.
Lets be thankful for his visit and believe in his prayers Amen.
I am sorry to burst your bubble “Believes in God” as a born again Christian, I am just as closer to God as the pontiff. God will accepts anyone according to John 3:16, the pope is no better man as a true believer, he is just a created being like the world population, needing to accept Jesus Christ as his savior, just letting you know B in G. All the churches décor and pageantry will not do, just what in your heart is acceptable to Him.
3 hours of Pope time and all those flights spewing greenhouse gases for a “Sorry”
What a waste!
If something was done wrong to you I’ll bet you’d expect an apology, like even if I bumped into you accidentally, you’d expect an apology. Apologies makes everyone feel less offended I think. Greenhouse my herumph…
I ain’t a catholic. Ain’t Anglican either. Just me, God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Many people with small minds often go against positive. If there is someting for them in return, PTL they would be dancing with joy. Pope Francis, we are looking forward to your trip to Nunavut.
As an atheist it is a marvel indeed to watch my fellow humans place another of their kind is such a place of magical reverence. The idea, as stated above, that this person is closer to god than any other is so antiquated it reads like a proclamation from the ancient world of Egypt or Sumer. Do we really take notions like this seriously today?
Like George Carlin said ” I don t belive in imaginary friends”
Just asking. Who was it that said, “Religion Is an opiate for the masses.”
Lenin? Marx?….
Perhaps no one will be there.
What could be more fitting than to ignore him?
That would be exactly the kind of ignorant, childish move I would fully expect from some of you.