Summary
[Phil Fontaine] would like to get an apology from the Pope on this visit, but he is realistic enough to know that's unlikely. "Traditionally, the Catholic Church does not apologize," he recognized. "But we hope and pray there will be an apology, one that will acknowledge the harms afflicted on innocent children and an acceptance of responsibility for their part in the tragic experience."
Fontaine is probably right in thinking that an apology is unlikely, although it is not impossible. Despite Pope Benedict's reputation within the church as "God's Rottweiler," the Vatican has apologized before, although remarkably infrequently by the standards of these penitential times.I can't speak for the Catholic Church -- God is merciful -- nor for the government of Canada, but I don't want my country or my church apologizing for me for something that I never did. I have never taxed an Asian, never imprisoned a Ukrainian nor plucked an Indian child from a reserve. I am sorry about what happened to them all, but I don't feel contrite because I didn't do it. I don't blame my church and I don't blame my government for things that they never intended to happen. And I don't want them apologizing, either for me or for themselves.See the full content of this document
Extract
When Apologies Aren't Right
Catholic Church should stand fast on residential schools
We all have things we are sorry about, or at least things we should be sorry for. That is not the same thing, however, as saying that we should apologize. I'm sorry, for example, that when I was courting my wife I hounded her into m...See the full content of this document
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