2009-04-29
07:11:30
It's a moment aboriginal Canadians have waited years for.
The Pope expressed his sorrow today for abuse at church-run residential schools . He says acts of abuse can never be tolerated by society. The pontiff expressed his sorrow during a private meeting at the Vatican with former students and representatives of aboriginal Canadians, and Canadian church leaders.
Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says what native people wanted was for the Pope to say to them that he was sorry and ... that he deeply felt for them.
Fontaine, who himself suffered abuse at one of the schools, says "We heard that very clearly today."
Until today, the Church as a whole had never apologized for the abuse that aboriginal students suffered. The Canadian government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse in the schools was rampant, and has apologized and offered compensation.
