Pope to visit Canada, part of apology aims for church abuse

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is going ahead with plans to visit Canada this summer to apologize in person for abuse suffered by Indigenous peoples at the hands of the church. The Vatican on Friday announced that Francis will head to Canada on July 24 and visit Edmonton, Quebec and Iqaluit, a small town where about half the population are Inuit. Last month, Francis made a historic apology for abuses in Canada’s church-run residential schools. He said he wanted to go to Canada to deliver the apology personally to survivors of misguided Catholic missionary zeal. The trip will test the 85-year-old pope’s stamina. He has been struggling with what the Vatican said was a badly strained knee ligament.