Pope Francis’ Canada visit: Read live updates here

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 29, 2022 / 07:45 am

Pope Francis is visiting Canada in what he has called a “penitential pilgrimage” from July 24 to July 29.

Read the latest updates about his trip below.

July 30, 5:53 a.m.: Full text: Pope Francis’ in-flight press conference from Canada

Pope Francis returned to Rome on Saturday after a week-long trip to Canada. During his trip, the pope visited Edmonton, Québec, and Iqaluit on what he called a “penitential pilgrimage” to apologize to the country’s indigenous communities.

Please read here for CNA’s full transcript of Pope Francis’ press conference on the flight from Iqaluit, Canada, to Italy.

July 30, 5:09 a.m.: Pope Francis: Canada's residential schools system was 'cultural genocide'

Speaking to journalists on the papal plane on July 30, the pope explained that he had not used the term “genocide” during his public apologies for past abuses perpetrated by Catholics in the system because it had not come to mind.

You can read more here.

July 29, 9:17 p.m.

July 29, 7:55 p.m.: Choose light over darkness, Pope Francis tells young people in Iqaluit

Pope Francis on Friday encouraged indigenous young people and elders in Iqaluit in northern Canada not to be disheartened but to seek out what is good.

“You will come to realize that Jesus, from the cross, never points his finger at you; he embraces you and encourages you, because he believes in you even at those times when you stop believing in yourself. So never lose hope, fight, give it your all, and you will not be sorry.”

You can read more here.

July 29, 6:40 p.m.: Pope Francis gifts his ‘dearest friend’ to Canada

As Pope Francis concludes his visit to Canada, he is leaving behind his “dearest friend”: St. Joseph.

Before traveling to Iqaluit on Friday, the 85-year-old pontiff gifted a statue of St. Joseph and the Child Jesus to the archbishop’s residence in Québec City, according to the Holy See Press Office. He presented an identical statue of Jesus’ foster father to St. Joseph Seminary, which hosted him at the start of his trip in Edmonton, Alberta.

“I am leaving you my dearest friend,” he told the institute, Vatican News shared.

You can read more here.

July 29, 5:00 p.m.

Pope Francis meets with youth and elders before attending a farewell ceremony in Iqaluit, the capital and only city of Nunavut, Canada’s northernmost and most sparsely populated territory. Catholics can watch live below.

July 29, 1:22 p.m.: Pope Francis praises Canada’s indigenous people as he departs Québec

In a brief address Friday to delegates representing nine indigenous nations of Canada, Pope Francis said he is returning home “greatly enriched” after his weeklong “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, during which he publicly apologized several times for past abuses perpetrated by Catholics against the nation’s indigenous.

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“​​I have come as a brother, to discover firsthand the good and bad fruit borne by members of the local Catholic family in the course of the years. I have come in a spirit of penance, to express my heartfelt pain at the wrong inflicted on you by not a few Catholics who supported oppressive and unjust policies in your regard,” the 85-year-old pope said, addressing the group gathered at the archbishop’s residence in Québec City.

You can read more here.

July 29, 1:00 p.m.

While in the air, Pope Francis remembers Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. Tekakwitha, also known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” became the first Native American saint in 2012. She was raised in New York, by her uncle, a Mohawk chief, after her parents died from a smallpox epidemic. After encountering Jesuit priests in her village, she converted to Catholicism at 19. Her relatives and the village attempted to punish her for her beliefs. She later ran away to Montreal, Canada, where she could practice her faith and live out her life as a consecrated virgin.

July 29, 11:47 a.m.

The papal flight prepares to depart Québec for Iqaluit. You can read more about Iqaluit and why Pope Francis is traveling there here.

July 29, 10:30 a.m.

Pope Francis meets with a delegation of indigenous peoples in Québec. Catholics can watch him speak live below.

July 29, 9:45 a.m.

Pope Francis attended a closed-door meeting with Jesuits in Québec this morning.

July 29, 7:19 a.m.

Today marks the last day of Pope Francis' visit to Canada. He will be meeting with members of the Society of Jesus and a delegation of indigenous peoples in Québec. From there, he will fly to Iqaluit, where he will meet with students of former residential schools, young people and elders, and attend a farewell ceremony.

You can read more about Iqaluit and why Pope Francis is traveling there here.

July 28, 8:54 p.m.

July 28, 6:23 p.m.: Pope Francis: Complaining that the world is evil is ‘not Christian’

Speaking Thursday to a group of priests, bishops, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians, and pastoral workers at the Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, Pope Francis urged those present to model Christian joy and fraternity to those to whom they minister. 

“Christian joy is about the experience of a peace that remains in our hearts, even when we are pelted by trials and afflictions, for then we know that we are not alone, but accompanied by a God who is not indifferent to our lot. When seas are rough: The storm is always on the surface but the depths remain calm and peaceful. That is also true of Christian joy: It is a free gift, the certainty of knowing that we are loved, sustained and embraced by Christ in every situation in life,” the pope said in his homily as part of a Vespers service at the cathedral. 

You can read more here.

July 28, 5:50 p.m.: Pope Francis’ Canada trip: What is Iqaluit and why is he going there?

Pope Francis is set to fly to Iqaluit, Canada, on Friday, July 29. The city marks the last stop of the 85-year-old pontiff’s “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada before he heads back to Rome.

At the final stop of his trip to Canada, the pontiff will meet with Inuit residential school survivors and will visit Nakasuk Elementary School.

Here is what to know about Iqaluit, its lone Catholic parish, and the significance of the pope’s visit.

You can read more here.

July 28, 5:34 p.m.: Pope Francis: Jesus comes to us when we are at our lowest

At a July 28 Mass in the historic Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Québec, Pope Francis preached on the hope and redemption that Christ offers in the face of shame, and how God seeks to draw near to us in moments of failure.

“On the path of life and faith, as we seek to achieve the dreams, plans, hopes and expectations deep in our hearts, we also come up against our own frailties and weaknesses; we experience setbacks and disappointments, and often we can remain imprisoned by a paralyzing sense of failure. Yet the Gospel tells us that at those very moments we are not alone, for the Lord comes to meet us and stands at our side,” the pope said, preaching in his native Spanish.

You can read more here.

July 28, 5:20 p.m.

Pope Francis delivers a homily during evening prayer from the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Québec, Canada. Catholics can watch live below.

July 28, 5:00 p.m.

Catholics can watch evening prayer with Pope Francis from the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Québec, Canada, live below.

Pope Francis will pray Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians, and pastoral workers at the cathedral.

July 28, 3:00 p.m.

July 28, 12:50 p.m.

Following Mass at the National Shrine of Saint Anne de Beaupré in Québec, Pope Francis met with the guests of the Fraternité Saint Alphonse welcome and spirituality center.

He was welcomed in the center's garden by permanent guests and by those who habitually frequent the center — in total, about 50 people including the elderly, people suffering from various addictions, and HIV/AIDS patients. The director in charge, Father André Morency, was also present. The pope greeted them, listened to their stories, and collected their prayers.

Before leaving, he gifted them with an icon of the "Most Holy Lady of Jerusalem."

July 28, 12:02 p.m.

July 28, 9:30 a.m.

Catholics can watch Holy Mass in Québec with Pope Francis from the National Shrine of Saint Anne de Beaupré, the oldest pilgrimage site in North America, live below. The shrine houses three relics of St. Anne.

Local authorities estimate that 2,000 people are at the shrine today.

July 28, 9:25 a.m.

Pope Francis is arriving at St. Anne de Beaupré in Québec to celebrate Mass. Originally built in the 17th century to welcome a miraculous statue of the saint, it marks the most ancient shrine in North America. According to tradition, one of the first builders of the church suffered from a severe scoliosis and was healed. St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus Christ, was proclaimed patroness of Québec in 1876. Pope Francis has centered much of his trip on this saint.

July 28, 6:52 a.m.: A look beyond the headlines: Pope Francis encounters Catholic life and history on his journey to Canada

The images of Pope Francis receiving a feathered headdress by indigenous Canadians, the many moving moments and significant gestures on this papal trip have made headlines around the world.

This “penitential pilgrimage”, dedicated to a real path of reconciliation with the Native American populations, is also an Apostolic journey to a country with a rich and varied Catholic history.

You can read more here.

July 27, 7:00 p.m.: Pope Francis expresses ‘deep shame’ in Canada, warns of new ‘cancel culture’

Pope Francis asked for forgiveness for the harm done to indigenous Canadians by Catholics in a Wednesday address before top government officials and representatives of the indigenous peoples in Canada.

“I express my deep shame and sorrow, and, together with the bishops of this country, I renew my request for forgiveness for the wrong done by so many Christians to the indigenous peoples,” the 85-year-old pontiff said, citing the Catholic Church’s role in running many of the country’s government-sponsored residential schools for indigenous children.

You can read more here.

July 27, 6:28 p.m.: Did Pope Francis meet Justin Trudeau before? Here’s what you need to know as the two meet today

Pope Francis met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this afternoon, July 27, in Quebec City, as part of his weeklong “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada.

In their 36-minute 2017 meeting, which the Vatican described as “cordial,” the pope gave Trudeau a medallion symbolizing forgiveness, joy, and mutual acceptance. The medallion also references Matthew 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

You can read more here.

July 27, 6:00 p.m.

Pope Francis signed the book of honor at the Citadelle de Québec. He wrote: “As a pilgrim in Canada, a land that stretches from sea to sea, I pray to God that this great country will always be an example in building a future that preserves and values its roots, particularly its indigenous peoples, and in being a welcoming home for all.”

July 27, 4:55 p.m.

Pope Francis arrives in Québec and is welcomed by top government officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada's governor general, Mary Simon.

July 27, 4:30 p.m.

Catholics can watch Pope Francis’ meeting with Canadian civil and religious authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of the indigenous peoples in Québec live below.

July 27, 1:00 p.m.: Pope Francis in Canada: How Ukrainian migrants and indigenous peoples can learn from each other

During his “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, Pope Francis visited Sacred Heart Church, Edmonton's first parish dedicated to pastoral care for people from the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities. Just one block away from this parish is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral of St. Josaphat, home to a Ukrainilarge Ukrainian community that began to emigrate to Western Canada 130 years ago.

The history of indigenous peoples in Canada speaks to the plight of Ukrainian immigrants. The situation faced by indigenous peoples bears many similarities to what is now being experienced in Ukraine with Russian aggression, explained Bishop David Motiuk, bishop of the Eparchy of Edmonton.

You can read more here.

July 27, 12:00 p.m.

Pope Francis will be in Québec today. Canada's governor general, Mary Simon, will welcome him as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's head of state. The pontiff will also meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, civil authorities, representatives of indigenous peoples, and members of the diplomatic corps.

July 27, 10:10 a.m.

This map illustrates Pope Francis’ flight path for his Canada trip.

July 26, 8:45 p.m.: Pope Francis blesses the water, pilgrims at Lac Ste. Anne in Canada

Pope Francis concluded his second full day in Canada with a visit to Lac Ste. Anne, the site of one of Canada’s most famous Catholic pilgrimages and a place of spiritual significance for the nation’s indigenous people.

The pope celebrated a Liturgy of the Word at the Shrine of Ste. Anne, with a crowd of mostly indigenous people in attendance, estimated at around 10,000.

The large, shallow, and muddy lake — about an hour’s drive from Edmonton — has been revered as a place of spiritual significance, and of healing, for centuries.

You can read more here.

July 26, 7:00 p.m.

Pope Francis visits Lac Ste. Anne, a famous Catholic pilgrimage site in Canada that holds spiritual significance for the nation’s indigenous people. 

The pope blessed a bowl of the lake’s water, which was brought up to a small wooden structure, shaped like a teepee, overlooking the lake. He made the Sign of the Cross towards the four cardinal points, according to indigenous custom. The pope prayed by the water's edge in his wheelchair before sprinkling the crowds with the blessed water. 

You can watch his visit to Lac Ste. Anne here.

July 26, 4:24 p.m.: Pope Francis preaches on sharing faith with love before 50,000 at largest stadium in Canada

Preaching at a Mass celebrated in Canada’s largest stadium, Pope Francis reflected on the elderly, who he said should be honored, and who serve as an example to the Church on how to pass on faith in a loving way.

“In addition to being children of a history that needs to be preserved, we are authors of a history yet to be written,” the Holy Father said.  

“The grandparents who went before, the elderly who had dreams and hopes for us, and made great sacrifices for us, ask us an essential question: what kind of a society do you want to build?”

You can read more here.

July 26, 3:00 p.m.

Pope Francis asks for the intercession of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for a “better future.” July 26 marks their feast day.

July 26, 12:45 p.m.

According to local authorities, an estimated 50,000 people are attending the Mass celebrated by Pope Francis from the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.

July 26, 11:30 a.m.

Catholics can watch Pope Francis’ Mass from the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, below.

July 25, 8:48 p.m.: No remains unearthed yet from Canada’s residential school grave sites

On May 27, 2021, the news broke that unmarked graves containing the remains of indigenous children had been discovered on the grounds of a former residential school in British Columbia. 

The Kamloops Indian residential school, which operated from the late 19th century to the late 1970s, was among Canada’s government-sponsored schools run by the Catholic Church to forcibly assimilate indigenous children.

More than a year later, no bodies have been discovered at the Kamloops site. It is not clear whether the graves said to have been discovered there actually exist. 

You can read more here.

July 25, 7:42 p.m.: Pope Francis: Christ offers example of reconciliation through suffering

Speaking to a group of Catholics at Sacred Heart parish in Edmonton July 25, Pope Francis reiterated his “shame” and sorrow at the hurt caused by Catholics during the era of Canada’s residential school system, and praised the parish community as “a house for all, open and  inclusive, just as the Church should be.”

You can read more here. 

July 25, 6:30 p.m.

Catholics can watch Pope Francis' meeting with members of the Sacred Heart parish community in below. The church is the only designated indigenous church in Canada.

July 25, 2:17 p.m.: Pope Francis apologizes for harm done to indigenous Canadians at residential schools

In a speech in rural Canada before a crowd of indigenous Canadian people, Pope Francis publicly apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in running much of Canada’s government-sponsored residential school system. 

During more than a century of operation, the system worked to stamp out aspects of native culture, language, and religious practice. 

“I am here because the first step of my penitential pilgrimage among you is that of again asking forgiveness, of telling you once more that I am deeply sorry,” Pope Francis said.

You can read more here. You can also watch his speech below during his meeting with indigenous Canadians in Maskwacis, Alberta.

July 25, 1:11 p.m.

July 24, 12:58 p.m.

Pope Francis arrives in Canada at Edmonton International Airport and attends a welcoming ceremony.

July 24, 9:33 a.m.: Pope Francis begins “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada

During his six-day trip, the pope is expected to meet with and apologize to indigenous Canadians for abuses committed at Church-run residential schools in the 20th century. The pope’s itinerary includes stops in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. He returns to Rome on Saturday, July 30.

You can read more here.

July 23, 8:00 a.m.: Pope Francis' visit to Canada: A CNA explainer

Pope Francis is set to arrive in Canada on July 24, arriving back in Rome on July 30. During his trip, he’s expected to meet with and apologize to indigenous Canadians for abuses committed at Church-run residential schools in the 20th century.

Why this trip, and why now? Read about it here.