(AP Photo, Gregorio Borgia/Photo, The Canadian Press)

SEVERAL Catholic churches were burned to the ground and dozens more vandalized in Canada last year as allegations surfaced that “mass graves” were discovered at former residential schools there. These were institutions, established by the Canadian government and run in part with the assistance of the Church, to “assimilate” indigenous peoples into Western society. The allegations of mass graves, as it turns out, have never been proven and further evidence suggests that they are patently false.^[1]cf. nationalpost.com; What is not untrue is that many individuals were separated from their families, forced to abandon their native tongue, and in some cases, abused by those running the schools. And thus, Francis has flown to Canada this week to issue an apology to the indigenous people who were wronged by members of the Church.Continue reading →