Indigenous leaders across Canada are expressing both hope and caution as Pope Leo XIV begins his pontificate, with many calling on the new Catholic leader to build upon reconciliation efforts that began under his predecessor.
“The path to healing requires more than apologies—it demands sustained action,” says Wilton Littlechild, former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner and respected Cree leader. During a community gathering in Maskwacis, Alberta last week, he emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue between the Vatican and First Nations communities.
Pope Francis’s historic 2022 visit to Canada marked a significant moment in Indigenous-Catholic relations when he apologized for the Church’s role in residential schools. That apology, delivered on Indigenous land, acknowledged decades of abuse suffered by children forced into these institutions.
The Assembly of First Nations has already extended an invitation to Pope Leo to visit Canada and continue conversations about implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, particularly those directed at religious institutions. National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak emphasized that reconciliation requires ongoing commitment.
“We acknowledge Pope Francis’s steps toward reconciliation, but there remains much unfinished business,” Nepinak said during a press conference in Ottawa. “Pope Leo has an opportunity to move beyond words to meaningful action on issues like document access and repatriation of cultural items held in Vatican collections.”
For many survivors, the Catholic Church’s role in operating roughly 60 percent of Canada’s residential schools represents an open wound that continues to affect communities today. Government statistics show approximately 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were removed from their families and placed in these schools between the 1870s and 1996.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national Inuit organization, points to specific actions the new Pope could take to advance reconciliation.
“The Vatican archives contain invaluable records about residential schools that could help families understand what happened to their loved ones,” Obed explained. “Greater transparency and access to these documents would be a concrete step toward healing.”
Indigenous Catholic leaders like Deacon Rennie Nahanee of the Squamish Nation near Vancouver see Pope Leo’s election as an opportunity to deepen the Church’s commitment to Indigenous spirituality.
“Many of us practice our Catholic faith alongside traditional Indigenous spiritual practices,” Nahanee said. “Pope Francis opened doors to this dialogue. We hope Pope Leo will create more space for Indigenous ways of knowing within the Church.”
Religious studies professor Emma Anderson from the University of Ottawa notes that the Vatican’s approach to reconciliation has evolved significantly in recent years, moving from resistance to acknowledgment.
“The question now is whether Pope Leo will treat reconciliation as an ongoing priority or allow momentum to fade,” Anderson said. “Indigenous communities are watching closely for signs of his commitment.”
Some Indigenous leaders are calling for specific actions beyond apologies, including financial support for language revitalization programs and healing initiatives. The Catholic Church’s 2021 pledge to raise $30 million for reconciliation projects fell significantly short, raising questions about institutional commitment.
Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, offered measured optimism about the potential for continued progress under the new pontificate.
“Reconciliation isn’t a one-time event but a generational journey,” Sinclair said during a recent CBC interview. “Each leader must decide whether to advance this work or let it stagnate. We hope Pope Leo understands the moral responsibility he inherits.”
While formal communications between Indigenous organizations and the Vatican are just beginning, early signals suggest Pope Leo may address Indigenous concerns during his first year. Vatican sources indicate the Pope has requested briefings on reconciliation efforts in Canada and other countries with similar colonial histories.
For residential school survivors like Florence Buffalo from Samson Cree Nation, the change in Vatican leadership brings mixed emotions.
“I appreciated Pope Francis coming to our land to apologize, but words
