Pope Leo XIV just took office, but Canada has a big request already
Pope Leo XIV
officially begins his papacy on May 18 in Vatican City, Indigenous leaders in Canada are urging the
Catholic Church
to return sacred items taken from their communities, artifacts they say are long overdue for repatriation.
The Catholic
Church
has played a central role in colonial history. Through the 'Doctrine of Discovery', a controversial legal principle rooted in 15th-century papal bulls, the Church once justified the colonization and forced conversion of Indigenous peoples worldwide, including in Canada. Catholic missionaries collected thousands of items from Indigenous communities under the belief they were "preserving" culture, often without consent.
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These artifacts now sit in the Vatican's Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum. Many hold deep cultural and spiritual meaning to the Métis, First Nations, and Inuit peoples.
Pope
Leo XIV
inaugurated his papacy today during a grand Mass at St. Peter's Square. Among the 200,000 attendees were Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Victoria Pruden, President of the
Métis National Council
.
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Indigenous leaders in Canada see this new beginning as a moment to act.
"This is a critical opportunity," said Lyndon Linklater, a knowledge keeper from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in Saskatchewan. "The artifacts hold our ancestors' voices. They should come home."
In 2022, Pope Francis, during a visit to Canada, acknowledged the harm caused by residential schools and pledged to return the sacred items. Since then, however, progress has been slow.
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President Pruden, who represented the Métis at the Vatican today, reaffirmed the community's expectations. 'Returning the items is more than symbolic—it is about restoring dignity and healing relationships,' she said.
Indigenous communities across Canada now hope Pope Leo XIV will fulfill the Vatican's promises. While today's inauguration marks a historic change in Church leadership, many are watching closely to see if it will also bring long-awaited justice.
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