A Canadian woman attending a historic Vatican summit on preventing sex abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy is urging Pope Francis to apologize to and compensate the victims of Canada鈥檚 residential schools.
But Evelyn Korkmaz is deeply disappointed the Pope did not attend a meeting between bishops and a dozen sex abuse survivors Wednesday.
鈥淲hich is very disappointing because he obviously he doesn鈥檛 think this is serious enough for him to attend,鈥� she told 麻豆影视 Channel Wednesday in a phone interview from Rome. The Pope called the summit and survivors from around the world travelled to the Vatican to attend.
鈥淪o he should have listened to us. At least give us that much.鈥�
The summit is an unprecedented gathering of some 190 presidents of bishops' conferences, religious orders and Vatican offices to take part in lectures and workshops on preventing sex abuse in their churches, tending to victims, and investigating abuse.
In a statement from the Vatican press office, members of the organizing committee said the two-hour meeting with survivors helped them to understand the "gravity and urgency" of the problem.
Many church leaders continue to protect the church's reputation by denying that priests rape children and by discrediting victims. The Pope himself admits to having made similar mistakes.
But on Wednesday he told pilgrims from southern Italy that while the church's "defects" must be denounced in order to correct them, those who spend their lives "accusing" the church are either the devil's friends or relatives.
Francis didn't cite specific accusations nor mention the summit in his remarks.
Korkmaz attended St. Anne鈥檚 Indian Residential School in northern Ontario, widely considered one of the country鈥檚 most notorious residential schools. She said the Pope should apologize to those who suffered abuse at its residential schools, which has caused decades of 鈥渄amage and dysfunction.鈥� He should also honour his promise help raise $25 million to Canada鈥檚 Indigenous people, she says.
An apology is important because it 鈥渁cknowledges that the church committed genocide to my people though mental, physical and sexual abuse,鈥� she said.
Widespread calls for the Vatican to acknowledge and apologize for the sex abuse of First Nations children at residential schools have, so far, not been fulfilled.
Last year, a letter written by Bishop Lionel Gendron, the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the Pope was 鈥渁ware鈥� of the findings of Canada鈥檚 Truth and Reconciliation Commission but 鈥渇elt that he could not personally respond鈥� to a request for an apology.
The Catholic Church ran 72 per cent of Canada鈥檚 residential schools, which were set up to assimilate Indigenous children, often through forcible removal from their homes.
Korkmaz was among several members of the global group Ending Clergy Abuse who held a news conference Wednesday.
Peter Isely, a founding member of the group, says there should be zero tolerance for priests who abuse children.
鈥淚f you鈥檝e done that and you鈥檝e used the priesthood to do that 鈥� you鈥檙e going to be taken out of the priesthood.鈥�
Isely says survivors of clergy abuse around the world have faced the same deception, non-transparency and irresponsibility of church officials.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 happening everywhere in the world. It鈥檚 the same pattern. It鈥檚 the same playbook. The only way to solve this is at the top.鈥�
He says the summit is encouraging other survivors to come forward.
鈥淚f nothing else happens in that summit but survivors reaching other survivors, then it鈥檚 been an enormous success,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a historic moment. This has taken decades, this has taken centuries to happen and it鈥檚 now being recognized. Pope Francis has recognized it as a global problem.鈥�
Jerry Boyle, who was abused by a priest at 14 and 15 while attending high school in Windsor, says all clergy involved in covering up the crimes of others should be fired and all records documenting abuse should be turned over to authorities.
鈥淪top lobbying to protect the church and ignore the victims. It鈥檚 inappropriate and it鈥檚 far from anything holy,鈥� he told 麻豆影视 Channel Wednesday.
Boyle鈥檚 abuser was later convicted of abusing 18 boys, while Boyle was told by another priest during confession that Boyle himself was at fault for the abuse he experienced.
He said Pope Francis, while better than previous popes in confronting clergy sex abuse, has behaved more like a politician than someone truly concerned for victims.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got enough ammunition and evidence to make positive change if he chooses to do so.鈥�
