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Pope to visit Canada on 'penitential pilgrimage', apologize to indigenous survivors

Pope Francis will depart Sunday (July 24) for a historic six-day visit to Canada where he is expected to ask forgiveness of Indigenous survivors of abuse committed at residential schools run by the Catholic Church, the Anews reported, citing the AFP.
The "penitential pilgrimage", as the pontiff has described it, has long been awaited by Canada's Indigenous communities, and is seen as an important step in addressing the global scandal of clerical sexual abuse of children and decades of cover-up.
Pope Francis will begin his 37th international trip since becoming pontiff in Edmonton, in the western province of Alberta, before heading to Quebec City and then Iqaluit, Canada's northernmost city.
He plans to reiterate an apology delivered to Canadian delegations who visited the Vatican in April, which he then said would hopefully "contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation already undertaken".
Francis kicks off the trip Monday with a stop in the town of Maskwacis, about 100 kilometres (160 miles) south of Edmonton, home to one of the largest of Canada's residential schools.

He will address an expected crowd of about 15,000 people, including former students from across Canada.
On Tuesday, the spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics will celebrate Mass at a 60,000-seat stadium in Edmonton before heading northwest to Lac Sainte Anne, the site of a major annual pilgrimage.
He then travels to Quebec City where he will meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, a national shrine that draws over one million pilgrims each year.
Report proves Toronto police in Canada target Black and Indigenous communities
On Friday, the pontiff will go to Iqaluit, home to the largest number of Inuit people in the country, where he will meet with former residential school students, before returning to Rome.
The discovery since last year of hundreds of remains of Indigenous children in unmarked graves on the site of state schools administered by the Catholic Church has forced Canada to confront its failed policy of forced assimilation.
It has similarly shone a spotlight on the Church's role in what a national truth and reconciliation commission has called "cultural genocide".
Around 150,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit children were enrolled from the late 1800s to the 1990s in 139 residential schools, where they spent months or years isolated from their families, language and culture.
Indigenous Canadians make a painful plea on eve of British royal visit
Many were physically and sexually abused by headmasters and teachers.
Thousands are believed to have died of disease, malnutrition or neglect. More than 1,300 unmarked graves have been discovered since May 2021 at the sites of the former schools.
Indigenous groups say these culturally valuable objects should be repatriated back to their communities despite the Vatican's assertions that they were given as gifts to popes in years past.
Canada pledges $31bn in compensation for indigenous Canadians
During his trip, Francis will travel 20,000 kilometres despite suffering from pain in his right knee that has forced him in recent months to rely on a cane or wheelchair.
In June, the Vatican postponed indefinitely a visit to Africa that had been scheduled for July.
It should be noted that Francis is the second pope to visit Canada, after John Paul II who visited three times (1984, 1987 and 2002).
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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