Pope Francis has landed in Canada for a weeklong visit that will double as a mission of atonement. For decades, the Catholic Church operated many residential schools established to assimilate thousands of indigenous children into white Canadian society. The schools became notorious factories of abuse and are regarded by First Nations peoples as perpetrators of cultural genocide. Pope Francis plans to apologize for the Church’s role in the systematic oppression of indigenous Canadians.
Irene Oh, associate professor and chairperson of the Department of Religion at the George Washington University, is available to provide context and commentary on the pontiff’s trip to Canada.
To schedule an interview with Professor Oh, please contact GW Media Relations at [email protected].