Angie Crerar (Photo: Abby Zieverink, EverythingGP staff)

By Abby Zieverink

Visiting the Vatican

Angie Crerar joining delegation meeting with Pope Francis in search of residential school apology

Nov 1, 2021 | 4:19 PM

Metis Elder and Grande Prairie resident Angie Crerar will be joining a delegation of Canadian Indigenous Leaders to speak with Pope Francis at the Vatican later this year to share how residential schools impacted Indigenous children and family, and created intergenerational trauma.

From December 17-20, Crerar says First Nation, Metis, and Inuit leaders will have an opportunity to speak with the Pope directly, as they seek an apology on behalf of the Catholic Church for its role in such schools.

RELATED: Indigenous leaders to meet with Pope Francis seeking apology for residential schools

Crerar says she got the call in late October to be a voice on behalf of residential school victims, survivors, their families and communities.

After receiving the call, Crerar explains an overwhelming amount of emotion came over her.

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“I felt humbled, and after I got over the shock, I felt grateful and I felt afraid because when we go there, we have to speak for the past,” Crerar said. “Those years I spent in the residential school, the survivors, the ones who didn’t make it and the thousands of children… I’m going to be their voice there.”

“It kind of scared me, but I know we have to do it. We have to honour (and) respect all those that came before us..”

Crerar says when she has her opportunity to speak with the Pope, she hopes for a few things, including an apology.

“(The) apology that was made by our government did not do anything for us, it didn’t mean anything to us,” she said.

“But coming from the Pope is a way different story, because it was their people, their priests, their nuns.”

As a residential school survivor herself, Crerar hopes to tell her story to the Pope of how the residential schooling system impacted all involved, as well as share their healing journey.

“Our journey was hard, we had no place to go, no one to talk to. Our journey was lonely. I don’t think people understand the impact they had on so many of us,” she said. “We all suffered the same, we all endured what we went through. It’s been a long, long, long, hard journey.”

“After I spent a long time thinking about it, it’s only fair that we have a chance to tell the Pope our story ourselves, to see if we can touch his heart.”

Crerar says she will also be asking the Pope to release and identify the names of all the children who went through the residential schooling system.

“Those children who suffered for years, that died there. So many of them only knew cruelty, so many of them never got past those doors, so many of them were raped, abused on so many levels, and we’re hoping, and I’m praying, that the Pope realizes the damage that has been done to the children and families for four/five generations now.”

In speaking with the Pope next month, Crerar says she also hopes for more kindness to be spread in a step towards reconciliation.

“It does not pay for revenge. We have to show them the way of kindness and understanding and forgiveness. This world would be a better place if people worked together to create a happy safe environment for everyone in our community.”

It’s that kindness and compassion, Crerar says, that made her feel comfortable settling in Grande Prairie.

“I will always be grateful for Grande Prairie, from our MP’s right down to the homeless, they all count (and) everybody’s visible, and I found peace here. I don’t trust many people, but I do trust some people here.”