“On behalf of the Assembly of First Nations, we extend our deepest condolences to the global community grieving this loss,” said National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak. “While the Catholic Church has a legacy of harm against First Nations, we acknowledge the progress made in recent years, largely due to Pope Francis' efforts. He listened to us and heard us. He invited us to the Vatican and apologized. It was monumental in our history with the Catholic church.” “First Nations people still struggle with the relationship with the Catholic Church for good reason. We endured so much in the Indian Residential School era. His Holiness Pope Francis opened a new chapter of healing when he granted audience to a delegation of First Nations and Indigenous Peoples in 2022 to hear firsthand accounts of the effects of residential schools, beginning a long overdue international dialogue of healing and progress. His Holiness then travelled to Canada to meet with Survivors, and issued an apology on our ancestral territories, which was an important step forward in the healing journey of many First Nations individuals and communities.” “Thanks to the work started by Pope Francis, we are now engaged in productive discussions regarding the repatriation of sacred First Nations cultural items from the Vatican. I hope that we can continue in the positive direction set by His Holiness. His willingness to work with us towards true reconciliation will be his legacy and how he will be remembered,” concluded National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak.