Lennox Island chief happy with Pope's apology, but hopes it doesn't end there

The chief of Lennox Island First Nation says she feels Pope Francis understood the message given to him by survivors of residential schools.

The Pope apologized Friday for the conduct of some members of the Catholic Church in Canada's residential school system. He expressed sorrow and shame for the role those members played in the abuses.

Chief Darlene Bernard said the apology marks a first step on a long healing journey.

"The reason I feel like the Pope heard their stories was because of the words that he used when he spoke back," she said in an interview with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

"He talked about intergenerational trauma. He used that word. He said those words, 'I am so sorry.' So I think he went beyond what the expectation was."

Bernard said many thought any apology would be issued on Turtle Island, the name many Indigenous peoples use for North America.

Expecting action

She said she hopes Pope Francis will expand on the apology when he comes to Canada this summer as planned.

She also said there will need to be action when it comes to reconciliation.

"They have to find that money that they need to provide to the survivors to support them like they said they would," she said.

"And also to turn over historical documents and records that we need to have so that we can identify who was in the residential schools, the lost children."