A lack of consensus among Canadian bishops played a role in Pope Francis's decision to deny a request that he visit Canada and apologize to Indigenous Peoples for residential schools, according to the Archbishop of Regina. The decision has led to an NDP-authored motion calling for the apology that will be debated in the House of Commons on Thursday. Regina Archbishop Donald Bolen, who supports the call for a visit and apology, said bishops across Canada couldn't come to the consensus Francis prefers when making these types of decisions. Pope John Paul II's visit to Toronto for World Youth Day in 2002 left the Canadian Catholic Church with a $36 million debt. Gunn, who supports an apology, said Catholic dioceses in Quebec have been struggling financially as a result of dropping church attendance.

Source: CBC News April 26, 2018 07:52 UTC