Papal journey to Canada begins

A smiling, jovial Pope Francis greeted journalists on the plane to Edmonton, but first reminded them of the penitential nature of his pilgrimage to Canada.

“As we are aware, this is a penitential trip,” the Pope said in brief remarks before greeting the 76 journalists on the plane one by one.

With visits to a residential school graveyard, encounters with residential school survivors and an historic apology on the agenda, this may be the most sombre papal visit ever.

In a show of stamina, the 85-year-old Pontiff was able to walk the full distance through the narrow aisles of the Airbus A330, greeting and chatting with reporters, photographers and broadcasters, relying only on his cane. Journalists have been warned that Pope Francis would likely be in a wheelchair for the majority of his public appearances.

Pope Francis also took time to mention Grandparents Day to the press corps. 

“We should get back to the grandparents, which means that young people need to be in touch with their grandparents, get back to their roots,” he said.

He spoke of his own relationship with the elders of his religious order, the Jesuits, and hoped that novices just entering religious life would similarly learn from their elders.

In addition to the 76 journalists aboard the Pope’s plane, there are 644 journalists registered with the Edmonton-based organizing committee to cover the papal visit over five days.

Pope Francis and his plane full of journalists land in Edmonton at 11:20 local time after a 10-hour and 20-minute flight. The first day’s public events are limited to greetings from a welcome party that includes Governor General Mary Simon and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Leaders of the three national Indigenous organizations which sent delegations to Rome to meet Pope Francis in the spring will also greet Pope Francis on landing — Natan Obed for the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, National Chief RoseAnne Archibald of the Assembly of First Nations and Alberta Metis Nation president Audrey Poitras filling in for Metis National Council president Cassidy Caron.

On the flight with Pope Francis are the two Canadian cardinals who work for the Pope in the curia — prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development Cardinal Michael Czerny and prefect of the Congregation for Bishops Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

Pope Francis will recover from his flight at Edmonton’s St. Joseph’s Seminary while the journalists make their way to a city hotel. Tomorrow Pope Francis visits Maskawacis and the site of the former Ermineskin Indian Residential School and will then make the pilgrimage to Lac Ste. Anne.