After a week of talks with First Nations, Inuit and Metis delegations, Pope Francis has apologized for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system.

He has also said he would come to Canada.

Pope Francis told the delegates, “”I ask for God’s forgiveness, and I want to say to you with all my heart, I am very sorry.”

The week held private sessions with the various delegations and finally culminated today in general audience with the Pope.

The delegates asked for an apology, compensation, as well as access to documents and to artifacts.

Pope Francis told his audience this morning that he had been enriched by their words and even more by their testimonies. He said they have brought to Rome a living sense of their communities.

“Any truly effective process of healing requires concrete actions in a fraternal spirit. I would encourage the Bishops and the Catholic community to continue taking steps towards the transparent search for truth and to foster healing and reconciliation,” said Pope Francis.