Trudeau and the Pope's meeting brings out another viral picture

They also discussed a number of issues, ranging from Catholic Church's treatment of aboriginal children to...


Reuters/News Desk May 30, 2017
Pope Francis (R) poses for photographs along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau at the end of a private audience at the Vatican on May 29, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Pope met on Monday and discussed a number of issues, ranging from Catholic Church's treatment of aboriginal children to the environment.

In the midst of it all, when the Pope stood for a picture with Trudeau and wife Sophie, we saw a face similar to when he met US President Donald Trump.

Picture of Pope Francis with Trump family is making the internet go wild

Which led people to wonder, maybe he just didn't like politicians:

https://twitter.com/mattfharris/status/869230539961716736

Or maybe, he wasn't over his meeting with Donald Trump...

https://twitter.com/ShotoDan2016/status/869191605692977152

'Resting Pope face'



https://twitter.com/emmaschuetz/status/869205124689920001

https://twitter.com/thatbillokeefe/status/869227932765519874

Forced to interact with relatives..



Church apology to indigenous peoples

Trudeau urged Pope Francis to visit Canada to apologise to indigenous peoples for the Catholic Church's treatment of aboriginal children in schools it ran there.

Starting in the late 19th century, about 30 per cent of children of Canada's native peoples, or about 150,000 children, were placed in what were known as "residential schools" in a government attempt to strip them of their traditional cultures and ancestral languages.

For over a century, the schools were government-funded but many were administered by Christian Churches, the majority by Roman Catholics.

"I told him how important it is for Canadians to move forward on real reconciliation with the indigenous peoples and I highlighted how he could help by issuing an apology," Trudeau told reporters after meeting the pope.

He said he had invited the Argentine-born pontiff to make the apology in Canada.

Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission said in a 2015 report that the practice, which kept children from the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples far from their parents, amounted to "cultural genocide".

Many children were physically and sexually abused.

The commission made 94 recommendations, including that the pope issue a formal apology in Canada to survivors and their descendents for the Church's "role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse" of the children.

Trump promises peace push after 'fantastic' pope meet

Trudeau said that in their private talks, the pope "reminded me that his entire life has been dedicated to supporting marginalized people in the world, fighting for them, and that he looks forward to working with me and with the Canadian bishops to figure out a path forward together".

Canadian bishops have said the pope might visit next year.

Trudeau said he and the pope also discussed climate change. Unlike US President Donald Trump, who met the pope last week, Trudeau and Francis agree that climate change is caused by human activity.

"We talked about how important it is to highlight the scientific basis of protecting our planet and the moral and ethical obligations to lead, to build a better future for all people on this earth," Trudeau said.

At last week's Group of Seven (G7) summit in Sicily, Trump refused to back a landmark international agreement reached in Paris in 2015 to reduce global warming.

Trump said he would decide this week on whether to pull out of the accord, which was backed by his predecessor Barack Obama.

Trudeau, who is Catholic, said he had "a deeply personal and wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation with the leader of my own faith".

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