Translation error behind Pope’s call for ‘investigation’ into residential schools

Jul 28, 2022 | 1:40 PM

OTTAWA — Organizers of the papal visit say the Vatican has “clarified” part of Pope Francis’s apology to residential school survivors, noting an error occurred during translation. 

The pontiff’s words near Edmonton this week raised questions when he said an important part of moving past requesting forgiveness “will be to conduct a serious investigation into the facts of what took place.”

Francis was speaking Spanish and the apology was being translated into English. 

Papal visit organizers say in a statement the Vatican “clarified” the English translation should have meant survivors heard the Pope say what’s needed next is a “serious search,” not a “serious investigation.”