Pope Francis met both Canadian cardinals based in Vatican on Saturday as Canada reels from discovery of remains of 215 children at a former school for indigenous students run by the Church.

The pope met Cardinal Michael Czerny and Cardinal Marx Ouellet. The Vatican mentioned the meetings in its daily announcement of papal appointments.

Cardinal Ouellet meets the pope on Saturday every week in his capacity as head of the Vatican department. The department oversees bishops.

Cardinal Czerny the Vatican's expert on migrants and refugees, does not have a regular weekly meeting with the pope. He is a Czech-born Canadian national whose family emigrated to Montreal when he was two years old.

Vatican has not made details of discussion during the meeting public.

Many Canadians have called on the pope to make a formal apology for the Catholic Church's role in the residential schools, which operated between 1831 and 1996 and were run by a number of Christian denominations on behalf of the government.

Francis, who was elected pope in 2013, has already apologised for the Church's role in colonialism in the Americas but he has mostly chosen to make such apologies while visiting countries. No papal visit to Canada is scheduled.

Visiting Bolivia in 2015, Francis apologised for the "many grave sins were committed against the native people of America in the name of God".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday the Catholic Church must take responsibility for its role in running many of the schools.

The residential school system forcibly separated about 150,000 children from their homes. Many were subjected to abuse, rape and malnutrition in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 called "cultural genocide".

Run by the government and various Christian Churches, their stated aim was to assimilate indigenous children.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pope Francis met both Canadian cardinals based in Vatican on Saturday as Canada reels from discovery of remains of 215 children at a former school for indigenous students run by the Church.

Pope Francis met both Canadian cardinals based in Vatican on Saturday as Canada reels from discovery of remains of 215 children at a former school for indigenous students run by the Church. The pope met Cardinal Michael Czerny and Cardinal Marx Ouellet. The Vatican mentioned the meetings in its daily announcement of papal appointments. Cardinal Ouellet meets the pope on Saturday every week in his capacity as head of the Vatican department. The department oversees bishops. Cardinal Czerny the Vatican's expert on migrants and refugees, does not have a regular weekly meeting with the pope. He is a Czech-born Canadian national whose family emigrated to Montreal when he was two years old. Vatican has not made details of discussion during the meeting public. Many Canadians have called on the pope to make a formal apology for the Catholic Church's role in the residential schools, which operated between 1831 and 1996 and were run by a number of Christian denominations on behalf of the government. Francis, who was elected pope in 2013, has already apologised for the Church's role in colonialism in the Americas but he has mostly chosen to make such apologies while visiting countries. No papal visit to Canada is scheduled. Visiting Bolivia in 2015, Francis apologised for the "many grave sins were committed against the native people of America in the name of God". Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday the Catholic Church must take responsibility for its role in running many of the schools. The residential school system forcibly separated about 150,000 children from their homes. Many were subjected to abuse, rape and malnutrition in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 called "cultural genocide". Run by the government and various Christian Churches, their stated aim was to assimilate indigenous children. (With inputs from agencies)

Pope meets Canadian cardinals month after indigenous school scandal

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