Pope says Canada school discovery painful, but stops short of apology

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis arrives at the San Damaso courtyard for the weekly general audience at the Vatican, May 19, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Sunday that he was pained by the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former Catholic school for indigenous students in Canada and called for respect for the rights and cultures of native peoples.

However, Francis stopped short of the direct apology some Canadians had demanded. Two days ago, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Catholic Church must take responsibility for its role in running many of the schools.