Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Chief Rosanne Casimir will be among the group of Indigenous leaders who visit the Vatican in March.
"The delegation's theme is how Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic Church can move forward together toward healing and reconciliation. It's expected Indigenous participants will also be able to share their expectations for a papal visit to Canada.
"We remain committed to walking toward healing and reconciliation," the joint statement said.
Last year, the Vatican announced that the Pope was willing to make that pilgrimage. Indigenous leaders have said it must come with an apology.
Calls for the Pope to apologize for the church's role in the schools have intensified since the discovery last year of unmarked graves at former residential school sites."
Our appreciation to Castanet for the article and photo