Nanoose-based support group comforted hundreds following Pope Francis visit
NANAIMO — A First Nations organization based in Nanoose Bay provided widespread in-person during Pope Francis’ recent visit to Edmonton.
The pontiff’s apology for the role of the Roman Catholic Church for widespread abuses of Indigenous peoples attending residential schools in Canada was cushioned by immediate support from Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society members.
The organization runs a substance abuse and trauma treatment centre based on Snaw-Naw-As territory in Nanoose Bay. Nola Jeffrey with Tsow-Tun Le Lum said their team of eight people offered cultural based healing to about 700 people.
“We supported people out there from all across the province, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, but we also supported non-Indigenous people, we had the Clergy come for brushings.”