He says papal decrees - called bulls - supporting the "Doctrine of Discovery" (the Doctrine) provided justification for "both political and personal violence against indigenous peoples."

He wants "a public acknowledgment from the Holy Father of the harm these bulls have done to the indigenous population."

The Doctrine draws from a series of papal documents dating back to 1452.

These were also included in future documents: Indigenous peoples were read the Spanish conquistadors' "Requerimiento", proclaiming their land belonged to Spain and demanding they abide by the monarchy's and the pope's authority.

"This particular doctrine has been used to justify both political and personal violence against Indigenous nations, Indigenous peoples and their culture — their religious and their territorial identities," Lucia says.

As recently as 2005 the US Supreme Court ruled that repurchasing traditional tribal lands does not "unilaterally revive (the tribe's) ancient sovereignty" over it.

"I've been trying to bring attention to this question of why the church, if it really wants to seek restorative justice, can't just issue apologies," says David McCallum SJ who alerted Lucia to the historical facts.

A papal bull from Alexander VI's in 1493, for instance, gave Spanish explorers the freedom to colonize the Americas and to convert Native peoples to Catholicism.

Lucia says last US spring when the US bishops' conference (USCCB) discussed ministry to Native Alaskans and Native Americans, he asked about residential schools for indigenous children and the Doctrine.

These schools' legacy has been in the news lately after hundreds of unmarked graves were found at three former schools in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked Francis to apologize — on Canadian soil — for the Church's role in this.

Up to 60 percent of Canada's 139 residential schools were run by the Catholic Church. An Indigenous delegation from Canada will meet Francis in December "to foster meaningful encounters of dialogue and healing."

The USCCB says it is watching the investigation "closely", pledging to "look for ways to be of assistance." However,

Lucia says he hasn't had any reaction from it about his concerns.

Although the Church rescinded the Doctrine centuries ago, this doesn't address the "enormity of the trauma and generational impact" the teachings had on Indigenous peoples, says McCallum.

There have been various Indigenous delegations to Rome - one in 2016 - to press the Vatican about the Doctrine.

"There have been responses ..., but they're not taking responsibility for anything," says Steven Newcomb, the Shawnee/Lenape co-founder of the Indigenous Law Institute, who led the 2016 delegation.

Numerous Protestant religious groups have rebuked the Doctrine, as did the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, which called on Francis to rescind the Doctrine in 2014.

"Simple apologies are not sufficient," Newcomb says. "There needs to be a real reckoning."

Lucia agrees: "Even as a Church we are called to conversion. I think this might be one of those conversion moments."

Source

• Religion News Service
• Image: Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse

The Pope did this in an official Bull of Indiction convoking the extraordinary jubilee Year of Mercy, which will run from December 8, 2015, to November 20, 2016.

The 9500 word document, "Misericordiae Vultus" ("The Face of Mercy"), was released on Saturday.

It opens with the declaration, "Jesus is the face of the Father's mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the Christian faith".

The document develops three main themes.

First, Pope Francis dwelt on the theological understanding of God's mercy.

Secondly, the Pope offered practical ways to live well the Holy Year.

Thirdly, he issued particular calls for justice and conversion.

"Mercy is the very foundation of the Church's life," Francis wrote.

"The Church's very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love."

The motto of the Holy Year is "Merciful like the Father," a phrase taken from Luke's Gospel.

The pontiff identified mercy as the central function of the Church and the key aspect of Jesus' ministry and work.

He added that our own exercise of pardon will determine how we will eventually be judged.

Francis wrote that mercy and justice are not contradictory, but are "two dimensions of a single reality that unfolds progressively until it culminates in the fullness of love".

God envelopes justice "and surpasses it with an even greater event (mercy) in which we experience love as the foundation of true justice".

"The temptation . . . to focus exclusively on justice made us forget that this is only the first, albeit necessary and indispensable step," the Pope explained.

"The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more," he stated.

The Pope has requested that every diocese in the world open a "Door of Mercy" similar to the one he will open on December 8 at St Peter's Basilica.

And, during Lent of the Holy Year, the Pope will send out priests to whom he will grant "the authority to pardon even those sins reserved to the Holy See".

Sources

• Vatican Radio
• National Catholic Reporter
• Catholic Herald
• Image: The Church in Malta