Survivors look to Pope to acknowledge suffering.(OTTAWA)

Two years of quiet diplomacy by the Assembly of First Nations through various avenues has culminated in a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.

The April 29th meeting, which occurred just after Windspeaker's press deadline, was to include a discussion about Indian residential schools, and an acknowledgement from the Pope, many hoped, of the conditions suffered by Indian children in those schools.

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine was to lead the delegation of Elders, residential school survivors and others to the Vatican. Both a general audience and a private one with the Pope was planned.

"We have this incredible opportunity to finally close the circle and, as a result, ... enable our people to do some important work in terms of healing and reconciliation," said Fontaine.

While statements for both the AFN and the Pope were still being finalized at the time of Windspeaker's interview with the national chief, he was confident that the words the Pope was to offer would not only acknowledge the suffering of Aboriginal residential school students but be words of contrition.

"We're quite mindful of the tradition here. Traditionally, the Catholic Church does not apologize," Fontaine said.

He pointed to recent statements delivered by the Catholic Church in both the United States and Australia recognizing the harm and abuse perpetrated by priests and brothers on parishioners. Statements were "portrayed as apologies by the media," Fontaine said, although they did not contain the word "sorry."