Pope Francis stops short of apology over deaths in ex-Catholic school in Canada

Pontiff fails to issue direct apology for church's role in residential schools where children were abused

Pope Francis has said 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 of the rights and cultures of native peoples, but stopped short of the direct apology some Canadians had demanded.

Speaking to pilgrims and tourists in St Peter's Square in the Vatican during his weekly blessing, Francis urged Canadian political and Catholic religious leaders to cooperate with determination" to shed light on the finding and to seek reconciliation and healing.