Pope Francis met on March 28 with two delegations of indigenous people from Canada. He will hold similar meetings with other delegations this month.

Indigenous leaders had sought meetings with the Pontiff to discuss the role of the Church in the “residential schools,” the institutions set up by the government to educate young people from their communities.

Canadian government officials have acknowledged that abuses were not uncommon at the residential schools. But indigenous leaders are asking for an apology from the Catholic Church. Most of the schools were operated by Catholic religious orders, with inadequate government support.

Cassidy Caron, the president of the Metis National Council, said that the meeting with the Pope was overdue, but “it is never too late to do the right thing.”