Fr. Bob's Corner

If the people of Canada are like me, they really don’t know what is best for Afghanistan. There are so many conflicting pieces of information that it is like a giant jig-saw puzzle that seems impossible to figure out and put together. About two and a half weeks ago the Canadian bishops called for more transparency, but I don’t think our government heard them:

Referring to the Manley Report, Archbishop Weisgerber stated that the Canadian government needs to show greater transparency on the Afghanistan conflict. “More complete and reliable information from the government will help Canadian citizens better understand the objective, the questions and the conditions involved in the Afghanistan conflict, and also how to evaluate the engagement there of Canadian armed forces and humanitarian agencies,” the CCCB President stated. “This information is essential if all Canadians are to be involved in making decisions that can lead to real and lasting peace in that country.”

Let us hope that in the weeks and months ahead more clarity is given to this issue, as our troops are there for the next four years.

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On Nov. 21st front page headlines across Quebec reacted to an open letter of apology by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of the Catholic Church in Canada. The Cardinal wrote the letter after soul searching reflection which resulted from a presentation he made to the Bouchard-Taylor Commission and the support and criticism that followed. (The Bouchard-Taylor commission is a public enquiry criss-crossing Quebec to get the public’s ideas and concerns on “reasonable accommodations” by Quebec society for religious and ethnic minorities.)

Since the advent of what is called, ‘the cultural revolution’ in the 60′s, Quebec society has become secularized and the church has seen itself sidelined and much criticized. Although the vast majority of Quebec’s people are Catholic, there is an ‘anti-church’ and anti-clerical’ undercurrent that flavors Quebec society. From historians, politicians, and institutions, to the ordinary person on the street there is a litany of grievances and accusations that constantly undermine the faith, and foster fear and dis-trust of the church and its endeavors. Personally, I think it was time for the church to face the past head on, and to name and seek forgivenss for its past errors and sins. This is exactly what the Cardinal did, and let us pray that in the ensuing response and dialogue a new and better day for the church will be born. LINK: Full Text of the Cardinal’s Letter

I usually try to promote and relay information on the Canadian Church. Since I have been very busy these last few weeks, I missed a number of important events, especially, the Canadian Bishop’s Conference in our own Diocese, and the naming of two Bishops for the Docese of Halifax, and the Diocese of St. John’s. The New Archbishop of Halifax is a classmate of mine (Tony Mancini), and is a very down to earth and compassionate person. I’ll certainly be praying for him in his new Diocese.

Archbishop Mancini

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CECC / CCCB – Nomination of Coadjutor Bishop for the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith

OTTAWA – On June 1, Pope Benedict XVI made three Episcopal appointments in Canada and accepted two resignations, close on the heels of recent appointments to Ottawa, Edmonton and Saint John, N.B.
Read More:
The Catholic Register – Pope makes flurry of episcopal appointments

Bishop Robert Harris named Bishop of St. John New Brunswick. Since his episcopal ordination in December 2002, he has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Sault Ste-Marie, Ontario. Read More:CECC / CCCB – New Bishop for Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick

On May 1st, 2007, International Workers’ Day, the Social Affairs Committee of the Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops (AQCB)proposes a reflection on finding a balance between the value of our work and the demands of new technologies. Read Article:
AECQ : Life-Work Balance in a Digital Era

Why do we go to church? Bishop Paul-André Durocher has an answer: Read answer
(blog post of Marie-Linda Boghdady at www.adventus.org)

In a recent post I raised the issue of the ‘mining practices’ of Canadian Companies in other Countries, especially the third world, and was informed (shortly after posting) that in the Province of Mindanao in the Philippines (area of our sister parish) that this was becoming a major problem. The CCCB has just issued a letter to our Government on this issue. It states:

His Eminence affirms
We must move towards a vision of Corporate Social Responsibility, which cannot be reduced to corporate voluntarism alone but must be complemented by a social responsibility regulated by the state and national organizations.

It is, as you know, a foundational principle of international law that human rights are in no sense voluntary; the protection of human rights is in no sense optional. The mandatory nature of human rights must continue to be a cornerstone of Canada’s presence in the world, and it must govern the actions of Canadian corporations worldwide, particularly those engaged in resource extraction.

At another place in the text, His Eminence affirms:

We cannot continue with ambivalent policies where what we build with one hand, we destroy immediately with the other. It is time to review market and trade rules and to complement them with values of solidarity, justice, subsidiarity, and shared responsibility in our actions and in the future of humanity.

Read full letter at link below:

CECC / CCCB – Practices by Canadian mining companies in other countries raise concerns