On 12 December, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church in Canada celebrates the National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples. This project, with the approval of the Bishops of Canada, has been coordinated since 2002 by the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council (formerly the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council). This year, the reflection by the Council draws on theme of the United Nations 2019 year of Indigenous Languages. "We all like to be spoken to in our mother tongue. So too in the faith, we like to be spoken to in our "mother culture", our native language (cf. 2 Maccabees 7:21,27), and as a result our hearts become better disposed to hear the Word of God."

2019 Message of the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council

On 24 November 2019, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life issued a press release announcing that Mr. Joseph San José (from the Archdiocese of Vancouver and a member of Christian Catholic Outreach) was appointed to a three-year term as a member of the newly established International Youth Advisory Board. The creation of this entity was in response to one of the recommendations contained in the Final Document of the 2018 Synod on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment (cf. no. 123) to reinforce the work being done by the Youth Office of the Dicastery. He is listed as one of 20 members from different regions of the world who will be involved in a consultative and proposal-making role, in addition to providing assistance to the Dicastery with issues related to youth ministry and topics of general interest.

Mr. San José and Ms. Kathleen-Rosebelle Diaz (from the Archdiocese of Montreal) were the CCCB delegates to the June 2019 International Youth Forum in Rome and hosted by the Dicastery.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) continues to post possible homily ideas and prayers of the faithful to help link the Sunday liturgy with the national pastoral initiative for life and family. The proposed texts for the month of December 2019 include suggestions from the 1st Sunday in Advent, 1 December, to the Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God, 1 January 2020. As usual, the suggestions for homilies and prayers can be easily adapted for family prayer, as well as for personal prayer or for use with other groups or organizations. The texts for the month of December are available on the special Life and Family webpage, under the section "Documents and activities proposed by the CCCB".

Ottawa – Today, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Father Martin Laliberté, P.M.É., Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Québec. At the time of his appointment, the Bishop-elect was serving as Superior General of the Société des Missions-Étrangères (SMÉ) for the province of Québec.

Bishop-elect Laliberté was born in Charlesbourg, Québec on 13 December 1964. He obtained a Bachelor of Theology and a diploma in Education from the Université Laval in 1987. He worked as lay missionary for two years in Haiti prior to joining the Société des Missions-Étrangères du Québec (Québec Foreign Mission Society) in 1990 as a youth missionary animator for the province of Québec. He then pursued additional studies and obtained a Master's degree is Missiology from the University of Saint Paul. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 October 1995 and, from 1996 until 2004, his pastoral ministry focused on missionary work in the Amazon region of Brazil. Upon his return to Canada in 2004, he served as Director for the Centre international de formation missionnaire (CIFM) of the Société des Missions Étrangères. In 2008, he became a member of the Central Council of the SMÉ as Vicar General. He was first elected Superior General in 2013 and was reelected for a second mandate in 2018.

In light of questions recently raised regarding the efforts of the Catholic Church in Canada to respond to the legacy of clergy sexual abuse, for example by way of the publication of names of the "credibly accused", the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) wishes to provide an account of some of the steps the Bishops of Canada are currently taking on this transformative journey.

Update on the Implementation of the Guidelines on Protecting Minors From Sexual Abuse

CCCB Publications announced that the Canadian edition of the Lectionnaire des funérailles is now available for purchase. Having received the necessary authorization from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Lectionnaire des funérailles contains the 48 biblical readings for funerals provided in the 1981 Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera, and published in the section "Messes des défunts" in the 2016 Lectionnaire des saints et messes rituelles (pp. 1467 to 1545) approved for use in Canada, as well as the 15 other readings found in the earlier 1974 Lectionnaire pour la liturgie des défunts which had formerly been approved for use in Canada, together with the approved French-language versions of 10 additional biblical readings published in the section "Masses for the Dead" of the 2014 English-language Lectionary: Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, Votive Masses, Masses for the Dead (pp. 834-880) also approved for use in Canada.

Information for purchasing the publication is found at , https://esubmitit.sjpg.com/cccb/index.aspx?component=ProductDetails&id=181-524), by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), or by phone (1-800-769-1147).

The Third World Day of the Poor will be observed on Sunday, 17 November 2019, as the Holy See had previously announced this past June when it released the message of the Holy Father. In the message, entitled The hope of the poor shall not perish for ever, Pope Francis states: " 'The option for those who are least, those whom society discards' (Evangelii Gaudium, 195) is a priority that Christ's followers are called to pursue, so as not to impugn the Church's credibility but to give real hope to many of our vulnerable brothers and sisters. Christian charity finds concrete expression in them, for by their compassion and their willingness to share the love of Christ with those in need, they are themselves strengthened and confirm the preaching of the Gospel." Pope Francis established the World Day of Poor following the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in November 2016. In Canada, each diocese and eparchy decides how and when it is most opportune to focus on poverty in view of its local situation.

In October 2019, in anticipation of the World Day of the Poor, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), through the Commission for Justice and Peace, released a statement entitled Poverty in Canada: Ensuring Safe, Secure and Affordable Housing to draw attention to this issue that not only affects people in foreign countries, but also people living within our own borders.

Message of Pope Francis for the 2019 World Day of the Poor

Ottawa - Today, the Congregation for Eastern Churches announced that His Holiness Pope Francis appointed the Most Reverend Bryan Bayda C.Ss.R., as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada while remaining Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy Saskatoon.

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada has 55 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 23,700 served by 62 diocesan priests, three priests and 18 Sisters who are members of institutes of consecrated life, as well as 16 permanent deacons.

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy Saskatoon has 69 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 5,800 served by 19 diocesan priests, seven priests and 15 Sisters who are members of institutes of consecrated life, as well as three permanent deacons.

Ottawa – His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Lionel Gendron, P.S.S., as Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, and today appointed his successor the Most Reverend Claude Hamelin. At the time of his appointment, Bishop Hamelin was Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil. Bishop Gendron has been the Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil for the past nine years. He submitted his resignation to the Holy Father upon reaching the age of 75, as required by the Code of Canon Law.

Today, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), through the Commission for Justice and Peace, and in consultation with Aid to the Church in Need Canada, is releasing a statement entitled In His Name: Statement on the Persecution of Christians in advance of Red Wednesday (20 November 2019), which is a day of solidarity and prayer dedicated to raising awareness about the persecution of Christians throughout the world. The information presented in the statement outlines various types of persecution experienced and the reality of individuals and communities who suffer because of their faith in Christ, most notably in countries where Christians are in the minority. Understanding that all Catholic faithful have a role to help alleviate the suffering of others, this statement offers possible suggestions of spiritual and material support for the millions of men, women and children for whom persecution is a daily reality.

Additional information : Persecuted and Forgotten: A report on Christians opressed for their faith 2017-19 (Aid to the Church in Need Canada)

Today, Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle released a statement entitled "Message of support from Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle on the occasion of the United Nations 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages". A Canadian Catholic coalition of Indigenous people, Bishops, clergy, members of lay movements and of men and women belonging to institutes of consecrated life, Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle seeks to renew and foster relations between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This open Letter to all Canadians affirms the major significance of language in the revitalization of Indigenous cultures and expresses a commitment to finding ways to support this essential aspect of reconciliation. Following the conclusion of the Circle's meeting in Edmonton, Alberta, the statement and a promotional video were previewed by the community at Sacred Heart parish of the First Peoples. To view the video and download the message of support, visit Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle's website at https://ourladyofguadalupecircle.ca/. For more information, contact Tracy Blain at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Ottawa – The Most Reverend Dorylas Moreau, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda, died on 22 October 2019.

Bishop Moreau was born on 15 July 1947 in Kamouraska, Québec and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière on 20 May 1972 following the completion of his theological formation at the Grand séminaire de Québec. He then pursued further studies in liturgy at the Abbaye Saint-André de Bruges in Belgium, as well as the Institut de pastorale des Domincains in Montréal. He later completed a one-year internship in Biblical studies in Jerusalem. Before being appointed Bishop, he served as the Vice Chancellor and Secretary for the Bishop of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, and also served as the head of the Diocesan service for sacramental and liturgical pastoral care and diocesan response for charismatic renewal. He likewise served as pastor for parishes within the diocese over a period of 20 years. On 30 November 2001, he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda and was ordained Bishop at Rouyn-Noranda on 2 March 2002. On 25 June 2019, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Moreau for health reasons.