The Office national de liturgie of the French Sector of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has published the Summer 2017 edition of its electronic liturgical publication Vivre et célébrer. The new issue focuses on the restructuring of parishes, celebrations of the liturgy, and the "missionary shift" involved in becoming a Church of outreach. Vivre et célébrer is a resource for reflection and formation in liturgical and sacramental life. Its target readership are those working in the area of liturgy as well as others simply wanting to deepen their faith through a better understanding of the liturgy. To obtain a subscription, requests should be sent by email to the Office national de liturgie  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or by phoning (613) 241-9461, ext. 137. Subscriptions are free.

Link to the summer edition (in French only)

The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops has announced a new website in preparation for the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops which will take place during October 2018 on the theme "Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment". The site is designed to promote the broad, interactive participation of young people around the world in preparation for the Synod, and includes an online questionnaire to which they are invited to respond and submit to the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops by 30 November 2017. The website can be accessed in a number of languages and includes video archives and documents for the preparation of the Synod.

Link to website for the Synod

On 13 June 2017, the Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, the Holy See released the Message of the Holy Father for the First World Day of the Poor which will be observed on 19 November 2017. In the conclusion of his Message, on the theme Let us love, not with words but with deeds, the Holy Father expresses the hope this new World Day "become a powerful appeal to our consciences as believers, allowing us to grow in the conviction that sharing with the poor enables us to understand the deepest truth of the Gospel. The poor are not a problem: they are a resource from which to draw as we strive to accept and practise in our lives the essence of the Gospel." Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor following the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in November 2016, which he invited the Church to observe each year on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. To mark the First World Day of the Poor this year, Pope Francis will preside at a Eucharistic celebration in Saint Peter's Basilica, followed by a meal in the Paul VI Hall with more than 500 people in need. In Canada, each diocese and eparchy decides how to mark the day.

Link to Pope Francis' Message

On 13 June 2017, the Holy Father appointed 50 members to the Pontifical Academy for Life, including the Most Reverend Noël Simard, Bishop of Valleyfield, and Dr. William F. Sullivan, family physician and an ethicist on the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toronto. Those appointed to the Academy are experts in different fields of biomedical sciences and related disciplines. Forty-five of the appointees, including the two Canadians, were named to the Academy as "Ordinary Members", the remaining five as Honorary Members. The 50 appointees are from 27 countries and include a number of non-Catholics, some not belonging to any religion and some of whom hold no religious belief. This range of members is intended, the Academy has announced on its website, as "a sign that the protection and promotion of human life knows no divisions and can be assured only through common endeavor."

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has prepared a short version of the prayer of consecration to Mary for personal use. The prayer card is among the resources the CCCB has prepared for the consecration of Canada to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary during celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Confederation. As announced this past 28 April, each Bishop is invited to consecrate his individual diocese or eparchy on 1 July 2017 or at another date thereabouts that might better suit the local pastoral situation. Similarly, a Bishop may choose to invite pastors to consecrate their specific parish or mission as part of the celebrations marking the anniversary of Confederation. The prayer card has a full-colour reproduction of the painting "Notre-Dame du Canada" by the late Quebec artist Marius Dubois. On the back is printed the personal prayer of consecration in English and French. The prayer card can be purchased in packs of 50 by placing an order through CCCB Publications by phone (1-800-769-1147), by fax (613-241-5090), by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or online http://cccbpublications.ca/.

Link to the description of the prayer card and to order copies 
Link to the resources for the consecration

Toronto, ON –The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) presented its inaugural Dr. Victor Goldbloom Award for Outstanding Interfaith Leadership on 6 June 2017 to The Most Rev. John A. Boissonneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto. As one of its four Vicars General, Bishop Boissonneau serves the Western Region of the Archdiocese while also working in various capacities to advance interfaith dialogue and cooperation, including as Co-Chair of the ongoing national dialogue between the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and CIJA's Canadian Rabbinic Caucus.

The Diocese of Whitehorse is celebrating its 50th anniversary, 9 to 11 June 2017. The three days of festivities include a Eucharistic celebration at Vanier Catholic Secondary School, a conference, a picnic and activities at Christ the King Elementary School, as well as a video presentation on the history of the Diocese. The Most Reverend Héctor Felipe Vila, Bishop of Whitehorse, will preside at the concluding Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral on the Sunday followed by a social gathering. The Diocese of Whitehorse has 22 parishes and missions, with a Catholic population of 8,150, served by seven diocesan priests, another priest as well as two Sisters who also are members of institutes of consecrated life, and six lay pastoral assistants.

Link to the website of the diocese

(CCCB – Ottawa)... The Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has joined other Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Bahá'í faith leaders in Canada in launching a national appeal to help address the famines in South Sudan and the extreme food shortages in Yemen, northeast Nigeria and Somalia. Each of the participating faith communities is mobilizing in response to "one of the world's largest humanitarian crises since the Second World War: the grim reality of multiple famines occurring simultaneously in four separate countries."

On 4 June 2017, the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Holy See released the Message of the Holy Father for the 91th World Mission Sunday which will be celebrated on 22 October 2017. In his Message, on the theme Mission at the heart of the Christian faith, the Holy Father writes: "it is important to ask ourselves certain questions about our Christian identity and our responsibility as believers in a world marked by confusion, disappointment and frustration, and torn by numerous fratricidal wars that unjustly target the innocent. What is the basis of our mission? What is the heart of our mission? What are the essential approaches we need to take in carrying out our mission?"

Link to Pope Francis' Message

To mark the month of Ramadan and its conclusion (Id al-Fitr), the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has issued a message entitled Christians and Muslims: Caring for our Common Home. The message is intended to be shared with Muslims or those working in interfaith conversations. The celebration of Ramadan started this year in Canada on 27 May and will continue for 30 days until it concludes with the celebration of Id al-Fitr on 25 June 2017.

Link to the message

CCCB Publications has announced that the English and French editions of the ORDO - Liturgical Calendar 2017-2018 are now available for ordering. The yearly ORDO provides complete liturgical information and explanatory notes for each day. The 2017-2018 Liturgical Year begins the First Sunday of Advent (3 December 2017) and ends 1 December 2018, the Saturday following the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Solemnity of Christ the King). In addition to Pastoral Notes which assist and give direction for planning a variety of liturgical celebrations and occasions, the ORDO includes the references to the Roman Missal; the Lectionary (for Sundays and Solemnities; Weekdays; Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, Votive Masses, Masses for the Dead); the Liturgy of the Hours; and the Book of Gospels. Information is also provided about the National Collections, the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of Canada, and special dates for pastoral planning in 2018, together with a Table of Moveable Dates.

Link to order copies

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 June 2017 include suggestions from Pentecost Sunday, 4 June, to the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 25 June, incorporating also the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 11 June, as well as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), 18 June. 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 June are available on the special Life and Family webpage, under the section "Documents and activities proposed by the CCCB".