Ottawa – The Most Reverend John M. Sherlock, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of London, died on 12 August 2019.

Bishop Sherlock was born on 20 January 1926 in Regina, Saskatchewan. He entered St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto in 1946 to begin his theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood on 3 June 1950 for the Diocese of Hamilton by the Most Reverend R.H. Dignan, Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie. Following his ordination, he continued his studies and received a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Catholic University of America in 1952. He later received a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of Windsor (1985), a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) from Huron College, London, Ontario (1986), and became a Fellow (honoris causa) of the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto (1994).

Ottawa - The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation has released in English a new agreed statement entitled The Vocation and Mission of the People of God: "A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation". The document, which will later be available also in French and Greek, was finalized at the most recent meeting of the Consultation which took place in late May of this year at the Saint Methodios Faith and Heritage Center in Contoocook, New Hampshire. The Consultation is co-chaired by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, Catholic Archbishop of Newark, and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Methodios of Boston.

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 August 2019 include suggestions from the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 4 August to the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, 25 August. 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 August are available on the special Life and Family webpage, under the section "Documents and activities proposed by the CCCB".

Ottawa – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) designated Ms.Kathleen-Rosebelle Diaz of Montréal, Québec, and Mr. Joseph San José of Burnaby, British Columbia, as Canada’s delegates to the recent International Youth Forum held in Rome from 19 to 22 June 2019. Ms. Diaz and Mr. San José were among the nearly 250 participants gathered as part of the follow-up and implementation phase of the ideas generated during the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment held in October 2018, as well as the recent World Youth Day in Panama held in January 2019.

Ottawa - His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Paul Lortie as Bishop of the Diocese of Mont-Laurier, and appointed the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Gatineau, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mont-Laurier. Bishop Lortie has been the Bishop of the Diocese of Mont-Laurier for the past seven years. He submitted his resignation to the Holy Father upon reaching the age of 75, as required by the Code of Canon Law.

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 July 2019 include suggestions from the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 7 July to the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 28 July. 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 July are available on the special Life and Family webpage, under the section "Documents and activities proposed by the CCCB".

The Most Reverend Louis Corriveau will be installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Joliette at the Cathedral of Joliette, on 28 June 2019 at 7:30 p.m. with the participation of the Most Reverend Luigi Bonazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec and Primate of Canada, and the Most Reverend Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montréal. A number of other Archbishops and Bishops from across Canada will also be present. When appointed Bishop of Joliette by the Holy Father on 20 May 2019, Bishop Corriveau was the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Québec. The Most Reverend Raymond Poisson served first as Bishop and then as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Joliette for the past four years.

Ottawa - Today, His Holiness Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Dorylas Moreau, Bishop of the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda, for health reasons, and appointed the Most Reverend Gilles Lemay, Bishop of the Diocese of Amos, as the Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda.

Bishop Moreau is originally from Kamouraska, Québec. He was ordained to the priesthood on 20 May 1972 for the Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière. On 30 November 2001, he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Rouyn-Noranda and ordained Bishop on 2 March 2002, where he served for 17 years.

On 13 June 2019, the Most Reverend Ken Nowakowski, Ukrainian Eparchial Bishop of New Westminster, was named Head of the Patriarchal Curia Pastoral Council for a three-year appointment by His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The Most Reverend Gérard Dionne, Bishop Emeritus of Edmundston, will celebrate his 100th birthday on 19 June 2019. Born in Saint-Basile, New Brunswick, Bishop Dionne was ordained a priest 1 May 1948 following the completion of his theological formation at the Grand Séminaire Saint-Coeur de Marie in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He later pursued further studies in Canon Law at the Angelicum in Rome from which he obtained a Doctorate. Before being appointed Bishop, he served as vicar, and later pastor in the parish of Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Among other pastoral functions, he also served as Chaplain for the Maison provinciale des SS. Maristes et des Servantes du Très-Saint-Sacrement (Edmundston) and the Scolasticat des Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph, in Saint-Basile.

CCCB Publications has announced that the English and French editions of the ORDO - Liturgical Calendar 2019-2020 are now available for ordering. The yearly ORDO provides complete liturgical information and explanatory notes for each day. The 2019-2020 Liturgical Year begins the First Sunday of Advent (1 December 2019) and ends 28 November 2020, the Saturday following the 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); the Liturgy of the Hours; references to the Book of Gospels; and the Lectionary: Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, Votive Masses, Masses for the Dead. The 2019-2020 ORDO also includes references to Excerpts from the Roman Missal. Information is provided about the National Collections, the Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of Canada, and special dates for pastoral planning in 2020, 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 2019 include suggestions from the Ascension of the Lord, 2 June to the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 30 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".