For the month of March 2019, Pope Francis invites us all to join him in prayer with an intention that places focus on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide: "That Christian communities, especially those who are persecuted, feel that they are close to Christ and have their rights respected." The Holy Father also released a short video to accompany his intention. The Bishops of Canada, through the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), recognize the untenable situation of the world's persecuted Christian people as a priority issue. In communion with Pope Francis, the CCCB will continue to draw attention to the critical need for Christian communities to be able to practice freely their faith without fear or oppression.

Link to the video message from the Pope

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 March 2019 include suggestions from the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 3 March to the 4th Sunday of Lent, 31 March. 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".

The 2019 Message of Pope Francis for Lent is titled "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God" (Rom 8:19). In his message, the Holy Father invites the entire Church to experience a journey of conversion. "All creation is called, with us, to go forth 'from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God' (Rom 8:21). Lent is a sacramental sign of this conversion. It invites Christians to embody the paschal mystery more deeply and concretely in their personal, family and social lives, above all by fasting, prayer and almsgiving."

Link to the Message

In view of the meeting on the protection of minors that will take place in Rome, 21-24 February 2019, a special website was developed to provide comprehensive information for the participants and the general public: www.pbc2019.org (please note the website is available in English and Italian only). The website includes information such as the daily program, presentations, participants, official documents, Church law and a detailed timeline of international activities.

For members of the media, a Digital Press Kit is accessible in English and French through the following links:

English: https://www.pbc2019.org/fileadmin/user_upload/press/Digital_Press_Kit_-_ENGLISH_02.pdf (updated 21 February)
French:  https://www.pbc2019.org/fileadmin/user_upload/press/Dossier_de_Presse_numerique-_FRANCAIS__02.pdf (mis à jour le 21 février)

Furthermore, a live-stream press conference will be held daily at 13:30 (local time in Rome) through Vatican Media's English and French YouTube channels:

English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9yjJHRLV7E 
French: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rblfzJkTQs4 

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will be represented at the meeting by the Most Reverend Lionel Gendron, P.S.S., Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil and President of the CCCB.

The episcopal ordination of the Most Reverend Guy Desrochers, C.Ss.R., as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall will take place on Friday, 22 February 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in St. Finnan's Cathedral in Alexandria, Ontario. The Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall and Archbishop of Ottawa will preside as the principal ordaining Bishop. The Most Reverend Gerard Pettipas, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan, and His Eminence Gérald Cyprien Cardinal Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec and Primate of Canada, will be the co-consecrators. The Most Reverend Luigi Bonazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, will be present along with other Bishops from Canada. At the time of his appointment on 11 December 2018, Bishop-elect Desrochers was serving as Director of Vocations for the Redemptorists and involved in preaching retreats.

Link to the diocesan website

The Holy See has announced the decision by Pope Francis to insert the celebration of Saint Paul VI, Pope, into the General Roman Calendar. The decision by the Holy Father to make this an annual optional memorial was announced on 6 February 2019. As indicated in the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. N. 29/19) dated 25 January 2019, the optional memorial is observed annually on 29 May, the anniversary date of his priestly ordination in 1920, given that 6 August, the day of his birth to eternal life, is the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Decree in Latin
Decree in English
Commentary by His Eminence Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Relevant liturgical texts in Latin

The 27th World Day of the Sick will be celebrated, as it is every year, on 11 February, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Holy See has released the Holy Father's Message which is entitled "You received without payment; give without payment." (Mt 10:8). In his Message, Pope Francis writes "Life is a gift from God. Saint Paul asks: "What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Cor 4:7). Precisely because it is a gift, human life cannot be reduced to a personal possession or private property, especially in the light of medical and biotechnological advances that could tempt us to manipulate the "tree of life" (cf. Gen 3:24)."

Message of the Holy Father

Link to a text on the World Day of the Sick by Dr. Moira McQueen of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute

Ottawa – The Most Reverend Jacques Berthelet, C.S.V., Bishop Emeritus of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, died on 25 January 2019 at the age of 84. After 24 years serving the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, first as Auxiliary Bishop (1986-1996) then as Bishop (1996-2010), he had submitted his resignation to the Holy Father upon reaching the age of 75, as required by the Code of Canon Law, and which was accepted on 28 October 2010.

Bishop Berthelet was born on 24 October 1934 in Montréal, Québec. He entered the Clerics of St. Viator in 1957 in Montréal. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Montréal in 1957, followed by a Bachelor of Theology from the Scolasticat Saint-Charles de Joliette at the University of Montréal in 1962. Bishop Berthelet was ordained to the priesthood on 16 June 1962 by the Most Reverend Léo Blais in Montréal, Québec. He subsequently completed two additional academic degrees obtaining a Bachelor of Education in Pedagogical Studies from the University of Montréal in 1963 and a Licenciate in Theology from the University of Fribourg in Fribourg, Switzerland in 1964.

The Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue (ARC) has released a new resource entitled New Stories to Tell: Living Ecumenism Today. The resource is testimonial in nature, offering examples from across Canada where Anglican and Catholics have come together in cooperation and dialogue. A total of 17 testimonials address a wide variety of common issues. Four of the testimonials have been translated into French as they come from Francophone communities in Canada. The resource is well suited for parish settings, and especially for joint study and reflection groups of Anglican and Roman Catholic faithful. The dialogue is sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). Resources published by ARC are available on the following website: https://churchesindialogue.ca .

New Stories to Tell: Living Ecumenism Today

2019 National Conference for Evangelization and Catechesis (updates)

The 2019 National Conference for Evangelization and Catechesis scheduled for April 4-6, 2019 is now full. We would be happy to put your name on a wait list (on a first come first served basis) should you wish to do. Once a spot becomes available we will contact you. If this interests you please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call- 1-613-241-9461 ext. 113.

Thank you for your understanding!

Marg Shea-Lawrence
Director
Office for Evangelization and Catechesis

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 February 2019 include suggestions from the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 3 February to the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 24 February. 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".

On 24 January 2019, the liturgical memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers and journalists, the Holy See released the Holy Father's Message for the 53rd World Communications Day. The message is entitled "We are members of one another (Eph 4:25): From social network communities to the human community".

In his Message, Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of the word community: "A community is that much stronger if it is cohesive and supportive, if it is animated by feelings of trust, and pursues common objectives. The community as a network of solidarity requires mutual listening and dialogue, based on the responsible use of language."

In Canada, World Communications Day will be celebrated during 2 June 2019, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Link to Message