(CCCB — Ottawa)— When Canada’s Catholic bishops meet for their annual Plenary October 14-19, 1999 in Cornwall, Ontario, they will be examining the apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America and how to apply this papal document to the life of the Church in Canada.  Ecclesia in America includes the resolutions of the 1997 synod for America from Latin and North America

The bishops will also look at the role of the bishop in the modern Church, in preparation for the next Synod of Bishops that is  scheduled for the coming year on that theme in Rome.

Other areas of discussion will include diocesan plans for celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, initial preparations for World Youth Day 2002 which Canada’s bishops have offered to host in Toronto, and an update on the year-old operation of the Council for Reconciliation, Communion and Solidarity with Aboriginal Peoples.

The Plenary will also review the mandates of the Episcopal Commissions for Social Communications in view of the rapidly changing world of new technology. Father Pierre Babin, OMI, an expert on the Church and communications, will lead the bishops in this discussion.

With Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal ending his two-year term as President of the CCCB, the Assembly will be electing a new president.   Also, the new papal nuncio to Canada, Archbishop Paolo Romeo, will be addressing the bishops for the first time.

The CCCB is the assembly of all the Catholic bishops in Canada. Through their national association, the cardinals, archbishops and bishops of Canada exercise their collegial responsibility and help coordinate collective action to assist the progress of the Church and Catholic activities in Canada. As of September 1, 1999, 133 bishops, including 70 diocesan bishops, 15 auxiliary bishops and 48 bishops emeriti, were members of the CCCB.   There are 71 dioceses in Canada, including eight from the Eastern rite.

CCCB Backs Worldwide Debt Petition Campaign

Canada’s Catholic bishops voted in the Plenary Assembly to support the worldwide debt petition campaign proposed by the Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee Initiative. The petition states:

“We believe that the start of the new millennium should be a time to give new hope to the impoverished people of the world.
“To make a new beginning we believe it is time to cancel the backlog of unpayable debts of the most impoverished nations.

“We call upon the leaders of lending nations to write off these debts by the year 2000.

“We urge these leaders to take effective steps to prevent high levels of debt building up again. They should promote sustainable economic and social development instead of supporting measures demanded by international financial institutions that erode health care, education and the environment, further impoverishing the poorest populations of the world.”

National Day of Solidarity with the Elderly
The bishops unanimously approved a motion from Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary inviting the Catholic faithful and all Canadians to observe May 20, 1999 as a national day of solidarity with the elderly, as part of the 1999 celebration of the United Nations International Year of the Older Person.

New CCCB Co-Treasurer

Bishop Jacques Berthelet of St-Jean-Longueuil has been elected to the CCCB Executive Committee as Co-Treasurer. He replaces Archbishop Henri Goudreault of Grouard- McLennan who died suddenly this past summer. He will work with the other Co-Treasurer, Bishop Anthony Tonnos of Hamilton.

The two other members of the CCCB Executive Committee are the President, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal, and Vice-President, Bishop Gerald Wiesner of Prince George. The term for the Executive Committee ends next fall at the Plenary Assembly to be held in Cornwall, Ontario, from October 14-19.

Saint Joseph, Principal Patron of Canada

The Bishops voted to have the name of Saint Joseph inserted after the name of Mary in the revised texts of all Canons now approved or to be approved for use in Canada. Saint Joseph is the Principal Patron of Canada.

CCCB Aid to the Church in Eastern Europe

The CCCB contributed $77,000 in aid during the past year to the Church in Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkans. Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal, chairman of the ad hoc committee responsible for aid to Eastern Europe, told the Plenary Assembly that the CCCB plans on contributing $50,000 more in 1999. The CCCB project is entering its seventh year.

Since 1993, the CCCB has supported more than 50 separate projects in Eastern Europe and donated more than a total of $300,000.

Appeal Tribunal of Canada

Archbishop Francis J. Spence of Kingston, in presenting the annual report for the Canadian Appeal Tribunal to the Plenary Assembly, said 3,104 requests for marriage annulments were received in 1997, of which 2,954 were concluded. All requests are forwarded to the Appeal Tribunal by diocesan marriage tribunals for confirmation or rejection.

Once the Tribunal confirms a “Declaration of Marriage Nullity” by a diocesan tribunal, the persons involved are free to contract marriage in the Church unless the Tribunal rules the person is psychologically incapable to marry, at least in the immediate future.

The Appeal Tribunal is considered a pastoral ministry of reconciliation for those who have experienced a marriage breakdown.

Niagara Falls, Ontario (CCCB) — Canada’s bishops, gathered for their annual plenary meeting, today voted to take a more detailed look at what would be required to hold World Youth Days in Canada in 2002. At the same time, discussions will begin with the Pontifical Council of the Laity in Rome. World Youth Days, initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985, are held every two years in different parts of the world.

The event held in Denver in 1993 and last year in Paris each attracted more than a million people from around the world. Such a meeting in Canada could attract up to 1.5 million people to the final mass traditionally celebrated by the Pope. The bishops also decided that if the youth gathering is held in Canada, Toronto would be the best choice to host the event.

The vote follows a year-long feasibility study by an ad hoc committee headed by Most Rev. Anthony Meagher, auxiliary Bishop of Toronto. The next step will take place next month when CCCB President Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal travels to the Vatican where he will meet with officials of the Pontifical Council of the Laity to indicate Canada’s interest in holding the event. At the same time a new committee, representative of Canada’s four pastoral regions, will be set up to examine more closely what is required, and to report back to the CCCB Permanent Council by April 1999. If it is decided to go ahead, it would then be up to the Pontifical Council of the Laity in Rome to award the event to Canada.

The bishops indicated the event must be national in character, and reflective of Canada’s diversity. All dioceses would participate in planning the event, many of them holding their own events for delegates from around the world in the week proceeding the main celebration. Many of the activities would be pastoral and catechetical in nature, designed with and carried out by Canadian Catholic Youth. The City of Toronto, and the Ontario and Federal governments have already indicated strong interest in the project.

Niagara Falls

His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Vatican City

Most Holy Father:

The Bishops of Canada, united in Plenary Assembly at Niagara Falls, Ontario, from October 15 to 20, 1998, convey their respectful greetings and affectionate congratulations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of your election as the successor of Peter. Rendering thanks for the great fruitfulness of your pontificate, they fervently pray that the Lord grant you continued courage and strength in your apostolic ministry as the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 approaches. Ad multos et faustissimos annos!

During the course of their meeting, the members of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will devote a full day to the theme of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America. In preparation for the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, which you will release on the occasion of your visit to Mexico this coming January, the Bishops of Canada hope to render minds and hearts open to the pastoral significance of the Synod and ready for its practical implications for the Church in our country.

Our attention will also be addressed to other questions, including the future of the dioceses of Northern Canada, preparations for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the establishment of a fund to assist in reconciliation, solidarity and communion with aboriginal peoples, and the implementation of the General Directory for Catechesis in support of religious education across Canada.

In a spirit of collegiality, we ask your Apostolic Blessing on our work and for the entire Church in Canada.

+ Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte
Archbishop of Montreal
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Dear brothers in the episcopate, and dear friends:

1.  Introduction

The Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, and particularly Most Reverend John O’Mara, Bishop of St. Catharines, are our hosts for this Plenary Meeting. The Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre and St. Catharines Diocese have done everything possible to help us meet here. The Ontario Knights of Columbus too are generously providing assistance, as have their colleagues in the other pastoral regions at previous Plenaries, including transportation and helping organize Sunday’s recreational day. To all, our profound gratitude.

The first year of my mandate as President of the CCCB has now drawn to a close, filled with many different kinds of activities. I must admit it has all been satisfying to me in more ways than one. Most of all, it has reminded me again of the vitality of our Episcopal Conference and the enthusiasm of its members. Allow me to recall some of the highlights.

2. Activities of the President

On November 7, just a few days before the Synod of Bishops for America, at the invitation of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and in company with representatives of a number of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia and other Episcopal Conferences, I participated in a meeting on the occasion of the release of the Instruction on Certain Questions regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests.

Following this, together with the Vice President, Bishop Gerald Wiesner, OMI, and General Secretary Reverend Émilius Goulet, PSS, was the annual visit to the dicasteries of the Holy See, to help answer and clarify various questions involving the activities of our Episcopal Conference. A detailed written report was sent to you at the beginning of this year.

The Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America was held November 17 to December 12. The Church in Canada was well represented, with 15 Canadians as Synod members and eight others as auditors or experts. A moment of grace for all involved, it certainly warrants our reflecting on it further during our pastoral day of reflection.

At the end of January, with General Secretary Father Goulet, I had the opportunity of living an exceptional historic moment: the visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba, the highlights of which you were able to follow on television. I am convinced it will be remembered in history for opening new horizons not only for the Catholic Church in Cuba but for all Cubans.

After arrangements had been made with the National Museum of Science and Technology and the Canadian government, we were able to make one of the Canadian popemobiles available for those organizing the Cuban visit. I also cannot let pass without mention the warm and friendly welcome from the Canadian ambassador to Cuba, His Excellency Mr. Keith Christie, and his wife, who generously provided hospitality during our stay in Cuba.

The Catholic Church in Cuba is exuberantly alive at the moment, after decades of being kept in the shadows by the communist regime there. I believe it imperative for us to offer support and encouragement so the Church in Cuba can once more be a beacon of light in the lives of the Cuban people. This is why the next inter-American meeting of bishops will be held in Havana this coming February, marking the first anniversary of the visit of the Holy Father. Our two General Secretaries were in Havana during August to help prepare this upcoming meeting, together with the General Secretaries of the American and Cuban Episcopal Conferences as well as CELAM.

The Church in Cuba may well be calling on our generosity over the next few months for help in constructing a seminary. The Holy Father blessed its corner stone during the course of his visit there. Perhaps as a sign of ecclesial solidarity, we might consider establishing a special fund to which the diocesan Churches of Canada could contribute? This is a suggestion for you to consider, and I will be volunteering to help get such a fund under way. The question will certainly be coming up over this next year.

Following the visit to Cuba, I returned to Rome in February to take part in the second meeting of the Post-Synodal Council; the first meeting had taken place immediately after the conclusion of the Synod for America. Along with Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, General Secretary of the Synod for Bishops, the 14 members of the Post-Synodal Council discussed the significance of the Synod for the whole American continent and studied the propositions that had been submitted at its conclusion.

A few months later, June 2 to 4, I attended the third post-synodal meeting. This established the working outline for the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation that the Holy Father will release on January 25, 1999, at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.

On February 21, a few days after the second post-synodal meeting, I had the pleasure of participating in the consistory at which the Holy Father created 20 new cardinals, including our colleague, Most Reverend Aloysius Ambrozic, Archbishop of Toronto. During a wine and
cheese reception at the CCCB offices on April 1, attended by the members of the Permanent Council and Conference staff, I had the opportunity as President of congratulating Cardinal Ambrozic on his elevation to the College of Cardinals. Today, I would like to reiterate my warmest congratulations to him.

Cardinal Ambrozic is now also a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. Because of these new responsibilities, he unfortunately cannot be with us for our Plenary.

A few months ago, at the beginning of August, I attended the annual convention of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus in Cincinnati. In my address on that occasion, I highlighted the remarkable work accomplished by the Knights since their beginnings in 1881, and particularly their contributions to the life of the Church in Canada. Year after year, they have been unfailingly generous toward our Episcopal Conference. In 1997, the Knights provided more than $400,000 for various CCCB projects.

As in past years, we had our annual joint meeting with the Executive Committee of the American Episcopal Conference. Held on September 29 in St. Paul, Minnesota, it provided an opportunity to share and exchange information on the activities of our two Conferences.

3. CCCB representation

Other members as well as CCCB staff have represented our Conference over the past year and assisted in various developments and events both in our own country as well as abroad.

In February, Bishop Raymond Saint-Gelais, who had just completed his term as Chair of the National Committee for Preparations for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, went to Rome to participate in a meeting of the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee, along with representatives of some 115 national committees.

On February 5 to 8, Bishop Raymond Lahey participated in the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on the theme of the Council’s activities from 1995 to 1997 and their significance for the Great Jubilee.

Ms. Jennifer Leddy, Co-Director of the Catholic Organization for Life and Family and a corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy Pro Vita, attended the Academy’s Fourth General Assembly, February 18 to 25.

At the end of February, Mr. Gérald Baril, Assistant General Secretary, and Mr. Joe Gunn, Co- Director of the Social Affairs Office, appeared before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs  and  International  Trade, along with representatives  of  the  Canadian  Council  of
Churches. The delegation called on the Canadian government to lead political leaders from around the world in signing a treaty for eliminating nuclear weapons, as had also been the case with the question of anti-personnel mines. The proposal was enthusiastically received by the Standing Committee.

In February also, 24 English Sector dioceses, as well as religious communities, the Pontifical Mission Societies and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, met to discuss the meaning of and preparations for the Great Jubilee in Canada.

Early in March, Ms. Leddy was invited by the Holy See to participate in the 42nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This was by way of follow-up to the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing.

As well in March, at the invitation of the Colombian Episcopal Conference and under the sponsorship of Caritas internationalis, Bishop Raymond Dumais visited Colombia, together with about a dozen other Catholic delegates, including Archbishop Josef Cordes, President of Cor Unum. The delegation visited areas especially affected by conflict where human rights have been outrageously violated.

In April, Mr. Joe Gunn, in his capacity as Chair of the Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA), travelled to Santiago, Chili, for a meeting on various social questions including poverty, indigenous peoples and the environment.

Most Reverend François Lapierre, PMÉ, who several weeks earlier had been named Bishop of St-Hyacinthe, represented the CCCB at the April 29 funeral of Most Reverend Juan Gerardi, Auxiliary Bishop of Guatemala, murdered subsequent to his intervention in defence of human rights.

In May, Ms. Leddy travelled to Dundrum, Ireland, to take part in a consultation of episcopal committees on child sexual abuse.

From June 22 to 28, Bishop Martin Veillette, at the request of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, was part of an observer mission to Guatemala. Its aim was to demonstrate support for and solidarity with Guatemalan civilian and popular organizations that are struggling for peace and democracy.

In July, Bishop François Thibodeau, CJM, Chairman of the Social Affairs Commission, together with Mr. Gunn, as Co-Director of the Social Affairs Office, represented the Conference at the Pastoral World Congress on Human Rights in Rome. A detailed report was sent to you some weeks ago.

From August 4 to 6, at the invitation of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Chairman of the Commission for Ecumenism, Bishop Brendan O’Brien, participated in a colloquium on ecumenism held in Mexico. The colloquium brought together all the bishops from throughout the American continent who are responsible for ecumenism in their respective Episcopal Conferences.

In early October, General Secretary Msgr. Peter Schonenbach travelled to East Timor as part of an ecumenical delegation organized by the Canada-Asia Working Group. Given the many injustices committed against Christians on this Indonesian island, it was felt opportune to demonstrate support for Most Reverend Carlos Filipe Belo, Bishop of the Diocese of Dili.

Even while we are meeting, Bishop Nicola De Angelis, CFIC, is in Rome where he is representing the CCCB at the Fourth World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees. This was organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and involves some 250 representatives from most of the Episcopal Conferences throughout the world.

Finally, I especially wish to note that Most Reverend Adam Exner, OMI, Archbishop of Vancouver, was a member of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Asia, held in Rome April 19 to May 14. Also, I am happy to say that Most Reverend John Knight, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, has been named a member of the Special Assembly of Bishops for Oceania, which will meet in Rome, November 22 to December 12.

4. Highlights of the Executive and Permanent Council

The Executive and Permanent Council have also been busy. I would like to note a few items of business, which you are regularly informed about through the minutes of their meetings.

Not including several special meetings held in Rome during the Synod for America, the Executive Committee met together four times, in addition to which there was a conference call meeting. The Permanent Council met three times over the past year; the meeting that had been scheduled for last November was cancelled because of the Synod. The Programs and Priorities Committee met twice, with the National as well as Sectoral Commissions completing their various projects that had been planned for the past year.

Also over the past year, the Conference has established the Council and the Fund for Reconciliation, Solidarity and Communion with Aboriginal Peoples. Thanks to the generosity of Canadian dioceses, as well as the Knights of Columbus, religious communities, and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the Fund now has sufficient resources to begin its work. There will be opportunity to discuss this new undertaking later during this Plenary Meeting.

The Holy Father recently announced the suppression of the Diocese of Gravelbourg and the Territorial Abbacy of St. Peter, Muenster, which are now part of the Dioceses of Regina and Saskatoon. Following a series of consultations, this reorganization was necessary because of various constraints and demographic changes over the last decades. The proposed changes had been proposed by the Bishops of Saskatchewan, revised by the Western Catholic Conference, and then approved by the Permanent Council at its meeting of April 1-2.

Over the past year our Conference has also been studying various questions associated with the Dioceses of the North. The ad hoc committee, under the chairmanship of Bishop Gilles Cazabon, OMI, has completed its study and will be submitting its recommendations before you during this Plenary.

5. Developments involving CCCB staff and offices

Last December, General Secretary Father Douglas Crosby, OMI, left office after only one and a half years, following his appointment on November 4 to the Diocese of Labrador City- Schefferville. On January 2, we had the pleasure of assisting at his episcopal ordination in St. Joseph’s Church, Ottawa. We thank him for his competency and efficiency as General Secretary of our Conference.

To replace a man of Bishop Crosby’s calibre it was necessary to find someone equally competent; since March 2, we have been able to count on the invaluable services of Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, PH. On behalf of all the members of the Conference, I offer him our best wishes for every success in his new duties and the assurance of our full support. I also wish to express my gratitude to Archbishop Marcel Gervais for allowing us to benefit from the excellent skills of one of his priests.

Since April, the Publications Service has a new director, Ms. Johanne Gnassi, who has been with the CCCB for a little over eight years as administration coordinator in publications and copyrights manager.

Ms. Gnassi replaces Mme Claire Dubé, who was awarded the Papal Medal Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice at our Plenary Meeting last year. Claire died in January following the ravages of cancer. May the Lord render under to her a hundredfold what she generously contributed to the Conference over her 31 years of service.

Following the Bidd Report, our accounting and publishing offices have been reorganized, which has also meant some former employees departing and new co-workers arriving.

Since June, our Conference has been benefiting from electronic equipment installed free of charge by Telecom Italia, linking us directly with the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee and other Episcopal Conferences. Essentially, it is similar to the Internet but has the added advantages of being secure as well as dedicated to an exchange of information between Rome and the Episcopal Conferences as the third millennium approaches.

6. Called home by God

The first page of your Plenary documentation lists various episcopal appointments, deaths and anniversaries.

Those of our colleagues whom the Father has called home over the past year are:

Most Reverend J. Fergus O’Grady, OMI, deceased March 3
Most Reverend Louis Lévesque, deceased March 12
Most Reverend Neil E. Willard, deceased March 25
Most Reverend Henri Goudreault, OMI, deceased July 23
Most Reverend Bernard F. Pappin, deceased August 27

On this occasion, I want to say a few words about Archbishop Goudreault. We all tremendously miss his fraternal presence and dynamic energy. During the 11 years he was bishop, he devoted himself body and soul not only to the Conference, but to the two diocesan Churches that had been entrusted to him — Labrador City-Schefferville and Grouard- McLennan — as well as to the Universal Church. Along with other Canadian bishops, and General Secretary Father Goulet, I attended the funeral in McLennan, so marked by sadness and simplicity, and then the burial at the final resting place in the Girouxville cemetery. In memory of our brother and friend Henri, I wish once more to render him homage for his exemplary dedication. May the Lord grant him the eternal rest he so much deserves, and may Henri’s hopefulness and energy be with us throughout this Plenary Meeting.

7. Conclusion

These then, in summary, are the major highlights of the first year of my mandate. All this would not have been possible without the collaboration of many people, and I am most grateful to my colleagues on the Executive and Permanent Council for their confidence and support. To all of you, thank you for coming to this Plenary Meeting. May its deliberations be joyful and satisfying.

+  Jean-Claude Turcotte
Archbishop of Montreal
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Ottawa (CCCB) — In the spirit of the Synod for America’s positive discussions, Canada’s Catholic bishops will reflect on the challenges facing the Church as it enters the new millennium when they meet for their annual Plenary assembly in Niagara Falls, October 15-20.

Three of the fifteen CCCB delegates who attended the Synod almost a year ago in Rome will lead discussions at the Plenary on this extraordinary event that brought together bishops and other delegates from North America, Latin America and the Carribean to discuss how they can better collaborate in the Church’s mission of evangelization.

The theme of the CCCB Plenary discussions will be: As the Church in Canada Moves into the Year 2000, How Is It Challenged by the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America? Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte of Montreal, Bishop Gerald Wiesner, OMI, of Prince George, and Bishop Jacques Berthelet, CSV, of Saint Jean-Longueuil, will lead the discussions that will be held on the second day of the Plenary, October 16.

Close to 100 bishops and 30 observers are expected to attended the six-day meeting that will also look at other issues including the possibility of offering to host a World Youth Day in Canada, the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the newly formed Council for Reconciliation, Communion and Solidarity with Aboriginal Peoples, and other pastoral concerns.

The Niagara Falls meeting will mark the first time the Plenary assembly of the Canadian bishops has met in Ontario in a place other than Ottawa. It is also the fourth year of holding this annual event in one of the four pastoral regions across Canada: Edmonton in 1995 (West), Halifax in 1996 (Atlantic), Cap-de-la- Madeleine (Quebec) in 1997. CCCB meetings are generally held in Ottawa.

The CCCB is the assembly of all the Catholic bishops in Canada. Through this national association, the cardinals, archbishops and Bishops of Canada exercise their collegial responsibility through collective action to assure the progress of the Church and the coordination of Catholic activities in Canada. As of September 1, 1998, 134 bishops, including 69 diocesan bishops, 20 auxiliary bishops and 45 bishops emeritus, were members of the CCCB.

Cap-de-la-Madeleine (CCCB) – Canada’s bishops have decided to form a special committee to examine the possibility of Canada hosting World Youth Day celebrations in either the year 2002 or 2004. Both Montreal and Toronto have been mentioned as potential sites.

The Bishops, at their annual Plenary Assembly in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, decided to form the committee after hearing of the meaningful experiences of the 2400 young Canadians who went to World Youth Day celebrations in Paris this summer. Without making any formal commitment, the Bishops decided that a committee should look at the financial and technical feasibility of holding such a celebration before proceeding. It would be either the first or second one following World Youth Day celebrations in Rome in the year 2000. While the French experience this summer was viewed very positively, the financial deficit incurred in Paris was considerable. The final decision on holding World Youth Day festivities is made by the Holy Father in consultation with the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

The Plenary Assembly of Bishops also voted to maintain its program of financial aid to Balkan, Eastern and Central European Churches for the next three years. The CCCB has given more than $300,000 over the past five years through a special pastoral fund to help the Churches in the post-communist countries of Europe. So far 47 projects have been funded by the Canadian Bishops.

The CCCB has also approved a name change for two of its Episcopal Commissions to better take into account the reality of the modern world. The Commission for Missions now becomes the Episcopal Commission for Evangelization of Peoples while the Commission for Relations with Associations of Priests, Religious and Laity becomes the Episcopal Commission for Relations with Associations of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Laity. The latter change was made to take into account permanent deacons, secular institutes and societies for apostolic life.

The Bishops also examined in detail the mandate of the Episcopal Commission for Ecumenism in their continuing practise of reviewing the work of a national commission each year. The Commission for Ecumenism played an important role in the CCCB becoming a full member in the Canadian Council of Churches this past June.

Cap-de-la-Madeleine (CCCB) – The Canadian shops spent the third day of their annual Plenary Assembly discussing the presentations they will make at the Synod for America being held in Rome November 16 to December 12, 1997. The theme of the Synod is “Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ: Way to Conversion, Communion and Solidarity.”

The 15 CCCB delegates and two alternate delegates could make as many as 15 separate interventions at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America. The topics include: the family; the global economy; defending and promoting the ethic of life; stewardship of the earth; women and the Church; the native peoples of Canada and their spirituality; the phenomenon of new religious movements; the media; the Gospel and the cultures of the Americas; missionary links between the Catholic Church in Canada and the Church in Latin America; solidarity; ministries and the community; the ministry of priests and the shortage of vocations to the priesthood; and the shift to a post-immigrant Catholicism. Depending on the interventions of other episcopal conferences at the Synod from North, Central and South America, the Canadian delegates could modify or even present new interventions.

The Canadian Delegation is made up of: Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte of Montreal; Archbishop Michael Bzdel, Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholics of Canada; Archbishop Andre Gaumond of Sherbrooke; Bishop Anthony Tonnos of Hamilton; Archbishop Henri Goudreault, OMI, of Grouard-McLennan; Archbishop Marcel Gervais of Ottawa; Archbishop Maurice Couture of Quebec; Bishop Gerald Wiesner, OMI, of Prince George; Archbishop Roger Ebacher of Gatineau-Hull; Bishop Raymond Lahey of St. George’s; Bishop James Wingle of Yarmouth; Archbishop Francis J. Spence of Kingston; Bishop Jacques Berthelet of St. Jean-Longueuil; Archbishop Peter Sutton of Keewatin-LePas; and Rev. Emilius Goulet,p.s.s., CCCB General-Secretary. Bishop Gilles Cazabon, OMI, of Timmins and Bishop James Weisgerber of Saskatoon are alternate delegates.

Resource persons selected to assist the Canadian delegates are: Rev. Pierre Gaudette, professor of moral theology at Laval University in Québec City; Rev. Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., former Provincial Superior of St. Mary’s Province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and visiting theology professor at Newman College in Edmonton; and Dr. Sylvia Santin, a family life and education advisor and former General Secretary of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops.

(Cap-de-la-Madeleine – CCCB) In 1967, the Canadian Bishops, inspired by the Second Vatican Council, created the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. Thirty years later, it has become a sign of the solidarity that Canadians share with the poorest nations of the world.

The Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered for their annual Plenary Assembly in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, today published a pastoral message to celebrate this anniversary. The Bishops, in their letter, reaffirm the need for such an outreach and re-emphasize the necessity to continue working towards the establishment of justice and peace throughout the world. They do so by asking a question raised on the 20th anniversary of Development and Peace in 1987: “Do we have as a common goal the promotion of a temporal order which conforms to the divine plan of justice and peace?”

Faithful to this vision, Development and Peace for 30 years has helped Canadians be more aware of the needs of the world’s poorest nations and the implications involved in our own lifestyle choices. It has gathered considerable funds – more than $300 million has been generously donated – and sustained more than 10,000 projects in 70 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia. These projects have included housing and education, the improvement of working conditions, promotion of women’s rights, and the establishment of cooperatives.

On this anniversary, the CCCB thanked all those who joined their efforts and prayers to ensure that Development and Peace could fulfill its challenging mandate. The Bishops also note that with the reduction in government aid and the increasing growth of poverty in the world, Development and Peaceis obliged to redouble its efforts to carry out its mission. “When we listen to the Gospel message of justice and love, we find it impossible to remain impassive to the sufferings of those who are marginalised, oppressed and exploited in our world. Development and Peace is a unique way for Catholics to live out this essential aspect of their faith and so follow Christ,” the Bishops indicate in the letter. “The years in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 invite us to make a special effort to work along with Development and Peace. According to the biblical tradition, a jubilee year is a time for a fairer redistribution of worldly goods, sharing and mutual support.” The Bishops, recognizing that many Canadians themselves are being affected by difficult economic circumstances, wish to underline that “it remains our responsibility to help those facing situations much more difficult than our own. As the Gospel reminds us, we are invited to give not only of our abundance but out of what we even need to live.”

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace offers the means for people to become involved in the Church’s ministry of justice and love. It is only through individual support that this official institution of the Catholic Church in Canada is able to carry out the mission entrusted to it since 1967 and enter the new millennium as a witness of Catholic compassion, solidarity and commitment.