(CCCB – Ottawa) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today accepted the resignation of Most Rev. James H. MacDonald, CSC, and named Most. Rev.Brendan M. O’Brien as Archbishop of St. John’s, Nfld. He has been Bishop of Pembroke, Ont.

Archbishop O’Brien was born in Ottawa on September 28, 1943, and ordained to the priesthood in 1968. He studied theology at Saint Paul University in Ottawa and received a doctorate in moral theology from Lateran University in Rome in 1974. Before being appointed Bishop of Pembroke in 1993, Archbishop O’Brien had been Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa since 1987.

The new Archbishop has been very active in the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). As Co-Treasurer, he is currently on its Executive Committee and the Permanent Council. He is also a member of the Episcopal Commission for Relations with Associations of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Laity, and has formerly served on the Commissions for Social Affairs, Theology and Ecumenism.

Archbishop James H. MacDonald, CSC, is retiring after nine years as Archbishop of St. John’s, having reached the age of retirement for a bishop as stipulated in Canon 401 of the Code of Canon Law.

The Archdiocese of St. John’s, Nfld., serves a Catholic population of 120,000 in 92 parishes and missions. It has 39 secular priests, 10 religious priests and 260 men and women religious.

Most Rev. Brendan M. O’Brien	Most Rev. James H. MacDonald

(CCCB – Ottawa) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named Rev. John Pazak, CSsR, as Eparch for Slovak Catholics in Toronto. At the time of his appointment, Eparch-elect Pazak was pastor at Saint Joseph’s Parish in the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg.  The Slovak Eparchy in Toronto has been vacant since the retirement of Most. Rev. Michael Rusnak, CSsR, in 1996.

Eparch-elect Pazak was born August 13, 1946, in Gary, Indiana. He has been a member of the Redemptorists since 1965 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1972. He has served in a number of pastoral roles in both Canada and the United States.

The Slovak Eparchy of Toronto is made up of eight parishes with eight priests and serves a population of 10,000 Slovak Catholics. An eparchy is the equivalent of a diocese in the Eastern Churches.

(Ottawa– CCCB) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named Bishop Manuel Batakian as the Apostolic Exarch for Armenian Catholics in Canada and the United States. He succeeds Most Rev. Hovhannes Tertzakian whose resignation was accepted having reached the age of retirement. Bishop Batakian was the Auxiliary to the Armenian Patriarch of Beirut, Lebanon.

Bishop Batakian was born in Athens, Greece, in 1929, ordained to the priesthood in 1954 and ordained bishop in 1995. He studied theology and philosophy in Rome from 1946 to 1954 prior to his ordination as a priest, and was pastor of the Armenian cathedral in Paris from 1984 to 1990. He was named rector of the Pontifical Armenian College in Rome in 1990 and was a judge of the ecclesiastical tribunal of the patriarchal eparchy in Beirut for many years.

An exarchy is a church jurisdiction, similar to a diocese, established for Eastern Catholics living outside their native land and is usually headed by a bishop known as an apostolic exarch. Exarchs are named when population numbers warrant.

The Armenian Catholic population of Canada and the United states is 36,000, including 14 priests, as well as 21 men and women religious located in nine parishes of which two are in Canada.

The exarchy Chancery for Armenian Catholics in Canada and the United States is located in New York City.

(Ottawa – CCCB) Ms. Joanne Chafe has been named the new Director of the National Office for Religious Education (NORE), succeeding Mrs. Bernadette Tournageau who retired last February.

The appointment was made by the CCCB Executive Committee at its regular meeting of November 22-23, 2000.  Ms. Chafe had been serving as Acting Director since Mrs. Tournageau’s retirement.   She will also serve as secretary of the English-Sector Episcopal Commission for Christian Education.

The National Office for Religious Education develops and publishes catechetical orientations and resources, and provides seminars, workshops and in-service at every level of catechetical ministry in Canada.

Ms. Chafe has been working with NORE since 1977, first as an assistant Director and member of the NORE catechetical team, then in 1983 as the project specialist in the adult portfolio. At the invitation of the Holy See, she attended the October 1997 International Congress in Rome for the promulgation of the revised General Directory for Catechesis.

Ms. Chafe is currently President of the International Forum on Adult Religious Education in the Roman Catholic Church.

She holds a master’s degree in education with a specialization in religious education from Boston College, a master’s in theological studies from the Atlantic School of Theology, and at present is a candidate for a doctorate in adult and continuing education at Teacher’s College of Columbia University.

(Ottawa — CCCB) His Holiness Pope John Paul II today named the Most Reverend Stefan Soroka, Auxiliary Bishop of the Ukrainian Archdiocese of Winnipeg, as the Ukrainian Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia in the United States. At the same time, Most Reverend Michael Wiwchar, CSsR, Ukrainian Bishop of Saint Nicholas of Chicago, has been named as the new Ukrainian Bishop of Saskatoon.

Archbishop Soroka succeeds Archbishop Stephen Sulyk, CSsR, of Philadelphia, whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father in accordance with Canon 210 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, having reached the age of retirement. Archbishop Soroka was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1951, ordained to the priesthood in 1982 and named Auxiliary Bishop for the Ukrainians in Winnipeg in 1996.

Bishop Soroka was a member of the CCCB Episcopal Commission for Relations with Associations of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Laity.

Bishop Wiwchar fills a vacancy in Saskatoon since the appointment of Most Rev. Cornelius John Pasichny as Ukrainian Eparch of Toronto and Eastern Canada in 1998. Bishop Wiwchar was born in Komarno, Manitoba, in 1932 and ordained to the priesthood in 1955. He was appointed Bishop to the Ukrainians in Chicago in 1993.

The Ukrainian Archdiocese of Philadelphia has a Catholic population of 69,088, including 88 priests, four permanent deacons, and 142 men and women religious.

The Ukrainian Eparchy of Saskatoon has a Catholic population of 20,080 including 32 priests, five permanent deacons, 18 men and women religious in 129 parishes.

(Ottawa – CCCB) The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has just published With Respect to Women: a History of CCCB Initiatives Concerning Women in the Church and Society.

The document looks back at how the bishops of Canada over the past twenty-five years have engaged in various initiatives aimed at raising awareness, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting action on issues of concern to women in the church and society. Included are the full texts of interventions at various synods in Rome, pastoral statements and other declarations.

The publication of With Respect to Women is a record of what has been accomplished and is an expression of continuing commitment to the process of dialogue.

The CCCB has released the document in response to the call by Pope John Paul II in Tertio Millennio Adveniente his Apostolic Letter on the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, to reflect “on the challenges of our time, such as the difficulties of dialogue between different cultures and the problems connected with women’s rights and the promotion of family and marriage.”

The 88-page book is available from CCCB Publications Service at a cost of $13.95. It may be ordered by calling toll-free 1-800-769-1147 or by email at publi@cccb.ca.

(Ottawa — CCCB) The Anglican/Roman Catholic Bishops’ Dialogue of Canada marks its 25th anniversary this week when it meets in Ottawa for its annual meeting.   The meeting brings nine bishops from each church together once a year to discuss a number of practical as well as theological issues.

Membership on the Dialogue rotates on a regular basis among the bishops of the two faith communities to ensure the presence of both new and continuing participants at each dialogue.  The meetings, which are two to three days in length, allow time for prayer, opportunities to develop or renew friendships, and to grow in spiritual communion.

Over the past few years, topics for discussion have included: interchurch and interfaith marriages, approaches to lay ministry, clergy formation, aspects of native spirituality, the Gospel and inculturation.

The Dialogue’s Pastoral Guidelines for Interchurch Marriages between Anglicans and Roman Catholics in Canada was published in 1987.  A text on Pastoral Guidelines in the Case of Clergy Moving from One Communion to Another was completed in 1991. In 1995, the bishops issued a pastoral message to encourage ecumenical involvement and cooperation. Revised and re-issued in 1996, this message highlights the “real but imperfect” communion already shared and stresses the importance of engaging in common projects at a local level.

The 25th anniversary will be marked with the celebration of Anglican Evensong at Ottawa’s Notre Dame Cathedral on Thursday, November 23, 2000.  The service will begin at 5:30 p.m. with music provided by the Anglican Cathedral choir. The public is welcome!

(CCCB – Ottawa) The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has donated more than $487,000 in grants over the last eight years to assist the Churches of Eastern and Central Europe as well as the Balkans.

The Canadian bishops had established a special fund in 1993 to support the Church in Eastern Europe that was trying to rebuild after the fall of communism. A committee, composed of Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic of Toronto, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal and Archbishop Michael Bzdel, CSsR, Ukrainian Archeparch of Winnipeg and Metropolitan for Ukrainians Catholics in Canada, was charged with studying all requests for aid from Eastern Europe, giving priority to programs for pastoral training, theology and communications.

“The financial help given by the CCCB was gratefully received by all,” Archbishop Bzdel said. “It was a tangible sign of endorsement, solidarity and encouragement in what remains a bleak economic situation. It will take a generation or two to undo the damage suffered, especially by the churches and religious communities from 70 years of Communist government. They will continue to need our help and support.”

Over the past eight years more than 60 projects have benefited from the special fund that was set up by the CCCB with the help of many dioceses and Canadian Catholics. The fund was initially established for a five-year period, but because of demand its mandate was extended for another three years in 1997. While this special project has now concluded, any future demands from Eastern Europe will be studied by the CCCB Executive Committee to determine if money from other CCCB funds might be applicable.

CCCB General Secretary Msgr. Peter Schonenbach has indicated that most of the help that can be given to Eastern Europe will very much depend on donations that the Conference will receive from Canadian Catholics.

On Thursday, November 9, 2000, the Supreme Court of Canada will hear the case of Trinity Western University of British Columbia.

The case concerns the refusal by the British Columbia College of Teachers to approve the teacher education program at Trinity Western University because its code of conduct requires students and teachers to refrain from homosexual behaviour. The appeal is being brought by the College.

The CCCB will be intervening in the case.

A media release outlining the reasons why the CCCB asked the Court for permission to intervene was released last February.

Its Factum can be found on the CCCB website .

The CCCB will be represented at the hearing by Ottawa lawyer William Sammon.

(Ottawa – CCCB) Most Rev. Gerald Wiesner, OMI, Bishop of Prince George and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), will lead a delegation to the Vatican this week for the CCCB’s annual meeting with various Roman dicasteries.

CCCB Vice-President Most Rev. Jacques Berthelet, CSV, of Saint Jean-Longueuil and General Secretary Msgr. Peter Schonenbach, PH will accompany Bishop Wiesner on the trip. They will meet with the heads of such Curial offices as the Secretariat of State, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Bishops, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

The delegation will also be joined this year by members of the Episcopal Committee for World Youth Day 2002 for a meeting with Cardinal James Stafford of the Pontifical Council for the Laity that coordinates World Youth Day celebrations. The committee members include its chairman Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Meagher of Toronto, Bishop François Lapierre, PMÉ, of Saint Hyacinthe, Archbishop Thomas Collins of Edmonton and Bishop James Wingle of Yarmouth. Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic of Toronto and WYD 2002 National director Rev. Thomas Rosica, CSB, will also attend.

The visit to the dicasteries will begin on October 26 and end on November 3. These meetings permit open exchanges on a regular basis between the Canadian episcopal conference and the Roman Curia regarding common projects, preoccupations and challenges for the Catholic Church both in Canada and around the world.