Canada’s Bishops to Gather in Cornwall for Annual Plenary

Tuesday, September 07 1999

(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.