CCCB 2013 Plenary Assembly Closes; Bishops from the Global South Express Concerns about International Mining Operations

Friday, September 27 2013

(CCCB – Ottawa)… The Catholic Bishops of Canada have been in Plenary Assembly all week since 23 September, at the Hotel Mont-Gabriel, Sainte-Adèle, Quebec. The meeting concluded with the opening remarks of the Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau, as he begins his two-year term as President (2013-2015). Archbishop Durocher thanked his predecessor as President, the Most Reverend Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton. He also invited the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton, and the Most Reverend Lionel Gendron, P.S.S, Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, to express their thanks to the outgoing President. Both had also served on the Executive with Archbishop Smith. The incoming President as well invited CCCB General Secretary Msgr. Patrick Powers, P.H., and Assistant General Secretary Mr. Bede Hubbard to share a few words of appreciation for the outgoing President.

Concerns about Mining in the Global South

Earlier on the last day of the Plenary Assembly, the Bishops had the opportunity to hear concerns about international mining operations by several Bishops from the Global South currently visiting Canada. The three speaking at the Plenary Assembly were the Most Reverend Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J., Archbishop of Huancayo, Peru; the Most Reverend José Salmorin Bantolo, Bishop of Masbate, Philippines; and the Most Reverend Nicholas Djomo Lola, Bishop of Tshumbe, Democratic Republic of Congo. The three are visiting Canada as part of a fall education campaign involving the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP). Part of the visit involves a special day of dialogue and reflection with a number of Canadian Bishops which will be held tomorrow, September 28, in Montreal.

Live Broadcasting by Salt + Light Television

For the third time in the history of the CCCB, the Catholic television network Salt + Light TV broadcast live a number of the Plenary events, both on the Internet as well as on television. These Plenary broadcasts can still be watched by accessing the CCCB Website www.cccb.ca or on Salt + Light video library at http://saltandlighttv.org/.

In addition to the Salt + Light broadcasts from the Plenary, all CCCB texts published to date on the Plenary – including the President’s report and the news releases – are available on the CCCB website.