CCCB discontinues its participation in KAIROS

Wednesday, October 12 2016

(CCCB – Ottawa)… After careful reflection and discernment, the Catholic Bishops of Canada at their Plenary Assembly, September 26-30, 2016, decided that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will end its membership in KAIROS, an ecumenical social justice coalition founded in 2001. This decision followed consultations with the CCCB Permanent Council, the Executive Committee, the Commission for Justice and Peace, and the Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue.

In the conversations leading up to this decision, the Bishops expressed particular appreciation for the attention KAIROS gives to Indigenous rights and to the environment, while acknowledging that the CCCB may often take a different approach to these important themes. The CCCB remains committed to working ecumenically on justice and peace initiatives which are in keeping with fundamental principles of ecumenism. However, the Bishops of Canada determined that the way KAIROS is structured, while perfectly legitimate, does not foster the kind of ecumenical engagement they need and require. It is therefore with regret that the CCCB has ended its participation in KAIROS.

The leadership of KAIROS member churches and church organizations were informed of this decision in a letter sent last Friday (October 7, 2016) by the Most Reverend Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the CCCB. In his letter, he expressed gratitude that Catholic participation on KAIROS would continue by means of other Catholic groups and organizations. The letter also expressed hope that in the future there would be not only a continuing exchange of information between KAIROS and the CCCB, but also consideration of occasional cooperation on a project to project basis.