CCCB Pastoral Initiative for Life and Family

Wednesday, December 14 2011

(CCCB – Ottawa)…  At its annual Plenary Assembly, held in October 2011, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) adopted a plan to implement in 2013 a national pastoral initiative on life and family, titled: “Building a Culture of Life and Family in Canada”. The plan includes a preparatory year during 2012.

In a letter dated December 8, 2011, addressed to all the Bishops of Canada, CCCB President Archbishop Richard Smith invited his brother Bishops to implement their own diocesan plans for life and family.  The President recalled that this national pastoral initiative had been part of a long reflection by the Bishops, including the members of an Ad Hoc Committee which was responsible for developing this plan in collaboration with the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF).  The CCCB is convinced that family issues are closely related to the challenges of the New Evangelization.

To assist dioceses in implementing their own pastoral plans, the CCCB has invited the collaboration of COLF in preparing resources to help implement this pastoral initiative.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is the national assembly of the Bishops of Canada. It was founded in 1943 and officially recognized by the Holy See in 1948. After the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), the CCCB became part of a worldwide network of Episcopal Conferences, established in 1965 as an integral part of the life of the universal Church.