CCCB Plenary Assembly: Letter To His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Wednesday, October 11 2000His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Vatican City
Most Holy Father:
The Bishops of Canada, gathered for their annual Plenary Meeting which is being held near the St Lawrence River in the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, send you their heart felt greetings as they begin to address the various topics on their agenda.
Foremost among these will be discussion on the organization of the World Youth Day that you announced for Toronto in 2002. We are grateful for this great confidence you have placed in the Bishops of Canada. We also are happy to have among us for a few days Most Reverend Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who comes to help us in reviewing the mandate for the Episcopal Commission for Theology.
Another topic will be the North American Vocations Congress which is planned for early 2002 in Montreal. As you well know, the matter of vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life is of great concern to us all, and we are praying that much good will come from this important Congress.
As Your Holiness can see, we have much work of great pastoral significance before us, and we therefore ask your fatherly blessing that the power of the Holy Spirit bring wisdom and courage to our deliberations.
Sincerely in Our Lord,
+ Gerald Wiesner, OMI
Bishop of Prince George
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops