CCCB Standing Committee on CCODP and CCODP Liaison Committee: Joint meeting of November 22, 2012

Tuesday, December 04 2012

2012_Montreal_MeetingThe Liaison Committee of the National Council of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP) and the Standing Committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) held their latest joint meeting on November 22, 2012, at the Montreal offices of Development and Peace. The CCCB Standing Committee advises the Conference on Development and Peace plans and activities, as well as facilitates communication and collaboration between the CCCB and CCODP.

Both Committees are fully informed of the current questions, concerns and disappointments being expressed about the delay and modification of the Development and Peace 2012 Fall Action campaign, and its impact on the life of the Development and Peace movement. The two Committees agree that the longstanding inter-relationship of the CCCB and CCODP is mutually important. They acknowledge the democratic nature of Development and Peace as a lay movement desiring to work in communion with the Bishops and in solidarity with the poor of the Global South. The two Committees continue to work collectively to identify constructive ways to mitigate similar difficulties in the future. They are deeply confident that a positive way forward is already being worked out, and that this present experience will assist both the CCCB and CCODP in establishing clear procedures to be followed in the future. The two Committees remain confident that the Conference of Bishops as well as Development and Peace are committed to mutual collaboration in teaching and implementing the Church’s social doctrine.

During the joint meeting, the CCCB Standing Committee noted the generous response by Development and Peace and the dioceses of Canada in raising over $2 million over the past months to help alleviate food shortages in the Sahel. These funds will also be used for development projects that prevent similar critical situations in the future. The Standing Committee as well expressed its appreciation on receiving an update on the ongoing work by Development and Peace in the Horn of Africa, which includes projects with local Caritas members and Jesuit Refugee Services. The Standing Committee also expressed its appreciation that Development and Peace is making a contribution to a new project in Kenya with the Apostolic Vicariate of Isiolo, in which MaterCare International is a partner.

The two Committees expressed support for the revision of two Development and Peace policy documents scheduled to be approved by its National Council in early 2013.  

        i.            The first of these is an outline of ethical criteria to guide Development and Peace in working with its partners.

       ii.            The second document is a “3D approach to partnership,” based on Dialogue, Discernment and Decision-making. This is an outline of the process that Development and Peace wishes to make as its standard operating procedure in its collaboration with partners, individual dioceses and the CCCB itself, especially with Bishops and development partners when dealing with the complex and conflicting issues that are often part of international development work.

The Development and Peace Liaison Committee took the opportunity to acknowledge its appreciation for the support given to 2012 Share Lent campaign by Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, President of the CCCB , as well as by other Bishops across Canada. The Liaison Committee advised that preparations for the 2013 Share Lent campaign are underway, with information on the planning to be shared over the coming weeks with the CCCB. Development and Peace will again be requesting the official support of the CCCB and the support by the Bishops of Canada in each of their dioceses for the forthcoming campaign.

The members of the CCODP Liaison Committee are Mr. Ronald Breau, New Brunswick, President of the Development and Peace National Council; Mr. Patrick Hogan, Newfoundland, Past President of the National Council; Mr. Dick Mynen, British Columbia/Yukon National Council member; Mme Madeleine Pothier-Picard, Quebec National Council member; and Mr. Michael Casey, CCODP Executive Director.

The members of the CCCB Standing Committee are the Most Reverend John Boissonneau (Chairman), Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto; the Most Reverend Pierre-André Fournier, Archbishop of Rimouski; André Gaumond, Archbishop emeritus of Sherbrooke; Fred Henry, Bishop of Calgary, together with CCCB General Secretary Msgr. Patrick Powers, P.H. In addition, the two Bishops currently appointed by the CCCB as members of the CCODP National Council are also part of the Standing Committee: the Most Reverend Claude Champagne, O.M.I., Bishop of Edmundston, and Richard Grecco, Bishop of Charlottetown.

3 December 2012

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