Other Commissions Report to Plenary Assembly on Major Activities Over Past Year

Wednesday, September 24 2008

(CCCB-Ottawa)…  Two more national Commissions of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) reported to the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops of Canada on their major activities over the past year, as well as inviting suggestions for their work over the next three years. The Commission for Theology was the first to report during the afternoon on three major areas of its work: a pastoral letter on marriage, an ongoing reflection on Catholic identity, and a pastoral letter to mark the 40th anniversary of the Encyclical Humanae Vitae.

The Commission for Social Affairs later presented an overview of its major projects as well. These included the environment, the war in Afghanistan, poverty, the federal election, and human rights. As part of the Social Affairs session, all the Bishops participated in buzz groups on the question of the environment. They were invited to become more familiar with the issue, as well as to look at ways to encourage more awareness about environmental questions in Canadian Catholic dioceses and parishes.

The Bishops from the French Sector held their annual meeting during the morning. Reports were received on French-language activities and concerns in catechesis, communications, and liturgy. There was also information received from the Bishops who accompany the Apostolate of the Sea, the Filles d’Isabelle and the French Sector Catholic Biblical Society (SOCABI).

The CCCB Plenary Assembly will adjourn tomorrow at noon, after which the Bishops of Canada will return to their dioceses following their week of discussions and meetings.