Year of Consecrated Life
Friday, November 28 2014The Year of Consecrated Life is being celebrated from the vigil of the First Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2014, until the World Day for Consecrated Life, February 2, 2016. Pope Francis had announced in November 2013 this special initiative which will focus on the consecrated life. Extending throughout all of 2015, the year is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on and celebrate the unique role and importance that consecrated life has in the Church.
The consecrated life includes all men and women who vow or promise to consecrate their lives to God and to provide a unique public witness as members of religious communities, apostolic societies, secular institutes, and consecrated virgins.
Dioceses and religious communities in Canada and throughout the world are organizing events and initiatives as part of the year, in addition to the international celebrations and meetings which will be held in Rome. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has invited the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) to establish a joint committee that will recommend possible ways to celebrate the Year for Consecrated Life in Canada. In this special webpage, the CCCB announces news on the work of the joint committee and provides links to the websites of the Holy See, the CRC and religious communities in Canada, as well as to help publicize diocesan celebrations from across Canada.
- Link to the Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis To ALL CONSECRATED PEOPLE
- Message by the CCCB President on the consecrated life, February 2, 2015
- Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, January 2015
- Link to the logo
- Link to the letter “Rejoice” by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
- Link to the letter by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada
- Joint CCCB-CRC Ad hoc Committee
–Prayer for our Sisters and Brothers in Consecrated Life (PDF) - Link to the website of the Canadian Religious Conference
- Symposium in Quebec City on Consecrated Life – Laval University (October 26-27, 2015)
- Activities and diocesan celebrations across Canada:
–Letter by Bishop Dorylas Moreau of Rouyn-Noranda (in French only)
–Letter by Archbishop Anthony Mancini of Halifax-Yarmouth
–Letter by Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal
–Pastoral Letter by Bishop Ronald Fabbro, C.S.B., of London
–Pastoral Letter by Bishop Douglas Crosby, O.M.I., of Hamilton
–Archdiocese of Vancouver: monthly days of silence and prayer will take place throughout the Archdiocese.
–Archdiocese of Montreal: 24 HOURS FOR CONSECRATED LIFE (January 31 – February 1)
–Archdiocese of Toronto: Special Mass – World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life (February 1)
–Archdiocese of Ottawa: Special Mass with consecrated women and men, January 31, 2015, St Paul University Chapel
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Sr Lucie Hamel speaks about Consecrated Life (video)
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Sr Bernice Daratha, O.S.U., shares grateful memories (video)
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Sr. Jemimah Wanjiku, A.S.N. (Assumption Sisters of Nairobi), reflecting on Consecrated Life (video)
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Another great reflection on Consecrated Life, with words in both French and English from Sr. Dolores Bussière (video)
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Fr. Mark Blom, O.M.I., reflects on the gift of consecrated life (video)
–Diocese of Saskatoon: Fr. Steve Morrisey, CSsR, and Sr. Louise Hinz, OSU, who both regularly help with the back door ministry, speak about their service, about the call to religious life and the example of St. Alphonsus and St. Angela (video)
–Diocese of Prince George: Religious honored by Diocese (Northern Catholic News, Spring 2015, Page 2)
–Diocese of Hamilton: Religious Communities Dinner (June 2, 2015)
–Archdiocese of Toronto – Models of Freedom and Joy: Sisters of Life (video)
–Diocese of Hamilton – Consecrated Life: Awake and Alive (video)
- Activities in the religious communities across Canada
–Jesuits – English Canada Province: Taizé Prayer and Panel discussion, February 2, 2015, at 7:00 pm., Regis College, Toronto
–Association celebrates Year of Consecrated Life – Archdiocese of Regina - Lives and spirituality of a number of Canadian Saints and Blesseds:
Saint Brother André Bessette:
Link to the biography of Saint Brother André (PDF)
Link to CCCB catechetical resources in English
Links to OCQ catechetical resources in French and English
Link to Salt + Light TV resources in English and French (PDF) Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys:
Link to the biography of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the Website of the Congregation of Notre Dame
Link to a video marking Marguerite Bourgeoys’s 395th birthday (April 17) Saint Kateri Tekakwitha:
Link to the biography of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the St. Francis Xavier Mission in Kahnawake
Link to Salt + Light TV resources
Blessed Marie-Anne Blondin:
Link to the biography of Blessed Marie-Anne Blondin (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the prayer to Blessed Marie-Anne Blondin
Link to the website of the Congregation of Sisters of Saint AnneLink to the biography of Blessed Élisabeth Turgeon (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the Congregation for the beatification
Link to the video archives of the beatification
Link to the Education Teaching Centre of the Congregation (materials available in English, French and Spanish)Saint Marie of the Incarnation:
Link to the biography of Saint Marie of the Incarnation (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the of The Ursulines Canadian UnionBlessed Marie-Léonie Paradis:
Link to the biography of Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the Centre of Marie-Léonie ParadisBlessed Catherine of Saint Augustine:
Link to the biography of Blessed Catherine of Saint Augustine (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the Centre of Catherine of Saint AugustineBlessed Vasyl Velychkovsky
Link to the biography of Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine
Link to a pamphlet of the Martyr’s Shrine (PDF)Blessed Frederic Janssoone
Link to the biography of Blessed Frederic Janssoone (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of Blessed Frederic JanssooneBlessed Dina Bélanger
Link to the biography of Blessed Dina Bélanger (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of her Congregation (in French only)Blessed Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin
Link to the biography of Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of her CongregationThe Canadian Martyrs
Link to the biography of the Canadian Martyrs(PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the Shrine of the Canadian MartyrsBlessed Marie-Rose Durocher
Link to the biography of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the CongregationSaint Marguerite d’Youville
Link to the biography of Saint Marguerite d’Youville (PDF)
Link to catechetical resources in English
Link to the website of the of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal - Other links
–Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Consecrated Life and its Mission in the Church and in the World – By Saint John Paul II, March 25, 1996