More thoughts on the Yukon and the new evangelization

GANANOQUE, ONT. - A year ago I visited the diocese of Whitehorse, heading north to the Yukon for the first time. Last week, the bishop of Whitehorse — which comprises all of the Yukon and a little of northern British Columbia — returned the visit as it were, preaching the priests’ retreat for the archdiocese of Kingston, here in the Thousand Islands.

I had met Bishop Gary Gordon on his home turf, or at least his new home tundra, as he was a priest of Vancouver before being consecrated a bishop, and looked forward to meeting him again in my home. He is affable and good humoured, with an easy manner in speaking about the truths of the faith, a winning combination for the new evangelization. Yet what I really wanted to talk to him about was a disagreement we have precisely about the new evangelization.

Last year, I filed a column from the Yukon that praised the heroic sacrifices of generations of missionaries, but raised questions about today’s pastoral approach...