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July 2009

July 1

Canadians among new archbishops receiving pallium

July 1, 2009

VATICAN CITY - Receiving the woolen pallium from the Pope underlines an archbishop's unique ties to the vicar of Christ in Rome and to his own flock of parishioners back home, said a number of archbishops from Canada and the United States and Canada. Archbishops J. Michael Miller of Vancouver and Pierre-Andre Fournier of Rimouski, Que., were among the 34 bishops from 20 countries who received the white, narrow circular band called a pallium during a special Mass in St. Peter's Basilica June 29.

July 7

Pope urges G-8 leaders to listen to poor, continue development aid

July 7, 2009

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI asked leaders of the world's wealthiest countries to "listen to the voice of Africa" and poor countries during their summit in Italy. The global economic crisis threatens not only to derail efforts to end extreme poverty in the world, but also could plunge other countries into ruin as well, the Pope said in a July 4 letter to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, host of the Group of Eight summit.

Pope says moral values must be part of economic recovery, development

July 7, 2009

VATICAN CITY - Ethical values are needed to overcome the current global economic crisis as well as to eradicate hunger and promote the real development of all the world's peoples, Pope Benedict XVI said in his new encyclical. The document, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), was dated June 29 and released at the Vatican July 7. The truth that God is the creator of human life, that every life is sacred, that the Earth was given to humanity to use and protect and that God has a plan for each person must be respected in development programs and in economic recovery efforts if they are to have real and lasting benefits, the Pope said.

July 9

Canadians praise Pope's social encyclical

July 9, 2009

It's almost as if Pope Benedict XVI had Canada and its controversies in mind as he penned the first social encyclical of the 21st century. By updating Pope Paul VI's encyclical Populorum Progressio, and making an explicit link between church teaching on economic development and Pope Paul's teaching on human sexuality, abortion and contraception — Humanae Vitae — it was as though Benedict had the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace in mind, said Michael Casey. "It will certainly inform our discussions on policies and on our orientation. It will be stuff to work on over the next few months," said Casey, executive director of Development and Peace.

Papal social encyclicals help to renew values

July 9, 2009

From the Industrial Revolution to the Great Depression to the onset of the Digital Revolution, papal social encyclicals have erected guideposts to steer Catholics through the mazes of hardship that confront society. Pope Benedict XVI has more than maintained that tradition with Charity in Truth, a sweeping encyclical that reinforces traditional church teachings while issuing bold challenges to world leaders to do a better job and to individuals to lead more charitable lives. (For full text: www.vatican.va/latest/latest_en.htm)

Dead Sea Scrolls open our eyes to first-century Judaism

July 9, 2009

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls was the 20th century’s biggest archeological story. It had the romance of the desert: Bedouin lads, poking into dry caves near the ancient Dead Sea settlement of Qumran in early 1947, find traces of a mysterious Jewish sect from the time of Jesus. Coming when it did, on the eve of the post-war surge of new Bible translations, the unearthing of the scrolls caused astonishment by bringing to light the oldest texts of the Old Testament Scriptures in existence.

Stephen Harper communion controversy upstages G8 coverage

July 9, 2009

ROME - Did Prime Minister Stephen Harper consume communion at the Catholic funeral of former Governor General Romeo LeBlanc on July 3? Or did he put it in his pocket as anonymous YouTube film of the funeral alleges? Those were the questions that consumed journalists who followed Harper to the 2009 G-8 Summit in L’Aquila while colleagues at home tracked down the story.

July 13

Bishop Grecco to lead Charlottetown diocese

July 13, 2009

TORONTO - Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Richard Grecco bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. At the same time the Pope accepted the resignation of Bishop Vernon Fougere, Charlottetown’s bishop since 1992, for reasons of health. “I am humbled by the announcement of the Holy Father and look forward with great joy to serving the people of the diocese of Charlottetown," said Grecco of the July 11 announcement. "I send my thoughts and prayers to all those on Prince Edward Island and look forward to joining their community shortly.”

Parents threaten lawsuit after Toronto special ed program axed

July 13, 2009

TORONTO - Saving the Arrowsmith program at the Toronto Catholic District School Board is an issue of equal rights for students with multiple learning disabilities, says a Toronto-based parent group. “We are trying to level the playing field. We are trying to make sure that our children can have equitable access to teaching and what they need to move through the (education) system,” Clint Harder, a spokesperson for LD Families.org, told The Catholic Register.

Ordinary life makes us holy

July 13, 2009

TORONTO - Ordinary holiness is the gift of Opus Dei to the church, Archbishop Thomas Collins told an overflowing assembly at Our Lady of Sorrows on the feast of Opus Dei founder St. Josemaria Escriva. "It is in that sublime simplicity of ordinary life, in the business of our world, that we are called to holiness," said Collins in his June 26 homily at the west end Toronto parish.

Adults can learn peacekeeping from kids

July 13, 2009

TORONTO - The day peace-building became a professional goal for Dr. Sara Schleien, she was watching a soccer game at a leadership camp for teens from countries engulfed in conflict. It took a minute for the reality of the moment to sink in, she said — a boy from Egypt had scored a winning goal and his teammates, from Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Afghanistan and India ran up to him, picked him up and twirled him around.

Bishop Albert LeGatt appointed archbishop for Saint-Boniface

July 13, 2009

SAINT-BONIFACE, Man. — Bishop Albert LeGatt has been appointed the new archbishop of the archdiocese of Saint-Boniface. LeGatt, who was bishop of Saskatoon when the appointment by Pope Benedict XVI was announced July 2, takes over from Archbishop Emilius Goulet. The Pope also accepted the resignation of Goulet, 76, who had been running the archdiocese for more than one year beyond the mandatory age of retirement for bishops.

New trustee, superintendent for Halton board

July 13, 2009

BURLINGTON, Ont. (Catholic Register Staff) — Sandor Koso will be the new trustee for Milton with the Halton Catholic District School Board. Koso was selected out of 18 candidates vying to replace Fr. David Wilhelm, who resigned from the board June 24. Koso’s term began July 2.

Overcoming materialism

July 13, 2009

These days, it is not uncommon to find people complaining and brooding over a malfunctioning iPod or a misplaced flash drive. With our attachment to material things, either one of these minor problems could throw our entire day askew. So, why is it that our possessions and technologies affect our happiness so much? When did we become so dependent on money and material? And when did we begin to get the notion that these things would bring us joy and satisfaction?

Working and learning in the Andes

July 13, 2009

Another school year has ended, but instead of spending my summer in Florida visiting friends and family, my destination this year is a little farther south — a rural village in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. My journey to Ecuador actually began in January 2008 when, along with 11 other students from my school, I travelled to the Dominican Republic to build houses in a small, impoverished village. To say that spending a week without running water, electricity or cell phone service was life-altering is a bit of an understatement.

Catholic teen church attendance remains steady

July 13, 2009

The overall picture of teens today is surprisingly positive — teens today are drinking less, smoking less and less inclined to bully each other than teens in the past 20 years — but when it comes to religion, the statistics might seem a little more puzzling, says Reginald Bibby , a sociologist from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta . A growing number of teens are less likely to identify themselves as religious, he said, but the percentage of teens attending weekly hasn’t changed. “The thing that is concerning is the middle has dropped out,” he told The Catholic Register, referring to the group of teens who would have formerly said they weren’t sure if they believed in God, but attended church occasionally. “It’s as though Canadians just aren’t as ambivalent. It’s either yes or no and the pattern is very much the same in adults.”

Given a chance, peace is possible

July 13, 2009

John Dear on Peace: An Introduction to His Life and Work by Patricia Patten Normile, S.F.O. (St. Anthony Messenger Press, softcover, 137 pages, $17.55). Millions pray for peace. Many strive for peace and some of us even act on the premise that world peace is possible. Yet peace clearly remains frustratingly elusive and increasingly, it seems, a pipe dream.

We are 'saved' for life with and in God

July 13, 2009

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) July 12 (Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13) The threats and bullying of Amaziah the priest of Bethel meant very little to Amos. Amos wanted no part in the role of a prophet. It was not something that he sought, nor does he belong to any of the prophetic guilds. He was gainfully employed as a tree dresser and was minding his own business.

Righteousness will lead the way

July 13, 2009

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) July 19 (Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34) Despite the peaceful and idyllic image of the shepherd’s life it is anything but easy. Keeping wandering members of the flock together and searching after the wayward is itself a full-time job. But on top of all that, there is the constant and unwavering vigilance that must be exercised to protect the flock from predators that strike without warning. Little time is left for the shepherd who has little time to think of his own comfort and safety — at least in the case of a reliable and trustworthy shepherd. The shepherd must account for the safety and well-being of the entire flock to the owner.

Give men a fair hearing

July 13, 2009

To mark this past Fathers’ Day, The National Post carried an interesting feature about negative images of men in general, and fathers in particular, in consumer advertising. Most of the complaints centred on portrayals of clumsiness and laziness with household tasks. Some men have found the portrayals offensive enough to file complaints with the Advertising Standards Council, and a few have been upheld.