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June 2010

June 15

Catholic board on track to regain control

June 15, 2010

Toronto Catholic District School Board [images/stories/schoolB_logos/TCDSBLogo.jpg]TORONTO - It's been more than two years of provincial supervision for Canada's largest Catholic school board. But having Toronto Catholic District School Board trustees back in power is a reality that could be in place by November, after the next trustee elections, according to a recent letter by Ontario Education Minister Leona Dombrowsky to provincially appointed board supervisor Richard Alway. In the June 9 letter, Dombrowsky said the board would have to pass an audit of its 2009-2010 financial statements to confirm that it has balanced its budget. “If those statements confirm that the board has retired its accumulated deficit, I will expeditiously undertake the process to return the board to full local control,” Dombrowsky wrote.

June 16

Catholic groups welcome start of Truth and Reconciliation process

June 16, 2010

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada [images/stories/logos/logos10/trc.jpg]OTTAWA - A group representing Catholic religious orders and dioceses involved in the Indian residential schools' system hope some of the positive and bright threads in an otherwise bleak tapestry will get a chance to be told as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission launched its first national event in Winnipeg June 16-19. Catholic groups involved in running residential schools say they look forward to participating in the commission’s seven national events. Grouard-McLennan Archbishop Gerard Pettipas, who chairs the Corporation of Catholic Entities Party to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement, announced June 15 he would be attending all four days of the commission’s Winnipeg event, with board members and members of Catholic religious orders that ran schools joining him.

June 17

Put people first

June 17, 2010

[images/stories/misc/AIDS_africa.jpg]The billion-dollar cost for the upcoming summits of world leaders is obscene and the disruption the meetings will cause is outrageous. Ottawa is rightly being roasted on those scores. But the real tragedy from the gathering of G8 and G20 leaders is that, once again, there seems to be a famine of big ideas among the world’s most powerful statesmen. We’re not so naive to believe there are quick fixes for a world that is broken in so many ways. Most of society’s problems are either made or exacerbated by man. That is true whether speaking about oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, war in Afghanistan, famine and disease in Africa, poverty among North American aboriginal peoples, blockades in Gaza and international financial turmoil. The list goes on.

Because he was my father

June 17, 2010

I try to lead my life according to God’s word because I love rather than fear Him. Fear of judgment is entirely appropriate of course but it’s the love that defines us as Christians. I’ve sometimes compared it to why I tried to obey my father. While he had authority over me I didn’t consciously fear him but always loved him. When he died I realized that I hadn’t loved him enough. Do any of us, I wonder, love God enough? When I was a boy I would stand next to my dad as he washed his hard, calloused hands and would tell me tales of his own childhood and let little drops of moral tuition fall into my lap. Simple and quite marvellous. “A promise is a promise.” It was. He never broke one. He was my father. He drove a London taxi for 40 years, a job that paid a decent wage if you were willing to work a 70-hour week. When I was small and we were driving back from soccer matches he would sometimes pick up people along the way. He wasn’t supposed to, not with me there. But I was six or seven and sat in the hollow space next to the driver’s seat where the luggage was stored.

Media storms cloud papal visit to Britain

June 17, 2010

You know, The Catholic Register is a nice newspaper. It’s friendly. It’s polite. Sure, Michael Coren wields words like mallets, and I get my digs in, but flip to Fr. Lewis. He’s a nice man. Chicken soup for the Catholic soul. Mary Marrocco is nice, too. Heart-warming. Joanne McGarry speaks up for the Catholic position with class. John Bentley Mays inspired a letter of protest from the Polish Ambassador only once. I am homesick and teary-eyed about The Register today because of British media coverage of Pope Benedict XVI’s anticipated visit to Britain. Nobody seems to have anything nice to say about it.

We walk the Spirit's path when we serve others

June 17, 2010

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) June 27 (1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62) Recruiting was a bit simpler in ancient Israel. All Elijah the prophet had to do was throw his mantle over Elisha and his life changed forever — no protests, no excuses and no attempts at evasion. It doesn’t appear that there was a long anguished search for self-identity and his “professional” options were rather limited and clear-cut. Perhaps people were more focused on their life that was right before them and clearer on the reason they were alive.

Time hasn't dimmed allure of marriage

June 17, 2010

Wedding Rings [images/stories/misc/misc10/ringswedding.jpg]Tiger Woods has been in the public eye recently for all the wrong reasons, and his marital predicament has spurred many joking comments. I suspect the jocularity masks (as humour often does) a deep concern society has for marital fidelity and, indeed, the overall health and well-being of marriage. Almost all of society — Christians and non-Christians, young and old, traditionalists and non-traditionalists — really are disappointed when infidelity becomes front-page news. Despite all the cultural changes of this era we still hold marriage in high esteem and believe it is worthy of every sacrifice. In an unexpected way, society’s high regard for marriage is even evident in the campaign for same-sex marriage. Isn’t it odd that gays and lesbians have fought long and hard to gain access to a social institution that some have denounced as outmoded and anachronistic? Even many who until recently had never expected to don the “shackles” of marriage are now clamouring to be allowed to do so. While Catholics continue to believe (for sound theological reasons) that same-sex marriage is a contradiction in terms, the fact that marriage has become a life goal for many who historically have been excluded from it is more testimony to its abiding appeal.

Children need to have a relationship with Jesus

June 17, 2010

Jesus and children [images/stories/misc/misc10/jesuschildren.jpg]On an evangelical television program some time ago, a married couple who had remarried after being divorced for five years shared their story. While I really enjoyed it, one thing the woman said really bugged me. Their marriage had failed because she had an affair (or two), didn’t show any remorse and was caught repeatedly lying. When she was asked about her faith journey she said: “I was raised a Catholic, and as Catholics we are not taught that Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with us. It wasn’t until I started having a personal relationship with Jesus (as taught to her by evangelicals) that I started to realize that Jesus cared about me and what I did and thought personally.” My initial response to that comment was anger, then a question popped into my head. The woman was blaming the Catholic Church for not teaching her to have a personal relationship with Jesus, but why was she not sharing the blame with her parents? Whose duty is it to teach our children the importance of having a relationship with Jesus? More than one pope has said parents are the primary educators of children and have a responsibility to pass down the precepts of the faith.

Marriage prep about the vision

June 17, 2010

Marriage preparation [images/stories/misc/misc10/precana.jpg]TORONTO - Couples planning to marry shouldn’t look at marriage preparation courses as a place to “grease their wheels” but rather a time to discern if they’re actually ready, experts say. Clint Tyler, director of the marriage preparation and family life office at the archdiocese of Toronto, said its multi-week course is much more than a “happy weekend where couples can feel good,” but a real chance to discuss important issues that many couples don’t address on their own. “It’s about having them explore if they are ready to commit to a Catholic vision of marriage,” Tyler said. “It’s our job to present that vision of Catholic marriage.” About 20 per cent of couples who take the archdiocesan marriage prep course decide not to go ahead with a wedding, Tyler said, adding it’s better that they realize ahead of time if they have the same vision for their marriage and understand that it’s not just a commitment but a covenant.

G8 can't ignore moral dimension of economy

June 17, 2010

[images/stories/international/deutschebank.jpg]TORONTO - On any given day on Bay Street, Infinium Group makes between 500,000 and one million trades in stocks, stock options, currencies, futures and financial derivatives. As the largest single trader most days on the Toronto Stock Exchange — bigger even than any of the Big Five banks — that’s what it does every day. Infinium doesn’t make its trades based on the value of companies involved or their plans for new investment. The thousands of trades per second are triggered by computer programs based on mathematical models. At the G20 meetings in Toronto June 26-27 European countries want to slow down companies like Infinium and their breakneck, second-by-second bets on financial products. Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper says no. It’s a pretty sure bet the Pope is not on Harper’s side on this one.

Bloody Sunday shootings not justified

June 17, 2010

Bloody Sunday [images/stories/international/dalybloodysunday.jpg]DUBLIN - After seeking justice for 38 years, Ireland’s bishops welcomed the finding of a commission that concluded the 1972 killing of 14 unarmed Catholics by British paratroopers on Bloody Sunday in Derry was unjustified. Two of the bishops were from Derry, Northern Ireland, where the incident, widely known as Bloody Sunday, occurred. “We share the joy and relief of the families of those killed and injured on Bloody Sunday,” the bishops said in a statement June 16, the day after the release of the long-awaited Saville Report. “We acknowledge the hurt and pain of the many people who lost loved ones on these islands during the course of the Troubles. We continue to carry them all in our thoughts and prayers.” Speaking in the House of Commons, British Prime Minister David Cameron said: “What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong.

First Nations offer forgiveness

June 17, 2010

Strahl forgiveness [images/stories/canada/strahlforgive.jpg]OTTAWA - A national coalition of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders have offered forgiveness to Prime Minister Stephen Harper for residential schools’ abuses. They presented the Prime Minister with the Charter of Forgiveness and Freedom, a formal response to Harper’s historic 2008 apology in the House of Commons for Indian Residential Schools. The response took place at the National Forgiven Summit here June 11-13 that drew thousands of residential school survivors, their descendants and well-wishers from across the country. “We’re going to see Canada a healed nation and today we are much more healed than before because we have been able to come to a place where we can say ‘I forgive,’ ” organizer Kenny Blacksmith told the summit June 12. “This is the hour of healing and restoration for all our people,” said Blacksmith, who spent 11 years in a residential school, before presenting Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl with the charter.

Wedding vows will be sealed with first kiss

June 17, 2010

After getting my B.A., M.A. and M.J., I sometimes wondered if I’d ever be a “Mrs.” But here I am busily preparing for my wedding in less than two months. On that day, I will share my first kiss with the first man I fell in love with, when he is my husband. I know there’s absolutely nothing wrong with kissing while dating. For us, early on in our relationship, we decided that if we were called to be together, we would like our first kiss to be something special between the two of us. We’d hoped that this would also help us focus on getting to know each other first.

June 18

A special priest's impact

June 18, 2010

Leading up to the close of the Year for Priests, the Vatican faced intense criticism regarding the allegations of abuse within the Church. At the closing ceremonies on June 11, Pope Benedict XVI apologized for the abuse on behalf of the Church. He asserted that the Church would do everything possible to prevent such crimes from happening again. There are still many people, including many young people, who are weary of the Church, due to the past offences of some priests. What many people don’t realize, however, is that the number of abusive priests is miniscule compared to the number of priests and clergy who serve the community. While it has been hard for me to stay committed to the Church in such a tragic time, I continue to remind myself of all the men and women in the Church who have positively impacted my life.

OCY welcomes young adults with open arms to annual youth rally

June 18, 2010

Union Station Group [images/stories/toronto/unionstationgrp.jpg]TORONTO - The archdiocese of Toronto’s Office of Catholic Youth is offering to fully subsidize the cost of attending its annual youth rally July 23-25 in Midland, Ont., for up to five youth from every parish in the archdiocese. “If you have sent groups in the past we hope you will see this as a way of saying ‘thank you’ for your support. “If you have never sent young people we hope you will take advantage of this promotion and give us the opportunity to connect with youth or young adults from your community,” the OCY said on its web site. The archdiocesan weekend provides catechesis, prayer, Mass, live music, a movie and more, usually for teens and older youth ages 19-25. But for the first time, the OCY has also built in a special component for young adults ages 25-35.

A question of identity, chastity for homosexual Catholics

June 18, 2010

Bishop Thomas Collins [images/stories/canada_bishops/collins.jpg]TORONTO - The Church has never called homosexual people objectively disordered and does not regard homosexuality as a sin, Archbishop Thomas Collins told the young adult group of St. Michael’s Cathedral. “Since it (homosexuality) is not something chosen, it’s not a moral issue,” said Collins, speaking at an SMC Alive faith formation meeting June 13. While being sexually attracted to people of the same gender is not a sin, turning that attraction into an all-encompassing identity and entering sexual relationships based on same-sex attractions directly contravenes the Christian value of chastity, said the archbishop. Same-sex attractions, which the Church calls objectively disordered, are a struggle and not an identity, he said. “What I am is precious in God’s sight. To say you are one of your struggles — no, no, no. Do not let yourself be put into a box,” said Collins.

Fr. Garcia the heart and soul of Toronto's Spanish parish

June 18, 2010

[images/stories/toronto_people/frgarcianumbers.jpg]TORONTO - He’s a pastor with humour, a great heart and an understanding of how to be God’s hand, parishioners say of Toronto’s Fr. Fructuoso Garcia. Garcia, pastor of St. John the Baptist parish, has been serving Spanish-speaking Catholics in the archdiocese for nearly 40 years. Since he took over as pastor at St. John the Baptist 16 years ago, Garcia has led the parish out of a $90,000 debt, motivated his community to raise $300,000 for repairs and involved them in painting and beautifying the church with murals and unique inventions like a votive candle delivery system — at the touch of a switch a little stream of water carries a lit tealite a few feet to a tiny pool and a statue of Mary on an “island,” meant to represent Our Lady of Charity, the Virgin of Cuba.

Religious hate crime numbers on the rise

June 18, 2010

[images/stories/misc/Teens guns.jpg]Race, religion and sexual orientation continue to be the prime targets for hate crimes in Canada, with more than one quarter of all hate crimes committed against people because of their faith. Though race accounted for 55 per cent of hate crimes reported by police, religiously motivated hate crimes jumped 53 per cent between 2007 and 2008 and accounted for 26 per cent of 1,036 hate crimes in 2008. The Statistics Canada figures on hate crimes are gathered from police services that serve 88 per cent of Canada’s population. Statistics Canada warns that the figures almost certainly underreport hate crimes not only because not all police forces report hate crimes but because many incidents go unreported to police.

Gaza drama comes to Toronto as controversial exhibit opens

June 18, 2010

Child at camp [images/stories/international/gazachildatcamp.jpg]TORONTO - Amid the darkness of a Christmas evening, a seven-year-old boy holds a candle and a Father Christmas doll at his home during a power outage two years ago, just before the Israeli military launched an offensive on Gaza City. This picture forms part of a controversial exhibit by the non-profit group Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East. “Human Drama in Gaza” runs from June 16 to June 28 at the Cream Tangerine Cafe's The Great Hall on Queen Street West. The exhibit is a collection of 44 pictures taken by photographers from Agence France Presse, Getty Images and Reuters during the conflict. The photos reflect scenes of sadness, death and despair during the December 2008-January 2009 battle as well as scenes of resilience at refugee camps established as safe havens for those left homeless after the attacks.

Maternal health the right choice for G8

June 18, 2010

Maternal healthcare [images/stories/misc/aids.jpg]TORONTO - Canada has picked the right issue to push at the G8 meetings in Huntsville, Ont., June 25 and 26, but it hasn't got the math quite right, according to aid groups. Leaked drafts of the final Huntsville communique indicate Canada is offering $1 billion over five years to tackle maternal and child deaths in poor countries — a commitment that comes in less than the $1.1 billion security budget for the G8/G20 summit and less than the $1.5 billion recently pledged for maternal and child health by Bill and Melinda Gates. Targeting the health of women and children is the right thing to do, said Michael Casey, executive director of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. “It is certainly a huge development priority,” Casey said.