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October 10, 2018
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – As Haitian authorities confirmed the toll from the Oct. 6 earthquake at 17 dead and 333 injured, Caritas and other grass-roots organizations working with the victims highlighted the critical humanitarian situation facing survivors, who now lack shelter.
At 90, Jean Vanier is something more than an eminent man of great accomplishment, more than a national treasure who belongs to the Order of Canada, the Order of Quebec, France’s Legion of Honour and holds the 2015 Templeton Prize.
Hayden Straczala had just finished a fruitful year in parish internship when news broke of a Pennsylvania report that identified 1,000 victims who were sexually abused by Catholic priests. As more stories began to come out in Chile, Germany and other parts of the world, it weighed heavily on him as he returned to his academic studies in St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto.
Making things right Re: New abuse guidelines focus on prevention (Oct. 3): This is a good article, but I was hoping you could write that I genuinely feel that the bishops of Canada are really trying to make things right to protect minors. They seemed very sincere with me after my speech to them about clergy abuse. I sincerely want to give them encouragement and support. It is a different world than before when people kept things hidden. I don’t think the Church knew how to handle it and handled it very poorly. People want transparency and accountability. The bishops need the laity to work with them. We cannot undo the damage done, but we can have a positive effect in the present and the future. We must do everything we can to restore lost trust and faith in God through listening to abuse survivors and educating people about safeguards. If abuse is reported, be supportive. I believe we have come a long way. We must not lose our hope and faith in God. There is hope. I really believe the bishops are trying to make things right. Deborah Kloos, Windsor, Ont. Questioning celibacy Almost all the articles in The Register about the current sexual abuse crisis are based on repairing the problems of the past with apologies and compensation. But what about the future? It is necessary to preserve the Church going forward. All of the goodwill and apologies will not change the future. The underlying cause(s) of the rampant sexual abuse will not disappear because the Pope says it must. The recruitment of new priests must change. It is imperative that mandatory celibacy be discontinued. A few years ago when a number of Anglican priests left their church over same sex-marriage, these priests were readily accepted into the Catholic Church despite being married. The world didn’t stop turning. And while we are at it, we must ordain women into the priesthood and be prepared to promote them to bishops and even cardinals. Why not a female pope some day? Patrick King, Toronto Why seek answers? Re: We need answers (Sept. 9): Your editorial seems to confirm your conviction that the Viganò/Francis you-said-I-said controversy needs an answer. My question is why? Why do we need answers that will do nothing but deepen the conservative-liberal divide? What percentage of the 1.2 billion Catholics are really interested in the Viganò/Francis controversy? And what percentage are even aware of it? Although we must do everything to deracinate the evil that has seeped into the Church, we should be careful that in doing so we do not exacerbate the present divide. J.E. Sequeira, Pointe Claire, Que. An important book Re: Book’s journey takes some tedious turns (Sept. 16): Joe Gunn has produced an important work. I disagree with the person reviewing it in The Catholic Register, that it is very exclusive. I do believe that it is an eye-opener for joining the activism necessary to take on some of the major problems of today’s world, and nothing is more important than climate change. It is an important book for many people who are active or want to be active in the world that Joe Gunn knows so well. Virginia Edman, Toronto
Good riddance to confidentiality clauses. If one outcome captures the spirit of the Canadian bishops’ new document on sex abuse, that might be it. No more confidentially clauses.
All things considered, when the initial haze of marijuana smoke clears on Oct. 17 things are expected to be just as they were the day before in schools around Canada. But that doesn’t mean educators will be complacent.
October 11, 2018
MANCHESTER, England – The United Kingdom's Supreme Court has upheld the right of a bakery to refuse to make a cake emblazoned with a slogan in support of same-sex marriage.
VATICAN – Unless they recognize themselves as sinners rescued by Jesus, adults cannot be effective in helping young people find the path to faith and doing God's will, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago told the Synod of Bishops.
VATICAN – Speaking to the Synod of Bishops on behalf of Belgium's bishops' conference, a bishop said he was sure some young married men would become priests if they were asked.
VATICAN – The Catholic Church must find a way to look at secularization as an opportunity to find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, the Jesuit superior general told the Synod of Bishops.
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – It’s a fascinating time to be a young Catholic.
“Hi, my name is Gabriela Pariseau and I am an American pro-life Catholic.”
It is said that significant numbers of Catholics have left the Church over the clergy sexual abuse crisis and the ensuing coverup. I cannot verify this since I do not know any Catholics who have made that decision. Nor have I read any news articles which quoted people who have left the Church or which provided analysis showing the emigration of disaffected Catholics.
October 12, 2018
QUEBEC CITY – The Sisters of Charity of Quebec said they were "surprised" and "troubled" by allegations that children who once stayed at the Mont d'Youville orphanage in Quebec City were sexually abused not only by lay educators but also by nuns.
VATICAN – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl as archbishop of Washington. Wuerl had been facing pressure to resign after an Aug. 14 grand jury report detailing sexual abuse claims in six Pennsylvania dioceses painted a mixed picture of how he handled some of the cases when he was bishop in Pittsburgh from 1988 until 2006.
The Halton Catholic school board’s controversial “Sanctity of Life” policy will not be implemented, meaning students can raise funds for whichever charity they choose.
VATICAN – The devil is more dangerous when he is polite and friendly, persuading people to be "lukewarm" and worldly, than when he shows his true face and blatantly pushes people to sin, Pope Francis said.
A grim picture of Canadians dying amid the noise and bustle of hospital acute care wards, unable to access quality palliative care, emerges from the first-ever comprehensive, national assessment of palliative care by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
October 13, 2018
WASHINGTON – In a 2016 interview marking his 10th anniversary as archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl said he was inspired by "the faith of our people, strong faith that's manifested at every level of the life of the church."
VATICAN – In an unprecedented move, Pope Francis removed from the priesthood two Chilean bishops accused of sexual abuse.