News/Canada
Focus on families in election campaign an encouraging sign
By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News![This election campaign, political parties are offering a variety of incentives for middle-class families. This election campaign, political parties are offering a variety of incentives for middle-class families. (Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com)](/images/stories/canada/canada11/family_apr12.jpg)
But some social conservative leaders have expressed disappointment that Stephen Harper refuses to reopen the debate on abortion or marriage even if the Conservatives win a majority.
Past elections have seen the “odd snippet” of platform policy directed at family issues so it’s encouraging to see the major parties addressing family matters in this campaign, said Institute of Marriage and Family Canada (IMFC) executive director Dave Quist.
“It’s good,” he said. “It’s time they looked at the foundation of our society and that is the family.
“We may disagree on the solutions, that is what democracy is all about, but it’s important that we be discussing these things.”
Swirling D&P controversy raises concerns about fundraising backlash
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register![Bishop Grecco Bishop Grecco](/images/stories/canada_bishops/BishopGrecco2.jpg)
Each time Development and Peace faces public allegations that some of its partners are linked with organizations advocating legal access to abortion, ShareLife is contacted by angry donors threatening not to give, said ShareLife spokesman Bill Steinburg.
“Whenever they call we always remind them that by doing so they’re having an impact on the huge family of more than 40 agencies that do a lot of work here on the ground, helping our own communities,” Steinburg said.
Early this month, speaking engagements by a Mexican priest to promote Development and Peace’s overseas work were cancelled in Ottawa and Cornwall following allegations that the Jesuit priest’s human rights centre is associated with an organization that supports decriminalization of abortion. In cancelling the Ottawa events, Archbishop Terrance Prendergast said that support by Fr. Luis Arriaga’s centre for groups sympathetic to abortion is “incompatible” with Church teaching.
Residential school truth must be heard
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register![Marie Wilson Marie Wilson](/images/stories/education/education11/mariewilson.jpg)
Wilson is one of three commissioners who make up the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The trio have five years to document the history of the national network of schools mandated by the government but mostly run by churches.
There may be truth but there won’t be any reconciliation if mainstream, urban Canadians don’t acknowledge the legacy of the schools, Wilson told about 70 people at Toronto’s Regis College April 6, where she delivered the annual Martin Royackers Lecture.
Peterborough Way of the Cross puts youths’ faith out in the open
By Vanessa Santilli-Raimondo, The Catholic Register![The diocese of Peterborough’s seventh annual Way of the Cross will take place on Good Friday. Above, an actor portraying Jesus carries the Cross surrounded by Roman soldiers during a previous walk. The diocese of Peterborough’s seventh annual Way of the Cross will take place on Good Friday. Above, an actor portraying Jesus carries the Cross surrounded by Roman soldiers during a previous walk.](/images/stories/canada/canada11/diocesepeterboroughcross.jpg)
“It’s a way of evangelizing in a unique way,” said Mary Helen Moes, program manager for youth for the diocese of Peterborough and director of this year’s re-enactment.
“They’re certainly not pushing their faith on top of anybody. They’re just demonstrating their faith in a very public way and I don’t think there’s many opportunities for that any more.”
Run by the diocese of Peterborough’s Vocations, Evangelization and Youth Office, the Way of the Cross has about 100 youth participating this year, up from the 30 participants of seven years ago when it originated, said Moes.
‘Culture of death’ is not the way to solve problems
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register![Dr. Francois Primeau, a Quebec psychiatrist, said the request for euthanasia can result from underlying psychiatric conditions. Dr. Francois Primeau, a Quebec psychiatrist, said the request for euthanasia can result from underlying psychiatric conditions.](/images/stories/canada_people/canada_people11/primeau_conference.jpg)
This year’s gathering was organized by the St. Joseph Moscati Catholic Doctors Guild and held at Toronto’s University of St. Michael’s College April 8-10.
“If we allow abortion, suicide and euthanasia, the ‘culture of death’ means death is a way to solve problems,” Prof. Janet Smith, the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and consultor to the Pontifical Institute of the Family, told more than 120 doctors and medical students in her keynote speech.
Churches want poverty reduction as number one issue in election
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register![Karen Hamilton Karen Hamilton](/images/stories/canada_people/karenhamilton.jpg)
The Canadian Council of Churches reiterated the ecumenical priority in a letter to all the national party leaders March 31.
"The issue of poverty, certainly our Scriptures call us to that over and over and over again," Canadian Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton told The Catholic Register.
The eight priority issues listed in the CCC letter largely repeat the priorities laid out last year by international faith leaders gathered in Winnipeg just before the G20 Summit in Toronto.
New principal a St. Mike's U. lifer
By Vanessa Santilli-Raimondo, The Catholic Register![Domenico Pietropaolo Domenico Pietropaolo](/images/stories/education/education11/deomenicopietropaolo.jpg)
“St. Michael’s already has a very distinguished history of scholar- ship and students,” Pietropaolo told The Catholic Register. “And I hope to be able to continue to develop that further to help the St. Michael’s community reach a higher level of excellence than they already enjoy.”
Pietropaolo said he’s very pleased to be taking on the position.
“For me, I’ve never really left the college,” he said. “I’ve always been a member of it. I was a student there and I have been teaching on the campus of St. Michael’s College for many years.”
D&P partners praise Canadian generosity
By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News![Gatineau Archbishop Roger Ebacher displays gifts from Sr. Clare Garcillano, a missionary in East Timor and a D&P partner. Gatineau Archbishop Roger Ebacher displays gifts from Sr. Clare Garcillano, a missionary in East Timor and a D&P partner.](/images/stories/canada/canada11/easttimormissionary.jpg)
Among them was the president of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, Tshumbe Bishop Nicolas Djomo, who spoke of the work the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (D&P) has done in his country.
“Development and Peace has been helping us a lot,” said Djomo, who spoke of the work the Canadian bishops’ development agency did first in addressing emergency needs in the aftermath of the country’s civil war, and now in helping the central African nation address justice and human rights, fair elections and concerns over mining.
London offers invitation to Confession
By Vanessa Santilli-Raimondo, The Catholic Register![London Bishop Ronald Fabbro discusses Confession: A Roman Catholic App with Shelley Isabelle. The diocese was to give out 500 copies of the app as part of its April 6 Confession campaign. London Bishop Ronald Fabbro discusses Confession: A Roman Catholic App with Shelley Isabelle. The diocese was to give out 500 copies of the app as part of its April 6 Confession campaign. (Photo by Mark Adkinson)](/images/stories/canada/canada11/bishopfabbroapp.jpg)
“It’s an invitation to people that the doors are open for them to come back to the sacrament of Confession,” London Bishop Ronald Fabbro told The Catholic Register.
The campaign was modelled after the “Light is On for You” campaign that originated in the archdiocese of Washington and has since spread across the United States, said Mark Adkinson, director of communications for the London diocese.
The American campaign runs Confessions on a particular day for a couple hours every week throughout Lent.
John Paul II remembered in stamp exhibit
By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News![Anthony Sales among the 160 frames of his Philatelic Tribute to Pope John Paul II Anthony Sales among the 160 frames of his Philatelic Tribute to Pope John Paul II (Photo by Deborah Gyapong)](/images/stories/canada/canada11/stampcollectorpjpii.jpg)
“He was really loved,” said Sales, who lives in Richmond, B.C. “He was a man people were just attracted to.”
Sales brought his collection to Ottawa April 1-4, which straddled the sixth anniversary of John Paul’s death, and only a month before John Paul’s beatification in Rome May 2, a circumstance Sales described as “providential.”
The exhibit had originally been slated for last October, and was moved to April before the beatification was announced.
Sales described the late pope as “a man from Galilee” because when he spoke, Sales was reminded of accounts of St. Paul in Acts speaking to the people.
New refugee policy condemned for lacking compassion
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register![Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney](/images/stories/canada_people/kenneyjason.jpg)
A February letter from Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to churches and non-profits that sponsor refugees revealed plans to limit the number of refugees Canadians would be allowed to sponsor under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program. Kenney calls it a "different kind of stewardship." The government is also unilaterally altering its contracts with Sponsorship Agreement Holders, ending all agreements as of Dec. 31, 2011.
"Putting a cap on the number of refugee applications can mean putting a limit on the generosity of Canadians," said Canadian Council for Refugees director Janet Dench.