febraury 5, 2021 vol. 121 no. 06 · 2021. 2. 3. · febraury 5, 2021 vol. 121 no. 06 vatican city...

Febraury 5, 2021 Vol. 121 No. 06

VATICAN CITY — An elderly woman walks away after meeting Pope Francis inSt. Peter's Square at the Vatican in this September 28, 2014, file photo. During hisJanuary 31 Sunday Angelus, the pope announced the establishment of a WorldDay of Grandparents and the Elderly. Story page 3. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

More than simply a call to give upcreature comforts, Lent invites us toconfront our vulnerability and embraceour brokenness. This year AshWednesday, which marks thebeginning of the season of Lent, isFebruary. 17. Story page 6. (St. AnthonyMessenger photo)

SAINT JOHN / OTTAWA — Students of St. Pius X High School in Ottawa gather to have a virtual conversation with BishopChristian Riesbeck, CC of the Diocese of Saint John. Bishop Riesbeck is an alumni of the high school. Story page 3. (Photocourtesy of St. Pius X High School)

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis (photo left) presents a Bibleto a person at his residence January 24. Religious educationmust focus on leading people to a personal relationshipwith Christ and building a community of believers wherethe talents of each person are valued and where all go outto share the Gospel and serve the poor, Pope Francis said.Story page 4. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Voice of the Diocese of Saint John since 1900. February 5, 2021

One Bayard DriveSaint John, NB E2L 3L5

Tel: (506) 653-6806Fax: (506) 653-6818

E-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours:By Appointment.

Please telephone or email.

Publisher:Most Rev. Christian Riesbeck, CC

Managing Editor: Margie Trafton

Correspondents:Fredericton: vacant

Miramichi: Shawn [email protected]

Saint John: Natasha [email protected]

Single Copy: $1.00Annual Subscription: Canada

(NB; NS; NL; ON; PE)$25.00 (HST included)Elsewhere in Canada:$23.25 (GST included)

USA/Other Countries: $35.00

Advertising Rate:$15.00 per column inch for most ads.

Publishing Date: FridayDeadline: Monday noon prior to the

publishing date.

Printed & Distributed bySt. Croix Printing Co. Ltd.

We acknowledge the financial supportof the Government of Canada.

The New Freeman is anot-for-profit organization.

The opinions expressed in letters/commentariespublished in The New Freeman, do not

necessarily represent the views ofThe New Freeman, its publisher, staff, board

of directors or the Diocese of Saint John.All submissions , including advertising, are

subject to review and editing.

New FreemanTheBy NATASHA MAZEROLLECorrespondent

SAINT JOHN — Chances are if you havebeen able to attend mass during the pandemic,you have been greeted by the friendly maskedface of one of the Knights of Columbus.

These men are accustomed to volunteer-ing in their parishes, most recognizably withfund-raising efforts (such as pancake break-fasts and bingo), but the pandemic created anew area of need, and theKnights were happy to stepup.

Gerald White, statedeputy for the Knights ofColumbus shared that fromthe beginning, the role of theKnights has been to supportpastors. “To welcome peo-ple when the churchesopened, make sure thatthey’re following COVIDguidelines, and also at theend of mass making surethat the church is sanitizedbefore the next group ofpeople come in,” Mr. Whitesaid. “Most of our councilsare doing that. And it’s beenworking out really success-fully for the parish. A lot ofa lot of the pastors are find-ing that the Knights havebeen the go-to people to getinvolved in that.”

Mr. White said that in as-sisting pandemic commit-tees, “it is important for us to show ourselvesto the parishioners — that we are there, andthat we’re helping out as best we can. We’rethere to support our parish priests and to helpthem whatever way we can.”

Noting that the vast majority of fund-rais-ing efforts have ceased with Covid, Mr. Whiteshared that the Knights have been active insupporting local food banks, soup kitchens,and other organizations in need. “A numberof councils are working on collecting foodfor food baskets and Romero House,” he said.“We have one council that collects food out-side the church to take to Romero House,and they’re also buying supplies. An adminis-trator tells them what they’re short on andthe council goes out and buys it and takes itinto them. A number of our members havebeen sending money to Romero House to buyitems that they may need that and don’t nor-

mally receive by donation.”When asked how lay people can support

the Knights of Columbus during the pandemic,Mr. White is quick in giving his answer,“We’re always on the lookout for good mento join our group,” he said. “As many of usare getting older we seem to be shoulderingthe burden more and more, and it’s nice toget a few younger men. And when I sayyounger, I’m talking about 50 down. Youknow, that’s considered a young man in our

organization.”Mr. White also said that he is grateful for

parishioners who offer to help with sanitizingafter mass. “In my church I’ve got a coupleof people that don’t belong to the Knights,but they stay after mass and help the peoplethat are doing the cleanup and that kind ofstuff, so it’s good. And we certainly welcomethat.”

True to their motto, “In service to One, inservice to All,” the Knights of Columbus con-tinue to be a witness of Christian charity, pro-viding support and stability in a time of great.For more information about the Knights ofColumbus, including how to join, visitwww.kofc.org/en/join/index.html.

Natasha Mazerolle is a correspondent forThe New Freeman. She can be reached [email protected]. §

Knights on the front lines

Voice of the Diocese of Saint John since 1900.February 5, 2021

Pope establishes World Dayof Grandparents and the ElderlyBy JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVESCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis an-nounced the establishment of a World Day ofGrandparents and the Elderly as a reminderof the important role they play as a link be-tween generations.

During his Sunday Angelus address Janu-ary 31, the pope said the day will be celebratedevery year on the fourth Sunday of July tocoincide with the feast of Sts. Joachim andAnne, Jesus' grandparents. The first celebra-tion of this day will be July 25.

"It is important for grandparents to meettheir grandchildren and for grandchildren tomeet their grandparents because — as theprophet Joel says — grandparents, beforetheir grandchildren, will dream and have greatdesires, and young people — taking strengthfrom their grandparents — will go forwardand prophesy," he said.

Highlighting the February 2 feast of thePresentation of the Lord, the pope said therecognition of Christ as the Messiah by theelderly Simeon and Anna is a reminder that"the Holy Spirit still stirs up thoughts andwords of wisdom in the elderly today."

"Their voice is precious because it singsthe praises of God and safeguards the rootsof peoples," he said. "They remind us that oldage is a gift and that grandparents are the linkbetween generations, passing on the experi-ence of life and faith to the young."

"Grandparents are often forgotten and weforget this wealth of preserving roots andpassing on," he added.

In a statement published shortly after thepope's announcement, Cardinal Kevin J.Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, theFamily and Life, said the yearly event was "agift to the whole church" that emphasizes thepastoral care of the elderly as "a priority thatcan no longer be postponed by any Christiancommunity."

"In the encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, the HolyFather reminds us that no one is saved alone.With this in mind, we must treasure the spir-itual and human wealth that has been handeddown from generation to generation," he said.

Cardinal Farrell added that "today, more thanever, we are committed to making every ef-fort to dismantle the throwaway culture andto enhance the charisms of grandparents andthe elderly."

The dicastery said Pope Francis will markthe first World Day of Grandparents and theElderly July 25 with an evening mass in St. Pe-ter's Basilica. However, the mass will be "sub-ject to sanitary regulations in place at the time."

"Closer to the world day, the Dicastery forLaity, the Family and Life will announce anyfurther initiatives that will mark the event,"the statement said. "As of now, the dicasteryis inviting parishes and dioceses around theworld to celebrate this world day at the locallevel in ways that are suited to their pastoralcontext."§

Bishop Riesbeck makes virtual visit to his former high school in OttawaBy NATASHA MAZEROLLECorrespondent

SAINT JOHN / OTTAWA — Students ofSt. Pius X High School in Ottawa were treatedto a very special guest speaker on January 22— alumni Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC ofthe Diocese of Saint John.

This school is significant not only becauseit is the bishop’s alma mater but that of Fa-ther Bob Bedard, founder of the Companionsof the Cross (the order to which BishopRiesbeck belongs as a priest).

As a teacher at St. Pius X for twenty years,many of Fr. Bedard’s key teachings that shapedhis ministry and continue to have a profoundimpact today were formed by relationships hemade with the students he encountered.

Chaplain Richmond Guillermo shared howBishop Riebeck’s words demonstrate thelegacy of Fr. Bedard that continues to be anintegral component of the life of the school.“Because I’m a former Companions of theCross seminarian, I was deeply influenced byFr. Bob as well, and quoted his saying: “Je-sus, if you’re real show me”, at almost everynon-eucharistic liturgy and religion class visitfor the last nine years,” Mr. Guillermo said.“The bishop’s testimony and challenge to theyoung people has reaffirmed everything I’vebeen doing as the chaplaincy leader of St. PiusX High School. It was a real blessing to havehim visit us. Praise be to God!”

Sharing on the topic of his call to the priest-hood, Bishop Riesbeck recalled the eveningwhen a piece of scripture hit him square inthe eyes and allowed him to surrender to theLord’s call. This recollection impacted NancyAbi-Khattar, French and Modern LanguagesDepartment head for St. Pius X School, deeply.“When you open your heart to God, ask himto show himself and give him permission towork in your life, one will experience an abun-dance of joy and fulfillment,” she said. “BishopChristian heard the call from Matthew 9:37,the harvest is plentiful but the workers are

few and answered God’s Word. He is humbleand down to earth. He is an inspiration to theyoung minds to follow their calls and voca-tions. He spoke openly, honestly and withgreat love — what a true blessing to have hadhim with us at St. Pius X.”

Principal Alex Belloni was grateful forBishop Riesbeck’s visit and the message heshared. “We are blessed to be amongst your-selves and your messages of faith and hopeinspired us all. The seeds that you plantedtoday will grow.” Mr. Belloni said.

Janis Tayeye, a student of St. Pius X saidthat she and her classmates were inspired byBishop Riesbeck’s witness and presenceamong them. “What he said was very inspir-ing and I felt his story was rather interestingas well. I really hope that one day he can visitour school in person because I’m sure we’dhave a lot more fun together.”

Bishop Riesbeck was grateful for the op-portunity to meet a new generation of faithfulin this community that is so dear to his heart.“It was so edifying in this time of pandemicto be able to connect virtually with the faith-filled staff and students of my alma mater,St. Pius X High School,” he said. “It was atrue joy to share the kerygma [kerygma is aGreek word which means proclamation] andmy vocation story with them.”

St. Pius X School operates under the Ot-tawa Catholic School Board. The board’sspiritual theme is “Seek Justice, Love Kind-ness and Mercy, Walk Humbly with God.”(Micah 6:8). To learn more about the schoolvisit http://pih.ocsb.ca/home.


• Commercial • Industrial• Residential • Construction

JOHN FLOOD & SONS

(1961) LTD.SINCE 1848

634-111232 Frederick St.

Saint John


The reign of God:walking without walls

One of the striking features of rural Ireland is the network of drystonewalls that snake up and down the hillsides and valleys. These wallscreate a patchwork of green and grey over the landscape. The wallsserve to divide the fields one from another. As well, they make gooduse of the many stones found when clearing the fields. They arepractical.

Walls serve many purposes. They protect. They set limits. Theyprovide safety. They hold together. But fundamentally, all walls di-vide. They all have two sides, in and out. They may be practical, butthey so often are an expression of fear and a desire to protect our-selves and our space.

Mark, in his Gospel (Mark 1:21-28), describes Jesus coming into asynagogue (sacred space) on a Sabbath day (a sacred time). Whileteaching in this place, he encounters a man with an unclean spirit. InIsrael such a person was ritually unclean and thus to be avoided. Aperson was deemed to be holy to the degree they kept away from theunholy, the unclean. Sometimes this was certain foods, certain ac-tions or on occasion, certain people. The man possessed of an un-clean spirit was one of these last.

The ritual avoidance of the “unclean” manifests a fear. It could beof a physical threat or one that stems from a spiritual danger. It cre-ates a wall between persons or things. Seeing the man with the un-clean spirit places him on the other side from those he encounters. Heis seen as a threat.

Jesus knows of this demand for avoidance. He does not allowhimself to be bound. Rather he crosses the boundary for the sake ofthe Kingdom of God. Jesus recognizes that, far from being limited bythe ritual purity law his mission is go through the walls to bring lifeand release to those in need. In doing so, he brings the Kingdom near,with its liberation and its healing.

We live in a world of walls, some useful, but many hurtful anddivisive. Often these walls reduce our humanity. They narrow ourvision. They make us less than we have the possibility of being. TheKingdom that Jesus proclaims by his words and actions calls us to

become the humanity of God’s dream.Our experience of COVID 19 is one

of those moments when we facechoices for the Kingdom, choices thatcan bring life and liberation to ourselvesand for our world. Globally, the good news has been that in less thana year, we have seen the development of vaccines. Now the challengeis to distribute them as broadly as possible.

Pope Francis, in his recent encyclical commented on the promisethat has emerged with the pandemic. Like many, both globally andlocally, he has seen a sense of “we are in this together”. What we allmight have seen is the we have discovered that we cannot addresssuch a global or personal challenge on our own, we need one another.As Francis puts it: Amid this storm, [we begin to gain a] blessedawareness that we are part of one another, that we are brothers andsisters of one another. (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, 2020)

This sense of breaking down the walls that divide us and the open-ness to being one family, one human community, globally and locally,is fragile. It is easy for self-interest and separation to impede its con-tinuance of growth. The walls can so easily be rebuilt.

At the end of his encyclical, Pope Francis offers this prayer for usall: May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth.May we recognize the goodness and beauty that you have sown ineach of us, and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects, andshared dreams. Amen.

Father John Jennings, retired priest of the Diocese of Saint Johnand St. Thomas University, reflects on the previous Sunday readingswith the intent to be a form of on-going adult faith formation. Hecan be reached at: [email protected]. §

Our sacred stories:God and us

Father JOHN JENNINGS

Catechists must share God's love, uphold church teaching, pope saysBy CINDY WOODENCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Religious education must focus on leading peopleto a personal relationship with Christ and building a community of believ-ers where the talents of each person are valued and where all go out toshare the Gospel and serve the poor, Pope Francis said.

"The first protagonists of catechesis are those messengers of theGospel, often lay people, who generously get involved to share thebeauty of having encountered Jesus," the pope said January 30 toparticipants in a meeting organized by the Italian bishops' NationalCatechetical Office.

Catechesis must "express God's saving love, which precedes anymoral and religious obligation on our part," he said. "'You are loved,you are loved' — this comes first; this is the gateway."

Catechesis does "not impose the truth but appeals to freedom, likeJesus did," he said, and "it should be marked by joy, encouragement,liveliness and a harmonious balance which will not reduce preachingto a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than evan-gelical."

However, he said, a catechist always must teach what the church

teaches and that includes the vision and teachings of the Second Vati-can Council.

"This is magisterium: the council is the magisterium of the church," hesaid. "Either you are with the church and therefore you follow the council,or if you do not follow the council or you interpret it in your own way, asyou wish, you are not with the church."

"We must be demanding and strict on this point," the pope said."Selectivity with respect to the council" is something that has hap-

pened throughout the history of the church with its various councils,he said. "It makes me think of a group of bishops who, after VaticanI (1869-70), left with a group of lay people, of groups, to continuethe 'true doctrine' that was not that of Vatican I."

"Today they ordain women," the pope said, apparently referring tothe Old Catholic Churches that are part of the Union of Utrecht.

"Please," the pope told the group, "no concessions to those who tryto present a catechesis that does not agree with the magisterium ofthe church."

Pope Francis also told the group that after five years of on-again,off-again discussions, the Italian bishops' conference "must begin theprocess for a national synod — community by community, diocese

(continued on page 5)


In Exile

RON ROLHEISER, omi

Our unconscious search for GodHow do we search for God?It is easy to misunderstand what that means. We are forever search-

ing for God, though mostly without knowing it. Usually, we think ofour search for God as a conscious religious search, as something wedo out of a spiritual side of ourselves. We tend to think of things thisway: I have my normal life and its pursuits and, if I am so inclined, onthe side, I might have a spiritual or religious pursuit wherein I trythrough prayer, reflection, and religious practices to get to know God.This is an unfortunate misunderstanding. Our normal search for mean-ing, fulfillment, and even for pleasure, is in fact our search for God.

What do we naturally search for in life? By nature, we search formeaning, love, a soulmate, friendship, emotional connection, sexualfulfillment, significance, recognition, knowledge, creativity, play, hu-mour, and pleasure. However, we tend not to see these pursuits assearching for God. In pursuing these things, we rarely, if ever, seethem in any conscious way as our way of searching for God. In ourminds, we are simply looking for happiness, meaning, fulfillment,and pleasure, and our search for God is something we need to do inanother way, more consciously through some explicit religious prac-tices.

Well, we are not the first persons to think like that. It has alwaysbeen this way. For instance, St. Augustine struggled with exactly this,until one day he realized something. A searcher by temperament, Au-gustine spent the first thirty-four years of his life pursuing the thingsof this world: learning, meaning, love, sex, and a prestigious career.However, even before his conversion, there was a desire in him forGod and the spiritual. However, like us, he saw that as a separatedesire from what he was yearning for in the world. Only after hisconversion did he realize something. Here is how he famously ex-pressed it:

“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late haveI loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was therethat I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovelythings which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you.

… You called, you shouted, and you brokethrough my deafness. You flashed, youshone, and you dispelled my blindness.”

This is an honest admission that he liveda good number of years not loving God; but it is also an admissionthat, during those years, he had massively misunderstood somethingand that misunderstanding lay at the root of his failure. What was thatmisunderstanding?

Reading his confession we tend to focus on the first part of it,namely, on his realization that God was inside of him all the while, butthat he was not inside of himself. This is a perennial struggle for ustoo. Less obvious in this confession and something that is also aperennial struggle for us, is his recognition that for all those yearswhile he was searching for life in the world, a search he generallyunderstood as having nothing to do with God, he was actually searchingfor God. What he was looking for in all those worldly things andpleasures was in fact the person of God. Indeed, his confessionmight be recast this way:

Late, late, have I loved you because I was outside of myself whileall the while you were inside me, but I wasn’t home, and I had no ideait was you I was actually looking for in the world. I never connectedthat search to you. In my mind, I was not looking for you; I waslooking for what would bring me meaning, love, significance, sexualfulfillment, knowledge, pleasure, and a prestigious career. Never did Iconnect my longing for these things with my longing for you. I hadno idea that everything I was chasing, all those things I was lonelyfor, were already inside me, in you. Late, late, have I understood that.Late, late, have I learned that what I am so deeply hungry and lonelyfor is contained inside of you. All these years, I never connected myrestlessness, my seemingly selfish and lustful pursuit of things, withyou. Everything I am lonely for is inside of you and you are inside ofme. Late, late, have I realized this.

We are fired into life with a madness that comes from the gods. Sosay the Greek Stoics. They are right. Our whole life is simply a searchto respond to that divine madness inside us, a madness Christiansidentify with infinite yearnings of the soul. Given those yearnings, likeAugustine, we plunge into the world searching for meaning, love, asoulmate, friendship, emotional connection, sexual fulfillment, sig-nificance, recognition, knowledge, creativity, and pleasure, and thatearthy pursuit, perhaps more than our explicit religious pursuits, is infact our search for God.

Best to realize this early, so we do not have to write: “Late, late,have I loved you!”

Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, and award-winningauthor.. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.comFacebook www.facebook.com/ronrolheiser §

Father Ron Rolheiser’s column In Exile is sponsored byBrenan’s Funeral Home

111 Paridise Row, Saint John, NB506-634-7424 www.brenansfh.com

(continued from page 4)by diocese."

The bishops, religious and laypeople who gathered in Florence in 2015for the Italian church's national convention, held every 10 years, spokeabout the idea of having a synod, but no formal steps were taken toorganize it. "Now, take it up again. It's time," the pope said.

Quoting from his speech to the convention delegates in Florence,Pope Francis told members of the catechetical office that religiouseducation must place the community dimension of the church at itscentre.

"This is not the time for elitist strategies," he said. "This is the timeto be artisans of open communities that know how to value the tal-ents of each one. It is a time for missionary communities, free anddisinterested, that do not seek relevance and advantage, but walk thepaths of the people of our time, bending down to those on the mar-gins."

"It is the time for communities that can look disappointed youngpeople in the eye, that welcome strangers and give hope to the dis-heartened," he said. "It is a time for communities that fearlessly dia-logue with those who have different ideas. It is a time for communi-ties that, like the good Samaritan, know how to draw near to thosewounded by life, to bind up their wounds with compassion."§

Catechists must share God's love


By MARY ANN STEUTERMANN

Reprinted with permission St. Anthony’s Messenger, March 2021

Ash Wednesday tends to get a bad rap. At first glance, the begin-ning of Lent each year doesn’t seem to have a very uplifting message.When we receive ashes on our foreheads, we are reminded that weare dust and to dust we shall return. But “returning to dust” doesn’tsound all that positive, does it? Death isn’t something we like to thinkabout, much less celebrate, in our liturgy and prayer.

If we take a closer look, though, we find that the message of AshWednesday has far more to do with life than with death. It’s muchmore about what it means to be human — on this side of death’sdoor, not only beyond. Being human means being both blessed andbroken, and Ash Wednesday is a special invitation to look at our ownbrokenness in a way that can bring healing, strength, and courage.

Of course, brokenness is never the goal, even if we can encounterGod through the process. We don’t set out to come up short, makemistakes, or feel “less than.” But we often do, a reality that is onemysterious thread within the intricate tapestry of human life. We haveanother word for this kind of brokenness, one that captures our es-sence as incomplete all on our own. That word is vulnerable.

Embracing vulnerabilityVulnerability has become something of a buzzword in recent years.

A simple online search of the word turns up countless videos, arti-cles, and book titles. But what does it really mean?

To be vulnerable is to be exposed, to be open. Being vulnerablemeans that the parts of ourselves that are not strong and beautiful arevisible to others. Brene Brown, research professor at the Universityof Houston and best-selling author, has become something of a cul-tural icon as a “vulnerability guru.” In her words, vulnerability is “havingthe courage to show up and be seen when we have no control overthe outcome.”

Have you ever tried something new without being sure it wouldturn out OK? Then you have been vulnerable because you allowedfailure to be a real possibility. Have you ever forgiven someone whobetrayed you? Then you have been vulnerable because you openedyourself to being hurt again.

Have you ever asked for help? You have been vulnerable becauseyou risked having your weaknesses exposed. Have you ever lovedanother person? You have been vulnerable because you took a chanceon the other person not returning that love.

Life affords us many opportunities to choose to accept vulnerabil-ity. We can choose to share our feelings in a relationship withoutknowing how the other person will respond. We can choose to take achance on a new career path, knowing that we may not succeed. Butwe aren’t always able to choose the kinds of vulnerability we experi-ence. Life also forces us into brokenness entirely against our will.

We are thrown into a terrible, frightening vulnerability when ourclosest friend moves far away, when our kid drops out of school,when we learn about the affair, when the biopsy results come backpositive. Never in a million years would we choose these or manyother challenges thrust upon us.

Jesus had a lot to say about this kind of vulnerability. In fact, the

Dust to dustMore than simply a call to give up creature comforts, Lent invites us to

confront our vulnerability and embrace our brokennessbeatitudes are the blueprint he laid out to help us honour our brokenparts as a means of growth and transformation. He taught that beingvulnerable — in other words, being poor or meek, feeling sorrowfulor persecuted—is an opportunity to encounter the divine.

Suffering has a way of stripping us of our ego and false notions ofself-sufficiency, which makes room for an experience of the divine.In accepting our faults, challenges, and pain, we create a space forGod’s grace to work its inscrutable magic in our lives. Being vulner-able is the door through which we must travel to become the best,most authentic versions of ourselves.

Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable is how we accept our broken-ness. The dust of Ash Wednesday is a powerful reminder of thevulnerability that is part of our spiritual DNA as human beings.

Rethinking repentanceIf Ash Wednesday today can remind us less about death and more

about the mystery of vulnerability in life, then does the traditionalfocus on repentance still make sense? Absolutely!

But it may call us to rethink its purpose. John the Baptist preachedrepentance, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is near.” It’s easy to seehis prophecy as an apocalyptic warning of imminent damnation if wedon’t get our collective act together. But an interpretation of repent-ance that’s more consistent with the God of love and mercy is lessabout warning and more about promise. John’s message doesn’t haveto be his way of threatening us into good behaviour, a New Testa-ment version of “Wait till your father gets home!” Instead, it can bean invitation to make room in our hearts and lives for a God whowants to fill up our empty spaces and doesn’t take no for an answer.

Repentance isn’t all about feeling guilt and shame for our short-comings. The word’s Latin root, paenitentia, has several nuancedshades of meaning, but they all boil down to one thing — a sense of“lacking.” Repentance, then, is an acceptance of the fact that we donot hold all the cards, that we are not “enough” all on our own. Putanother way, it’s a way of embracing our vulnerability and broken-ness. The dust of Ash Wednesday reminds us that life is larger thanour individual experiences of it. We are not in control.


Beatitudes• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.• Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.• Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.• Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for theywill be satisfied.• Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.• Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children ofGod.• Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.• Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utterevery kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:3–12


Churches demand Canada join nuke treatyBy MICHAEL SWANThe Catholic Register

OTTAWA — The Canadian Council of Churches has again calledon Canada to sign and ratify the United Nations Treaty on the Prohi-bition of Nuclear Weapons as the treaty became officially part ofinternational law on January 22.

“Nuclear weapons are evil and they present a unique, existentialthreat to humanity,” CCC Justice and Peace Commission chair SisterDonna Geernaert wrote in a January 19 letter to Foreign Affairs Min-ister Marc Garneau.

But Global Affairs Canada isn’t biting.“Substantive progress on non-proliferation and disarmament can

only come via initiatives that engage all states, including those whichpossess nuclear weapons,” Global Affairs spokesperson GrantlyFranklin said in an e-mail to The Catholic Register.

Ever since groups began organizing and pushing for the new nu-clear weapons’ treaty in 2010, Canada has stood with the 29 otherNATO member states in refusing to engage in treaty negotiations, tovote on the treaty or to acknowledge it has now been ratified by 52UN member states, surpassing the 50 states necessary to bring it intoforce under international law. The Vatican signed and ratified the treatyas soon as it was opened for signatures September 20, 2017.

NATO policy retains a right of first use of nuclear weapons todefend against possible attack by an enemy. Current policy also envi-sions the possibility of a limited, strategic nuclear exchange. The NATOdirector of nuclear policy has stated that “NATO will remain a nuclearalliance as long as nuclear weapons exist.”

All 26 member churches of the Canadian Council of Churches urgedOttawa to sign and ratify the treaty in 2018, a few months after itpassed in a 122-to-one vote at the UN. This time the churches arehoping the lessons of the COVID pandemic might persuade the gov-ernment to think globally and act on the treaty, Geernaert said.

Whether it’s health, the environment or the threat of war, the COVIDcrisis demonstrates how any global challenge must be confrontedwith a decisive and co-ordinated response, she said. If only one percent of the world’s 13,400 nuclear weapons were to be used, theywould likely kill millions in the immediate blast, but the effects wouldwash over the entire globe, causing nuclear winter, famine and thedeath of billions.

“There’s no way that could be restrained,” Sr. Geernaert said. “Wesaw with Chernobyl that it goes across the globe. That’s what COVIDhas done — we’re all connected.”

Sr. Geernaert believes Pope Francis has summed up common senseon nuclear weapons.

“According to Pope Francis, and I think he’s right, if you’ve got themthere’s always the possibility you’re going to use them,” she said.

While the churches demand signing and ratification of the nucleartreaty, a coalition of 110 peace, faith, women’s and environmentalgroups is asking Parliament to take some intermediate steps to inchCanada toward joining the treaty. In an appeal to legislators, the coa-lition has asked for public hearings into the treaty before the House ofCommons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and InternationalDevelopment.

Global Affairs claims “Canada has long been an important player inglobal nuclear disarmament and remains committed to achieving aworld free of nuclear weapons.”

By keeping communications open with NATO and “all stakeholders,”

Canada can play a role in reducing the threat of nuclear war, said Mr.Franklin.

“Canada will continue to act as a bridge-builder, working to unitestates in taking concrete steps towards a world free of nuclear weap-ons,” he said.§

Pope urges nations to createa world free from nuclear armsBy CAROL GLATZCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Marking the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nu-clear Weapons that came into force January 22, Pope Francis en-couraged nations to work toward a world free from all nuclear arms.

The treaty is the first legally binding international agreement to pro-hibit signatory states from the development, testing, production, stock-piling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons,as well as assisting with and encouraging such activities.

Nuclear weapons have an "indiscriminate impact" as they can "strikelarge numbers of people in a short space of time and provoke long-lastingdamage to the environment," the pope said during his weekly generalaudience, livestreamed from the library of the Apostolic Palace.

The pope "strongly encouraged" all nations and people "to workwith determination to promote the conditions necessary for a worldwithout nuclear arms, contributing to the advancement of peace andmultilateral cooperation, which humanity greatly needs today."

The Holy See was the among the first to ratify the treaty, whichwas approved by 122 U.N. members. Netherlands was the only countryto vote against it while Singapore abstained.

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican secretary for relationswith states, signed it at the United Nations in New York the first dayit was open for signatures in September 2017.

The treaty came into force January 22, three months after the re-quired 50th nation ratified the historic document, which resulted frommonths of negotiations led by non-nuclear countries.

The Holy See was a key participant in the process that led to draft-ing the treaty, providing encouragement and advice to negotiators,according to Jesuit Father Drew Christiansen, a nuclear weaponsexpert who is professor of ethics and global development atGeorgetown University.

The nuclear nations and those under the U.S. nuclear umbrella op-posed the measure and played little if any role in negotiations. In addi-tion to the U.S., the countries possessing nuclear weapons are Rus-sia, China, United Kingdom, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and NorthKorea.

Data from various sources, including the U.S. Department of Stateand the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, show thatthe nine countries hold an estimated 13,440 nuclear weapons.§

Bishop’s Funeral Home“serving all faiths”

Telephone 458-1885540 Woodstock Rd., Fredericton


UN marks first International Day of Human FraternityBy NATASHA MAZEROLLECorrespondent

“If the conviction that all human beingsare brothers and sisters is not to remain anabstract idea but to find concrete embodiment,then numerous related issues emerge, forcingus to see things in a new light and to developnew responses.” (Fratelli Tutti, 128)

In October of 2020, on the feast of St.Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis released theencyclical Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity andSocial Friendship. It is a rich document thattakes on human relationships and what itmeans to truly care for the other. The popesaid, “it is my desire that, in this our time, byacknowledging the dignity of each humanperson, we can contribute to the rebirth of auniversal aspiration to fraternity... No one canface life in isolation… We need a communitythat supports and helps us, in which we canhelp one another to keep looking ahead.”

In December 2020, the UN officially pro-claimed February 4 the International Day forHuman Fraternity. In the resolution for thisproclamation the UN cited “the importanceof raising awareness about different culturesand religions or beliefs and of education inthe promotion of tolerance, which involvesthe acceptance by the public of and its re-spect for religious and cultural diversity.” Weare challenged daily to overcome barriers and

see the humanity of the one in front of us.The movement of Communion and Libera-

tion takes on the topic of human fraternity inits February issue of the publication Traces,(available at clonline.org), noting that, “Theencyclical makes us uneasy about even themost ordinary conflicts and opens up manyquestions, with one question at the founda-tion of them all: How can being “saved to-gether” go beyond a mere intention, a utopicdream, or a voluntaristic effort that wouldmerely result in skepticism?...Francis writesthat there can be no solid and stable reasonsfor an appeal to fraternity ‘without an open-ness to the Father of all. Only with this aware-ness that we are not orphans, but children,can we live in peace with one another’.”

Encouraging Catholics to take part in theInternational Day for Human Fraternity, PopeFrancis said in his January video At the Serv-ice of Human Fraternity: “Fraternity leads usto open ourselves to the Father of all and tosee in the other a brother, a sister, to sharelife, or to support one another, to love, toknow.” In these times when it seems easierto focus on what divides us, how can remaintrue to our identity as Christians, living ourcall to be missionary disciples and proclaimChrist to the ends of the earth? For this weneed look no further than the example of ourLord, who always began with the relation-ship. Conversion comes first from an open-

ness, and an awareness that we are loved.Once the seeds of love take root the Lord willguide us together along the path of truth wherewe can all be saved, together.

“Let us dream, then, as a single human fam-ily, as fellow travellers sharing the same flesh,as children of the same earth which is our com-mon home, each of us bringing the richness ofhis or her beliefs and convictions, each of uswith his or her own voice, brothers and sistersall,” Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti.

The Vatican announced that Pope Franciswas to participate in a meeting hosted by theUnited Nations to mark the first InternationalDay of Human Fraternity.

According to a statement published Febru-ary 1 by the Pontifical Council forInterreligious Dialogue, the pope was to takepart in the February 4 virtual event, whichwas to be hosted in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Mo-hammed bin Zayed, the crown prince.

For more information on participating in theUN International Day for Human Fraternity visitwww.HumanFraternityDay.org. The meeting willbe broadcast in several languages from 2.30 pm(Rome time), 1.30 pm (GMT) or 9:30 am (At-lantic Time), on the Vatican News website,www.vaticannews.va/en.html.


What’s next for Alberta? How does the Church help?By MICHAEL SWANThe Catholic Register

With the stroke of a pen, U.S. PresidentJoe Biden didn’t just cancel the Keystone XLpipeline. In the eyes of some, he’s cancelledAlberta.Pipeline owner TC Energy Corp. almost im-mediately informed its employees it will elimi-nate more than 1,000 good-paying construc-tion jobs across both Alberta and themidwestern states. But beyond the immedi-ate job losses, the end of Keystone XL isemblematic for many Albertans who used tosport ‘I am Alberta oil’ bumper stickers handedout by the Canadian Association of PetroleumProducers, said Alberta sociologist and envi-ronmentalist Randy Haluza-DeLay.

“An identity claim (based on oil) is beingformulated here,” said Mr. Haluza-DeLay,who edited the 2013 book How The World’sReligions Are Responding to Climate Change.

Over years of running seminars on climatechange for faith groups in Alberta, Mr. Haluza-

DeLay has noticed a shift in attitudes. Whilethere’s a core that ideologically rejects PopeFrancis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ and anysuggestion that an inevitable shift away fromoil will require sacrifice, most accept the cli-mate is changing, he said.

A Pembina Institute poll released January15 found 68 per cent of Albertans supportOttawa’s goal of achieving net-zero emissionsby 2050. However, that goal doesn’t changeAlberta’s immediate concern over losing the$8 billion Keystone project. Almost three quar-ters of Albertans (72 per cent) want Ottawato push Mr. Biden to reverse his decision,compared to 26 per cent of Quebeckers and38 per cent of Ontarians. Only in Alberta andSaskatchewan is there a majority in supportof efforts to rescue the pipeline, according toa new poll from the Angus Reid Institute.

While most Canadians acknowledge can-celling Keystone will be bad for Alberta (65per cent, according to Angus Reid), Canadi-ans outside Alberta and Saskatchewan thinkit’s time to move on.

But knowing the age of oil is over doesn’ttranslate into knowing what to do next, orknowing what Alberta or an Albertan is in apost-oil world, Western Canadian theologiansand religious studies professors told TheCatholic Register.

“A lot of people’s jobs depend on the oiland gas and that’s changing. People are scaredabout the change. I think fear is a bigger fac-tor than anything else,” said Mr. Haluza-DeLay.

The Church needs to respond to both theimmediate needs of people and families whohave lost their jobs and to communities thathave to reimagine who and what they are,said philosophy and Catholic Studies profes-sor Timothy Harvie of Calgary’s St. Mary’sUniversity.

“This is a great time to reorient ourselves,to be creative again,” he said.

Catholics should look to Pope Francis asthey think through both the future and theimmediate needs of unemployed neighbours,Mr. Harvie suggested.



‘Scripture not meant to be stuck on paper but fixed in one's heart’By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVESCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Praying with Scriptureis not meant to be a mindless repetition ofbiblical quotes but instead is a gift that is meantto be accepted in people's hearts, PopeFrancis said.

During his weekly general audience Janu-ary 27, the pope said the words contained inScripture were "not written to remain impris-oned on papyrus, parchment or paper, but tobe received by a person who prays, makingthem blossom in his or her heart."

He also said Christians must not exploit theBible or use it for "ulterior motives" like justi-fying "his or her own philosophical and moralview."

"It irritates me a little when I hear Chris-

Verify before sharing 'news,' pope says in Communications Day messageBy CINDY WOODENCatholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — In the age of instantcommunications and fake news, journalists— like everyone else — need to recover thepractice of going out and verifying informa-tion before they share it, Pope Francis said.

"'Come and see' is the simplest method toget to know a situation. It is the most honesttest of every message, because, in order toknow, we need to encounter, to let the per-son in front of me speak, to let his or hertestimony reach me," the pope wrote in hismessage for the Catholic Church's celebra-tion of World Communications Day.

The message was released at the end ofJanuary, the eve of the feast of St. Francis deSales, patron saint of journalists. At the Vati-can and in most countries, World Communi-cations Day will be celebrated May 16.

Pope Francis chose Come and See —Communicating by Encountering People asThey Are as the theme for the 2021 celebration,explaining that "Come and see" is the invitationJesus gave to his first disciples and the invitationthey gave to others as faith in Jesus spread.

The pope paid homage to journalists whohave risked their lives going into the field tocover, verify and share stories the worldneeded to know, especially "about the hard-ships endured by persecuted minorities invarious parts of the world, numerous casesof oppression and injustice inflicted on thepoor and on the environment, and many warsthat otherwise would be overlooked."

"It would be a loss not only for news re-

porting, but for society and for democracyas a whole, were those voices to fade away,"he said. "Our entire human family would beimpoverished."

But he also railed against those who reportor share information that has not been veri-fied and that has no basis in fact.

"We have known for some time that newsand even images can be easily manipulatedfor any number of reasons, at times simplyfor sheer narcissism," he said.

"All of us are responsible for the commu-nications we make, for the information weshare, for the control that we can exert overfake news by exposing it," the pope wrote."All of us are to be witnesses of the truth: togo, to see and to share."

Recognizing the limits many media outletsface because of budget constraints and therestrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pan-demic, the pope nevertheless pleaded for areturn to real investigative and on-the-spotreporting and serious efforts to get away fromsimply repeating an outlet's "standard, oftentendentious narrative."

Without real, honest reporting, he said,media cannot help people understand the truthof what is happening in the world and in thelives of other people.

Television, newspapers, radio, the internetand social media can make people feel con-nected, he said, but "we remain mere specta-tors" if they don't also allow people to en-counter others and hear their stories.

"In communications, nothing can ever com-pletely replace seeing things in person," hesaid. "We do not communicate merely with

words, but with our eyes, the tone of ourvoice and our gestures."

Interaction and dialogue are essential to realcommunication, Pope Francis said. He quotedWilliam Shakespeare, who described some-one who "speaks an infinite deal of nothing."

"We think of how much empty rhetoricabounds, even in our time, in all areas of pub-lic life, in business as well as politics," thepope said. Unfortunately, the same thing hap-pens "to us as Christian communicators."

"The Good News of the Gospel spreadthroughout the world as a result of person-to-person, heart-to-heart encounters with menand women who accepted the invitation to'come and see,' and were struck by the sur-plus of humanity that shone through the gaze,the speech and the gestures of those who borewitness to Jesus Christ," the pope said.

Catholics using the media, professionallyor personally, must do so in a way that spreadsfaith in a loving God and attracts people toChrist, he said, adding that he was convincedSt. Paul, "that great communicator," would"certainly have made use of email and socialmessaging" to share the Gospel.

But St. Paul's communication skills werenot the key to his success, the pope said; "itwas his faith, hope and charity." The pope ended his message with a prayerfor communicators, asking God to help themgo out in the search of truth, to listen and toshun prejudice and "hasty conclusions." "Grant us the grace to recognize your dwell-ing places in our world and the honesty neededto tell others what we have seen," the prayersaid.§

tians who recite verses from the Bible likeparrots: 'Oh, yes, the Lord says (this), hewants this,'" the pope said, departing fromhis prepared remarks.

"But did you encounter the Lord with thatverse? It is not a question only of memory; itis a question of the memory of the heart, thatwhich opens you to the encounter with theLord. And that word, that verse, leads you tothe encounter with the Lord," he said.

Livestreaming his audience from the libraryof the Apostolic Palace, the pope continuedhis series of talks on prayer by looking at howChristians pray with Scripture.

"The Bible was not written for a generichumanity, but for us, for me, for you, formen and women in flesh and blood, men andwomen who have a name and a surname,like me, like you," he said.

The Christian tradition of "Lectio Divina,"reflecting on and praying with the biblical read-ings, allows Christians to enter "into dialoguewith the Scripture," he said. And recognizingoneself in a particular passage, biblical char-acter or situation "is a grace."

However, he added, praying with Scriptureis "delicate" because those who pray "mustnot slip into subjective interpretations" but in-stead be united to Scripture and view it as "anicon to be contemplated."

Pope Francis said the word of God "inspiresgood intentions," gives strength and serenityto those in need and "even when it challengesus, it gives us peace."

"On 'weird' and confusing days, it guaran-tees the heart a core of confidence and oflove that protects it from the attacks of theevil one," he said.§


February 7, 2020 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary TimeFirst Reading: Job 7.1-4, 6-7

Sorrow fills all my days.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 147.1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (R. 1a, 3)R. Lord, this is the company of those who seek your face.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9.16-19, 22-23Woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel!

Gospel: Mark 1.29-39Jesus cured many who were sick with various diseases.

Sunday’s Liturgy

As resources shrink, Quebec Archdiocese reorganizes parishes for outreachBy PHILIPPE VAILLANCOURTCatholic News Service

QUEBEC CITY — The Arch-diocese of Quebec announced itsintention to reorganize its parishesto focus on local missionary ac-tivities. This move comes as hu-man and material resources con-tinue to diminish.

At least 75% of the parishes willbe affected by this change, inboth urban and rural areas.

In a video, Cardinal GeraldLacroix stressed that the churchof Quebec was born out of mis-sion. But, he said, it is now clearthat the parish system that had astrong impact on French Cana-dian society is not sustainable andneeds to evolve.

"We can no longer be satisfiedwith giving good pastoral serv-ices to the people who faithfullyparticipate in our assemblies andmovements," said Cardinal

Over the past decade, thenumber of parishes in the Arch-diocese of Quebec decreasedfrom 200 to 38. These 38 par-ishes were then organized into 29large "pastoral units."

"For a long time now, the re-sources available have not al-lowed us to appoint pastors andother pastoral collaborators in suf-ficient numbers to meet the needsof all the communities," con-firmed Marie Chrétien, diocesanpastoral coordinator. "We nowlack the resources to assign apastoral team to each of theselarge units."

From now on, the diocese willconstitute expanded pastoralunits, which will be articulatedaround new teams that will col-laborate with people involved inthe various areas.

The communications directorof the Archdiocese of Quebec,Valérie Roberge-Dion, said that, ina first step, 22 of the 29 pastoralunits will become 10 missionaryunits. Human resources will beshared, but no juridical grouping ofparishes — a process that ended in2019 for the Archdiocese of Que-bec — is expected initially.

QUEBEC CITY — CardinalGerald Lacroix of Quebecgestures as he speaks in avideo message January 19,2021. (CNS/screenshot YouTube)

30 Lansdowne Ave., Saint John506-648-9911

www.NewSystemLC.com

Lacroix. "These people now rep-resent a tiny part of the popula-tion entrusted to us."

Quebec Auxiliary Bishop MarcPelchat added that in recent years,the life of the parishes has relied onteams that have carried out "almosteverything" of the daily function-ing, often focusing on "expectedservices."

"We must now reorient our pas-toral teams toward a more in-tensely missionary activity, turnedtoward the people and groups thatwe reach too little," said BishopPelchat.

This call to go beyond the usualframeworks aims at "freeing en-ergies" to better reach out to thepopulation that is currently notreached by the church's message.

Priests, deacons and laypeoplemust "envisage working tospread the Gospel message out-side our usual frameworks," withnew means, in new territories,

Cardinal Lacroix said.

These changes will be made forthe pastoral year that begins Au-gust 1. In the meantime, the dio-cese intends to continue consulta-tions to "clarify the roles and re-sponsibilities of each one" and todetermine according to which newfinancial and administrative agree-ments the parishes will continue tooperate.

Cardinal Lacroix said he be-lieves it will be necessary to getused to a "new face of the or-ganization of the church." Hecalled on employees to welcomethese changes and invited themto see how they can collaborate.

He also announced otherchanges anticipated for thechurch of Quebec. He raised thepossibility that eucharistic cel-ebrations could eventually be cen-tred around "a few centralchurches."

"The use of our places of wor-ship and other buildings will haveto be re-evaluated, for the finan-cial weight of these has increasedand considerably restricts ourability to fulfill our essential mis-sion," he said. "The number ofeucharistic celebrations will alsohave to be reviewed, becausepriests, far fewer in number thanbefore, cannot limit themselves tomultiplying sacramental celebra-tions while neglecting other formsof presence."

He said he also expected the dio-cese will have fewer paid person-nel and more volunteers.§


(continued from page 8)“These people are in very real need,” he

said. ”This is why we need, and Pope Francisagain has called for, robust systems of aidand solidarity and practical social safety netsto be part of our society.”

Whether the Church in Canada will in factrespond pastorally to the new reality is a ques-tion very much up in the air, said Reginaarchdiocesan theologian Brett Salkeld.

“What is far more likely, it seems to me, isthat the Church — I don’t just mean theclergy, but all of us — are almost certainlygoing to just divide along partisan lines on this,”Mr. Salkeld said. “We’re in a cultural contextwhere it’s so easy to be subsumed by ideol-ogy. We ignore the resources in our ownCatholic tradition to address (issues). Whetherit’s an economic question, a pastoral ques-tion, a political question, we have resources.”

Mr. Salkeld has no doubt that pastors willrespond spiritually and practically to familiesthat have lost jobs and income. But whetherthe Church will help communities to cometogether and discover a new hope, a new senseof the future, or leave them stewing in angerand resentment, is very much in doubt.

“What is going to be the response of theChurch?” Salkeld asked. “God I wish it wascompassion for the unemployed and also acommitment to the environment. Could wedo both of those together?”

“People are entitled to just employment andlabour,” said St. Joseph’s College, Universityof Alberta philosophy professor NathanKowalsky.

The good news is that just employment isexactly what Pope Francis demands inLaudato Si’ and it’s what proponents of a“green new deal” or “just transition” are striv-ing for, said Mr. Kowalsky. The tendency of

Alberta media and politicians to dismiss seri-ous talk about changing the economy keepsmany Alberta Catholics from bringing theirfaith to bear on these questions, he said.

Moral questions about oil sands develop-ment were raised in Alberta long beforeLaudato Si’, in a 2009 pastoral letter from St.Paul Bishop Luc Bouchard.

“The moral question has been left to mar-ket forces and self-regulation to resolve, whenwhat is urgently required is moral vision andleadership,” Mr. Bouchard wrote.

Not facing up to the moral question then,or even earlier, has led Alberta to its presentdilemma, Haluza-DeLay said.

“So now they are struggling with questionsabout if this is what we’re so dependent on,what do we do now?” he said. “This is sucha big question for Alberta.”

The solution, at least for Catholic Albertans,should be to look again at the traditional Catho-lic approach to big questions, said Harvie. “AsCatholics, we are used to taking the long view.We are used to viewing things with an eyethat isn’t simply determined by economic in-terests or the interests of those in power,” hesaid.

In Saskatchewan, Salkeld fears that ideol-ogy will overwhelm any truly Catholic proc-ess of discernment about the future.

“One group will use this to say, ‘This iswhy this environmentalism stuff is bogus andlook now, it’s cost people their livelihoods andare you happy now you liberals?’ And theother group is going to say Alberta shouldn’thave had all its eggs in one basket,” Mr. Salkeldsaid.

“We need voices in the Church — bishops,lay people, priests, everyone — who can ar-ticulate these issues from a Catholic point ofview first.” §

(continued from page 6)A focus on giving

Being broken means that healing is needed,so the age-old Lenten practices of fasting,almsgiving, and prayer are not only relevanttoday but also perhaps more needed than ever.It’s in giving up our reliance on those thingswe don’t absolutely need, giving to those ingreater need than ourselves, and giving in toGod’s presence in our lives that we are ableto look our own “lacking” straight in the eye.It’s how we become aware of both the bless-ing and the brokenness of our human condi-tion.

Dust to dust

How does the Church help?

Giving up: Fasting, a spiritual practice thathas declined in popularity over the years, hasmade a comeback in a less-than-spiritual way.“Intermittent fasting” is all the rage lately onnutrition websites and in best-selling books.But when fasting is understood not as aweight-loss technique but as a way of lettinggo of our reliance on things we don’t actuallyneed, it can be a powerful form of prayer.It’s fine to give up desserts for Lent if thathelps us reflect on the things we can do with-out. Perhaps it can be more powerful, though,to “fast” from gossip or unnecessary spend-ing or an insistence on having the last word.

Fasting is a way to experience our own “lack-ing” in a transformative way.

Giving to: Almsgiving, which means thegiving of money or food to those in need, isanother traditional Lenten practice. This, too,is relevant for us today during Lent — and allyear long — because it is how we recognizethat we aren’t the only ones who are vulner-able. The world is full of others just like us inour lacking. They may be vulnerable in dif-ferent ways than we are, but by reaching outto them in their need, we bear witness to theirpain. By standing in solidarity with their bro-kenness, we take steps toward being healedof our own.

Giving in: Prayer as a spiritual practicenever goes out of style. Not only during Lentbut throughout the entire year, prayer is a pow-erful way of participating in divine commu-nity. By lifting our own broken pieces andthose of others in prayer, we attest to — ratherthan run from — the vulnerable parts of ourlives. Prayer connects us with each other andwith God. This sacred unity connects our in-dividual broken pieces with those of others,creating a beautiful new kind of wholeness.

Our Lenten invitationToo often, we approach Ash Wednesday

with liturgical gloom and doom. It’s the “blacksheep” of the family of dark solemnities inthe liturgical calendar, failing even to garnerstatus as a holy day of obligation. But whenpainted in this light, it’s easy to miss its beau-tiful invitation to claim our brokenness, em-brace our vulnerability, and stand in solidaritywith all those who do the same.

God is ready to heal our woundedness, tomake us more whole than ever before. AshWednesday is our call to make room for the di-vine dance to work its sacred magic within us.

Mary Ann Steutermann is the director ofcampus ministry at Assumption High School,a Catholic all-girls school in Louisville, Ken-tucky. She’s also a freelance writer whose ar-ticles have been published in this magazineand on the popular Catholic websiteBustedHalo.com. Ms. Steutermann lives inLouisville with her husband and son.§

Ash Wednesday isa special invitationto look at our own

brokenness in a waythat can bring healing,strength, and courage.


Sprinkling to replaces forehead ashes on Ash WednesdayBy AGNIESZKA RUCKThe B.C. Catholic

VANCOUVER — Ash Wednesday is goingto look a little different in the Archdiocese ofVancouver this year.

The most obvious change will the distribu-tion of the ashes. Archbishop J. MichaelMiller, drawing on guidance from the Vati-can’s Congregation for Divine Worship andthe Discipline of the Sacraments, told priestsJanuary 22 to sprinkle ashes on the heads ofthe faithful this year.

Although in North America the custom isto place ashes in the shape of a cross on theforeheads of congregants, in many parts ofthe world placing or sprinkling ashes on thehead of the faithful is the accepted form.

As with the distribution of Communion inthe Archdiocese of Vancouver, ashes will bedistributed without a public liturgy. If currentrestrictions remain in place, and dependingon the parish, the faithful will receive asheseither by drive-in (with up to 50 cars in thechurch parking lot), by drive-up (with carslining up at the curb and individuals receivingashes, then driving away), or walk-through(entering the church a few at a time and thenleaving after receiving ashes).

In another change, immediately before thedistribution of the ashes the priest will say theformula “Repent and believe in the Gospel” or“Remember that you are dust, and to dust youshall return” only once for all who will be re-ceiving ashes. He will then clean his hands, puton a face mask, and distribute the ashes withoutsaying anything. (Previously, he would say theformula to each person individually).

The changes are to minimize any risk ofspreading COVID-19 and follow guidancefrom the Vatican that was released Jan. 12and signed by Cardinal Robert Sarah.

Another change is coming to the familiarrites of the Church February 17 due to a re-cent revision to the English translation of theRoman Missal approved for Canada.

The Canadian Conference of the CatholicBishops announced in December that the con-clusion of the Collect (and similar prayers)will change from saying “one God” to, sim-ply, “God.” For example, the Collect may nowend like this: “Through our Lord Jesus Christ,your Son, who lives and reigns with you in theunity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.”

The change came after the Congregationfor Divine Worship and the Discipline of theSacraments contacted the CCCB to say theEnglish translation of the Latin mistakenly in-

troduced the word “one.”“The Dicastery informed the conference’s

president of the decision that the word ‘one’is deemed incorrect, could cause doctrinalconfusion, and should no longer be used,”wrote CCCB president Archbishop RichardGagnon December 8.

Another CCCB document explains thechange “is to avoid possible misunderstand-ings of the Son within the Blessed Trinity, or

even the misconception that Our Lord JesusChrist is ‘one God’ among others. With thischange, the English will now also be consist-ent with the Latin text, as well as conformwith translations into other European lan-guages including French.”

The change comes into effect on AshWednesday this year.

With files from Catholic News Agency.

ShareLife comes up shy in difficult yearBy QUINTON AMUNDSONThe Catholic Register

TORONTO — The Archdiocese of To-ronto ultimately fell short of its $13.8-milliontarget for the parish component of its annualShareLife charitable appeal.

However, the fact that $11.68 million of thatambitious goal was achieved in the worstCanadian and global economic year in livingmemory is evidence the 2020 ShareLife par-ish campaign can be viewed as a triumph.

“We received a very generous response,”said Arthur Peters, executive director ofShareLife and director of development for theArchdiocese of Toronto. “We are very grate-ful to the parishioners of the archdiocese forthe outpouring of generosity to the needs ofShareLife and the agencies especially in themidst of the ongoing pandemic.”

Overall, the 2020 campaign came in justover $1 million shy of reaching its goal for allthe components. The parish campaign com-bined with the $959,862 corporate campaignhaul and an “everything else” element(schools, employees, miscellaneous) that“yielded over $1.9 million” led to ShareLifeaccruing just over $14.5 million of its $15.65million overall target.

A major gift came courtesy of the Sistersof Service of Canada, whose $1 million do-nation went a long way in making up for theparish shortfall, while another $500,000 camefrom an anonymous individual who pledgedto match parish contributions up to thatamount during October.

Mr. Peters said that $8.6 million of the do-nations have been dispersed among the morethan 40 social service agencies ShareLife sup-ports. Families in crisis, people with specialneeds, refugees, children and youth, the eld-erly and victims of domestic violence areamong those benefitting from the aid.

Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of To-ronto, commended these agencies for theirwork in an unprecedented year in the 2020

ShareLife Impact Report.“Agencies funded by ShareLife quickly

adapted their programs in response to the pan-demic,” wrote Archbishop Collins. “From re-mote counselling for those in distress, to reach-ing out to isolated seniors, to supporting victimsof family violence, these agencies have provideda lifeline to those in greatest need.”

That unprecedented year saw ShareLife andits agencies working on the fly as they dealtwith the ever-changing landscape brought onby COVID-19. The pandemic hit just asShareLife was preparing for the first of itsthree ShareLife Sunday collections in parishesthat were forced to suspend worship serv-ices due to health regulations brought in tostem the spread of COVID.

The campaign rebooted on the weekend ofSeptember 12-13. The second and third col-lection weekends were staged Thanksgivingweekend (October 10-11) and at weekendMasses before Remembrance Day.

All these challenges are affecting this year’scampaign as well. Normally kicking off at thebeginning of Lent, with the first ShareLifeSunday in March, the campaign has beenpushed back. The start line for the 2021 cam-paign is April 17-18. The following twoShareLife Sundays will be spaced furtherapart in 2021 as the COVID-19 forecast re-mains uncertain in Canada even thoughvaccines are rolling out throughout the coun-try. June 19-20 and October 2-3 are the cur-rent weekends earmarked for the second andthird collections.

Campaign targets are still being discussed.“We are obviously mindful that many pa-

rishioners are facing challenges, but at thesame time we are mindful of the needs of ouragencies because the demand for the agen-cies’ services has gone up,” said Mr. Peters.

He said the campaign goals will likely befinalized by early February. He also expectsthat parishioners on the mailing list will be incontacted in “late March or early April” withan invitation to contribute.§

febraury 5, 2021 vol. 121 no. 06 · 2021. 2. 3. · febraury 5, 2021 vol. 121 no. 06 vatican city...

Documents