St. Andre weekend in Montreal

It's St. Andre weekend in Montreal. “Rendez-vous saint frère Andre” is expected to draw more than 50,000 people to a commemorative Mass at Olympic Stadium in Montreal this afternoon. The gathering a Olympic stadium will be broadcast live by Salt + Light Television starting at 10:30 PT.

The Mass, celebrated by Montreal Cardinal Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte, will be attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Premier Jean Charest, and many Canadian Catholic bishops who have just concluded their annual plenary meeting in Cornwall, Ont.

On Sunday pilgrims will process with an icon of the new saint to Br. André’s first small chapel, where it will be installed. The icon was blessed after the canonization Mass at St. Joseph's Oratory.

The Oratory of St. Joseph announced that the celebrations will continue into the New Year with a tour of Br. André’s relics, starting in January. No word yet on where the relics will visit.

Bishop's sister impressed with community response

Margaret Taddei with her sister Barb

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe's sister Margaret Taddei says her brother's passion for "community" is being rewarded by the overwhelmingly positive response to his severe injuries.

Speaking with the Archdiocese of Vancouver Thursday, she said her brother's zeal for community is being mirrored around him as the Kamloops community and the Catholic community beyond respond with love and compassion rather than anger toward the alleged attacker and his family.

There is only "one family,"  she said, and it includes the bishop's family, the spiritual family, and the family of the man charged with assault.

Rather than dwelling on the details of the incident, she is pleased with the spiritual maturity of the response to the tragedy. That was evidenced Monday went she went in to a church to join in the Rosary and she found a single decade was being prayed for the healing of both attacker and victim. "That's just what David would have wanted for this community," she said.

She said her brother continues to make progress. He is no longer on oxygen and on Thursday he sat up and began to walk.

More updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Where is your favourite Canadian site of devotion?

Image by palestrina55 via Flickr

St. Joseph's Oratory, featured prominently during the recent canonization of Saint Brother André, is just one of 177 popular sites of devotion, or shrines, across Canada, reports a new document Popular Piety in Canada: Reflections on Some Popular Expressions of the Faith.
The document was produced by the Canadian bishops' Commission for Doctrine, which is chaired by Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller.
Timed to coincide with the canonization of Saint Brother André, whose life and work illustrate the enduring importance of expressions of devotion in Canada, Popular Piety examines the importance and role of popular piety in Canada. Despite concerns of an increasingly secularized society, the report concludes popular piety remains strong.
So where's your favourite Canadian shrine?

Thursday update on Bishop Monroe

Margaret Taddei and Barb Macaulay

Today’s update is this link to a Kamloops Daily News story featuring an interview with Bishop Monroe’s sister. It ends with a letter from the sisters to the community.

As of today, progress reports on Bishop Monroe will be scaled back. Updates will be issued when there is something noteworthy to report.

Wednesday update on Bishop Monroe

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe remains in serious but stable condition in hospital Wednesday morning. He continues to show slight day-to-day improvement.

Only those on the designated visitors list are being allowed to see Bishop Monroe. The Diocese of Kamloops appreciates that many people would like to wish him well personally, but the bishop needs time and quiet to heal. The best thing we can do is to continue to pray for his recovery.

Bishop Monroe video

Now there is video coverage of the Bishop Monroe story.  Go to The B.C. Catholic website and click on Daily Perspectives for October 26 in the Salt + Light mediaplayer.  At about 2:16 the broadcaster begins the Bishop Monroe story.  The B.C. Catholic also has updated story on the situation and it will be up today.

Bishop Monroe shares a smile after his Episcopal Ordination in 2002.

Slight improvement for Kamloops Bishop David Monroe

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe continues to make daily, gradual progress as he recovers in hospital. He is showing slight improvement this morning and his speech is coherent. He is not able to receive any visitors.

As someone in the Kamloops Chancery pointed out, “Bishop Monroe was attacked while performing his duty as a priest,” responding to a request to see a priest at 10 o’clock at night.

The next update will be tomorrow morning or when there is something significant to report.

Kamloops bishop's accused attacker appears in court

The Kamloops Daily News reports on today's court appearance by the man accused of attacking Kamloops Bishop David Monroe. Warning, there are some extremely graphic details in the story.

Prayers for Bishop Monroe, as well as his attacker

An interesting development following the attack on Kamloops Bishop David Monroe has been the prayers being offered not just for the 69 year-old-bishop, but for his attacker.

It seems like every parish that has been offering prayers for Bishop Monroe has also included as an intention the 30-year-old man alleged to have attacked him.

Here's a typical comment: "In time, when we know the name of the man who assaulted Bishop Monroe, we should also formally add him and his family to our prayer list too. Mental illness hurts many."

 

Meanwhile, the man has been charged with aggravated assault. He remains in custody.

Bishop Monroe speaking a little but still in serious condition

Bishop David Monroe is starting to speak a bit more, a Kamloops diocesan official said about 2:15 p.m. today, but he remains in serious condition in hospital.

Bishop Monroe will not be receiving any visitors at this time, as police and church officials continue to stress the severity of the beating he received.

The public is also asked not to contact Kamloops or Vancouver chanceries for updates. The latest updates will be provided as soon as they become available through Archdiocese of Vancouver and B.C. Catholic websites, as well as our social media feeds.

Archdiocese of Vancouver
www.rcav.org
twitter.com/rcav
facebook.com/archdioceseofvancouver

The B.C. Catholic
www.bccatholic.ca
busycatholic.blogspot.com/
facebook.com/bccatholic

Bishop Monroe remains in hospital

The latest information concerning Bishop David Monroe is that he remains in serious but stable condition at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. There has been no significant change in his condition.

RCMP have not been able to interview him yet given the injuries he sustained. Police said he suffered severe trauma to the face and head. He has a lot of bruising and lacerations over a lot of his body.

Bishop Monroe update, 3 p.m. Sunday

Family members of Bishop Monroe have visited with him at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, but friends and parishioners are being asked not to visit at this time. See The B.C. Catholic for details and updated police report.

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe out of Intensive Care Unit

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe, 69, has been removed from the Intensive Care Unit of Kamloops Royal Inland Hospital, where he continues to recover after being viciously beaten at Sacred Heart Cathedral Friday night.

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe in hospital

Bishop Monroe serving meals
for homeless last year.

Kamloops Bishop David Monroe is in serious but stable condition in hospital after an assault at Sacred Heart Cathedral in downtown Kamloops last night about 10:15 p.m.

Oops! Sorry

OOPS! We apologize for our error in the Oct. 25 issue: Father Joseph Nguyen is the Vocations Director of the archdiocese; Father Wilfred Gomes is the pastor of St. Andrew's Parish.

Life, family and CCODP top Canadian bishops' agenda next week

Deborah Gyapong, CC

Life and family issues and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP) are among the hot issues Canada’s bishops will tackle this year at their annual plenary Oct. 25-29, reports Deborah Gyapong of Canadian Catholic News.

Odds favour an Italian Pope

Pope Bono: 1000/1 longshot

Ireland’s largest bookmaker is betting that the next Pope will be an Italian, following Pope Benedict XVI’s appointment of 24 new cardinals this week.

Paddy Power makes an Italian its 7/4 favourite to succeed Pope Benedict as the 266th Pope when the time comes. The updated odds stem from the news that 10 of the new cardinals are Italian, and 25 of the 120 voting-age cardinals will be Italian.

Italians held the papacy for 455 years until the election of Poland's John Paul II in 1978, followed by the German-born Benedict in 2005.

Despite the pro-Italian odds, Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze is still the overall frontrunner at 2/1. Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec is pegged at 40/1.

And in case you were wondering, U2's Bono is the 1000/1 rank outsider. As Paddypower admits, "While the odds look stacked against the Irishman it is worth remembering that technically any unmarried Catholic man could be chosen as the next Pope!"

The 24 new cardinals will receive their red berettas and rings Nov. 20 in Rome.

24 new cardinals named by Pope Benedict XVI

Image via Wikipedia

Pope Benedict XVI has named 24 new cardinals, including two from the United States: Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, head of the Vatican's highest tribunal, and Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington. The Pope announced the names at the end of his weekly general audience today and said he would formally install the cardinals during a special consistory at the Vatican Nov. 20.

Memorial Mass for Pre-born Babies, Infants and Children

This Wednesday, October 20th, a Mass for families who wish to remember children and infants, as well as pre-born babies who have died during pregnancy due to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and stillbirth. This Mass will be celebrated in memory of all children who have died to foster hope, healing and support within our community.  Prayers will also be included for couples who are currently trying to conceive and those struggling with infertility.  All are welcome.

The Mass will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Surrey at 7p.m. and Rosary at 6:30 p.m.

     

Canada's delegation to Brother Andre's canonization

Canada's delegation to the Brother Andre canonization by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome is led by Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, Anne Leahy (Canada's Ambassador to the Holy See), and Noel Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate. See here for the full list.

O Brother, where art thou?

Br. André (photo from Wikipedia)

This Sunday, October 17th, Salt + Light Television will have FREE live streaming of the canonization of Br. André Bessette. Check out the schedule for coverage times.

Also, Saint Joseph's Oratory, Salt + Light Catholic Media Foundation and the archdioceses of Montreal and Quebec have created a blog dedicated to the first Canadian-born male saint.

Holy Days by personal choice

Read Father de Souza on Canada having the lowest number of Holy Days of Obligation possible. This has come about because our bishops are permitted to make adjustments and reductions, and this they have done: to the max! (the min).


Makes you think, though. Do we need bishops to tell us these important feasts are holy days of obligation so we HAVE to go to Mass? Let's ALL go to Mass on the days Father de Souza lists and just fill the churches. Then our pastors will have to give us more Masses on those days, just like a Sunday. Then we'd have Holy Days by popular choice!

Sacred arts come to St. Jude's

The Epiphany Sacred Arts Guild will host their biennial art exhibition called Beauty At the Service of Truth at St. Jude's Church, 3078 Renfrew St. on Oct. 16-24, from 9-4 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Saturdays and Sundays.  Father Lawrence Donnelly will bless the exhibit at 9 a.m. on the opening day.

ORE makes the right pick

This year's Office of Religious Education Congress guest speaker Father Robert Barron is the perfect choice, says an ORE spokesperson, to inspire Catholics to reach out to family and friends no longer practicing their faith.  Come to Homecoming: Reaching Out from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23 at St. Mary's Parish, 5251 Joyce Street in Vancouver. For information, go to www.rcav.org/ore.

Remembering service Oct. 15

Outdoor ceremony for grieving parents

A bereaved mother prays at her infant son's grave in Rachel's Garden.  Not all families can visit the resting place of their babies for various reasons. This photo was taken at Gardens of Gethsemani by Jason Crombie, father of baby Keaton Dominic who died at birth Jan. 16, 2009.

A remembering service will be held for parents and family members grieving the loss of pre and neonatal babies who have died. This outdoor ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 15 at Langley Lawn Cemetery, 4393 208 Street, Langley.  Families will be sharing short speeches, as well as special commemorations.  Participants are invited to bring flowers, poems or readings they would like to share at the "Baby Tree." Recognizing that not all parents have a place to memorialize their babies, a special marker has been dedicated to these children.  For more information, please call Susan at 604-575-0313.  Presented by Mourning Mothers.

Oct. 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  Please say a prayer and light a candle. On this day, candles all around the world will be lit at 7 p.m. for one hour in an INTERNATIONAL WAVE OF LIGHT in memory of babies lost to stillbirth, miscarriage, pregnancy complications and SIDS.  This day has been officially recognized in the United States, as well as in a number of other provinces such as New Brunswick, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, but not yet in B.C.

She's done it again!

Canadian stained glass artist Sarah Hall has done it again. The award-winning glassmaker has created a second series of stained glass windows for Holy Name of Jesus Church that are eye-popping! Hall took her inspiration from the canticle of the Magnificat to place Our Lady amid the Canadian northern lights and give her a new title - Our Lady of the Northern Light. Pastor Father Robert Wong blessed the windows on the feast of the Assumption of Mary. Come and see the 12 window panels at the church, 4925 Cambie in Vancouver. Go to www.SarahHallStudio.com/slide to see the complete process.

Father Damien comes to Richmond parish

Father Edward Danylko Evanko, pastor of the Dormition of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Richmond, takes on the role of his lifetime this Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 4451 Williams Road, Richmond, when he performs in Damien, a play written on the life of St. Damien by Aldyth Morris. St. Damien is the missionary who took care of lepers on Molokai in Hawaii before succumbing to the disease. His canonization took place a year ago at the Vatican. Tickets $15 and proceeds go to Knights of Columbus Charities. Call 604-345-3657 or 604-306-0938

Shame on Carleton University

Five arrests took place at Carleton University Monday morning after students with Carleton Lifeline tried to set up a pro-life display. The university had offered them a room and a display table but their photos were not allowed in the quadrangle where they would be the most visible.

The students said they would not tolerate censorship and walked to Tory Quad with their signs. They were stopped by authorities -- at least 3 campus security personnel and at least nine police officers, said the students. Four Carleton students and one Queen's student were eventually handcuffed and arrested by Ottawa police and charged with trespass. You can watch the entire scene unfold here.

Club vice-president James Shaw said, "Telling us we can protest but in a back room no one goes to, is like telling black people they are welcome to ride the bus as long as they sit at the back."

Campaign Life Coalition issued a statement objecting to the arrests. "Universities which have always prided themselves as being institutions of free thought have now become facilities where only the most liberal thoughts are allowed to be presented," said Jim Hughes.

CLC hopes the public will contact the dean of the University and demand that the students be released and that their display be given the same respect as other topics at the University.

Contact:
Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte
President and Vice-Chancellor
Tel: 613 520-3801
Email: presidents_office@carleton.ca

Mass for Seniors and Mass for Feast of Holy Rosary

Image by Cuppojoe via Flickr

To correct some confusing information that was accidentally circulated, please note that Archbishop J. Michael Miller will celebrate two Masses this Thursday, Oct. 7. One is a morning Thanksgiving Mass for seniors, the other is noon Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral.

The morning Mass is at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Parish, Vancouver, followed by a light lunch and “meet and greet” with the archbishop.  Please contact your parish office to register. Space is limited!

The archbishop will then be at the cathedral to say Mass at 12:10 p.m. The relic of St. John Vianney will also be on display at the cathedral that one day, which is the Feast of the Holy Rosary.

You're invited to Holy Rosary Cathedral this afternoon

Twenty-one men and women will step forward during ceremonies at Holy Rosary Cathedral this afternoon to receive papal awards for service to the Archdiocese of Vancouver. The Mass and ceremony start at 2:30 and are open to all. And you can see the relic of St. John Vianney while you're there.