Making a bold, new Assumption

New church for parishioners in PoCo

 

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, celebrated a special Mass for the opening of the new church for Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Port Coquitlam Dec. 16.

Over the years, the congregation outgrew the original parish church. They fundraised for more than a decade to build a church that would meet the growing needs of the parish.

OLOA pastor Father Ron Thompson and Abbott John Braganza, OSB, of Westminster Abbey in Mission also concelebrated Mass. 

Previous assistants and pastors who also concelebrated include Father Rufin Mika, Father Edwin Neufeld, and Father Anicet Pinto.

The celebration took place on the anniversary of the original church's opening.

Group wants the debate

Pro-lifers mount their offensive

We Want the Debate has debuted a new posters for its latest campaign, Legal Blindness.

The group is a project of Alliance for Life Ontario. It is a response to many politicians stating that the abortion debate is settled in Canada.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said neither elected representatives nor the people of Canada would be allowed to debate abortion during his term, which the We Want the Debate calls "tyranny, not democracy."

The Legal Blindness poster campaign is part of a series of activities over the next few months to highlight the organization's viewpoint.

Vatican confirms Canadian's miracle

Blessed Tekakwitha to be canonized 

Pope Benedict XVI has recognized the miracles of Kateri Tekakwitha, setting her up to become the first aboriginal saint in North America.

The Vatican announced Monday, that a miracle attributed to her has been confirmed, though they don't say which miracle was confirmed.

She died at the age of 24 in 1680 and is entombed inside the St. Francis-Xavier Church in Kahnawake, a Mohawk community near Montreal. It is said that her face was scarred from a smallpox outbreak that also killed her immediate family. However, eyewitnesses say her scarred face cleared after her death.

Historian Allan Greer from McGill University says Tekakwitha has long been considered an unofficial saint by her supporters in the Americas.

"It's very important for many indigenous Catholic people to have a saint that is their saint," Greer says. She practised a "heroic Catholicism but remained Mohawk in her language and culture. She takes a European religion but remains Mohawk at the same time."

A date for the canonization has not yet been set.

See The B.C. Catholic for Canadian reaction to Tekakwitha canonization.

Hitchens hitches a ride to eternity

Famous atheist succumbs to cancer

Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, died yesterday at the age of 62, due to complications from oesophagal cancer.

He is famous for numerous debates on the existence of God and the value of religion with a number of theologians, politicians, and other public figures, including former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The journalist, critic, and essayist also was a contributor to Vanity Fair for which he wrote the debatable "Why women aren't funny?"

Despite his polarizing opinions, he was rarely boring and highly quotable.

“Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god," he wrote in The Portable Atheist. "Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realise that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”

Room at the inn

The Door is Open needs your support

Molson supports The Door is Open, why not you too?

The Door is Open will remain wide open thanks to the generosity of the community,

The time, food, and Christmas gifts already provided will brighten the holidays for the hundreds of adults and children who use the Catholic drop-in centre in the Downtown Eastside.

However, they are still appealing for help with financial donations.

A $40 donation funds the centre for one hour. $25 will buy coffee for an entire day at the shelter, while $15 is enough to help serve a sit-down lunch to the weekly seniors’ group. 

Donations can be mailed to: 

The Door is Open
150 Robson Street 
Vancouver, B.C., V6B 2A7 

Or call 604-443-3299 to charge your donation to Visa.

Advent penitential services

There's still plenty of time to confess

In Canada, there are only two holy days of obligation that don't fall on Sunday, Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

This year, however, they both happen to be on a Sunday.

To make preparation for the Christmas celebrations easier, the archdiocese has added a number of special penitential services during Advent.

The archdiocese's website features an exhaustive list by deanery of the penitential services.

Messiah discount ($20)

Handel's masterpiece just got better

Remaining tickets for the Vancouver Chamber Choir's performance of Handel's Messiah at the Orpheum Theatre tomorrow (Dec. 10) are now only $20.

The tickets made available by the Archdiocese of Vancouver are on sale today until 4:00 p.m.

The last-minute tickets can be purchased here and there are no service charges!

Blessed Nykyta Dec. 11

Local priest puts on one-man show

Father Edward Evanko, of the Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God, will perform a one-man show about the life of Canada's first Ukrainian Catholic bishop. 

Blessed Nykyta tells the story of Nykyta Budka (1877-1949), who served as bishop to Canada's Ukrainian Catholics from 1912-1928. After he returned to the Ukraine, he was eventualy sent to the Gulags for his opposition to the Soviets, where he later died.

Father Evanko's performance commemorates the upcoming centennial of Blessed Nykyta's appointment in Canada, and is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa.

It takes place this Sunday (Dec. 11) at 7 p.m. at the Mother of God Parish at 8700 Railway Rd. in Richmond. Tickets are $15 for the 1 hr 10 performance, which will be followed by refreshments.

National Day of Prayer for Aboriginal Peoples

Catholics focus on Rose Prince

Rose Prince

Dec. 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, and Canadians are invited to take part in. National Day of Prayer for Aboriginal Peoples.

This year Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council (CCAC) is focusing on a Dakelh woman named Rose Prince from Fort St. James, B.C. She died from complications due to Tuberculosis in 1949. However, in 1951, it was discovered that her body had not decayed after her death. Her grave is now place of pilgrimage, drawing people from across the country.

“Those present were able to see Rose’s face in perfect condition, that is to say uncorrupted by the two years in the ground,” says an account at a website dedicated to her. “When witnesses were asked to see, the school priest and Sisters, they said she was ‘transparent,’ that is to say, her body was still fresh, and ‘as if she was sleeping,’ with ‘just a tiny little smile on her face.’"

The CCAC is made up of seven First Nations members and two bishops, including Vancouver’s own First Nations coordinator Rennie Nahanee.

As Catholics pray for and with Aboriginal peoples Dec. 12, Nahanee hopes they will consider the difficulties First Nations peoples have faced throughout the years.

“Remember who your neighbor is and the story of the Good Samaritan,” he said. “Aboriginal people have contributed a lot to Canada and not just lands, minerals,-- and resources."

App taps Catholic faith

Ignio puts prayer in the digital age

Developers have put together a new smart phone app just for Catholic prayer.

Ignio helps you live, share, and track one's faith. Through a circle of friends sharing prayer and scripture Ignio provides, the app tracks a person’s faith and brings their spiritual life into a social media environment.

The app is a project of We Do Believe, an evangelizing organization, which aims to to fund forward thinking evangelization efforts and products.

Many Catholic youth have already begun embracing the product.

“Ignio has really helped connect and motivate my friends and me on our spirtual journeys," says one Ingio user. "It has quickly become one of my favorite Apps!”

God(s): A User's Guide

Exhibit teaches the richness of faith

Torah Ark originally from a Glace Bay,  Nova
Scotia synagogue that used to serve 2,000 Jewish
worshipers. CCN Photo.

The Canadian Museum of Civilizatiion in Gatineau called God(s): A User’s Guide explores the diversity of religious belief without slipping into moral relativism.

The exhibit, which opened Dec. 2 and will run until Sept. 3, 2012, invites people to contemplate the ultimate questions about meaning that underlie all religious faiths. These questions include the existence of God, the creation of the universe, and life after death.

“Through this exhibition, we hope to generate ongoing discussion on how to think about the role of religion in the context of a contemporary world, an increasingly globalized world, and a culturally diverse Canada,” said the exhibit’s curator Stephen Inglis.

For a full story on the exhibit, visit The B.C. Catholic's website.

Digital Vocations Supplement

Special section goes to B.C. Catholic Website


This week's issue of The B.C. Catholic featured a special vocations supplement, Amazing Roads: Following God's Path, which has been posted to its website. 

Amazing Roads includes stories about solemn professions at Westminster Abbey, a nurse inspired to become a nun, clergy anniversaries, and more.

Father Joesph Nguyen of the Archdiocese of Vancouver's Vocations Office opens the supplement explaining that family is the first part of a future priest, sister, or brother's formation.

The full supplement is available for download as a PDF file.

Can you Handel this?

The Messiah is coming to Vancouver

The Archdiocese of Vancouver invites everyone to its co-sponsoring of the Vancouver Chamber Choir's performance of Handel's Messiah at the Orpheum Theatre Dec. 10.

The Messiah, written by the Baroque composer in 1741, is one of his most popular works of choral music. Its movements cover the prophecy of salvation, Christ's sacrifice, and the promise of resurrection from the dead.

The archdiocese is selling half of the 2,800 tickets for that night. Tickets are available for $42 or $30.75 at parish and Catholic school offices and online.

Because the tickets will be available through parishes, parishioners will save on taxes and Ticketmaster service charges.

Catholic schools knocked out

Football provincials go public

The St. Thomas More Knights and Vancouver College Fighting Irish both lost their high school provincial football semi-final games, making next week's final Catholic-free.

Both games took place on Saturday at UBC's Thunderbird Stadium.

Mt. Douglas Rams demolished the previously undefeated Knights 54-7, advancing the team to its first ever Subway Bowl Triple A final.

“That was the best football Mt. Douglas has ever played, in the history of Mt. Douglas football,” said Rams head coach Mark Townsend. “I would not have guessed that the score was going to be anything close to what it was. The theme of our week was ‘Whatever It Takes’ and we couldn’t have played a better game on on offence, defence or special teams.”

The W.J. Mouat Hawks had a more difficult time against the Fighting Irish, winning by a razor-thin 14-13 margin.

It was a tough defensive struggle but the No. 2-ranked Hawks edged out the No. 3-ranked Irish at Thunderbird Stadium. A missed extra-point convert by the Irish's Justin Sanvido with 5: 36 left in the fourth quarter turned out to be the difference, as the Hawks' defence managed to make one more stop late in the game to secure the win.

Vocations adoration schedule

The Archdiocese of Vancouver's Vocations office has announced its schedule for the adoration of Vocations throughout the archdiocese.

November 2011

Canadian Martyrs 8-9

St. James 10-11

St. Nicholas 22-23

St. Clare of Assisi 24-25

December 2011

Holy Rosary Cathedral 1-3

St. Mary's, Vancouver 7-8

Blessed Sacrament 9-10

Sacred Heart, Delta 13-15

January 2012

St. Monica's, Richmond 4-5

Holy Family, Vancouver 6-7

Our Lady of Fatima, Van. 10-12

St. Patrick's Vancouver 13-14

Holy Name, Vancouver 17-18

Corpus Christi, Van 19-20

St. Paul's, Vancouver 24-25

Immaculate Concep., Van 26-27

Immaculate Heart of Mary 28

A Holy wager

Grey Cup Archbishops make act of faith in their team 

Today the Archdiocese of Vancouver and the Archdiocese of Winnipeg made Sunday's Grey Cup game a little more interesting by announcing a friendly wager on its outcome.

If the Winnipeg Blue Bombers win, Archbishop Miller will make a $100 donation to the Archdiocese of Winnipeg’s Archdiocesan Appeal, which is the major vehicle for funding pastoral work in the Archdiocese.
 
If the B.C. Lions win, Archbishop Weisgerber will make a $100 donation to Project Advance, the annual diocesan-wide appeal that helps fund many of the institutions, programs, ministries, and needs within the archdiocese.
 

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB initiated the bet and suggested a Winnipeg victory was an “unlikely event.” 

Winnipeg's Archbishop James Weisgerber quickly responded that  he had “no doubt about the outcome of the game. "Winnipeg will prevail because a good defence always trumps a so-so offence.”

 
In a joint statement, the archbishops said, “Sporting events such as this one can provide an opportunity to celebrate the best in healthy competition, bringing people together in community and recreation, fostering respect for rules, and imparting important human and spiritual values such as excellence, fitness, and loyalty.”
 
The archbishops hope the friendly bet will draw attention to the vital work and mission of the Church in Vancouver and Winnipeg.
 
“Our archdioceses are close in solidarity and service to those most in need in our two cities," the archbishops said. "We invite all who are celebrating the Grey Cup to also join us in our service to the needy by contributing in some way to our charitable work.”

In more archdiocesan football news, vocations director Father Joseph Nguyen made a video with his Grey Cup predictions.

Archdiocese thrown in the Lions' den

Grey Cup Fest grows around pastoral centre

As the Grey Cup Festival slowly engulfs the John Paul II Pastoral Centre at 150 Robson, the Archdiocese of Vancouver is embracing the mayhem and getting behind the B.C. Lions.

The area around B.C. Place, which includes the pastoral centre, is currently shut down for traffic to set up the festival around the Lions' Sunday match against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Lions are hoping to snag their first Grey Cup since 2006.

Telus Streetfest is set up around the pastoral centre and will feature free live music throughout the weekend.

To jump on board the excitement, Communications director Paul Schratz commissioned Faye McCreedy from OYYAM to bring the original Hail Mary to the Lions.

"Paul asked me and I was totally all over it, because I'm a huge Lions fan," Faye says. "It's exciting with all that stuff going on and we're seeing it right outside our window."

The whole weekend should be a riot, but not that kind of riot.

St. Paul aims to brighten your night

Lights of Hope will come out tomorrow

Tomorrow night, St. Paul's Hospital will continue the annual tradition of turning on the Lights of Hope display at their location on Burrard Street.

Everyone is invited to this year's lighting ceremony beginning at 6:40, which will also include fireworks.

Volunteers built the display using donated materials (including 10 km of lights) and it will be lit every evening until January 9, 2012.

For the past 14 years, the Lights of Hope campaign has lit the exterior of the hospital with a stunning display to inspire community support for care, research, and teaching at St. Paul's.

This year, the campaign hopes to raise $1.9 million for equipment, research, and enhanced patient care at St. Paul’s. Donations can be made by calling 604-662-HOPE or visiting www.lightsofhope.com.

Salt and Light wins Pro-Life Award

Right to Life Toronto honours Catholic Network

Salt and Light CEO Father Rosica

Salt and Light TV received the "Pro Life in Media Award" from the Toronto Right to Life Association Nov. 17.

CEO Father Thomas Rosica, CSB, accepted the award on behalf of his network at the association's annual general meeting and 40th anniversary celebration at the North York Central Library auditorium.

"I have always had a great respect and admiration for the vision, mission and important work of the Right to Life Association of Toronto," he said during his acceptance speech.

Father Rosica went on to commend everyone who fights for life, but warned of tough days ahead.


"I believe that all who work for the cause of life, especially through your association, are entering into a new era of testing and of grace, of purification of motives and methods and formation for mission," he said. "This will require new strategies, new vision, renewed courage, boundless patience, great mercy, and deep faith in God as we continue to choose life and uphold the dignity and sacredness of every human life, from conception to natural death."

Two Catholic schools advance to semi finals

Knights and Fighting Irish one step from football finals

Matt Carney and the STM Knights are The
Vancouver Province's #1 ranked team.

After bitterly fought quarter final battles, the St. Thomare More Knights and Vancouver College Fighting Irish have advanced to opposite ends of the Senior Varsity provincial football playoffs.

The Vancouver Province's top two ranked teams will now face off against Mt. Douglas Rams (Knights) and either the W.J. Mouat Hawks or Kelowna Owls (Irish).

The Knights defeated the Centennial Centaurs 35-32 on Nov. 18 after trailing 32-21 in the final five minutes of play.

The Irish had an easier time beating the Notre Dame Jugglers 35-14, improving on their previous match at the Archbishops' Trophy Matchup.

Nov. 26 – St. Thomas More vs Mt. Douglas – 5 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium (UBC)

Nov. 26 – Van. College vs Mouat/Kelowna – 7:30 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium (UBC)