Making plans for this weekend? Take a look at the lineup at the Archdiocese of Vancouver's Winter Institute.

• Catholic Voices on discussing hot-button topics with others, and understanding Pope Francis and his reforms.
• Sacred music and the liturgy as we prepare for Lent and the Triduum.
• Ecumenical Dialogue with Orthodox, Protestant and Evangelical communities.
• Parents and the faith formation of children.
• Writing and sharing your personal testimony as one of your ministry tools.
• Also, courses on youth ministry, basics of the faith, adult catechesis, classroom management, safe environment training, and more!

More information and registration at http://rcav.org/oc-winter-institute.  

Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, who is the principal patron of the Archdiocese of Vancouver and for whom Holy Rosary Cathedral is named.

The feast, formerly known as Our Lady of Victory, has been celebrated for centuries on Oct. 7. Tradition holds that St. Dominic (d. 1221) devised the rosary as we know it after being moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother.

Holy Rosary Cathedral parish began in 1885 when the Right Reverend Louis d’Herbomez, OMI, vicar apostolic of the mainland of British Columbia, appointed Father Patrick Fay as the first pastor. The cornerstone of the present church was laid in 1899 and the church doors were officially opened on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 1900.

In 1916, under Archbishop Timothy Casey, D.D., the Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was declared a cathedral. Read more about the cathedral's history on its website.

Documentary on Westminster Abbey airing Holy Week

Monks chant their way through Holy Week

Scene from This Side of Eden, by Salt + Light TV

This Side of Eden, a documentary by Salt and Light Television about monastic life at Westminster Abbey in Mission, captures life inside the West Coast's Benedictine monastery.

The film follows the monks in their day-to-day lives during Holy Week and the Easter Triduum.

Appropriately, it will be broadcast on both Salt and Light and EWTN. (All time are Pacific Time.)

Salt and Light
Sunday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Monday, April 18 at 10 a.m. 
Wednesday, April 20 at 5 p.m.
(Salt and Light is available through Shaw Channel 160, BellTV Channel 654, and Telus Channel 159.)


EWTN
Sunday, April 17 at 10 p.m.
Tuesday, April 19 at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 23 at 8:30 p.m.


Catholic TV in Boston will also broadcast the film on:
Wednesday, April 20 at 12:30 p.m
Thursday, April 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Friday, April 22 at 5 a.m.
Saturday, April 23 at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, April 24 at 2:30 a.m.
(Catholic TV does not broadcast in Canada, but they stream their programs live through their website at  www.catholictv.com)

Read Father Raymond de Souza's review of the film in this week's B.C. Catholic.

Archdiocese administration gets restructuring

Dan Moric

The administrative structure of the Archdiocese of Vancouver will undergo a reorganization effective July 1 that includes the creation of a new lay-led office to oversee many of the archdiocese’s most visible departments.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said a new position of Archbishop’s Delegate for Administration will be created to oversee offices that directly support the archdiocese’s administration – or curia – including the B.C. Catholic newspaper, IT and Web Services, Communications, Human Resources, the Men’s Hostel, Catholic Cemeteries, First Nations Ministry, Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre, the Catholic Charities Men’s Hostel, and the Door is Open.

The archbishop also announced that Mr. Dan Moric has been chosen as the Delegate for Administration. Mr. Moric is currently Associate Superintendent of the Catholic Independent Schools of the Vancouver.

“Dan is the best possible person to take on this new role,” said Archbishop Miller. “His background with Catholic schools both in teaching and administration makes him ideally suited for the administrative and management responsibilities of his new role.”

Under the restructuring, Mr. Moric will take on many of the offices that have been overseen by Msgr. Mark Hagemoen, Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services and Moderator of the Curia, recently appointed Principal of St. Mark's College and President of Corpus Christi College.

Watch The B.C. Catholic for story and more details.

The cure for poverty isn't cash

Canada is likely heading to the polls because the federal government isn't spending enough money to lift Canadians out of poverty, according to opposition parties. There’s nothing in the budget on affordable housing, says NDP Leader Jack Layton. There's nothing for childcare, says Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

The mythology continues that government is the best institution to get people out of poverty, and cash is the best weapon in its arsenal.


Similarly economists, unions, anti-poverty groups and pundits are still debating whether Premier Christy Clark's recently announced minimum wage hike will help rescue British Columbians from poverty.


If government spending and legislation is the key to getting people out of poverty, then there is no end in sight. In a recent letter to The Vancouver Sun, two anti-poverty groups recited a lengthy list of "recommendations for a bold child and family agenda." All involved more government intervention and more government spending.

Last week's blog entry The real cause of poverty pointed out that government and anti-poverty reports and studies consistently fail to identify the greatest contributor to poverty in Canada. In opposition criticism, in hundreds of pages of government reports, and in reams of recommendations from anti-poverty groups, you find utter silence when it comes to the leading cause of being poor: the absence of fathers in households.

All the research into the issue confirms that children who grow up without a dad are more likely to end up in poverty, crime, and substance abuse, and are far more predisposed to dropping out of school and to becoming victims of sexual abuse.

Tinkering with minimum wages and daycare programs is mere window dressing when it comes to getting to the root of poverty.

So why is there no father in the picture of so many children's lives? Let's face it, society hasn't exactly laid out a red carpet for fatherhood.

Can we really feign surprise when marriage -- the bond that holds families together more securely than anything else -- is socially downgraded, politically neutered, and financially strong-armed to the point where a married couple is the same as two men living together or serial monogamy, which are the same as hooking up or one-night stands.

With easy birth control, taxpayer-funded abortions, schools, media and entertainment equating everything to matrimony, and government constructing a system that rewards parents who place their kids in day care, it's no wonder single parenthood and poverty are flourishing.

The family is the foundation of society, and marriage is the cement. A government that truly wants to end poverty will build up that foundation instead of chipping away at it.

REAL Women intervene in safe injection site case

REAL Women of Canada has been granted leave to intervene before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Vancouver drug injection site case to be argued May 11.

The pro-family, pro-life women’s organization is the only group among nine interveners that will argue on behalf of the federal government’s position that Ottawa has the responsibility to control illegal drugs and that those laws should have a moral basis.

Preach on difficult subjects: Pope to priests

Priests must not preach “Christianity 'a la carte'” and should be willing to approach even uncomfortable aspects of the Gospel, Pope Benedict said in a meeting with priests this week.

St. Paul's advice to be humble and vigilant in preaching the faith, to make themselves completely available in service to Christ and the Church, and prayerful as they protect their “flocks” are all relevant characteristics of priests nearly 2,000 years later, said the Pope.

Senior priest to head St. Mark's, Corpus Christi Colleges

Msgr. Mark Hagemoen

Msgr. Mark Hagemoen will become the new principal and president of St. Mark's College and Corpus Christi College July 1. The board of directors of the two institutions made the announcement March 18.

Msgr. Hagemoen is the archdiocese's Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services and its Moderator of the Curia.

"It is a tribute to the credentials Msgr. Hagemoen brings to his new position that the selection committee and board recognized they had the ideal candidate within our archdiocese," Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said.

What a gift we have in confession

The highly readable Mark Shea has this offering, just in time for the Lent's confession season. Rediscovering the Riches of Reconciliation offers a moving reminder on what a gift we have in confession, and coming from a convert, it's especially inspiring.

Also on the topic, watch for Lenten reconciliation services coming to a parish near you.

Japanese choir at cathedral tonight

Seinan Gakuin students

Marianne phoned at lunch today to say she'd just heard the most wonderful student choir at Holy Rosary Cathedral's 12:10 p.m. Mass. They're the Seinan Gakuin Senior High School Choir from Fukuoka, Japan.

The bad news is that they're only singing today. The good news is that they're performing at the cathedral tonight at 7 p.m.

Said Marianne: "This might help many people to deal with their emotions in the face of the catastrophe in Japan. It will be a moving experience."

Join Archbishop for Mass and Rite of Election

On Sunday, March 20, at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Rosary Cathedral, all are invited to a special Mass with Archbishop Miller, concelebrated by Fr. Tom Rosica of Salt and Light Television, in which unbaptized adults from around the Archdiocese will be declared the “elect,” those chosen by God to receive the sacraments of initiation at Easter.

Android offers the confession app

You've heard about it, you've seen it misrepresented in the media, and now it's available for Android phones, just in time for Lent! It's the confession app, first developed for the iPhone, and now ready to tackle sins on the Android platform.

Yes, it's got an imprimatur from a real, live bishop. No, it's not confession by phone. It's Confession: A Roman Catholic App, and it's simply an examination of conscience application like the zillions that have been out there in print form for hundreds of years. The developers say, "Individuals who have been away from the sacrament will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool."

The app is available for download at the Android Market.

How do I know what I'm being called to?

God is calling you to a unique purpose in life, a work of love that only you can do. Come and begin to discover this work! You have received gifts, through Baptism and Confirmation, for the ways God intends his love to reach others through you. Come and discover these gifts!

The "Called & Gifted" Workshop is a two-day live presentation by professional facilitators from the Catherine of Sienna Institute. It will include Church teaching on the lay apostleship; the nature of spiritual gifts, call, and vocation; and how to undertake the process of discernment.

Here are the details:


Friday, March 25 7:00-9:30pm
St. Patrick's Parish
2881 Main Street
Vancouver


Saturday, March 26 9:30am-4:00pm
St. Joseph's Parish
32550 - 7th Avenue
Mission

Theology of the Body for adults

If you're 18 or older and interested in learning about Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, this mini-course is for you.
 

Jake Khym will be facilitating the Introduction to the Theology of the Body DVD series by Christopher West (Ascension Press).  The course includes DVD presentations, group discussion led by Jake, small group discussions and workbook reflections.

Open to all adults and takes place at St. Ann’s Parish Centre, 33333 Mayfair Avenue, Abbotsford.

• Session 1: Friday, April 29 6:30 - 9:30 pm
• Session 2: Saturday, April 30 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
• Session 3: Friday, May 13 6:30 - 9:30 pm
• Session 4: Saturday, May 14 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

 The cost is $30 each which includes your workbook.

To register, call Gemma at 604-852-5602 or email reo-st-anns-parish@shaw.ca

Introduction to Theology of the Body For Parents

How do you talk to your kids about their sexuality?  How can you help them find meaning and direction in life?  How can you lead them toward a healthier relationship with you, with others, and with God?

Counselor Jake Khym and Father Rob Cook from the Diocese of Boise, Idaho, have a message for parents based on the insightful teachings of Pope John Paul II known as the Theology of the Body.

This talk is especially suited for parents of teens but all parents are welcome. There is no admission fee.

Friday, March 25
7:30 - 9:00 pm
St Ann’s Parish Centre
33333 Mayfair Ave, Abbotsford

For more information or to register, call Gemma 604-852-5602

CCODP forwarding donations to Japan

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is forwarding donations from the Canadian public to Caritas Japan for its reconstruction programs.

CCODP says, "Although Japan has the capacity to respond to the current emergency situation, Caritas Japan estimates that once the emergency phase is over, the most vulnerable will require support in regaining their lives and homes. It plans to organize reconstruction programs in the coming months to bring effective aid."

Chastity pastoral letter now lettera pastorale

The pastoral letter on chastity written to young people by Canada's Catholic bishops has attracted attention in Italy where it's been translated into Italian.

Pope John Paul II countdown underway

The countdown to Pope John Paul II's May 1 beatification is underway.

The Archdiocese of Vancouver will be marking the event with a special Eucharistic Celebration at Holy Rosary Cathedral Sunday, May 1, which is also Divine Mercy Sunday. The Mass begins at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Rosary Cathedral followed by a reception in Rosary Hall.
 
The Vatican is also hoping its online presence for John Paul II will help create a broad audience for material on the life and teachings of the soon-to-be beatified Pope.

The Holy See has posted a YouTube video of John Paul's famous first papal speech, when the Polish-born pontiff asked the Roman crowd in St. Peter's Square to correct him if he made mistakes in Italian.

The clip is one of several from the early years of John Paul's pontificate posted on the Vatican's YouTube channel and linked to on its new Facebook page ahead of the May 1 beatification.

• The Vatican's Facebook page for the John Paul beatification
• The Vatican's YouTube channel for beatification

Meanwhile the Diocese of Rome has a website dedicated to the beatification and canonization of Pope John Paul II.

Donations for Japan

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace will be announcing details for sending donations to Caritas Japan shortly. We'll have the details as soon as they're available.

'The Church in Japan will respond': Bishop

Damage from the magnitude 8.9 earthquake and ensuing tsunamis were preventing church officials in Japan from assessing needs, reports Catholic News Service.

Meanwhile Bishop Marcellinus Daiji Tani of Saitama said, “The Church in Japan will respond to the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Japan with prayer and solidarity.”

He said, “We must take courage, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
A 76-year-old Catholic priest from Quebec, working as a missionary in Shiogama, is the sole Canadian victim of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake to date.

And, saying he was horrified by the images of the death and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Pope Benedict XVI asked people to join him in praying for the victims.