Each week, beginning on Sunday, 21 November 2021, the Solemnity of Christ the King, the CCCB will release a video of a Bishop reflecting on the Gospel Reading for each Sunday until Christmas. This year’s reflections were inspired by the Indigenous Delegation which will be meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican from 17-20 December 2021. Each video reflection is based one of the five essential stages of reconciliation: examen, confession, repentance, reparation (making amends), and reconciliation.
Chaque semaine, à partir du dimanche 21 novembre 2021, en la solennité du Christ-Roi, la CECC diffusera une vidéo dans laquelle ’un évêque réfléchit à la lecture de l’Évangile pour chaque dimanche jusqu’à Noël. Cette année, les réflexions sont inspirées par la délégation autochtone qui rencontrera le pape François au Vatican du 17 au 20 décembre 2021. Chaque réflexion vidéo est basée sur l’une des cinq étapes essentielles de la réconciliation : examen, confession, repentir, réparation (faire amende honorable) et réconciliation.
On 12 December, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church in Canada celebrates the National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples. This year, the reflection by the Council centres on the theme We are called to Healing, Forgiveness, Reconciliation. “We, the Body of Christ, are called to live in friendship and harmony with all peoples. We are brothers and sisters of our One Creator God. God gives everything to all of us. God creates and sustains the wonderful diversity of peoples, cultures, races and creeds.”
Le 12 décembre, fête de Notre-Dame de Guadalupe, l’Église au Canada célèbre la Journée nationale de prière en solidarité avec les peuples autochtones. Cette année, la réflexion du Conseil s’articule autour du thème Nous sommes appelés à la guérison, le pardon, la réconciliation. « Nous, le Corps du Christ, sommes appelés à vivre dans l’amitié et l’harmonie avec tous les peuples. Nous sommes frères et sœurs de notre unique Dieu Créateur. À nous tous, Dieu donne tout. Dieu crée et préserve la merveilleuse diversité des peuples, des cultures, des races et des croyances. »
On 22 November 2021, the CCCB Commission for Justice and Peace released a Pastoral Letter entitled For Freedom Christ has Set us Free: Pastoral Letter on Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Canada. The letter draws attention to the inherently exploitative and abusive nature of the purchase of sex and insists that in order to protect the vulnerable, this practice must continue to be criminalized: “Treating sex as ‘work’ masks the physical, psychological and sexual violence inflicted on the prostituted person. Prostitution involves selling something that by its nature cannot be bought or sold and is therefore inherently exploitative.”
Le 22 novembre 2021 la Commission épiscopale pour la justice et la paix de la CECC a publié une lettre pastorale intitulée : C’est pour que nous soyons libres que le Christ nous a libérés : Lettre pastorale sur la traite des personnes et l’exploitation sexuelle au Canada. La lettre traite de la nature intrinsèquement exploitante et abusive de l’achat de services sexuels et insiste sur le fait que, pour protéger les personnes vulnérables, cette pratique doit continuer à être criminalisée : « Traiter le sexe comme un travail, c’est ʽcamoufler la violence physique, psychologique et sexuelle infligée à la personne prostituéeʼ. La prostitution consiste à vendre quelque chose qu’on ne peut, en soi, vendre ou acheter : elle n’est ni plus ni moins que de l’exploitation. »
Madeline Harquail is a fourth year student studying Fine Arts at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. It wasn’t until her final year of studies that she became involved with Campus Ministry. Ms. Harquail shares with The New Freeman some of the things that made a difference for her. While 70 per cent of participants in a recent survey believe God and religion should be completely kept out of public life, a data point suggests a Canada more open to public figures speaking and acting based on their religious beliefs is a possibility. During this time marked by global crisis, St. Joseph can offer people support, consolation and guidance, Pope Francis said.
Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC of the Diocese of Saint John issues annual appeal for pro-life collection set for the weekend of December 4 & 5. Concordat confusion: When Pope Francis steps onto Canadian soil he will also step into the nexus of pain, sorrow, anger and regret that has come to define the relationship between the Church in Canada and Indigenous people. But these failures were not our starting point. New Camp Sheldrake director, Mallory Legere understands, and has lived, the magic of the camp.
There has never been a papal visit to anywhere that has been anything like what will unfold when Pope Francis comes to Canada. “This is a different pope,” points out Canadian Catholic scholar Michael Higgins. “And of course the reason for his coming is different. He’s coming as a penitent. On Wednesday, November 3, a small crowd gathered on the corner lot of Cliff and Waterloo streets in Saint John to bless the land for the new Steepleview mixed housing development. A new documentary produced by the Knights of Columbus, Enduring Faith: The Story of Native American Catholics fills a need for a broad overview of the legacy of the Catholic faith among Indigenous communities across this continent.
Pope Francis will visit Canada on a pilgrimage of healing and reconciliation. Pope Francis is seeking our prayerful response in preparation for the Synod of Bishop 2023; Bishop Riesbeck, CC asks all of us to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to help the local and universal Church live its mission in evangelization and service. Bishop Riesbeck reminds of the inseparability of the love of God and neighbour. He encourages us in prayer, in reading the Word of God in Scripture, in receiving the Sacraments, and in working for the unity of the Body of Christ.
The New Freeman hosts its seventh annual children’s drawing contest.