Where the Rubber Hits the Road

An offering from my former Bishop, His Grace, +Richard Smith, now the Archbishop of Edmonton, offered for your comment. He shares his thought as he visits the fount of our Catholic faith, Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Lands around the Sea of Galilee. Clearly he is inspired by his surroundings. The Reason for Our Hope: Digging Deep

My former boss, +Richard Smith (Edmonton) is interviewed in the wake of his election as President of the CCCB (Canadian Bishops Conference). In it, he speaks of the life agenda as the most immediate and pressing issue for Catholics to confront today. I couldn't agree more. We were incredibly fortunate to have been under his leadership in our Pembroke Diocese from 2002 - 2007. To use a modern secular analogy, we were his 'practice diocese' where he learned the lessons of his craft and ministry among Canada's friendliest people, the folks of the Ottawa Valley. New head of Canada’s bishops: Abortion is ‘the most outrageous injustice today’ | LifeSiteNews.com

My former 'boss' gets a new job! Congratulations Archbishop Richard Smith on becoming the President of the CCCB. I have no doubt at all that he'll do a great job. Canadian bishops elect new president : News Headlines - Catholic Culture

Archbishop Tim Dolan (NY) posted this excellent article on his blog addressing the current spate of cries calling for radical 'reforms' or 'harmonization' of Church teaching to current mores.  Gotta love these JPII & B16 appointments to the episcopate. Some have failed to make the grade but many have excelled at 'preaching, governing and sanctifying' the Church and effectively engaging with modern culture at the same time. +Dolan, +Chaput in the US, +Smith, +Prendergast, +Henry and +Collins in Canada are a few who rank  among the best of them! What ever they offer is well worth reading for any serious Catholic. Preserving Our Faith « The Gospel in the Digital Age

Archbishop Charles Chaput (Denver) IF the day should ever come that I would leave my beloved Ottawa Valley Diocese of Pembroke, and were to leave the country, the Dioceses headed by the Archbishops mentioned in this story would be my destination. These men are orienting their diocese in the right direction, choosing to engage the argument in defense of faith in the Public Square. It would be an honor to harness myself to the team that is being guided with such wisdom. In Canada men like Archbishops Collins (Toronto) and Smith (Edmonton) and Bishop Henry (Calgary) are also working towards the same goal. They too are a blessing for the Church in North America. With the elevation of Cardinal Ouellet to the Congregation of Bishops in Rome, and with the imminent replacement of over 50% of the Bishops in Quebec over the next five years (as they reach 75 years of age), the chances for other like minded Bishops throughout the province are future is pregnant with hope for better times in ...

I've been saying this for years! It is time for the church to go on the offensive in trying to answer its critics. Failure to do so is counted not in convictions or cases but in souls lost to God. At least the latest set of attacks have brought some Bishops into the public square to defend the faith and its leaders. Still not enough though. Bishops Collins (Toronto), Smith (Edmonton) and Henry (Calgary) have set the example that their brother priests need to follow. PLEASE PRAY that more Canadian Bishops will find the courage to do the same. Fr. Tim Catholics' ties to church tested by crisis