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Showing posts from June, 2012

Elliot Lake Mall rescuers consider 'extreme measures' in desperate hunt for survivors | News | National Post

Friends: I ask for your prayers for Elliot Lake. Pray for the victims still to be rescued or recovered. Pray for the families and friend. Remember to the men and women who are working is this dangerous environment to find them. I ask as well that you pray for the clergy of that town, especially my classmate, Fr. Paul Conway. They are now responding to the needs of a growing number of desperate families and are in need of every grace they can get to help to bring some peace and comfort in these terrible days. They will need even more spiritual aid when the begin to bury those who have lost their lives.  I've been in a similar type of situation myself where a great number of families are in distress at one time and I know how hard it is to continue to be a source of hope and comfort in the face of overwhelming pain, upset and sadness. It was the prayers of friends that sustained in through that terrible time. Certainly the clergy of Elliot Lake will benefit from our prayerful s...
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An unjust conviction that will chill the heart of many a priest

Msgr. William Lynn The eastern half of the continent is enjoying the first significant heat wave of the summer of 2012, but I venture to say that there are more than a few Catholic chancery staff members, past and present, who felt a cold shiver slice through them today in the wake of the  conviction of Msgr. William Lynn for covering-up cases of clergy abuse against children. Never before had a member of a diocesan administration been found guilty of a crime in failing to report predator priests to the civil authorities. Thanks to a Philadelphia jury, the risk of possible criminal charges being pursued against other mid-level chancery clerics that will chill quite a few of them deeper than the best air-conditioning could ever do. I feel for them. They now face an uncertain future through no fault of their own. After a long and dedicated life as clerics during which they obediently served in a Diocesan Chancery Offices doing what their religious superiors asked of them, the...
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Amidst confrontation and debate, the Church continues to strive for unity | Holy Post | National Post

This article contains my favorite quote, at least when it comes to providing a structure for pastoral ministry:    “In essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.”   I first came across it in a biography on the late Cardinal G.E. Carter (Toronto) and it has been my credo for ministry ever since. I'm happy to see it used this way in this article from the Holy Post. Amidst confrontation and debate, the Church continues to strive for unity | Holy Post | National Post
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BIG NEWS: US Catholic Health Association tells HHS “No Go on Accommodation”- Sr. Carol Keehan made to walk back endorsement of Obama compromise!

BIG NEWS: CHA tells HHS “NG on Accommo” UPDATED
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Gone Fishing!

Dear Reader: It's time for my annual 'Pastors Fishing Trip' where I bring the local Protestant pastors into Dumoine Lake Cottages with me for a week's R&R, some serious fishing, and great conversations. Dumoine Lake is an exclusive rights fishing lake which means that only people who stay in the outfitter's cabins are permitted to fish there. As a result, it is (IMHO) the single best walleye and northern pike lake in all of northwestern Québec.  The picture above is a friend from Pembroke (Leo - not a pastor!!) showing off one of the blue walleye the lake is famous for. The picture on the left is an example of some of the pike pulled from the water. Please remember to offer a prayer for our safe travel, good fishing and grace-filled conversations.  I'll resume posting here on Friday June 15th.
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Canadian Crackdown - Michael Coren - National Review Online

When Same-Sex Marriages (SSM) were legalized by Paul Martin's Liberal government in Canada, Canadians were assured that the rights of religious institutions to refrain from participating in such ceremonies. At that time, I invoke the Neuhaus Principle ('that which is now permitted will soon be obligatory') in saying that this was a dangerous initiative for the Church. I was told that I was being an 'alarmist', 'extremist', 'homophobic' and 'despotic'. It appears that while I dispute these labels, I do claim that I was right... as recent events are beginning to make clear. I'm not a huge fan of Michael Coren (I don't like his intensely combative and confrontational style) but I think that he is right in this recent article posted on the National Review Online site. He offers a number of examples that demonstrate that Neuhaus' principle is indeed on the way to being realized. Additionally, there is an article published elsewhere t...
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TheRecord - Nearly half of Ontarians oppose Catholic school funding

I suspect this is the reason that the Ontario Bishops chose 'quiet diplomacy' to make their case. As the leader of the Ontario Green Party states in the article, "the genie is out of the bottle" - at least when it comes to questioning our constitutional right to funding for the Catholic Separate School Boards. There is one point though that is not being made. The article points out that the CSSB's receive $7 Billion government dollars. But it fails to say that if these boards were shut down, the province would still have to spend the same amount to educate the province's children (or more if the health care amalgamations are indicative of what happens when systems and institutions are merged). There are legitimate arguments for and against the continued funding of the Separate School system. Economics and savings are not among them. TheRecord - Nearly half of Ontarians oppose Catholic school...
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What’s Going on With the LCWR? | Daily News | NCRegister.com

WASHINGTON — In the 1950s, the Vatican established the Conference of Major Superiors of Women in the United States to provide a forum for women religious to develop educational, spiritual and apostolic resources and discuss their common interests. Its name was changed in 1971 to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). The LCWR would serve as a communications channel between the Vatican and women religious in the United States. Its purpose, responsibilities and statutes were approved by the Vatican. Since the early years of Christianity, religious women in the Catholic Church have been consecrated to the love of Christ, brides of Christ, whose primary calling was to remind all Christians of the ultimate goal of life on earth: union with God in heaven. Apostolic works are secondary to the sign value of consecration to Christ in the Church and can be fruitful only to the extent that the consecration is lived faithfully within the Church. As Blessed John Paul ...
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