Single Issue: $1.00 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40030139 CATHOLIC JOURNAL Vol. 95 No. 22 November 15, 2017 Missionary Vatican pushing nuclear disarmament remembered

Twenty-five years ago Rev. By Michael Swan before it is too late,” he said. Holy See’s United Na tions dele - United States and the North Sylvester Vredegoor, OSB, The Catholic Register Roche was at the Vatican con - gation on peace and disarmament. Atlantic Treaty Organization. was killed in a traffic acci - ference — titled “Perspectives for While Roche is supportive of Canada’s refusal to sign or dent in Brazil. One of the TORONTO (CCN) — As the a world free from nuclear weap- the Vatican’s message, he is even show up for negotiations on first Benedictines from St. Vatican gathered 11 Nobel peace ons and for integral disarmament” equally critical of Canada’s weak, Peter’s Abbacy to respond to laureates, plus NATO officials, — in his capacity as adviser to the ambiguous subservience to the — CANADA , page 4 Pope John XXIII’s invitation ambassadors and peace activists to to send missionaries to Latin discuss nuclear disarmament at a Besides food, refugees need education America, Vredegoor is Nov. 10 - 11 summit, there was no remembered with reverence doubt about the church’s position. by his former parishioners. Even before the first atomic By Carol Zimmermann — page 3 bomb was detonated during the Second World War, every pope WASHINGTON (CNS) — Resurrection since Pius XII has decried the Refugees need education and jobs awesome destructive power of just as much as they need food “The resur - nuclear weapons. The escalation and shelter, according to a new rection is of the Cold War prompted Pope report by Catholic Relief Services essential,” John XXIII to demand an end to and a Nov. 6 panel discussion declared the arms race in his 1963 encycli - about it at the National Press Club Randal cal Pacem in Terris . Pope Francis in Washington. Rauser, a cheered on, signed and ratified “School is a game changer for Baptist the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty refugees” because it gives them a scholar who in September as U.S. President sense of normalcy, said Giulia was invited to Saskatoon to Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un McPherson, director of advocacy speak to parish leaders at lobbed alarming threats at each and operations for Jesuit Refugee the annual diocesan Study other over North Korea’s nuclear Service, one of the panelists. Days. It is “a glimpse into arms testing. She said education is a top pri - our future salvation.” For more than 70 years, papal ority and noted that refugees are — page 3 pleas have fallen on the mostly currently five times more likely to deaf ears of the nuclear jugger - be out of school. Wartime stories nauts, with at least one exception. Providing an education for Will this Vatican conference those who have fled their home - “Movies about war have be any different? Yes, says Cana - lands is not just a way to help been a staple genre of the dian peace activist and retired people find a path to success or CNS/Paul Jeffrey cinema from the beginning, senator Doug Roche. college but to give an “opportuni - REFUGEE CRISIS — A woman from Myanmar feeds her child in a including as a propaganda “This is not more of the same. ty for hope,” McPherson said, tool,” writes UN clinic for severely malnourished Rohingya children Oct. 28 in the This is going to be a cry to hu- with the end goal of learning a Balukhali Refugee Camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. More than Gerald manity to put political pressure on trade to support their families. 600,000 Rohingya have fled government-sanctioned violence in Schmitz. the political systems to decelerate She also said agencies that help Myanmar for safety in Bangladesh. Refugees need education and jobs “But truth and come down from the nuclear just as much as they need food and shelter, according to a report by doesn’t have mountain that has been created — — SKILLS , page 15 Catholic Relief Services and a Nov. 6 panel discussion in Washington. to be the first casualty when films Ecumenical service celebrates unity in Christ are unafraid to show how wars and wartime affect By Frank Flegel took part in some of the prayers. noting that part of our ecumenical 1. Catholics and Lutherans what human beings do to “I am thankful you are all here progress has been learning to should always begin from the per - and for each other . . .” REGINA — It took almost 500 today,” said Haugen, and joked revisit together the history of our spective of unity and not from the — page 9 years for this scene to develop: a about having a church full of peo - separation 500 years ago. This has point of view of division in order to Roman Catholic archbishop and an ple on a Saturday afternoon. In his allowed the Catholic Church to strengthen what is held in common, Shepherd of Evangelical Lutheran bishop stand - homily, Bolen stated that we have come to a reassessment of Martin even though the differences are the universe ing together in a Lutheran church, come a long way in our relations, Luther, recognizing that he didn’t more easily seen and experienced; jointly presiding wish to start a new church but to 2. Lutherans and Catholics must “We live in a distant suburb over a worship bring renewal and reform to the let themselves be continuously of our 100,000+ light-year- service commem - Catholic Church. Catholics have transformed by the encounter with wide Milky Way galaxy,” orating the 500th also come to recognize the impor - the other and by the mutual wit - writes Michael Dougherty. anniversary of the tance of Luther’s own journey ness of faith; “Two trillion galaxies with Reformation. toward a faith in a God whose 3. Catholics and Lutherans billions of stars each, which Regina Roman mercy is much greater than our should again commit themselves to in turn having planetary Catholic Arch bish- sinfulness. seek visible unity, to elaborate to - systems spinning around op Donald Bolen In their joint homily, both gether what this means in concrete them, leave us with mind- and Evan gelical Haugen and Bolen referred to the steps and to strive repeatedly boggling planetary num - Lutheran Bishop document From Conflict to toward this goal; bers.” Can we imagine the of Sas katch ewan Communion signed by representa - 4. Lutherans and Catholics God spark touching crea - Sid Haugen pro - tives of the Lutheran World Fed - should jointly discover the power tures across the universe? cessed together eration and the Roman Catholic of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for — page 11 into Trin ity Evan - Church in 2013. The document our time; and gelical Lutheran reviews the history of conflict that 5. Catholics and Lutherans Loyalists, dissidents Church to begin arose following Martin Luther’s should witness together the mercy the service called action and the almost 500-year of God in proclamation and service “Scripture tells us that they “To gether in journey that brought the two faith to the world. will know we are Christians Christ.” They al - traditions together. The Order of Service was the by our love (John 13:35), ternated saying the From Conflict to Communion same as that which was used Oct. but the media tell us they opening prayers contains five imperatives that were 31, 2016 in Lund, Sweden, when will know we are after Pastor Sarah read aloud by representatives of Pope Francis and Lutheran World Catholics by our fights,” Dymund extended the two faiths. After each reading Federation president and Bishop of writes Thomas Reese, SJ. them a welcome to a large candle was lit, brought to Jordan and the Holy Land Munib — page 13 the church. Dy - Frank Flegel the front of the church and placed Younan presided over an ecumeni - mund read the Rev. Sarah Dymund, Bishop Sid Haugen and with the others. cal service commemorating the day’s Gospel and Archbishop Donald Bolen. The five imperatives read: anniversary of the Refor mation. 2 Prairie Messenger INTERNATIONAL NEWS November 15, 2017 Stop taking smartphone shots during mass: pope

By Carol Glatz true renewal,” Pope Francis said. mind) wanders. Yet, it is the “And this is precisely the aim of Lord!” VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The this catechetical series that we People should reflect on this, he mass is not a show, but a beautiful, begin today — to grow in under - said, and if they complain, “ ‘Oh transformative encounter with the standing the great gift God gave father, mass is boring.’ What are true loving presence of Christ, us in the eucharist.” you saying? The Lord is boring? Pope Francis said. “The Second Vatican Council ‘No, not the mass, but the priest.’ That is why people need to was strongly driven by the desire Ah, well, may the priest be con - focus their hearts on God, not to lead Christians to an under - verted,” but just never forget that focus their smartphones for pic - standing of the grandeur of the the Lord is always there. tures during mass, he said. faith and the beauty of the en- Catholics need to learn or re - When the priest celebrating counter with Christ,” he said. discover many of the basics about mass says, “Let us lift up our That is why, “with the guidance the mass and how the sacraments hearts,” he is not saying, “lift up of the Holy Spirit, an appropriate allow people to “see and touch” our cellphones and take a picture. renewal of the liturgy” was neces - Christ’s body and wounds so as to No. It’s an awful thing” to do, the sary. be able to recognize him, just as pope said Nov. 8 during his The eucharist is a wonderful the apostle St. Thomas did. weekly general audience in St. way Jesus Christ makes himself He said the series would in - Peter’s Square. truly present in people’s lives, the clude answering the following “It makes me so sad when I pope said. questions: celebrate (mass) in the square or To take part in the mass is to — Why make the sign of the in the basilica and I see so many relive the Lord’s passion and re - cross at the beginning of mass? cellphones in the air. And not just demptive death, where, on the Why is it important to teach chil - by the lay faithful, some priests altar, he is present and offers him - dren how to make the sign of the CNS/Tony Gentile, Reuters and bishops, too,” he said. self for the salvation of the world, cross properly and what does it “Please, mass is not a show. It Pope Francis said. mean? POPE DEPLORES TAKING PICTURES AT MASS — A priest takes pictures with a tablet as Pope Francis celebrates mass in St. Peter’s is going to encounter the Passion, “The Lord is there with us — What are the mass readings Basilica at the Vatican. The pope, at his Nov. 8 general audience, said the resurrection of the Lord,” he and present,” he said. “But so for and why are they included in it’s “an awful thing” for people to take cellphone photos at mass. said to applause. many times we go, we look the mass? The pope’s remarks were part around, we chit-chat with each — What does is mean for peo - of a new series of audience talks other while the priest celebrates ple to participate in the Lord’s Pope bans cigarette sales on the mass. The series, he said, the eucharist.” sacrifice and come to his table? should help people understand the If the president or any other — What are people seeking? true value and significance of the famous or important person were Is it the overflowing fount of liv - at the Vatican as of 2018 liturgy as an essential part of to show up, he said, it would be a ing water for eternal life? growing closer to God. given “that we all would be near — Do people understand the By Junno Arocho Esteves prohibited smoking in offices and A major theme highlighted by him, we would want to greet him. importance of praise and thanks - public places. the Second Vatican Council was But think about it, when you go giving with the eucharist and that VATICAN CITY (CNS) — However, cigarettes continued to that the liturgical formation of the to mass, the Lord is there and receiving it “makes us one body Concerned by the damage caused be sold to current and retired per - lay faithful is “indispensable for a you, you are distracted, (your in Christ”? by smoking, Pope Francis has sonnel at the Vatican. Even after the banned the sale of cigarettes in cigarette ban goes into effect, the Vatican City State. Vatican will continue discount sales Pope meets global leaders: The Elders Starting in 2018, the Vatican of gasoline, groceries and other “will cease to sell cigarettes to goods to employees and retirees. By Carol Glatz em ployees,” Greg Burke, Vatican Nevertheless, while cigarette spokesperson, said in a Nov. 9 sales “are a source of revenue for VATICAN CITY (CNS) — statement. the Holy See, no profit can be Pope Francis met with Kofi “The reason is very simple: The legitimate if it puts lives at risk,” Annan, the former UN secretary Holy See cannot contribute to an Burke said. general, and former Irish Presi - activity that clearly damages the On a moral level, the church dent Mary Robinson to discuss health of people,” he said. has never defined smoking as a shared concerns about peace, “According to the World Health sin. The Catechism of the Cath olic human rights and climate Organization, every year smoking Church says the gift of physical change. is the cause of more than seven mil - health requires “reasonable care” “Pope Francis has shown great lion deaths throughout the world.” of the body, and more specifically moral leadership on the crucial The Vatican used to be known says: “The virtue of temperance issues of our time. His assertion as a safe haven for cigarette disposes us to avoid every kind of of the values of peace and human smokers. That changed dramati - excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, dignity resonates with people of cally in 2002, when Vatican City tobacco or medicine.” all faiths and those of none,” Annan said in a written statement released after the Nov. 6 meeting U.S. gun laws not reasonable in the pope’s residence. Annan and Robinson made the WASHINGTON (CNS) — The bishops of the United States have private visit Nov. 6 together with nation’s leaders “must engage in a been urging our leaders to explore Lakhdar Brahimi and Ricardo real debate about needed measures and adopt reasonable policies to Lagos as members of The Eld ers, to save lives and make our com - help curb gun violence,” Dewane an independent group of global munities safer,” said the chair of said. leaders who use their experience CNS/ L’Osservatore Romano the U.S. bishops’ domestic policy The Las Vegas and Sutherland and influence to support peace committee. Springs gun massacres “remind us POPE MEETS KOFI ANNAN — Pope Francis greets Kofi Annan, and human rights. former secretary general of the United Nations and leader of The Such debate is essential because of how much damage can be The four representatives met Elders, during a private audience at the Vatican Nov. 6. “violence in our society will not be caused when weapons — particu - with the pope “to express their solved by a single piece of legisla - larly weapons designed to inflict appreciation and support for his Robinson, who is also a former doing, Robinson said, and how tion, and many factors contribute extreme levels of bloodshed — too work on global peace, refugees UN high commissioner for human he, like The Elders, is “trying to to what we see going on all around easily find their way into the hands and migration, and climate rights and a UN envoy on climate be a voice for the voiceless” and us,” said Bishop Frank J. Dewane of those who would wish to use change,” according to The Elders’ change, told Vatican Radio that the marginalized. of Venice, Florida, chair of the them to harm others,” he said. website. they spoke about climate change “I think he could be a future U.S. Conference of Catholic Dewane said the USCCB con - The organization is “proud to and other issues where “the pope ‘Elder,’ ’’ Annan told the radio, to Bishops’ Committee on Domestic tinues to urge a total ban on assault stand in solidarity with him today has given leadership. We felt there which Robinson remarked, “I Justice and Human Development. weapons, “which we supported and in the future as we work for was a great deal of common think he’s a Super Elder.” His Nov. 7 statement was issued when the ban passed in 1994 and justice and universal human ground between us.” Former South African Presi - in response to “recent and horrific when Congress failed to renew it rights,” Annan, chair of The Other issues they discussed, dent Nelson Mandela formally attacks” in the country, referring to in 2004.” Elders, said in his statement. Annan told the radio, were migra - launched The Elders 10 years ago the mass shooting Nov. 5 at the Other efforts the bishops sup - Annan told Vatican Radio it tion, nuclear weapons, the media - after British entrepreneur Richard First Baptist Church of Sutherland port include measures that control was important for them to visit tion of conflicts and “the impor - Branson and musician Peter Springs, Texas, that left 26 people the sale and use of firearms, such the pope because they hold a tance of giving women a voice Gabriel presented their idea of dead and 20 others wounded, and as universal background checks for number of interests and values in and respecting their role.” taking the traditional practice of the Oct. 1 the mass shooting in Las all gun purchases; limitations on common, and they wanted to “I hope this will be the first of looking to one’s village elders for Vegas during an outdoor concert civilian access to high-capacity “discuss how we can work to - many meetings,” he said. guidance and conflict resolution that left 58 people dead and hun - weapons and ammunition maga - gether, how we can pool our They expressed their apprecia - and applying it to today’s “global dreds of others injured. zines; and a federal law to crimi - efforts on some of these issues.” tion for what the pope has been village.” “For many years, the Catholic nalize gun trafficking. November 15, 2017 CANADIAN NEWS Prairie Messenger 3 Montreal rectory a transition centre for asylum seekers

By Yves Casgrain “It was a warm welcome. We small colourful pumpkins in front they give me a hand. This is like She also believes in the need are at home,” she said. of her. Santopadre wanted to home, yet they know they’re here to train volunteers in intercultural MONTREAL (CNS) — When Emmanuela said she still expe - emphasize Thanksgiving in a sim - in a transitional way.” dialogue. a Haitian mother and her two riences moments of anguish. ple and fun way. Le Pont can count on a hand - “To become a volunteer at Le young children crossed into “The wait is stressful. I don’t Through the always-open door ful of volunteers who commit Pont , you need to have an open Canada by taxi, “police officers want to go back to Haiti. It’s not a of his office, Le Pont’s co-ordina - themselves for a given time. mind. We all have prejudices. We said that I was going to be arrest - life. We receive death threats. So, tor, Arthur Drieux, keeps an eye Isabel Barrera, a former social must all work on this,” Barrera ed because I had just done some - I’m waiting. I keep hope. I’m not on everything. pastoral worker, recently volun - said. thing illegal.” happy, but a little quieter,” she “I hear children playing, teered. Santopadre said she feels the “I said to myself: ‘It’s better to said. babies screaming. I see people “I came to Canada as an immi - “presence of God in everything I get arrested than to be killed in The Archdiocese of Montreal passing by. Our guests stop and grant. I know what asylum seek - do. It is a very concrete presence. Haiti,’ ” said the woman, who calls the new centre Le Pont (The invite me to share their meal.” ers are going through,” she said. He has the face of little Christina asked to be identified only by her Bridge). In the rectory halls, resi - “Here,” he explained, “we Her experience dictates how and her little sister, Joyce. He has first name, Emmanuela. dents hear the contagious laughter make a point of not treating resi - she responds to residents who the face of this mother who has Like many asylum seekers, she of Alessandra Santopadre, head of dents in an administrative way. share their pain and anguish. another religion than mine, but was directed to the Montreal the refugee sponsorship program We want them to feel at home. “We listen to them. However, who prepares the pumpkin mar - YMCA. Now, however, she lives for the Archdiocese of Montreal. We treat them as members of our we are not specialists. That’s why malade, because I do not have at the rectory of Our Lady of Without her, Le Pont would not family.” we hope to recruit volunteer psy - time to prepare it. For me, here is Victory Parish, which on Oct. 2 exist. He said the residents take on chologists.” God.” opened its doors to women and In the small kitchen, asylum the various daily tasks. children seeking asylum. seekers are talking cheerfully. “They’re people like us,” he Christina, Emmanuela’s two-year- said. “They cook, take care of old daughter, draws at a table. She their children and scold them Casgrain is a journalist with is quickly joined by Santopadre, when necessary. When they see Presence info, based in Montreal. who draws her attention to the that I tinker around the house, ‘The resurrection is essential’: Rauser

By Blake Sittler awareness and acceptance of the “What does it mean for an eter - “New Atheism,” initiated by Sam nal, omniscient, sovereign, immor - SASKATOON — Every year Harris, Christopher Hitchens, tal God to become like one of his the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richard Dawkins, and other vocal creatures?” he asked. “To take on Saskatoon hosts Study Days for atheists. pain, uncertainty, time, and even leaders across the diocese. During “While there is more being death, is too difficult to compre - this two-day event, various the - written and shared,” Rauser said, hend. It is scandalous, but impera - ologians are brought in to discuss “the percentage of non-religious tive. If you were a soldier, would different topics. The audience is people has not increased signifi - you respect and follow a general primarily made up of the pastors, cantly in recent years.” who had never seen battle? That is parish life directors and parish God, by nature of being trini - the Incarnation.” staff of the diocese. This year, tarian, is also a community, said In the segment on atonement, Randal Rauser, a Baptist scholar Rauser, exploring the Trinity as Rauser discussed the many differ - CCN/D. Gyapong from Edmonton, was the speaker. the first pillar of Christianity. ent theologies of soteriology, PRIVATE MEETING — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Cardinal Associate professor of historical This topic contained the recur - attempting to address how Jesus Gerald Lacroix held a private meeting Nov. 6 in the prime minister’s theology at Taylor Seminary in ring theme that God is personal: saved humanity through his death office on Parliament Hill. The only public information about what the God is an “I.” on the cross. prime minister and the cardinal said behind closed doors came from a Twitter exchange with official photos of the meeting. “My thanks to Rauser argued “The crucifixion can be seen Cardinal @gclacroix for the meeting in Ottawa this morning — it was that we can be as penal substitution, as scape - nice to see you again,” said Trudeau’s tweet. Lacroix replied: “Taking in relationship goating, as a ransom, or as simply time to share is always enriching. Thank you for your hospitality with God be - redemption,” he said. “The cross Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau.” A spokesperson for the cardinal cause God is “an can be interpreted as healing or as told CCN they were not planning on releasing anything further. Other” and that an example that we are expected God, in God’s to follow.” Benedictine missionary personal, trini - Rauser shared the image that tarian reality, is Christ took on flesh so that he communal: “a could become “bait on the hook remembered 25 years later They.” of the devil, who reeled him into “This is in - the bowels of hell. The devil By Claire Novecosky, OSU John XXIII’s invitation to bishops timidating to swallowed Jesus and that is where to send missionaries to Latin some people,” he the battle took place.” SASKATOON — Twenty-five America, principally to Brazil. said, “because, if Jesus’ sacrifice and loving will - years ago, on Nov. 21, 1992, Rev. Following him were a number Blake Sittler there is a God, ingness to embrace the cross can Sylvester Vredegoor, OSB, was of religious men and women from Randall Rauser then we are be seen as a “lifestyle complement killed in a highway accident in his the abbacy who formed small accountable.” for youth” who are challenged to parish of Marechal Deodoro, Christian communities in the vast Edmonton, Rauser holds a doctor - Rauser was supportive of peo - follow Christ as an exemplar, a parish of São Jose in the city of ate in theology from King’s College ple asking difficult questions of person who will take on their cross Maceio, and years later in the in London, England, where his dis - their church and their faith: “It is and challenge evil with love in parish of Marechal Deodoro. sertation was titled, Trinity, Mind people who ask hard questions their day-to-day lives. The mission statement of the and World: A Theological Episte - who force us as Christians to In the final section of his pre - abbacy team stated: “We, the mology of Mediation . Rauser is also expand our thinking and under - sentation, Rauser discussed the Canadian missionary team sent by an author, whose most recent book standing of God.” resurrection. He was not afraid to the church of Muenster, are called is What’s So Confusing About On the topic of sin, Rauser start - discuss the topic in a physical, to insert ourselves fully into the Grace? He has written ex tensively ed lightly by quoting Reinhold historical manner. He quoted vari - life of the Brazilian people, hear - on the issue of discussing faith with Niebuhr, who once said, “Original ous modern writers, but also his - ing their anxieties, feeling their atheists. sin is the only empirically verifi - torical, non-Christian texts that pains, participating in the people’s Rauser’s topic over the two able doctrine of the Christian faith.” allude to the idea that Jesus had struggle to transform their reality, days in Saskatoon was “The Five Rauser discussed many of the clas - indeed risen in a corporeal way. celebrating, already now, their Great Pillars of Christianity.” sical theological perspectives on “The resurrection is essential; eventual victory, which is directly Under this heading, he discussed sin, but also referred to serial the tomb was found empty,” linked to the resurrection of five topics that he felt allowed the killers, the Simpsons, and conserv - Rauser proclaimed. “The death of Christ. Filled with Gospel hope, Roman Catholic and Baptist ative radio host Dr. Laura Jesus should have been a criterion we are impelled by a universal churches to dialogue. Schlessinger. for embarrassment, so if there was vision, a true communion of Rauser described the five bind - “Sin stems from our instinct to a body in the tomb, why tell the churches united in mutual love, to ing doctrines as a diamond — an survive and compete,” Rauser story?” the enrichment of both. Let us object that can be turned in the light opined. “Sin is — in the words of Nearing his conclusion, Rauser continue working together for a to discover different aspects of the Stanley Grenz — our failure to be described the resurrection as “a OSB more abundant life for all.” faith. He defined these teachings God’s “Image Bearers.” glimpse into our future salvation” Rev. Sylvester Vredegoor, OSB Twenty-five years later, mem - as: the Trinity, sin, in carnation, In his reflection on the In - and broached the interesting reali - bers of these parishes were asked, atonement, and resurrection. carnation, entitled, “God Became ty that most Christians indeed Alagoas, Brazil. He was one of the “What legacy did Fr. Sylvester He began by setting the stage Meat,” Rauser discussed the vari - proclaim a belief in “the resurrec - pioneer missionaries from St. leave for you?” Following are of the contemporary milieu. He ous implications of an eternal, tion of the body but frankly only Peter’s Abbacy in Muenster, Sask., noted how there was a growing omnipotent Creator taking on flesh. expect heaven.” who responded to the call of Pope — VOICE , page 7 4 Prairie Messenger CANADIAN NEWS November 15, 2017 Protections for worship services to remain in bill

By Deborah Gyapong attended the session in Ottawa. appreciate all who did reach out “We are extremely pleased that to MPs. It’s only when you reach OTTAWA (CCN) — After an the Standing Committee has rec - out that people know what you “avalanche” of letters and testi - ommended to Parliament that are thinking.” mony from faith leaders, the protection of religious services Housefather said all three Justice Committee has amended remain in the Criminal Code,” parties agreed to keep Section Bill C-51 to keep protections for said Neil McCarthy, a spokesper - 176, though there was some dis - religious leaders and worship ser - son for Collins. “The advocacy agreement on how to update the vices. efforts of many diverse faith com - words “clergyman or minister.” The committee amended the munities played a critical role and The bill now refers to “officials omnibus bill Nov. 8, the day after reminds us that we need to con - of religious and spiritual ser - the Canadian Conference of tinue to be engaged in these vices” to better include indige - Catholic Bishops released an important issues. Certainly from a nous spirituality and other non- open letter to the justice minister Catholic perspective, we will Christian forms of worship and dated Oct. 31 from more than 60 continue to do so.” makes the language gender-neu - religious leaders and groups urg - “There was no value to delet - tral. ing the government to keep the ing the section,” Housefather NDP MP Alistair MacGregor Section 176 that protects religious said, noting that even though it told the committee he had not leaders from being assaulted or had seldom been used and “theo - CCN/D. Gyapong noticed the deletion of Section obstructed in their work, and pro - retically it could have been cov - BISHOP TESTIFIES BEFORE COMMITTEE — CCCB President 176 until he received a “trickle” tects religious services from ered” by other sections in the Bishop Lionel Gendron testified before the House of Commons Justice of correspondence that evolved being disrupted. Criminal Code, this section “let Committee on Oct. 30 and told the committee an interfaith letter was “into an absolute avalanche.” “I was persuaded by the testi - people of faith know they were coming to the justice minister regarding Bill C-51. The committee has “I think at first I was pre - mony of people who came before recognized in a special way in the decided to keep protections for religious leaders and worship services pared to accept the govern - us, including His Eminence Criminal Code.” in the amended bill. ment’s argument that the Cardinal Collins,” said Liberal Housefather said he will return offences in this part of the MP Anthony Housefather, chair the amended Bill C-51 to the amendments known beforehand, makes sense,” he said. Criminal Code can most certain - of the Justice Committee in an House of Commons Nov. 20 at they will let the committee know “It was a matter of listening to ly be covered in other sections, interview. Collins testified via report stage of third reading. its position at report stage, he everyone and hearing what peo - but I think I’ve been absolutely video conferencing on Oct. 30, “I’m very, very hopeful the said. ple had to say,” Housefather said. convinced that it needs to be along with the president of the government will support this “We tried hard to work with Not only did the committee hear kept in the Criminal Code, sim - CCCB Bishop Lionel Gendron of amendment,” Housefather said. the minister and the department from witnesses, but from con - ply because it has very signifi - Saint-Jean-Longueuil and Bill Unless the government choos - to convince her as we always do stituents who wrote letters, emails cant symbolic value for the peo - Simpson, a criminal lawyer, who es to make their support for the that the committee’s wishes and made phone calls. “I do ple involved,” he said. Canada has turned its back on long tradition of disarmament: Roche

Continued from page 1 shameful that Canada is dissociat - The 85-year-old retired To ronto spending billions of dollars on the ultimate rejection of cre - ing itself, turning its back and social worker, who saw 30 of her modernization of their nuclear ation,” said Atlantic School of the new treaty was dictated by denigrating a treaty signed by the classmates incinerated beside her arsenals, rejecting good-faith Theology professor David Deane. Washington in an October 2016 majority of nations of the world.” when she was in Grade 7, is ask - efforts of the international com - In a March letter to the United letter to NATO country leaders. Roche bemoans Trudeau’s be - ing for a meeting with Trudeau to munity to advance nuclear disar - Nations as negotiations began on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trayal of his own father’s legacy, discuss the treaty. In the House of mament.” the treaty to ban nuclear weapons, eager compliance represents an contrasting the present prime Commons, Trudeau has called the Roche finds Canada’s position Pope Francis asked: “How sus - abdication of Canadian responsi - min ister’s position to Pierre UN agreement outlawing nuclear against a multi - bility and tradition on the issue, Trudeau’s 1983 Mission for weapons “useless.” lateral treaty Roche said. Peace that took him to the capi - The prime minister praised signed at the UN “Canada has turned its back on tals of all five nuclear powers to Thurlow to reporters, but has not inexplicable. a long tradition of fairly deep press for disarmament. committed to meeting her. “This rejection involvement in nuclear disarma - The UN treaty that Canada The argument against the of the will of the ment issues,” said the former won’t sign or even talk about is Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty is world community Canadian ambassador for disar - the same one the Vatican signed that the balance of nuclear threats is astound ing for a mament at the UN. “It is today and ratified in one day. established during the Cold War country that seeks “They put their weight behind has so far prevented war between a seat on the the treaty,” Roche said. the major powers, said University United Nations Funds matched That weight came into play at of Toronto political scientist and Security Coun - another infamous moment — the expert in comparative foreign cil,” he said. “The for Rohingya Cuban missile crisis of 1962. policy Arnd Jurgensen. Canadian govern - Pope John XXIII played a crucial “We have not had a major con - ment badly needs By Michael Swan role in brokering a peace of sorts frontation or major war like a wakeup call.” The Catholic Register in the stalemate between Soviet World War I or World War II Ottawa is tout - Union leader Nikita Khrushchev since the arrival of nuclear weap - ing its position TORONTO (CCN) — As the and U.S. President John Kennedy. ons,” Jurgensen said. “And nu - chairing a high- federal government announced a After hearing from Kennedy, the clear weapons are partially re - level UN group matching fund to help more than pope penned a message to both sponsible for that.” developing a 600,000 Rohingya refugees, the U.S. and Soviet embassies, Roche worries that we’re Fissile Material Canada’s Catholic humanitarian then read it on Vatican Radio. sleep walking into nuclear Cut-Off Treaty, aid and development agency was The message was printed in armageddon. intended to choke already on the ground in Bangla - newspapers around the world, “The world in the past couple the supply of raw desh delivering aid to desperate including the Soviet Union, of years has shifted into the most materials for people in Cox’s Bazar. prominently proclaiming the dangerous period for humanity bomb making to The Canadian Catholic Or- pope’s plea: “We beg all govern - since the Cuban missile crisis of countries like Catholic Register/Michael Swan ganization for Development and ments not to remain deaf to this 1962,” he said. “(Disarmament) Iran and North Setsuko Thurlow of Toronto, who survived the Peace has partnered with Caritas cry of humanity.” has been pushed right to the top Korea. Jaramillo Hiroshima atomic bomb attack in 1945. Bangladesh to meet the immedi - The crisis passed, and the pope of the political ladder now by the said that doesn’t ate needs of the Muslim refugees has since been credited with egregious and outrageous com - get Trudeau off the hook for tack - tainable is a stability based on pushed out of the majority Bud - keeping the superpowers away ments and stands taken by Presi - ling the central problem. fear, when it actually increases dhist country of Myanmar, also from the brink of war. dent Trump and Kim Jong-un of “The problem with the existence fear and undermines relationships known as Burma. The Cana dian One bright light in the current North Korea.” of nuclear weapons is the existence of trust between peoples?” arm of Caritas has already con - nuclear debate is a Canadian citi - There’s nothing naive or pie- of nuclear weapons. People aren’t They are words with a long tributed $50,000 to fund Caritas zen, Setsuko Thurlow, who is part in-the-sky about negotiating buying it anymore, that their echo. Pius XII, shaken by the Bangladesh’s food distribution, of a delegation that will be accept - among nations for the elimination approach is working. They are atom bomb’s devastation of Hiro - helping close to 25,000 people, ing the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, of nuclear weapons, said Project investing billions of dollars to mod - shima, said in 1948 that the nu- the organization said in a press Norway, on Dec. 10 on behalf of Ploughshares executive director ernize — the exact opposite of clear bomb is “the most terrible release. the International Campaign to Cesar Jaramillo. what disarmament would mean to weapon that the human mind has All donations to Development Abol ish Nuclear Weapons. Thur - “The naiveté lies elsewhere,” any reasonable person. Canada, on ever conceived.” and Peace made between Aug. 25 low, a Hiroshima atomic bomb he said. “It is more disingenuous this issue of human existence, is on In the end, he said, “every act and Nov. 28 specifically for the survivor, is part of the network of to believe, if they truly believe it the wrong side.” of war directed to the indiscrimi - Rohingya refugees will be eligible activists that pushed the Nuclear themselves, that we will ever The church position on nukes nate destruction of whole cities or Weapons Ban Treaty through the reach a world without nuclear is even clearer. vast inhabited areas is a crime — D&P , page 5 UN. weapons when these countries are “Nuclear weapons represent against God and man.” November 15, 2017 CANADIAN NEWS Prairie Messenger 5 Former professional finds joy serving homeless

VANCOUVER (CNS) — with which they struggled. They Mildred Moy at one time was also reported feeling invisible. apprehensive about speaking to Combined, those factors made it homeless people on the street. difficult for people to change Nearly 14 years later, she’s out their lives. on the streets with them, devoting “People forget that street peo - herself to befriending homeless ple don’t have anyone to listen to people and women being traf - them,” she said. ficked for sex and recruiting other The street missionaries’ work street missionaries. did not end once a person decided Moy seemingly had it all: two to transition away from life on the university degrees and a high- streets or in the sex trade. “After paying job with IBM, yet she felt they leave the street, there are empty. That is, until she had what financial concerns and lots of bar - she described as a conversion riers. We support them in that experience that changed her way transition,” Moy said. of seeing the world and set her Over the years Moy has on a new path. She left her job in received more satisfaction than she 2004 and started St. Mary’s ever imagined in ministering to Street Ministry at her Vancouver people in need, but she recognized parish. many people might be scared to The ministry at St. Mary approach a homeless person and Parish grew to include about 30 strike up a conversation. volunteers who would regularly “They are more scared of us take to the streets to meet with because they have nothing and CNS/Barbara Walton, EPA whomever they encountered. they see us as being in power,” Still, Moy felt called to do more. STREET MINISTRY — A homeless woman sleeps on the floor inside a church in Vancouver. Mildred Moy, she said, adding that even just a In 2015 she started Catholic a member of St. Mary Parish in Vancouver and a former IBM employee, started Catholic Street Ministries smile of acknowledgment means after spending 14 years volunteering to serve homeless people in her city. Street Missionaries to recruit a lot to a person living on the more people to be full-time street street. missionaries. those who were transitioning away would provide cold-weather sup - Vancouver Homeless Partnering “Ask if they want food. Don’t “We journey with people who from street life. Part-time mission - plies to the people they met, but Strategy Community Entity found give money, but ask if they want want to leave the street, and if aries would split their time between their focus would be providing that 3,605 people were experienc - a cup of coffee. Carry cookies in they call you because they need their jobs outside of the ministry spiritual and emotional support. ing homelessness in the greater a package for homeless people, or someone to talk to but you don’t and their missionary work. “The government provides many Vancouver area and of those, socks. They are light and easy to have the time, it’s a big loss,” On Saturday evenings the mis - opportunities (for people on the more than 80 per cent reported carry around and homeless people Moy said, explaining the inspira - sionaries went out to meet with streets), but the person on the suffering from addiction, a med - really appreciate getting fresh tion behind creating the group. women who were being traf - street needs to have a reason to ical condition, or mental illness. socks,” she suggested. Catholic Street Missionaries ficked for sex. On Sunday after - change their life,” said Moy, “If we don’t address mental The key to making a differ - was incorporated as an official noons the group would reach out explaining that the street mission - health, we won’t deal with home - ence, according to Moy, was to ministry of the Archdiocese of to the homeless. They started aries tried to help people find a lessness,” Moy said. She believes remember that “people on the Vancouver in 2016 with seven with Bible study and prayer. reason to change. improving access to housing was street are just like everyone else.” volunteers who would split their “We have to be a bridge Moy said most of the women part of the solution to homeless - More information about time between their regular jobs between the person we meet and being trafficked whom she had ness but not the full solution. Catholic Street Missionaries can and street missionary work. God . . . so we must be filled with met reported being abused as Many of the people Moy had be found online at www.catholic - “Three are discerning becoming God,” Moy said. children. A homeless count in met had lost connection with their streetmissionaries.org/ full-time missionaries,” Moy Volunteers from St. Mary’s September by local non-profit families because of the various Nov. 19 is the first World Day said. Street Ministry and the Catholic organizations for the Metro mental health and personal issues of the Poor. Full-time missionary work Street Missionaries also visited a included spending 18 to 20 hours a local residential drug rehabilita - week hitting the streets to meet tion centre every week. Ktunaxa decision has positive elements people in need and supporting In the winter the volunteers By Deborah Gyapong scrutiny.” gious beliefs may develop and D&P is looking for The court held the Charter’s 2a mature over time.” OTTAWA (CCN) — The protections do not “protect the Ktunaxa Nation may have lost the object of beliefs or the spiritual ways Canada can help first religious freedom case focal point of worship.” involving indigenous spirituality However, the minority decision Continued from page 4 region, said Development and Nov. 2, but Christian intervenors by Justice Moldavor held that Peace spokesperson Kelly Di still see positive signs in the deci - while the duty to consult with the for government of Canada match - Domenico. sion. Ktunaxa Nation was met, their ing funds. So far this year the As a closed society dominated The case involved the develop - religious freedom would be Canadian government has com - by its military, independent hu - ment of a ski resort in an area impaired. “The development of mitted over $25 million for manitarian and development work called Qat’muk deemed sacred to the ski resort would desecrate humanitarian aid in Bangladesh inside Myanmar is “very diffi - the Ktunaxa “because it is home Qat’muk and cause Grizzly Bear and Myanmar separate from the cult,” said Di Domenico. Devel- to Grizzly Bear Spirit, a principle Spirit to leave, thus severing the matching fund. opment and Peace is in contact spirit within Ktunaxa religious Ktunaxa’s connection to the land.” Overcrowding in the refugee with Caritas Myanmar concerning beliefs and cosmology,” said the While a blow to the nation’s camps has led local health officials the Rohingya crisis. 7 - 2 decision of the court. religious beliefs, the Evangelical to ask the Bangladesh government Development and Peace has The majority held that the Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and to approve a plan to offer volun - also partnered with the Jesuit British Columbia Forestry, Lands the Christian Legal Fellowship tary sterilization in the camps. Refu gee Service in Banmaw, near and Natural Resource Operations (CLF), two groups that intervened Canada’s Myanmar Crisis Myanmar’s border with China, Minister’s decision to allow the jointly in the case, see positive Relief Fund will prioritize fund - schooling displaced Kachin chil - ski resort to go ahead did not vio - signs in the decision and that of ing to projects that serve pregnant dren. The Kachin minority, many late religious freedom rights, the minority. women and single mothers, who of them Catholic, have also been “because neither the Ktunaxa’s “The majority’s reasons reaf - are among the most vulnerable in under pressure from Myanmar’s freedom to hold their beliefs nor firm that the Charter protects both CCN/D. Gyapong the refugee camps. military in disputes over hydro- their freedom to manifest those the public and communal aspects Derek Ross Development and Peace has a electric projects, jade mines, gold beliefs is infringed by the minis - of religion — not just the individ - program officer in Cox’s Bazar and timber. ter’s decision.” ual and private — and that courts “The minority’s reasons pro - talking with the dozens of NGOs “We will definitely evaluate The Ktunaxa “are not seeking must not entangle themselves in vide a salient reminder that it is working there about projects what is possible,” inside Myan - protection for the freedom to religious matters by assessing the not just the act of religious exer - where the Canadians can help. mar, Di Domenico said. believe in Grizzly Bear Spirit, or content and merits of personal cise that attracts Charter protec - Development and Peace worked The federal government ap - to pursue practices related to it,” beliefs,” said Derek Ross, execu - tion, but the religious or spiritual with Caritas India in the aftermath pointed former Ontario Premier the judges wrote. “Rather, they tive director and legal counsel for essence of that act,” Ross said. of the devastating 2004 Indian Bob Rae as special envoy to My- seek to protect the presence of the Christian Legal Fellowship, in “The Charter ought to be inter - Ocean tsunami, which translates an mar to investigate the fate of Grizzly Bear Spirit itself and the a joint news release with the EFC. preted in a way that reflects the into established contacts in the ethnic minorities. subjective spiritual meaning they “The decision also clarifies that unique aspects of diverse reli - derive from it.” the Charter protects both ‘old’ gious traditions, beliefs, and prac - www.prairiemessenger.ca The judges called this claim and ‘new’ religious beliefs and tices — particularly those of “novel” and added it would “put practices — this allows for the minority communities or those deeply held beliefs under judicial possibility that one’s sincere reli - not widely understood.” 6 Prairie Messenger LOCAL NEWS November 15, 2017 SCSBA/CHAS awards recognize years of service

By Frank Flegel Prince Albert Bishop Albert in Weyburn, in 2004. This was of vol unteers and Thévenot is the bishop in charge accomplished through the amal - recreation serv ices, REGINA — The Saskatche wan of Catholic education in Sas - gamation of several rural Catholic and is the leader Catholic School Boards Associa - katchewan. As a teacher who school divisions, including the and facilitator for tion (SCSBA) presented three spent many years in the class - Weyburn, Estevan, and St. Olivier more than 300 vol - appreciation awards to individuals room, he has had many interest - School in Radville. Three years unteers; she has who have made significant contri - ing experiences — especially later, in 2006, the division bound - accumulated 28 butions to Catholic education over while teaching in Africa — that aries were expanded to include years of service, long years of service. have influenced him in becoming Queen Elizabeth and Spruce including at the Bernadette Cey spent 15 years an exceptional leader in educa - Ridge Catholic school divisions; Mont St. Joseph in Catholic education as a teacher tion. and St. Augustine in Wilcox Care Home, Holy from Grade 1 to high school. Bruno Tuchscherer became a joined the division in 2009. Family Hospital, During those years she also co- Catholic school board trustee in Bud Bohun of North Battle - the Sisters Presen- ordinated sacramental prepara - 1988 and has served in that ford was awarded the Julian tation of Mary, and tion, parent meetings, and capacity for 29 years. Since 2004 Paslawski Meritorious Service the Sisters of Our eucharistic celebrations. She has he has been the board chair. He Award for his more than 50 years Lady of the Cross. served as religious education con - spent many hours involved in the in Catholic education — first as a Bert Yakichuk sultant with Holy Trinity Catholic formation of the Holy Family teacher and school-based admin - of Regina was pre - School Division, Moose Jaw. Catholic School Division, located istrator, then as a school board sented with a trustee from 1992. He retired in CHAS honorary 2016 after 24 years as trustee. membership. He Paslawski was there for the pre - became involved sentation. with Catholic The Catholic Health Asso - health care when ciation of Saskatchewan (CHAS) he joined the presented its Mission Award to the board of Santa Mont St. Joseph team of Prince Maria Care Home Frank Flegel Albert. The team members include in Regina, becom - MERITORIOUS SERVICE — Julian Lorrie Kaglea, who is director of ing chair in 2005 - Paslawski stands with Bud Bohun, recipient of financial, information and busi - 2009. He was the 2017 Julian Paslawski Meritorious Service ness services, and has served at elected to the Award at the combined Saskatchewan Catholic Mont St. Joseph in various capaci - CHAS board in School Boards Association/Catholic Health ties for 28 years. Joan Byrne is 2005 and served as Association joint convention. Bohun was recog - director of environ mental services a board member nized for his more than 50 years of service to and leads the housekeeping, laun - until 2013. He was Catholic education. dry and dietary teams; she has vice chair in 2009 been with Mont St. Joseph for 31 and chair in 2010, and co-chair first joint convention of CHAS years. Shannon Meyers is director of the planning committee for the and SCSBA. Prayer leads to increase in vocations

By James Buchok University of Manitoba, and later young wom an, your daughter, St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmon - granddaughter, niece. We need to WINNIPEG — The best way ton. He was ordained to the be specific in our prayer. As a to bring people to the priesthood priesthood in 2015 and named teenager I enjoyed serving mass. and religious life is to pray for it, director of voca - says the director of vocations for tions in 2016. He the Archdiocese of Winnipeg — serves as parochial Rick Murza and, he adds, statistics show that vicar at Our Lady SISTERS OF SION — Elaine Zakreski, chair of the Friends of Sion prayer leads to an increase in of Victory Church (left), recently presented a cheque for $8,000 to the Sisters of Sion vocations. in Winni peg. The Congregation, accepted by Sister Kay McDonald, NDS, as Dorothy Speaking to the Serra Club of work of the voca - Fortier looks on. The funds were raised as part of a reunion for former Winnipeg fundraising dinner Oct. tions office is sup - students and staff of Our Lady of Sion Academy. 25, Rev. Peter Nemcek told a ported by a com - story from 1880: the Italian vil - mittee comprised Boyko re-elected Saskatoon lage of Lu was facing a shortage of Revs. Jorge of priests and nuns, so the people Monte, Dominic Catholic board chair gathered for adoration of the Yuen and Chris to- Blessed Sacrament, asking the pher Dubois. Lord for vocations. “In about 60 Serra clubs are By Derrick Kunz With 50 schools and over years, over one-third of Lu’s pop - groups of lay Cath - 18,000 students, Greater Saska - ulation became priests or nuns. olics dedicated to SASKATOON — Greater toon Catholic Schools is Sas - There were 323 vocations — 152 promoting and fos - Saskatoon Catholic Schools’ katchewan’s largest Catholic priests and 171 nuns who came tering vocations. James Buchok Board of Education held its annu - school division, providing Catho - from the town’s less than 1,000 There are more SERRA DINNER — Rev. Peter Nemcek, direc - al organizational meeting on Nov. inhabitants.” than 1,100 Serra tor of vocations for the Archdiocese of 6, at which Diane Boyko was re- Nemcek said that Popes John clubs in 46 coun - Winnipeg, with Kevin Kavanagh of the elected chair of the board. Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis tries around the Winnipeg Serra Club. Trustee Wayne Stus, who rep - all agree on the strategy of prayer, world, with a resents rural areas around Saska- and he quoted Pope Francis, say - membership of about 19,000. The Before every mass the altar toon and the cities of Martensville ing, “Behind and before every Winnipeg and Brandon Serra servers would pray, ‘God grant and Warman, was elected vice- vocation to the priesthood or con - clubs hold annual dinners to raise that one of us will become a chair for the third consecutive secrated life there is always funds to support seminarians as priest.’ ” year. strong and intense prayer from they prepare for priesthood. In Nemcek said prayers in front “This past year has been a someone: a grandmother, a grand - 2014 the Serra Foundation of of the Blessed Sacrament “really challenging one for Catholic edu - father, a mother, a father, a com - Canada funded vocation programs work,” because Jesus is substan - cation in Saskatchewan, to say the munity; vocations are born in and grants totalling $52,403. tially present and because of the least,” said Boyko, referring to a prayer and from prayer, and only “It’s not only the vocations close connection between priest - funding reduction, increased through prayer can they persevere office or the committee that is re - hood and the eucharist. enrolment, changes to regulations and bear fruit.” sponsible for vocations,” Nemcek “Have you ever invited a for boards of education, and the Nemcek referred to the words said.” It’s all of us baptized, all of young man to consider the priest - controversial Theodore court case of Jesus in Luke: “The harvest is our parishes. I hope you are all hood?” he asked. “Of course, we ruling. plentiful, but the labourers are praying the prayer for vocations at need to get to know him first. We “Maintaining the confidence of few; pray therefore the Lord of least once a month in your parish - need to form relationships with my fellow trustees to represent the PM the harvest to send out labourers es. I’d like you to pray it, and not our youth. I attended St. Anthony division means a lot to me,” she Dianne Boyko into his harvest.” just say it. When you are saying of Padua Hungarian Church and said. “Our entire board and ad - “We are onto something here,” this prayer at mass, think about a many parishioners would ask me ministration work very hard in the lic education from pre-kinder - said Nemcek. “Pray!” young man from your parish who if I had thought about the priest - best interest of our students, par - garten through Grade 12 in Saska - Born in Slovakia, Nemcek would be a good candidate for hood, and it was after many peo - ents, teachers and staff. It’s a priv - toon and area, Biggar, Humboldt, came to Winnipeg in 2005 where priesthood, think about your son, ple had asked that I really consid - ilege to represent them as chair.” Martensville and Warman. he attended high school and the grandson, nephew. Think about a ered it.” November 15, 2017 LOCAL NEWS Prairie Messenger 7 Eric McLuhan delivers Keenan Lecture at STM

By Kate O’Gorman Eric McLuhan has continued and al senses, Eric McLuhan un packed Michael Keenan, STM’s first Campbell (2015), writer, play - expanded on his father’s work. how our participation in the new dean, who served from 1974 to wright and teacher, who spoke on SASKATOON — Dr. Eric Having authored or co-authored media becomes transformative. 1984, the Keenan Lecture is an “Reconsidering Recon ciliation” in McLuhan, author and leader in the several books on media and com - “The new media belong to the annual event open to the public. the context of Canadians’ ongoing field of media and communica - munications, Eric McLuhan used world of metaphysics,” said Eric Each year, St. Thomas More interest in indigenous and non- tion, presented the 29th Michael his most recent publication, The McLuhan. “They entail the trans - College invites a recognized indigenous relations; and Russell Keenan Memorial Lecture Nov. 2 Sensus Communis, Synesthesia, formation of the users.” scholar to speak on a range of Hittinger (2014), the William K. and the Soul , to speak about how According to Sarah Powrie, topics reflective of the various Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at media operate on people’s sensi - head of STM’s English Depart - disciplines studied at STM. the University of Tulsa, who spoke bilities. ment, “Dr. McLuhan’s work on Eric McLuhan joins a list of dis - on “The Crisis of Modern Times: Drawing his father’s work into media and communications is tinguished lecturers which has The Legacy of John Paul II.” conversation with the Catholic in - timely and important, and it included Margaret Somerville According to Arul Kumaran, tellectual tradition, Eric McLuhan promises to assist us in making (2016), founding director emerita the current dean of STM, the explained how new media — sense of the ways in which the new of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics Keenan Memorial Lecture is a everything from the telegraph to media shape our society, relation - and Law at McGill University in celebration of St. Thomas More the Internet — have a transforma - ships with one another, and even Montreal, and a respected bio - College’s commitment to scholar - tive effect on humanity and the our own sense of self-identity.” ethicist who spoke on the issue of ship and to the intellectual syn - world. Celebrating the memory of legalized euthanasia; Maria thesis of faith and reason. According to Marshall McLuhan, media are best under - stood in reference to our senses. As such, a thoughtful considera - tion of media depends on a deeper understanding of human experi - ence itself. Building on this idea in refer - ence to the Catholic intellectual tradition, Eric McLuhan argued Kate O’Gorman that we must not only look to the Eric McLuhan five corporeal senses, but also to the patristic and medieval treat - at St. Thomas More College in ment of the “spiritual senses” Saskatoon. explored by theologians such as The son of the late Canadian Henri de Lubac. By retrieving the media theorist Marshall McLuhan, sacramental tradition of the spiritu - Search retreat ‘a mountain- St. Gianna’s Church top experience’ for youth ALL SAINTS’ DAY — Rev. Darrin Gurr, pastor at St. Gianna’s Church in Winnipeg, stands with children dressed in saintly costumes for the parish’s All Saints’ Day gathering, Nov. 1. By Kiply Lukan Yaworski prayer, spiritual direction, fellow - ship, and the sacraments, the live- Children celebrate All Saints’ Day SASKATOON — Twenty-two in weekend encourages youth to youth took part in a diocesan “search for Christian maturity.” Search retreat held Oct. 20 - 22 in Searchers come to know them - By Rachel Suarez-Banmann er-known saints such as St. Jose that those are things you can likely the Roman Catholic Diocese of selves, others, and God in a more Brochero from Argen tina, also never be, but being a saint is attain - Saskatoon. loving and personal way, he says. WINNIPEG — On Nov. 1 the known as the Gaucho Priest. able. He advised the children to Search weekends are offered to Followup is important, Leyne Catholic Church celebrates the The saints ranged in age from strive for the things of God and to youth grades 9 - 12, co-ordinated adds, saying that team members Feast of All Saints, teaching us the 11-year-old Maria Goretti to use the saints as guides and role through the office of Vocations stay connected with the Search that through Christ, who tri - the 87-year-old Mother Teresa of models. He emphasized that the and Youth Ministry. participants. umphed over death as the head of Calcutta. They came from differ - saints were ordinary people who An intense weekend of spiritual “Search is a real mountain-top the church, we are connected with ent countries, cultures, lifestyles, had an extraordinary love for growth that was revived in the dio - experience of faith, but we’re not all members of the church, social status, education and pro - Jesus, which we are all capable of cese in April 2015, Search chal - going to just say ‘go back to the whether living or dead. On this fessions. experiencing. lenges high-school-aged youth to valley,’ ” Layne says. “In the days day, we celebrate the church tri - Gurr asked who had dressed up At the end of the liturgy, the deepen their relationship with Jesus that follow, there will be opportu - umphant for those who have for Halloween the previous children were given a prayer card Christ and to make a conscious, nities to connect, to follow up, gained entry into heaven. evening. All the children raised of the church’s patron, St. Gianna adult commitment to their Catholic and also to serve as disciples in All Saints’ Day is a great holy their hands. When asked what they Beretta Molla. faith, explains diocesan Youth their local parishes or beyond.” day for children. It is both an had dressed as, the answers includ - Rachel Suarez-Banmann is Ministry co-ordinator Colm Leyne. For more information, see: opportunity to point to Christian ed an alien, a pirate, a princess, and pastoral associate at St. Gianna Consisting of talks, music, www.saskatoonsearch.ca heroes and heroines and a chance even a Kit Kat bar. Gurr explained Beretta Molla Church, Winnipeg. to explore God’s promise to be with us always and forever. All Voice silenced, but not spirit the saints share something: they did something remarkable or extraordinary in the name of God. Continued from page 3 universality and ecumenism.” As we learn more about these spe - “In speaking to a number of cial people, we can discover ways testi monies from some who knew parishioners and friends, all spoke we can deepen our devotion to him: of the hope that Fr. Syl gave — following the path of Jesus. “I still cherish in my heart the hope that helps us to see, judge, On the feast of All Saints, the celebration of my first commu - act and celebrate. So we call him parish of St. Gianna Beretta Molla nion, the outings we had as young the Father of Hope. In his great in Winni peg celebrated with a people. I will never forget Fr. love for the ‘little ones,’ he wel - liturgy that involved the Faith Sylvester and the Canadian team comed, taught and transformed Formation children. The children for the incentive they gave me to us. At this moment, Brazil is pass - were asked beforehand to pick a be the woman I am today.” (This ing through a great moral, politi - favourite saint, or one they didn’t woman today is a leader in pas - cal and social low, so it is impor - know much about. They were toral works in her parish.) tant to have hope and be in soli - asked to learn about their saint and “His voice was silenced, but darity, especially with the ‘little then come dressed as him or her not his spirit, which continues to ones.’ Experiencing this in Fr. for the celebration. motivate us to continue to strug - Sylvester and in the Canadian The saints processed into the gle for a better life. He brought team fills us with strength and worship space to a triumphant, me life and enkindled again the grace to continue to maintain that Blake Sittler “When the Saints Come March ing light of Christ that I received in hope before all the difficulties we RCIA WORKSHOP — Rev. Joseph Thazhathemuriyil, VC, and volun - in.” In Rev. Darrin Gurr’s homily, baptism, through his sermons, are confronting. It was so good to teers from Little Flower Parish in Leader, Sask., recently participated he asked each “saint” to introduce dialogue and action. He helped us have learned to be a people of in a diocesan workshop about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults themselves and to tell everyone a become authentic people of God God who continue the journey (RCIA). During the Nov. 4 event, facilitator Blake Sittler, diocesan bit more of what they learned on the march to a fuller life.” with faith, action and hope.” director of Pastoral Services, provided an overview of the RCIA about their saint. Saints ranged “I remember his zeal. He was On his tombstone is written: process, as well as practical direction and concrete resources for jour - from well-known ones such as always preoccupied with how to “You left a burning flame in each neying with those who are seeking to join the Catholic Church. Mary, the mother of Jesus, to less - make life better. He had a spirit of of us.” 8 Prairie Messenger ARTS & CULTURE November 15, 2017 Craving the spiritual in Alice McDermott’s new novel

By Kimberly Winston about them. But I really had to see different back stories, especially human suffering. There will be years ago,” she said. “I think there ©2017 Religion News Service them as complex individuals.” how they came to discover their loss because we are mortal. It is a is — a hunger is too strong a word Mission accomplished. There vocation, the genuineness of delusion to think otherwise. The — but a kind of piqued interest in “There is a hunger . . .” is Sister Illuminata, the laundress, which is a central concern of the talking about what That declaration, uttered by an whose vocation is cut short by ill - novel. McDermott did not base the we could define as old, crippled nun who has scrubbed ness; Sister Lucy, who thought characters on nuns she knew as a religious things — away her life and her vocation in a her vows would bring her a life of Catholic schoolgirl, but let them faith, human suf - convent’s basement laundry, sums contemplation but who finds her - evolve out of their names, both of fering and how we up The Ninth Hour, the newest self eternally dealing with dis - their order and of those they gave confront it. I am novel by National Book Award- ease, filth and cruelty; and Sister themselves upon entering it. hearing a much winning author Alice McDermott. Jeanne, whose vocation seems the “These religious orders of more emotional The book tells the story of a purest even as she makes a deci - women are quite lyrical in the reaction from fictional order in early 20th-cen - sion that may damn her forever. naming of themselves,” she said, readers when talk - tury Brooklyn, N.Y., and the sick Their faith is lived out not inside ticking off real orders like the ing about matters and poor it serves. the walls of the parish church or in Little Sisters of the Poor, the of faith, and I see And while McDermott’s nov - its rites and rituals — which Daughters of Charity, the that as a kind of els are often concerned with Irish McDermott does not address — Handmaids of the Holy Child. thirst for a conver - Catholics in her native Brooklyn, but within their work and their “There is a tremendous humil - sation about things this book — her eighth — is her sharp, constantly ticking minds. ity, a willingness to erase the of the spirit.” most specifically religious. In it, “It would be a different church individual personality, but in the Part of this she McDermott offers rich, nuanced if I were running it,” says Sister St. same phrase there is this ambition attributes to the portraits of women who have Savior, the most memorable of the and hubris enough to say ‘We are popularity and given their lives to the service of nuns, whose many disappointments going to go out there and help the openness of Pope others, often at great cost and have taught her to manipulate a poor, eliminate suffering.’ ” Francis, and part compromise. world that overlooks women, their The names, McDermott said, of it may be relat - “A woman’s life is a blood work, their needs and their God. show “a faith in the unseen along ed to disillusion - sacrifice,” one of the nuns, Sister Reviews have been almost with this ambition to fix what can ment with orga - Lucy, says, foreshadowing the ecstatic. Writing in The New York be seen.” nized religion, but price each character pays in some Times Book Review , the novelist In this novel, much of what is not with faith way by the novel’s end. Mary Gordon said, “Alice seen is terrible suffering. itself. “I was very determined, once I McDermott has taken the risk of McDermott is graphic and brutal “Maybe there realized there were going to be writing about nuns, and the risk in describing the failings of the is a loss of com - nuns in this book, that I would has been more than worth it. body — the sores and the ooze munity, maybe we make them individuals,” Known and admired for her por - and the stink of the sickroom and are finding it dif - McDermott said in a phone inter - trayal of Irish-American family the body are on almost every one thing I think that often distin - ficult to find places to gather and view during a break from an East life, she has now extended her page. That, too, highlights the guishes people of faith is their talk about how do we live, how Coast book tour. “I was aware, range and deepened it, allowing religious nature of the story. inclination to say that even if I do we be better, how do we con - maybe with good reason, that we for more darkness, more generous “To be human is to suffer,” am fortunate, even if I am not front the big issues of suffering think of nuns as either monsters or lashings of the spiritual.” McDermott said. “We are kidding suffering, I see that others suffer, and faith and mortality?” she clowns or with something foolish Much of the “lashings of the ourselves, as Sister Lucy says, to and if others are suffering, then I said. about them, something terrifying spiritual” centre around the nuns’ believe we can alleviate all suffer with them.” “Outside of a religious context it When McDermott began her is hard to have those conversations. writing career, she felt interview - If there is one thing that organized Violence against women must stop ers’ disdain when she mentioned religion provides it’s a place and an she is a practising Catholic. incentive to say, ‘Consider this. tweeted: “If Hillary Clinton can’t (“Though not a very good one,” Consider who we are and what it satisfy her husband what makes she says.) But that began to change means to be human.’ ” her think she can satisfy with the publication of her last McDermott will continue to Around the America?” He has also comment - novel, 2013’s Someone , and has consider, too. Her next novel — ed on negative publicity: “You continued with The Ninth Hour. whatever it may be —will proba - Kitchen Table know, it doesn’t really matter “Recently I’ve found that the bly also include themes about what (the media) write as long as discussion of Catholicism is more faith. “It is in my DNA,” she you’ve got a young and beautiful welcome than it was just a few said. Donald Ward piece of ass.” Though they enjoy the trap - pings of power, these are small, The war against women must Nazi website, Anglin wrote that frightened men, and not to be stop. From female genital mutila - the victim of the car driven into taken seriously. tion to forced marriage to unequal anti-fascist protesters by 20-year- In stark contrast, former U.S. pay in the workplace, poverty, old James Alex Fields Jr., “was President Jimmy Carter has writ - rape, harassment, human traffick - fat and a drain on society. Despite ten, prophetically: “The truth is ing, revenge porn, honour killing, feigned outrage by the media, that male religious leaders have Internet bullying, emotional and most people are glad she is dead, had — and still have — an option sexual abuse, and exclusion from as she is the definition of useless - to interpret holy teachings either ministries in the church — it ness. A 32-year-old woman with - to exalt or subjugate women. exists everywhere, in every soci - out children is a burden on soci - They have, for their own selfish ety, and it is fuelled by ignorance ety and has no value.” ends, overwhelmingly chosen the and malice. He opined, further, that the only latter. Their continuing choice Janusz Korwin-Mikke, a mem - reason Heather Heyer was hit in the provides the foundation or justifi - ber of the European Parliament, first place was because she was cation for much of the pervasive recently declared that women “too fat” to get out of the way. persecution and abuse of women should earn less than men Thirty-five other protesters were throughout the world.” because they “are weaker, small - injured by the speeding automobile. “The only thing that can abol - er, and less intelligent.” United States President ish poverty,” said the late Korwin-Mikke, a Polish politi - Donald Trump has referred to Christopher Hitchens, author and cian, is the founder of the right- women he doesn’t like as “fat social critic, “is the empowerment wing party Liberty. He was for - pigs,” “dogs,” “slobs,” and “dis - of women.” merly the leader of the Congress gusting animals.” He once said It is time we laid aside these of the New Right and the Real that giving a wife negotiable antediluvian fantasies about the Politics Union, and is currently assets is a mistake: “I would superiority of the male. The solu - chair of the KORWiN party, hav - never buy Ivana any decent jew - tion is simple: allow women to be ing been unable, apparently, to els or pictures. Why give her educated and they will change the find a satisfying consistency in negotiable assets?” world. any one movement over the years. He has said that sexual assault I speak as a husband, father, In the United States, web jour - in the military is only to be expect - son, brother, uncle, colleague, nalist Andrew Anglin wrote of ed, tweeting: “26,000 unreported patient, client, and friend of the Aug. 12 rally of white sexual assaults in the military — countless highly intelligent, high- supremacists in Charlottesville, only 238 convictions. What did functioning women. I’m 65 years Virginia: “Woman Killed in Road these geniuses expect when they old, and a lifelong observer of the Rage Incident was a Fat, put men and women together?” human condition. I have surely Childless 32-Year-Old Slut.” Of his Democratic opponent in seen enough by this time to know On The Daily Stormer , a neo- the 2016 presidential election, he what I’m talking about. November 15, 2017 ARTS & CULTURE Prairie Messenger 9 War stories and the paradoxes of the human condition

back from the brink of suicidal despair. After finding a sympathetic Screenings therapist’s ear at the VA directing him to a pro - & Meanings gram at The Pathway Home in California, he does a noble thing for his Gerald Schmitz friend Aite. (Pathway’s work features prominent - Another Remembrance Day productions set during the world ly in the excellent 2014 has passed with the familiar trib - wars. documentary Of Men and utes to the fallen and all who Veterans Day in the U.S. coin - War .) served in the nation’s wars. cides with the availability of a spate Richard Linklater’s Although there are no surviving of films about vets. Two from 2016 Last Flag Flying gets ter - veterans of the so-called “Great deal with the consequences of rific performances from War” of a century ago, and an PTSD (post-traumatic stress disor - Steve Carell as ex-Navy ever-diminishing number from der). This is largely seen as a male medic Larry “Doc” the last century’s next world war, problem. But coming to video-on- Shepherd, Bryan Cran - each subsequent conflict adds to demand is Remy Auberjonois’ ston as Sal Nealon, and the toll of casualties and leaves Blood Stripe (https://www.blood - Laurence Fishburne as Amazon Studios new veterans in its wake. With stripefilm.com/) about a female Rev. Richard Mueller, LAST FLAG FLYING — The best moments in Richard Linklater’s Last Flag hot wars in the Middle East and a marine sergeant (Kate Nowlin) both ex-Marines and Flying are the three men (Steve Carell as ex-Navy medic Larry “Doc” bellicose president in the White returned from a third tour of duty Vietnam vets reunited Shepherd, Bryan Cranston as Sal Nealon, and Laurence Fishburne as Rev. House, the portents are less than who proves unable to cope. after three decades in late Richard Mueller) talking about their lives and challenging each other. reassuring. Broadcast on the PBS Point of 2003 on a mission to lay Television has brought the ter - View (POV) series is director to rest Doc’s son Larry Jr., who war. The focus is on the Pardier terrible war of attrition and futile ror and tragedy of war into our Michael Collins’ documentary was killed in Iraq. Co-written by farm family in rural France in slaughters. The focus of this all- living rooms. We can relive it as Almost Sunrise (http://sunrisedocu - Daryl Ponicsan adapting his 1916, the year of the great battle male affair is on three officers: in the recent monumental 18-hour mentary.com/) about two Iraq vets, eponymous 2005 novel, the movie of Verdun. With husbands and the fatalistic commander Captain PBS series The Vietnam War Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson, is in a sense a sequel to Hal sons off fighting, the household is Stanhope (Sam Clafin), who who confront their Ashy’s The Last Detail (1973) led by Hortense (screen veteran calms his nerves with alcohol; the depression by undertak - based on Ponicsan’s 1970 novel. Nathalie Baye, magnificent) who steadier Lt. Osborne (Paul ing a cross-country trek Doc has also recently lost his despite her age works backbreak - Bettany), a teacher looked up to from Wisconsin to Cali - wife to cancer. In the throes of ing hours in the fields. She has as “uncle” by the men; some fornia. (Not to leave out loss, he has never had greater help from her daughter Solange mere boys including the just- the canine experience, need of these old army buddies as and a young woman, an orphan arrived naive fresh-faced teenager HBO is showing the he faces accompanying his son’s Francine (newcomer Iris Bry, also 2nd Lt. Raleigh (Asa Butterfield), documentary War Dog: body to Arlington cemetery. But excellent), brought in to help at who has chosen this unit in order A Soldier’s Best Friend with a cloud over the circum - harvest time and kept on. Except to serve under Stanhope, an ad - on Nov. 13.) stances of Larry Jr.’s death, Doc for several brief scenes of the ter - mired former student at Raleigh’s First to be released resists the official burial plans rors at the front — gas attacks elite school. theatrically is writer- and the threesome embark on an and assaults from the trenches — The tension ratchets up as director Jason Hall’s eventful road trip from Virginia to the narrative centres on the Osborne and Raleigh are chosen Thank You for Your the hometown of Portsmouth, women and the farm. to be the officers to lead a daring Service (https://www. New Hampshire. The hard-drink - On a short leave home the dash - daytime raid over the top to t hankyouforyour ing Sal is the disturber, while pas - ing son, Georges, is attracted to assess German numbers. While servicemovie.com/), a tor Mueller brings the consoling Francine and makes plans. His smoke from an artillery barrage is dramatization of David presence of a faith deeper than older brother Constant will suffer supposed to lay down a protective Finkel’s 2013 non-fic - that which they’ve lost in the mil - shell shock. While Hortense bears shroud over the desolate stretch tion book. Miles Teller itary and political leadership, the greatest burden, Solange dreads of no man’s land between trench - Focus is Sgt. Adam Schu - sending young men to die for the news of her husband, Clovis, and es, it has the feel of a suicide mis - DARKEST HOUR — Gary Oldman deliv - mann, returning home flag in a deceptive war. As in that depression seeks solace sion. Or perhaps the end can only ers a career-topping performance as with several buddies always Linklater is a keen among Yankee soldiers who arrive be delayed, not avoided (700,000 Winston Churchill. from an infantry bat - observer of the cultural moment in the area. Things happen that men perished during the actual talion he commanded and brings a deep humanity to should not, there is terrible news, offensive). The waiting can be as (http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the in Iraq following a 2008 IED these characters as they reflect on secrets are held and withheld, a terrifying as it is soul-destroying; -vietnam-war/watch/). We can attack in Baghdad that killed the bonds between brothers in arms, man and boy, the sole com - watch it unfold as in Olivier another sergeant who had taken Thank You for Your Service (U.S.) Sarbil’s exceptional 40-minute Schumann’s place. (Teller is also fort as the agonizing minutes go documentary Mosul (http://www. convincing in Only the Brave , as The Last Flag Flying (U.S.) by and the hour approaches. pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/mosu the sole survivor of an elite The Guardians Dibbs captures that claustropho - l/), first broadcast on PBS group of firefighters known as (France/Switzerland) bic twilight zone with an unsenti - Frontline Oct. 18, which follows the Granite Mountain Hotshots, Journey’s End (U.K.) mental realism that is utterly con - an Iraqi special forces squad who perished in a 2013 Arizona The Captain vincing, its heartfelt moments through the 266 days of the battle wildfire.) (Germany/France/Poland) bearing witness to the calamity of to retake Iraq’s second largest city Schumann, PFC Will Waller Darkest Hour (U.K.) a heartless theatre of death. from the so-called Islamic State, (Joe Cole), and Specialist Tausolo The most extraordinary war at great personal cost and a toll of Aite (Beulah Koale) are all story I saw at TIFF is based on 20,000 civilian deaths. wrestling with demons, desperate their pasts and struggle to come prisoner of war returns and in the actual events in Germany in the Movies about war have been a for help and frustrated by the wait to terms with doing the right aftermath of war men still struggle spring of 1945 as the Third Reich staple genre of the cinema from the to get it through the Veterans thing as citizens. over land while the women must was collapsing. German- beginning, including as a propa - Affairs bureaucracy. Schumann, endure. Emotionally powerful and American writer-director Robert ganda tool. But truth doesn’t have confronted by the dead soldier’s * * * poignant, stunningly lensed, Schwentke’s The Captain , also a to be the first casualty when films widow, has a double case of guilt Beauvois brings a measured mas - world premiere, focuses on young are unafraid to show how wars and as his absence on the fateful day TIFF was blessed to have the tery to this moving all too human infantryman Willi Herold (Max wartime affect what human beings resulted from an incident with world premiere of The Guardians story. Hubacher). In the desperate chaos do to and for each other, to plumb another comrade shot in the head (Les gardiennes) , the latest film Another TIFF world premiere, of the Nazi retreat a wild-eyed the paradoxes of the human condi - the day before. Unable to relate to from French writer-director director Saul Dibb’s Journey’s Herold is pursued as a deserter tion — the courage and the folly, his wife, Saskia (Haley Bennett), Xavier Beauvois, best known for End, is the second screen adapta - who could be shot on sight. He malice and selfless love, madness young daughter and baby son, he his transcendent Of Gods and tion of R.C. Sherriff’s eponymous escapes and comes across an and stoic resolve, fearful frailty withdraws into a dark place. Men awarded the Grand Prix at 1928 play (the first by James abandoned vehicle containing the and fearless resilience, tragedy and Wall, finding that his fiancé has the 2010 Cannes film festival. Whale was in 1930), set over a uniform of a high-ranking army comedy. In war we see these para - split, is bereft, becoming an early Beauvois’ introduction included a mere six days in March 1918 as a commander. Herold puts it on for doxes play out, individually and casualty that underscores the sta - tribute to the Canadians who group of war-weary British sol - protection and as the bluff works collectively, sometimes to terrible tistic of 22 American veterans tak - fought to liberate France from diers are on a frontline rotation. the imposter “captain” grows ever even absurd extremes. ing their own lives every day. Aite German occupation. They pass the time holed up in bolder. He claims to be acting on In the following I look at has a pregnant wife but descends Adapted from a 1924 novel by the hellish trenches of Mont the direct orders of the Führer. He American movies on legacies of into a nightmare of drug addiction. Ernest Pérochon, The Guardians Saint-Quentin, waiting on orders gathers a gang of soldier follow - war from Vietnam to Afghanistan Fortunately Schumann’s anxiety is refers to the women left to labour to face an expected German ers. He takes command of a camp and Iraq, then, from the Toronto relieved by visiting the widow and on the home front, to hold togeth - spring offensive, cannon fodder film festival, four new European the injured fellow soldier. He pulls er family and society in time of for another chapter in this long — WARS , page 10

10 Prairie Messenger DEEPENING OUR FAITH November 15, 2017 Desire to serve the church involves obedience

enjoyed the min - istry.” The posting was expected to last for the usual five- year rotation, stan - Both Lungs dard in the Edmonton eparchy and every priest has the right to Brent Kostyniuk expect this to happen. An extension for an additional five years Most of us lead fairly settled For the past four years, Father was quite possible. lives. We have our homes, our Greg had been pastor of the The rational for this jobs, and the routines which bring Ukrainian Catholic parish in is that it brings stabil - us, if not happiness, at least com - Camrose, a rural centre about 100 ity not only to the fort. When life brings us changes, km southeast of Edmonton. parish, but the priest it is usually because we have insti - Although not guaranteed the post - as well, in such con - gated them: a promotion we have ing, he had requested it as a siderations as domes - been working toward, time off for change from the challenges of tic arrangements. a long-awaited holiday, or perhaps being Eparchial Chancellor. The Unfortunately for the birth of a child we have been Camrose parish actually consists Father Greg, that longing for. There is, however, a of the home church along with changed. Earlier this group of people for whom life’s nine other mission parishes year Bishop David settled way is not part of their real - stretching over a distance of 195 Motiuk determined ity — the priests who serve us. km from end to end. St. Stephen Parish in Take, for example, the life of Needless to say, travelling Calgary needed a VOW OF OBEDIENCE — Rev. Greg Faryna is an Orthodox priest who serves at Rev. Greg Faryna. His story is not became a major part of Father change in ministry St. Stephen Parish in Calgary. “The Holy Spirit often calls us to the unexpected. unique, but it does serve to Greg’s new ministry, as he before the five-year We pray that we’re attentive to the call and respond in faith,” he says. remind us that these men have explains. “The challenge was to rotation came due. He dedicated themselves to a way of try and spread my ministry equal - approached Father Greg and Calgary is where I am needed pastor of a vibrant community, life which often brings unexpect - ly over that area. I needed to bal - asked him to reflect on whether a most right now.” with active lay involvement in all ed change. It is a life which does ance my travel time so I would be move to Calgary was something Although Father Greg accept - areas of parish life. For him, the not necessarily revolve around able to give all of my parishioners he might be called to do, and ed the new direction, it was not new challenge is to relate to the their own desires, but rather the attention they deserve. In the whether this was the proper time easy. “From a personal standpoint people spiritually and socially around obedience. At the time of end, I divided the area into three to do it. Although it was a the timing was unfortunate, but I where they are, and not to expect his ordination, every Catholic and sections in order to make the trav - request, not an order, Father Greg fully understand and honour the them to come to him. Orthodox priest takes a vow of el more manageable.” still felt the strong devotion to decision that was made.” “It is my responsibility to obedience to the local bishop. There were dividends for obey Bishop David. The Calgary assignment could meld into the existing structure Father Greg serving in Camrose. “Sometimes things happen in not be less different from and not disrupt the good work He had grown up on a farm in the mid-stride and unexpected Camrose. “St. Stephen’s congre - that is being done,” he remarks. Kostyniuk, who lives in district, so the assignment had the changes need to be made,” he gation is twice the size of all 10 “The people here are very good Edmonton, has a bachelor of the - feeling of coming home. Many of reflects. “It is important as a parishes I had in the Camrose and devoted to their parish; they ology from Newman and is a free - the parishioners remembered him priest to remember that my call - area combined. In that small com - have been very generous to me. lance writer. He and his wife Bev as a boy, so it really did feel like ing is to the church. I am called to munity I was often recognized as Now it is up to me to meet the have been married for 39 years coming home to family. “I can serve Christ where I am needed the Ukrainian Catholic priest. “It sacramental needs of the parish and have eight grandchildren. say that I was well-received and most. In my heart I have accepted was wonderful to be greeted with and continue the good work that a ‘Good morning father’ or even a has been accomplished by previ - simple ‘Hi padre’ from total ous pastors. Eventually I will be Wars leave legacy of human carnage strangers. In a large city like looking to continue to build up Calgary I’m afraid that just will the community and further nour - Continued from page 9 against Winston Churchill whom “good” ones, leave behind a lega - not be so. That anonymity will be ish its spiritual life. The Holy they regard as an unsuitable has- cy of human carnage, for the vic - a new reality for me, not that it is Spirit often calls us to the unex - for German soldiers detained for been. Gary Oldman delivers a tors as well as the vanquished. a life-changing consideration.” pected. We pray that we’re atten - desertion and looting. He directs career-topping performance as the War is always a failure of our After three weeks in Calgary, tive to the call and respond in a massacre. Indeed he turns into a aging bulldog with a fondness for common humanity, lest we forget. Father Greg has learned he is now faith.” preening homicidal little Hitler. liquor and cigars. King George VI Even when a stop is put to his (Ben Mendelsohn) is no admirer PRAIRIE MESSENGER PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY debauched murderous rampage, a either, worried that “his record is a Nazi military court judge is litany of catastrophe.” But the inclined to absolve him. 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estimate for the number of galaxies in the universe. The darkness.” Psalm 23 reinforces this image in the refrain new James Webb Space Telescope will surely see even “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” more. Paul writing to the Corinthians in the second reading Liturgy Two trillion galaxies with billions of stars each, which foresees a long struggle until the risen Christ “has put all in turn having planetary systems spinning and Life around them, leave us with mind-boggling planetary numbers. One estimate placed the numbers of far-off worlds at well Michael Dougherty beyond the total number of all the grains of sand on earth! Life on our small, blue planet Earth is We live in a distant suburb of our 100,000+ light-year- truly a miracle as would be life on other wide Milky Way galaxy. (Remember it takes only eight planets also. Way back during my under - minutes and 20 seconds for the light from our sun to reach graduate days in the 1960s at the Jesuit-run earth.) Our solar system spins around the galactic hub on St. Louis University I wrote a paper on the the inner side of one of the loose spiral aggregations of gas concept of cosmic polygenism for one of and dust that branch out from the central bulge of our my theology classes. Theologians have elliptical galaxy. Our cosmic neighbourhood is called the long debated the concept of polygeny here Orion Arm by astronomers, because some of the stars of on earth, which posits the descent of the well-known winter constellation of Orion lay within it, humans from two or more independent including Betelgeuse, and Rigel and the stars making up pairs of ancestors. When dealing with our this hunter of Greek myth’s belt. increasingly complicated family tree, recent NASA/ESA The nearest star to us on the Orion Arm is Proxima information such as the discoveries that Centauri some 4.3 light years away. Estimates place the Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens ssp. Denisova his enemies under his feet,” including death. At that point, number of stars in our galaxy as high as 200 billion stars, genes appear in European and Asian populations, our “When everything is subjected to him, then the Son him - each with potential planetary systems of their own. The Homo sapiens sapiens species, freshens this debate. Add to self will also be subjected to the one who put all things in nearest galaxy to ours is designated M31, which can be seen this the increasing possibility of intelligent life spread out subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.” across our universe and new perspectives open. The Gospel reading from Matthew connects the totality Ezekiel 34:11-12 Can we see the theological possibility of multiple cre - of God’s creation with the Son of Man who comes to “sit Feast of Psalm 23 ation episodes, the God spark touching creatures across upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assem - Christ the King 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 the universe? My research found many theologians bled before him.” Using image of a king he portrays a November 26, 2017 Matthew 25:31-46 decades ago at the dawn of the Space Age contemplating very unorthodox image of his kingdom where king and the God’s presence mirrored in all the universe as a given. humble, whether sick, imprisoned, homeless or hungry, in a dark night sky just at the limits of what a sharp human They saw that we had to at least consider the possibility of are synonymous. He tells those who are judged worthy it eye can see in a constellation we call Andromeda. This spi - multiple creations. is by their actions attending to the needs of the poor and ral galaxy some 2.5 million light years away from us likely We celebrate the end of our liturgical year with the outcast that they inherit the kingdom. “Truly I tell to you, has a trillion star systems like our solar system within it. feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The just as you did it to one of the least brothers and sisters of The numbers just keep getting bigger when you try to first reading on this last Sunday in Ordinary Time comes mine, you did for me.” imagine the galactic count in the observable universe. from the prophet Ezekiel. When written in the sixth centu - On this feast Jesus is characterized as a king and as a Using today’s instruments the expanding universe is ry BC, Ezekiel and his wife lived in Babylonia along with shepherd, glorious and humble at the very same time. believed to stretch out 13.8 billion light years in all direc - other exiles forced from Judah. Far from his homeland, While today these regal and agrarian images may seem tions from us. Scientists analyzing the data from the Ezekiel understood how previous kings had been false distant and alienating, they are certainly far less challeng - Hubble Space Telescope last year set two trillion as their shepherds. Writing for a beaten, frightened and weary peo - ing than the cosmic reality that science now opens before ple, he has the Lord God speaking directly and intimately us. Whatever images we chose, our triune God, the Alpha to his scattered people as a good shepherd. Comfortingly and Omega, the primum mobile of all creation, remains Dougherty is co-chair of the Social Justice Committee he says, “I will rescue them from all the places to which for us at the centre of the cosmic story and the message at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Whitehorse, Yukon. they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick proclaimed truly universal. When we are paralyzed with exasperation, our helplessness is our prayer

situations like this: the tragic don’t know how to pray, the ness, beseeching God in a lan - death of someone we love by Spirit, in groans too deep for guage beyond words. In murder, suicide, overdose, or words, prays through us. What an Sometimes we can find the accident. Or, the exasperation and extraordinary text! Paul tells us heart and the words with which to Exile helplessness we feel in the face of that when we can still find the pray, but there are other times the many seemingly senseless words with which to pray, this is when, in the words of the Book of events we see daily in our world: not our deepest prayer. Likewise Lamentation, all we can do is put Ron Rolheiser, OMI terrorists killing thousands of when we still have the heart to our mouths to the dust and wait . innocent people; natural disasters pray, this too is not our deepest The poet Rainer Marie Rilke once leaving countless persons dead or prayer. Our deepest prayer is gave this advice to a person who homeless; mass killings by when we are rendered mute and had written him, lamenting that in Several years ago I received in the face of this. deranged individuals in New groaning in exasperation, in frus - the face of a devastating loss he an email that literally stopped my I had neither words of explana - York, Paris, Las Vegas, Florida, tration, in helplessness. Wordless was so paralyzed he did not know breath. A man who had been for tion nor words for prayer. My San Bernardino, Sandy Hook, exasperation is often our deepest what he could possibly do with many years an intellectual and heart and my head were like two Texas, among other places; and prayer. We pray most deeply the pain he was experiencing. faith mentor to me, a man whom water pumps working a dry well, millions of refugees having to when we are so driven to our Rilke’s advice: Give that heavi - I thoroughly trusted, and a man useless and frustrated. Whatever flee their homelands because of knees so as to be unable to do ness back to the earth itself, the with whom I had developed a consolation I had was drawn from war or poverty. anything except surrender to earth is heavy, mountains are life-giving friendship, had killed an assurance from persons who And we all we know people helplessness. Our groaning, heavy, the seas are heavy. In both his wife and himself in a knew him more intimately that who have received terminal sen - wordless, seemingly the antithesis effect: Let your groaning be your murder-suicide. The news left me there had been major signs of tences in medical clinics and had of prayer, is indeed our prayer. It prayer! gasping for air, paralyzed in mental deterioration in the time to face what seems as an unfair is the Spirit praying through us. When we don’t know how to terms of how to understand and leading up to this horrible event death: young children whose lives How so? pray, the Spirit in groans too accept this as well as how to pray and they were morally certain that are just starting and who The Spirit of God, the Holy this was the result of an organic shouldn’t be asked at so tender an Spirit, is, as Scripture assures us, deep for words prays through us. dysfunction in his brain, not an age to have to process mortality, the spirit of love, joy, peace, So every time we are face to face indication of his person. Yet . . . and young mothers dying whose patience, goodness, long-suffer - with a tragic situation that leaves Are you how does one pray in a situation children still desperately need ing, fidelity, mildness, faith, and us stuttering, mute, and so with - like this? There aren’t any words. them. chastity. And that Spirit lives out heart that all we can do is Moving? And we have all experienced In the face of these things, we deep within us, placed there by say, I can’t explain this! I can’t Please let us know a aren’t just exasperated by the God in our very makeup and put accept this! I can’t deal with month in advance. senselessness of the situation, we into us even more deeply by our this! This is senseless! I am par - Write to: Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, struggle too to find both heart and baptism. alyzed in my emotions! I am par - Circulation Dept. alyzed in my faith! I no longer Prairie Messenger and award-winning author, is words with which to pray. How When we are exasperated and Box 190 president of the Oblate School of do we pray when we are para - driven to our knees by a tragedy have the heart to pray, it can be Muenster, Sask. S0K 2Y0 Theology in San Antonio, Texas. lyzed by senselessness and too painful and senseless to consoling to know that this para - [email protected] He can be contacted through his tragedy? How do we pray when accept and absorb, our groans of lyzing exasperation is our prayer Undeliverable papers cost twice website: www.ronrolheiser.com. we no longer have the heart for helplessness are in fact the Spirit — and perhaps the deepest and as much to return. Now on Facebook: www.face - it? of God groaning in us, suffering most sincere prayer we have ever book.com/ronrolheiser St. Paul tells us that when we all that it isn’t, yearning for good - offered. 12 Prairie Messenger FEATURE November 15, 2017 Rainbow hues and fragile petals: refracted glory

By Edna Froese attention turns from those who perished to those who survived. On the highway between Lake Other than that, colour appears Louise and Banff, cars pulled onto only in a couple of poignant the shoulder and camera-wielding scenes, in which one little Jewish drivers and passengers tumbled out girl wears a red coat, such a con - — not to immortalize one more trast to the inhuman categories of grizzly bear on social media, not Jew or not Jew that she provokes this time — but to render awed tears long before the sheer scale of tribute to the full, double rainbow the tragedy makes weeping the that arose out of the earth in the far only reasonable response. valley and returned to the earth on Black and white, as a metaphor, nearby slopes still clad in mists of has come to stand for immovable retreating rain. The upper rainbow regulations and an avoidance of all a soft-focus version of the brilliant nuance. In religion, black and white lower arc, each colour band was distinguishes between the saved intensely itself yet merged seam - and the damned (no in-between, or lessly into the next, the red and pur - compassion); in politics, black and ple declaring themselves against a white sorts all people and positions backdrop of mountains and clouds. into the evil and the good (with the The physics of light refraction, sorter seemingly always among the most certainly familiar to most of good). Most unfortunately, that the open-mouthed photographers, metaphorical thinking has attached meant little in the moment. It would itself to race as well: when black - have taken a truly hardened, indif - Edna Froese ness is connected to absence of ferent soul not to see this unearthly colour (which in physics holds true beauty and then to bless the web of works of art, to today’s devotees of alpine flowers growing far of black pansies in boiling water — think of black holes) and white coincidence that had prompted light of Zen adult colouring books, above normal human tread. in the first stage of making jelly, a is connected to light (which is the to undress itself behind a veil of human beings have known that Gardeners the world over con - brilliant turquoise precedes the sum total of all colours), then those retreating raindrops. each vibrant colour must mean fess their immoderate obsession deep amethyst of the final prod - whose skin pigmentation is too Can a rainbow know its ador - something. Even those who have with the unending possibilities in uct. That rose petals should yield dark find themselves in an uncom - ers? As a peacock might self-con - stripped all that is sacred from the the intimate marriage between a soft blue before turning the fortable place. sciously fan out iridescent tail colour spectrum — interior deco - colour and texture. Have you ever expected shade of red is no less Although it seems prudent not feathers and strut before its admir - rators, web-designers, and ad- fingered the petals of a rose in full miraculous to me. No wonder to rely too heavily on physics as a ers? Surely it cannot be sacrile - makers — still know very well bloom? Velvet itself is pedestrian medieval alchemists, looking for source of moral wisdom, especial - gious to imagine such mysterious that the exact shade matters. Paint in comparison. Or noted how the the elixir of youth, or that which ly since the beautiful calls for awe, conversation. the walls bright yellow and we’ll leaves of the paintbrush transfig - would change all to gold, knew not moralizing, I cannot help but The belief that rainbow hues consume more food! Use subtle ure themselves into flowers, that at the heart of all things is a ponder what physics might teach have spiritual dimensions is very greys and blues and we’ll stay adopting whatever shade of red or congruence of elements that none me. Light is essential for the per - old: from the original makers of longer, become more pliable to the orange or magenta or pink or yel - but the Creator understands. ception of any colour whatsoever; mandalas, Buddhist monks who message, whatever it is. lowish white is de rigueur at a par - Our subconscious responses to colour cannot be seen in the dark. wove sand into magnificent sacred Fortunately, the rainbow, co- ticular altitude? Or pondered how the symbolic resonances of colour Even more striking, light itself opted as it has been for various it is that the leaves of fireweed in are particularly evident in how we must be broken (refracted) before purposes, is not the only divine fall turn a dormish brown in one react to the contrast between what rainbow colours appear. A consis - Froese taught English litera - gift to the human eye. The world valley, yet in another choose to is black and white (literally or tent rejection of all variances, frag - ture at St. Thomas More College is “charged with the grandeur of wear gorgeous purples and magen - metaphorically) and what is ments, ambiguities, irregularities in Saskatoon for many years until God,” to use Hopkins’ immortal tas and oranges? Or asked a lily colour-full. Remember Schindler’s — terminal black-and-white cate - her retirement. She currently phrase, through a reckless profu - enthusiast to describe the patterns List (1993)? Most of the movie is gorization, in other words — works part time as academic edi - sion of flowers, from the grandi - of lines and dots in Amber Flame filmed in black and white, shifting impoverishes us, whether we tor while relishing the freedom to ose diva-like spread of tropical or Chocolate Canary? tBo colo ur only in the las t s cenes as kn ow it or n ot. read and write for pleasure. plants to the infinitesimal delicacy When I immerse fragile petals

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By Thomas Reese, SJ Father Thomas Weinandy, who these Catholics also liked Popes pope. Under John Paul, loyalty were disastrous. And they saw ©2017 Religion News Service recently released his letter to the John Paul and Benedict, but unlike was the most important criterion scores of their colleagues subject - pope accusing him of confusing the conservative dissidents, they for episcopal appointments, trump - ed to inquisitional procedures that Scripture tells us that they will the faithful. Weinandy was execu - did not abandon the papacy when ing pastoral qualifications and Weinandy helped carry out for the know we are Christians by our tive director of the U.S. bishops’ Francis was elected. good judgment. bishops and the pope. love (John 13:35), but the media Secretariat for Doctrine from 2005 The first problem Weinandy Weinandy’s next complaint is If a theologian like Sister tell us they will know we are - 2013 and used his office like a points to is Chapter 8 of “Amoris that Pope Francis is fostering dis - Elizabeth Johnson of Fordham Catholics by our fights. grand inquisitor to persecute those Laetitia,” which deals with the unity in the church by encouraging University had written a similar let - There have been lots of fights in theologians who questioned papal role of conscience and discern - “a form of ‘synodality’ that allows ter to Pope John Paul, the Vatican the Catholic Church lately as reac - teaching. True, he did not physi - ment in guiding divorced and and promotes various doctrinal and and the bishops would have come tionary cardinals, theologians and cally torture his victims, but he did remarried Catholics. He joins his moral options within the church down on her like a ton of bricks. commentators have gone after Pope everything he could to destroy voice to those of the four cardinals (and) can only Francis and his emphasis on God’s their reputations and their careers. and some theologians who have lead to more the - compassion and mercy. These dis - To my knowledge, none of criticized this chapter. He accuses ological and pas - senters believe he should stress the these theologians had the chutzpah the pope of being “intentionally toral confusion.” rules and divine judgment. to write a letter to the pope and ambiguous, thus inviting both a Again, Weinandy What is remarkable about these then release it to the press. Rather, traditional interpretation of Cath- believes any critics of Pope Francis is that they wrote as academics on topics olic teaching on marriage and views that are many were papal loyalists during in the areas of their expertise. divorce as well as one that might different from his the papacies of John Paul and Most of them were highly respect - imply a change in that teaching.” theology are Benedict. During these papacies, ed in their fields. He even asserts that this “seem - wrong. He even they harshly criticized as dissi - Now the inquisitor is question - ingly intentional lack of clarity asserts that “Such dents and heretics anyone who ing the pope. inevitably risks sinning against the synodality is un - questioned papal teaching. What is His letter begins by stating that Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.” He wise and, in prac - clear now is that their loyalty was “a chronic confusion seems to accuses the pope of “calumny” in tice, works not to the successor of Peter, but to mark your pontificate.” Too often, calling his critics “Pharisaic stone- against collegi al their own theological opinions. the light of faith “is obscured by throwers who embody a merciless unity among No one epitomizes this trans - the ambiguity of your words and rigorism.” This coming from a bishops.” formation more than Capuchin actions,” which “fosters within the man who did not worry about In reality, col - faithful a growing unease.” calumny when he was accusing legiality and syn - Weinandy and his friends may some of America’s most prominent odality are trying Reese, a Jesuit priest, is a be confused, but the faithful at theologians of being unorthodox! to ex plain the senior analyst at RNS. Previously large love and support Pope Weinandy ignores that fact that same reality — he was a columnist at the National Francis. A Pew Research Center “Amoris Laetitia” was the product the union of the Catholic Reporter (2015 - 17) and survey released in January found of wide consultation in the church, pope with the an associate editor (1978 - 85) that 87 per cent of Catholics ex- including two synods of bishops. college of bish - and editor-in-chief (1998 - 2005) press a favourable view of Pope A second issue that Weinandy ops where there at America magazine. Francis. It should be noted that has with Pope Francis is that he is shared re - “seems to demean the importance sponsibility for CNS/Paul Haring of church doctrine.” the church un der There is no question that Pope the primacy of INVITATION TO DIALOGUE — Pope Francis passes the statue of St. Peter as he leaves his gener - Francis gives a priority to how we the pope. Sadly, al audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. live the faith rather than how we collegi ality under With his papacy, we are being invited to dialogue in explain it, or as theologians would John Paul be - a truly collegial fashion, writes Thomas Reese, SJ. say, he gives more importance to came defined as or thopraxis than orthodoxy. As the obligation of the bishops to Weinandy, on the other hand, Retreats & Workshops Matthew 25 explains, we will be agree with him in all things. got a slap on the wrist from the THE ENNEAGRAM AND SPIRITUAL ACCOMPANIMENT judged by how we live the faith in Synods be came a joke, where bish - president of the National Confer - Rick McCorrister Saturday, Nov. 18, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. feeding the hungry, giving drink to ops quoted the pope to himself and ence of Catholic Bishops and Cost: $110 (includes lunch). the thirsty and clothing the naked. told him how great he was. lost his position as a consultant We will not be judged by whether Pope Francis, on the other hand, to the bishops’ Committee on QUEEN’S HOUSE GALA DINNER — Note date change we can answer all our catechism encourages free discussion and Doctrine. Tuesday, Nov. 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Greystone Singers Concert, 9 p.m. questions. debate, which he sees as the path In his statement, Cardinal See website for details and ticket prices. Weinandy appears to confuse to theological and pastoral devel - Daniel DiNardo noted that the faith with theology or how we opment. Ironically, Weinandy com - “Throughout the history of the AND SO WE WAIT . . . Our Spiritual Journey of Transformation – Sarah Donnelly Friday, Nov. 24, 7 p.m. until Sunday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ex plain the faith. Many in the plains about the pope allowing too church, ministers, theologians Cost: $180 (includes 3 meals). church, in response to the Refor - much freedom of discussion and and the laity all have debated and mation, equated the faith with then takes advantage of this free - have held personal opinions on a WOMEN’S WORKSHOP SERIES — Colleen Kehler everything in the catechism. Rath- dom to tell the pope that he is all variety of theological and pastoral Saturday, Nov. 25: Waiting in the Dark er, theology is always an imperfect wrong. issues.” But, he said, “every good Time: 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. attempt to explain the faith, which Finally, Weinandy accuses the Christian ought to be more eager Cost: $20 per session payable to Colleen before each workshop. is a mystery. Theolo gy is simply an pope of being vindictive. What to put a good interpretation on a FEAR ‘n CONFUSION — THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK — Peter Oliver attempt to explain the faith using “many have learned from your neighbour’s statement than to Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Cost: $15 the best thinking of the day. Au gus - pontificate is not that you are open condemn it.” And, “This presup - TOGETHER THROUGH ADVENT — An Ecumenical Journey tine used Neo platonism; Thomas to criticism, but that you resent it.” position should be afforded all the Darcie Lich and Claire Ewert Fisher Aquinas used Aristotelianism. He goes on, “Many fear that if more to the teaching of Our Holy Saturday, Dec. 2: Holy Linoleum — Rediscovering Sacred Ground What Weinandy and his inqui - they speak their mind, they will be Father,” DiNardo said. Darcie Lich sitional colleagues never under - marginalized or worse.” I don’t disagree with anything Saturday, Dec. 9: Every Creature Singing — Claire Ewert Fisher stood is that it is the job of theolo - Again, Weinandy appears to DiNardo said, I just wish dis - Cost: $20 per session/optional lunch: $13. Come to one or both. Please register. gians not simply to quote Augus- have forgotten the fear inspired in senters had been treated similarly tine and Aquinas, but to imitate bishops and theologians by John during the papacies of John Paul SPIRITUAL DIRECTION: Contact Sr. Adeline at Queen’s House or any them by using the best thinking of Paul, who would allow no discus - and Benedict. affiliated spiritual director for more information or to begin your journey. their day to explain the faith to sion on issues on which he had Yesterday’s papal loyalists are their generation. One cannot use made up his mind. Weinandy has today’s dissidents. Yesterday’s dis - For program details visit www.queenshouse.org To register please call 306-242-1916 13th-century theology to explain also conveniently forgotten his senters are today’s papal defenders. or email: [email protected] the faith to people in the 21st cen - own role in this inquisition. So far, The true scandal in the church is tury. The suppression of theologi - he can provide no evidence of not what one theologian or pope Ongoing programs include: cal creativity during the papacies similar actions against him and his says, it is that we are not capable of Journey with Scripture: Fr. Paul Fachet. $25 w/lunch. 1st Wed./month at 10 a.m. of John Paul and Benedict hurt the colleagues by Pope Francis. dialoguing with each other. That is Women in Ministry Luncheons: One Friday/month, 12 - 1:30 p.m. church badly. In brief, Weinandy fails to see the fault of John Paul and Benedict, K of C BROTHERS KEEPER BREAKFAST: 2nd Tuesday/month, 7 a.m. Weinandy’s third complaint is that most of his criticisms of Pope not Francis. They attempted to Quiet Day of Prayer: 2nd Wed./month. $25 w/lunch, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. that the pope is scandalizing the Francis are exactly the same as the impose their theologies (their way 24-Hour Eucharistic Adoration: 4th Monday of the month, 12 p.m. -Tuesday, 12 p.m. believers by appointing bishops criticisms that progressive theolo - of explaining the faith) on the Personal Day(s) of Private Prayer: Book anytime. “who seem not merely open to gians had of Pope John Paul II. church and silenced anyone who those who hold views counter to While Weinandy believes Francis disagreed. www.facebook.com/Queens-House-Retreat-and-Renewal-Centre Christian belief but who support has betrayed the legacy of John With the papacy of Francis, we and even defend them.” Again, Paul and Benedict, progressive are being invited to dialogue in a 601 Taylor Street West, Saskatoon, SK S7M 0C9 Weinandy confuses the faith with theologians accused John Paul of truly collegial fashion. Why does tel: (306) 242-1916 fax: (306) 653-5941 his theology. He is shocked that a betraying the documents and spirit that scare people like Weinandy? DO YOU NEED A FACILITY FOR: pope would appoint men who of the Second Vatican Council. Because they can no longer Inservices, seminars, workshops, retreats, or any occasion? BOOK QUEEN’S HOUSE TODAY! reflect his priorities for the church Progressives too felt that John impose their views on the church. (306) 242-1925 or [email protected] when this has been done by every Paul’s episcopal appointments They are no longer in charge. 14 Prairie Messenger EDITORIALS November 15, 2017

Facing violence in churches a cold-blooded act. frightening new level. This has raised alarms across the United States. While I don’t agree with the concept of the cler - Pope Francis has asked people not to take pictures According to a news release, Bishop Council Nedd II, gy packing a gun in church, it is ironic that the during mass. This includes even bishops and priests, rector of St. Alban’s Anglican Church in Pine Grove Canadian Parliament was taking steps to remove who like to take advantage of their physical proximity Mills, Penn., is considering arming himself at the from the Criminal Code protection afforded to reli - to the pope at papal liturgies. The mass is not a show, altar. The bishop is also a state constable. gious gatherings and those who lead them. but a beautiful, transformative encounter with the true In his commentary as co-chairman of the Project However the planned action was reversed after loving presence of Christ, Pope Francis argues. 21 black leadership network, he wrote: “A pistol in an avalanche of letters to parliamentarians, including When the priest celebrating mass says, “Let us lift the pulpit may sound extreme, but when people of an open letter to the Honourable Jody Wilson- up our hearts,” he is not saying, “lift up our cellphones faith increasingly appear to be targets of armed evil a Raybould, minister of justice and attorney general of and take a picture. It’s an awful thing” to do, the pope good shepherd must do what he must do to protect Canada from more than 60 religious leaders and said during his weekly general audience Nov. 8. the flock from the wolves. From my perspective as groups. They urged the government to keep section I agree with the pope that it is inappropriate for both a bishop and a cop, people must be protected. 176 of the Criminal Code of Canada which was the solemnity of the occasion that people, especially This includes in sacred spaces.” about to be removed by Bill C-51. Section 176 clergy, take pictures during mass. He said that it’s shocking that, in a nation found - makes it an indictable offence to obstruct or cause However, there are even stranger developments ed on the idea of religious freedom, there are mon - violence to an officiating clergy or minister as well taking place in this era when even churches are not sters out there who now think it’s fair game to target as to disturb religious worship or gatherings. immune from mass killings, such as happened Nov. 5 people of faith with deadly force. Citing recent The Justice Committee amended the proposed at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. church shootings such as those in Charleston, S.C.; bill Nov. 8. A lone gunman entered the church and shot more Antioch, Tenn., and the latest one in Sutherland It’s a better solution than the one being proposed than two dozen people, including the acting pastor, in Springs, he said this brings religious intolerance to a across the border. — PWN Transportation in the North has changed, and is changing still

Life In Canadian Arctic

Jon Hansen, CSsR

With the celebration of the navigational aids. opening of the Inuvik to Tukto - The arrival of airplanes did not yaktuk Highway to take place on diminish the ongoing desire for Nov. 15, I focus this month on some type of efficient ground transportation in the North. transportation to serve the grow - As it was for the rest of Can ada, ing northern communities. Dog the earliest means of transportation sleds and trails had been suitable in the Arctic and Beau fort delta for early hunting and trading but involved the waterways. From pre- the need for an all-season road Hansen historical times indigenous peoples was all too apparent. HIGHWAY LINK TO THE NORTH — The Dempster Highway is not for the faint of heart as it remains a invented and perfected forms of With the discovery of oil and gravel surface road and is a challenging 700 km drive through some of the toughest weather and geography watercraft including the kayak and gas in the Beaufort Delta, this need you can imagine. Nevertheless, it serves as an essential corridor to the south for both commerce and per - the umiak for their needs which came to a head and an overland sonal transportation. included hunting, fishing and trav - link between Dawson City, YT, elling. These vessels, built with and the newly built town of Inuvik, nect southern Canada to the Arctic construction for the past four pletion of the road is without con - locally sourced wood and animal NT, was begun in 1959. Construc - coast via the east side of the years and has been in the plan - troversy. Some question whether skins were ideally suited for use on tion of what was to become the Mackenzie River corridor. With ning stages since the 1960s. the advantages of the road will be the ocean and along the inland Dempster highway would begin only a small fraction of the route Besides the shorth-term bene - outweighed by greater exposure rivers and channels. and stop, and begin again for the currently served by winter roads, fits of job creation, the hope for to negative influences from the With the arrival of whalers, fur next 20 years until the highway time will tell whether such a the road is that it will bring eco - south and other are simply con - traders and missionaries in the was officially opened in 1979. dream will ever come to fruition. nomic growth to a region of Can - cerned that year-round road 19th century, modern wooden The Dempster Highway was But dreams do come true, at ada that is in dire need. Through access will be one more factor in ship building was introduced to named after Canadian Mounted least in the case of the Inuvik to tourism and trade many long-term the continual erosion of an the region as the water was still Police Inspector William John Tuktoyaktuk highway which is jobs are expected to grow out of already fragile culture. Whatever the only option for long distance Duncan Dempster who, as a the last section of road needed to the project and residents will also the outcome the road is now here voyages. Ships brought trade young constable, frequently ran connect all of Canada coast to have greater access to health care and is a part of our Canadian his - goods and foreigners into the this dogsled trail from Dawson coast to coast. This major infra - and educational opportunities. tory forged in the uniting of a vast region and began to influence the City to Fort McPherson, NT. structure project has been under That is not to say that the com - land mass and its diverse peoples. lives of the local people, an effect Travelling the Dempster highway which continues to be raised and today is still not for the faint of debated every time a new era of heart as it remains a gravel sur - People find it hard to deal with opposition transportation is faced. face road and is a challenging 700 The 20th century brought the km drive through some of the By Gerry Chidiac, wing views are presented. We see ing food, for example, prevented advent of the airplane. Small, toughest weather and geography Prince George, B.C. online arguments that go on ad people from being poisoned. fixed-wing aircraft turned what you can imagine. Nevertheless, it nauseam, with each side getting There was much that we didn’t would ordinarily be a weeks-long serves as an essential corridor to It’s interesting how open more and more entrenched, even understand and the rules estab - trip into hours and served to open the south for both commerce and minded people are to the opinions as legitimate counter arguments lished by communities kept mem - the North to the rest of Canada. personal transportation. of others. News programs regu - are presented. bers safe in their environment. Planes could supply necessary Over the years other ideas for larly present debates that end with What’s happening in these These structures have their lim - commodities all year round and northern ground routes have people coming around to oppos - cases is the backfire effect. When its and there must be room for were instrumental in mapping, come and gone. The CANOL ing perspectives or at least agree - evidence is presented that contra - evolution. The more homogeneous photographing and studying the road from Norman Wells, NT, ing to respectfully disagree. dicts a deeply held belief, we don’t an organization remains, the more northern lands for future resource through the Mackenzie Moun - Of course, I’m only kidding. change our viewpoint. On the con - likely it is to fail. This was illus - development that would fuel the tains to Whitehorse, YT, was In fact, we see conservative trary, we tend to become more trated in European royal families North into the new century. Early completed in record time as part news programs where hosts shout entrenched and oppositional. of the late 19th and early 20th cen - “bush pilots” gained reputations of the effort to provide supplies down guests with opposing The key to dealing with any turies. Genetically, they developed across the country for their fear - during the Second World War. views. We see liberal audiences challenge is to increase our serious issues. And politically, less bravado as they navigated the Once the war ended the need for disrupting and walking out of awareness, understand what’s they became unable to rule. They cold, dark skies with only their the road disappeared and it was auditoriums where more right- happening and make a mindful fell out of touch with their popula - wits and experience to serve as abandoned just as quickly as it response. tions, resulting in loss of power was built leaving only a wilder - There may have been a time and influence, dissolution of ness hiking trail in its stead. Chidiac is a champion for when embracing certain beliefs empires and even revolution. Hansen is a Redemptorist Another overland link which social enlightenment, inspiring was a matter of life and death. Today, as world travel and priest and pastor of Our Lady of has been on the books for many others to find their personal This could explain our tendency communication become easier, Victory Parish, Inuvik. See his years is the Mackenzie Valley greatness in making the world a to entrench ourselves in our website: www.jonhansenccsr.com highway project which would con - better place. www.troymedia.com points of view. Rituals for prepar - — DISSENTING , page 15 November 15, 2017 Prairie Messenger 15 Pope Francis puts John Paul I on path to sainthood

By Junno Arocho Esteves for canonization. ing another Pope John Paul.” Lowly, lowly: This is the Christian Stefania Falasca, vice-postula - The surprise of his death after virtue which concerns us,” he said VATICAN CITY (CNS) — tor of Pope John Paul’s sainthood just over a month in office Sept. 6, 1978. Pope Francis recognized that cause, said one “presumed extra - opened a floodgate of rumours Born Albino Luciani in the Pope John Paul I, who served ordinary healing” had already and conspiracy theories, running small Italian mountain town of only 33 days as pope, lived the been investigated by a diocese and the gamut from murder to culpa - Canale D’Agordo Oct. 17, 1912, Christian virtues in a heroic way. a second possibility is being stud - ble neglect. The Vatican doctor the future pope and his two broth - The Vatican announced Pope ied, but the Vatican does not begin insisted then, as the Vatican con - ers and one sister lived in poverty Francis’ decision Nov. 9. It marks its investigations until a sainthood tinues to insist, that Pope John and sometimes went to bed hungry. the first major step on the path to candidate is declared venerable. Paul died of a heart attack. His father, a bricklayer by trade, sainthood for the pope who died Although his was one of the His papal motto, “ Humilitas ” would often travel to Swit zerland in 1978 at the age of 65, shocking shortest papacies in history, Pope (“Humility”) not only empha - and Germany in search of work. the world and a church that had John Paul left a lasting impression sized a Christian virtue but also During a general audience just mourned the death of Blessed on the church that fondly remem - reflected his down-to-earth per - Sept. 13, 1978, the pope told pil - Paul VI. bers him as “the smiling pope.” sonality and humble beginnings. grims he was sickly as a child and Pope Francis would have to “He smiled for only 33 days,” “The Lord recommended it so his mother would take him “from recognize a miracle attributed to read the front page of the Italian much: Be humble. Even if you one doctor to another” and watch the late pope’s intercession in newspaper, Corriere della Sera , have done great things, say: ‘We over him “whole nights.” He also order for him to be beatified, the while the Catholic Telegraph of are useless servants.’ On the con - said he had been hospitalized next step toward sainthood. A the Archdiocese of Cincinnati trary, the tendency in all of us is eight times and operated on four second miracle would be needed reported: “Saddened church seek - rather the opposite: to show off. times throughout his life. CNS/ L’Osservatore Romano Despite his weak health and Pope John Paul I poverty, his father encouraged Refugees need employable skills him to enter the minor seminary. by St. John XXIII. More than 10 He did so, but would return to his years later, he was named patriarch Continued from page 1 and refugees” and added: “It’s per cent of refugees are displaced hometown in the summers and of Venice by Blessed Paul VI and very complex.” for more than five years and de- often was seen working in the was created a cardinal in 1973. refugees should provide teacher Some of the complexities are veloping countries “bear a dispro - fields in his black cassock. During his time as patriarch of training, not just educational outlined in the CRS report: “Little portionate burden of hosting He was ordained a priest in Venice, then-Cardinal Luciani materials, and also should consid - by Little: Exploring the Impact of refugees.” 1935 and was appointed bishop of was known for his dedication to er adapting the curriculum from Social Acceptance on Refugee “The sheer number of people Vittorio Veneto in December 1958 the poor and the disabled. the refugees’ countries of origin. Integration Into Host Commu- seeking protection and the capaci - Learning employable skills nities.” It looks at the social inte - ty of host countries to cope with and then being able to get a job is gration of refugees in Ecuador, those numbers are changing the often easier said than done for Jordan and India. conversation around how the in - many refugees. The report notes the sheer ter national community should Elias Bakhash, a Villanova number of people in exile — 22.5 best respond,” the report adds. Uni versity student and Syrian million — and says the capacity A case in point is the current sit - refugee working with Catholic of countries to cope with these uation in Bangladesh, where more Relief Services, can attest to this numbers requires serious conver - than 600,000 Rohingya Mus lims first-hand. He fled Syria and sation about how to best meet from Myanmar have fled, escaping lived in Jordan, Turkey and short- and long-term needs. violence. briefly in Dubai, before coming Panelists noted that just a year The small country is bracing to the United States, but was ago the UN General Assembly for a massive humanitarian crisis unable to find work or get a job called for a two-year review pro - because of a lack of food, sanita - for which he was qualified in cess to develop a comprehensive tion, medicines and even basic part because, he said, people refugee response framework, housing, but as McPherson point - think “refugees are here to take known by its acronym CRRF. ed out, education and pastoral our jobs.” A year into the review amid a care are also priorities for church- Enabling refugees to get work growing refugee crisis and polar - sponsored relief agencies. Janice Weber permits would be one solution, ized views about refugees around “We’ll be held accountable for said Bakhash, one of the panelists the world heightens the call to how we respond to the Rohingya,” it is November. at the CRS event. He also said he come up with a clear way forward, she said, adding that the situation was “not sure how to address the noted a few of the panelists. of “dire, dire circumstances is a dusting of snow covers the Herschel hills. tension between host countries The CRS report says almost 75 unprecedented.” charcoal darkness outlines contours and deep ravines of thick bare brush where deer fattened on farm fields Dissenting views now more common will hide to shelter from harsh winter winds.

Continued from page 14 principle, however, is that when to be confident in my own leader - blue sky has been obscured others feel listened to, they in turn ship and effectively communicate by pastel layers of soft atmosphere over the long line of hills, high rise of land, societies grow more heteroge - become more open to our per - my goals and my vision. fertile valley grid stretched far below neous. So we are increasingly spectives. The ideal is to create a learn - where this year’s harvest thankfully is done. From here, we can understand ing environment where students confronted with dissenting views. a silent graveyard keeps it’s constant view. Psychological research is and embrace what’s good in both are respectful in challenging other shedding light on how we points of view, and even celebrate points of view and comfortable in midwinter drama awaits above the hills, respond to cognitive dissonance, diversity. Covey refers to this as having their opinions questioned. shifting sheers of iridescent coloured light, which happens when what we see creating synergy. By sharing and If we’re aware of our tendency stars like snowflakes in a gauzy Milky Way. or hear contradicts what we brainstorming, we come up with to react negatively when others constellations sharply clear in cold dark space. believe to be true. In essence, we the best possible solutions, where express differing viewpoints and these familiar hills murmur their memories, can fight or we can try to under - everyone feels respected and know that this is indeed the back - ancient whoops of joy, moans of misery. stand the other world views. everyone wins. fire effect, we can consciously Stephen Covey, the author of The most effective institutions move beyond it with an open mind. Native peoples hunted buffalo in Herschel hills. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective embrace diversity. As a teacher, for The result will be a better way, newcomers fresh from Europe settled near. People,” tells us to “Seek first to example, I know how important it one that embraces and celebrates annually the untamed hills carpet themselves understand, and then to be under - is to listen to my students and to our differences. More effort is with an abundance of flowering plants and grasses, stood.” This doesn’t mean that we use their input in creating and required but it’s worth it. As although all is blanketed in serenity for now, embrace the views of the other maintaining a positive and respect - American civil rights activist Maya peaceful until the burst of spring in March. and forget our own. What normal - ful environment in the classroom. Angelou says, “In diversity there is By Shirley Dawn Salkeld ly happens when we follow this In order to do so, however, I need beauty and there is strength.”

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By Beth Griffin Observer Mission to the United to the United Nations, said: “The Kingdom to the United Nations, to justify violence and terrorism Nations. international community must re - said it would be a mistake to against believers of other reli - UNITED NATIONS (CNS) — “Gabi,” a 48-year-old Syrian spond to the outrages systemati - think recent losses by IS mean gions.” The day she succeeded in her Christian man whose identity was cally committed by Daesh with a that the job of the world commu - These leaders “must constantly fourth attempt to escape six obscured in a taped interview, rock-solid resolve to prevent sim - nity is complete. There must be and unequivocally affirm that no months of daily rape and humilia - described being abducted and ilar future abominations from “no hiding place” for those who one can justly kill in God’s name tion by her Islamic State captors, prepared for beheading for being recurring. perpetrate evil, he said. and say a clear and adamant ‘no’ to Iraqi teen Ekhlas Khudur Bajoo “an infidel Christian.” “Those entrusted with protect - “Where countries work togeth - every form of violence, veng eance made a vow. He said his status as a husband ing the innocent and safeguarding er, it’s harder for poisonous ide - and hatred carried out supposedly “(I) promised myself not to stop and father apparently persuaded his respect for fundamental human ologies to take root,” Allen said. in the name of God or religion.” until I brought justice. I’m fighting captors to settle for a cash payment rights must live up to their indis - The community of nations must The archbishop and other for all women and mi nority groups from his family in lieu of his exe - pensable and inescapable respon - work together, but each is respon - speakers said the effort to defeat, inside Iraq,” she said. cution. He was blindfolded, hand - sibility to defend those in danger sible for a localized, effective punish and disband IS must be Bajoo, now 17, told a Nov. 2 cuffed and fitted with an explosive of suffering atrocity crimes,” he approach to identify and monitor concurrent with the eradication of UN forum she sees herself as a belt for his ride to freedom. said. citizens who “try to slip away” to hateful ideologies that motivate symbol of hope for religious and Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Jonathan Allen, deputy perma - fight with IS, he said. extremist groups. ethnic minorities victimized by IS. the Vatican’s permanent observer nent representative of the United Auza said religious leaders In addition, displaced survivors She is a Yezidi, an ancient “have a grave and specific duty to need immediate assistance with ethno-religious minority indige - confront and condemn the abuse basic needs such as food, water, nous to what is now northern of religious belief and sentiment shelter, education and health. Iraq. IS militants attacked Yezidis in August 2014, when Bajoo was Philippine bishops begin 14. They kidnapped 6,000 women and girls and killed 5,800, includ - ing Bajoo’s father. prayer vigil to protest deaths Using the common Arabic name for IS, Bajoo said through MANILA, Philippines (CNS) Villegas called on the faithful to an interpreter: “We want justice — The Philippine bishops’ con - pray the rosary daily until Dec. 8, for the Daesh perpetrators, that ference started a prayer vigil to the feast of the Immaculate they will be held accountable. protest thousands of killings in Conception. Many churches across What happened to us was a geno - the government drive to eradicate the country have been winding cide. We want safety so we can drug abuse and drug dealing. down the exercise of tolling bells live in peace.” Archbishop Socrates Villegas nightly to remember those killed. A receptive, capacity crowd of Lingayen-Dagupan, outgoing Philippine National Police heard Bajoo, a former Syrian cap - president of the conference, led reported more than 3,900 suspected tive, UN ambassadors and leaders CNS/United Nations the “Lord, Heal Our Land” mass drug dealers and addicts were killed of aid organizations discuss UN FORUM ON RELIGIOUS VICTIMS — Ekhlas Khudur Bajoo of Nov. 5. He called for repentance in the 17 months since President “Peace, Reconciliation and Iraq gestures as she listens to Jacqueline Isaac during a Nov. 2 forum and an end to the killings and Rodrigo Duterte took office after Justice: The Future of Religious at UN headquarters in New York. Bajoo, 17, experienced six months of warned that “the journey of heal - running on a platform to rid the and Ethnic Minorities Victimized daily rape and humiliation by Islamic State militants who kidnapped ing for the values of our nation country of criminals. They said the by Daesh” at a conference orga - her when she was 14. She said she sees herself as a symbol of hope for turned upside down will be a long suspects resisted arrest. nized by the Vatican’s Permanent religious and ethnic minorities victimized by IS. journey still.” Rights groups and local media In his message at the Shrine of have reported 7,000 - 12,000 Mary Queen of Peace on EDSA, deaths as a result of police opera - Pope names two women to Vatican posts the avenue where the 1986 peaceful tions and unexplained killings. overthrow of the dictator Ferdinand Duterte’s drug war had strong By Junno Arocho Esteves earned diplomas from the Vatican U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell is Marcos took place, Villegas said support, with human rights advo - Congregation for Divine Worship prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, clergy, politicians and security forc - cates and the church as its most VATICAN CITY (CNS) — and the Sacraments in 1994 and, the Family and Life, which began es needed to repent for complacen - vocal critics. But the deaths in Pope Francis named a bioethics in 2002, from the Roman Rota, a operating in September 2016. It cy, ambition for power and instill - August of three Manila-area teen expert and a seasoned canon Vatican court that deals mainly was formed by uniting the former ing fear rather than respect. boys sparked public outrage. lawyer, both women, as undersec - with marriage cases. pontifical councils for laity and “Peace to you in the armed Police tallied 3,000 - 5,000 retaries of the Dicastery for Laity, An experienced jurist, Ghisoni for family. forces and police,” he said in his protesters who marched against the Family and Life. has served as both a lawyer and a According to its statutes, the homily. “Stop the violence and all the killings following the arch - The appointments of Gabriella judge on the Diocese of Rome’s dicastery is responsible “for the uphold the law.” bishop’s mass. Gambino, a bioethics professor at tribunal, the Roman Rota and the promotion of the life and aposto - Rome’s Tor Vergata University, Congregation for Divine Worship late of the lay faithful, for the and Linda Ghisoni, a judge on the and the Sacraments. pastoral care of the family and its regional tribunal of the Diocese She also authored several sci - mission according to God’s plan of Rome, were announced Nov. 7 entific publications relating to and for the protection and support at the Vatican. canon law. of human life.” Gambino was appointed un der - secretary of the dicastery’s section Irish priests falsely accused for life, while Ghisoni was named to the section for the laity, the of abuse offered assistance Vatican said. Born in Milan in 1968, Gam - bino obtained her doctorate in By Nick Bramhill of pedophile priests in their fold. bioethics at Rome’s University of “A lot of good, decent priests the Sacred Heart. DUBLIN (CNS) — Irish have been affected by the abuse car - She was named in 2002 as a priests who have been falsely ried out by other priests in the past,” scientific expert for the Italian accused of sexually abusing chil - he said. “They’ve suffered shock National Committee for Bio ethics. dren are being offered group ther - and a sense of shame over what’s From 2013 to 2016, Gam bino was apy sessions in a bid to improve happened, and that’s partly why also a featured speaker at various their mental health. we’re holding a circle of healing.” meetings sponsored by the former Ireland’s Association of Catho - He said the sessions were in Pontifical Council for Laity and lic Priests will run its first so- response to demand from the the Pontifical Academy for Life. called “Circle of Healing” later in group’s members. She also serves as a professor at November in Cork, as part of an “Hopefully, those who attend the newly renamed Pontifical John innovative new move to help inno - will find some benefit and, if it Paul II Theological Institute for the cent churchmen who have been goes well, then it’s quite likely that Sciences of Marriage and Family affected by past abuse scandals. we’ll hold regular circles of heal - and has authored several books on Rev. Roy Donovan, a spokes - ing around the country,” he said. life, marriage and the family. person for the 1,000-strong The Association of Catholic CNS/Jason Szenes, EPA Ghisoni was born in Piacenza priests’ group, said the purpose of Priests, the largest priests’ repre - WORLD DAY OF THE POOR — A homeless man is seen feeding in 1965. After completing her the workshops was to not only sentative group in the country, has pigeons as he sits on a sidewalk Oct. 30 in New York City. Pope Francis studies in philosophy and theolo - “help heal the scars” of clergymen advocated for change in the will celebrate the Catholic Church’s first World Day of the Poor Nov. 19. gy in Tubingen, Germany, she cleared of abuse allegations, but church, including women priests, obtained her doctorate in canon also to provide support to clerics allowing former priests who have law at the Pontifical Gregorian who still felt traumatized or a married back into the fold, and There has never been a good war or a bad peace. University in Rome. She did fur - sense of collective guilt over relaxing strict celibacy rules for — Benjamin Franklin ther specialized studies and crimes carried out by the minority ordained clerics.