Single Issue: $1.00 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40030139 CATHOLIC JOURNAL Vol. 94 No. 28 January 4, 2017 Year in review Pope emphasizes our yearning for peace “Over and over throughout 2016, Pope Francis spoke of By Junno Arocho Esteves those who have lost a person dear walls and to them as a result of brutal acts bridges. VATICAN CITY (CNS) — of terrorism that has sown fear It is an The song of the angels that her - and death into the hearts of so apt meta - alded the birth of Christ urges many countries and cities.” phor for much of what men and women to seek peace in Countries ravaged by the transpired in the Catholic a world divided by war, terrorism scourge of war were also in the world in 2016,” and greed, Pope Francis said. pope’s thoughts, particularly in writes Michael Swan. “Today this message goes out “the wartorn land of Syria, where — page 3 to the ends of the earth to reach all far too much blood has been Family camp peoples, especially those scarred spilled,” especially in the city by war and harsh conflicts that Aleppo. The pope called on the A summer vacation seem stronger than the yearning world to support the people of experience with a spiritual for peace,” the pope said Dec. 25. Syria with humanitarian assistance dimension is helping Migrants, refugees, children and to put an end to the conflict. families reconnect more suffering due to hunger and war, “It is time for weapons to be deeply, away from everyday victims of human trafficking as silenced forever and the interna - well as social and economic un - tional community to actively seek cares and interruptions, rest were also remembered by the a negotiated solution so that civil writes Kiply Yaworski. pope. coexistence can be restored in the Cana Continues family “Peace to the peoples who suf - CNS/Paul Haring country,” he said. camp is an initiative of the fer because of the economic am - The pope appealed for peace Ukrainian Catholic POPE GIVES CHRISTMAS BLESSING — Pope Francis greets the bitions of the few, because of the crowd after delivering his Christmas message and blessing “ urbi et for the people of Ukraine, “who Eparchy of Saskatoon. sheer greed and the idolatry of to this day suffer the consequenc - — page 5 orbi ” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s money, which leads to slavery,” Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 25. es of the conflict.” Favourite books he said. The Vatican announced Dec. 23 An estimated 40,000 people dard for major events in St. areas have become a target for that the first instalment of six mil- There is never enough time slowly made their way through Peter’s, the added security was a terrorists. to read, writes Ron security checkpoints into St. sign of the times where crowded The pope prayed for “peace to — VIOLENCE , page 11 Rolheiser, OMI. The upside, Peter’s Square to attend the he says, is that reading pope’s solemn Christmas blessing ‘Circle’ launched to further reconciliation becomes a cherished time. “urbi et orbi ” (to the city and the He shares his favourite world). books from the past year. Heightened security following By Deborah Gyapong indigenous peoples. in British Columbia and co-ordi - — page 7 the Dec. 19 terrorist attack in The Canadian Catholic Abo - nator of First Nations’ Ministry Berlin, Germany was evident as OTTAWA (CCN) — A coali - riginal Council (CCAC), the Ca na - for the Vancouver archdiocese. Silence filmmaker police cordoned off streets and tion of seven Catholic organiza - dian Religious Conference (CRC), “Between the church and established multiple checkpoints tions have launched the Our Lady the Canadian Catholic Organization indigenous peoples, not every - “In two long interviews with throughout the area. of Guadalupe Circle to further rec - for Development and Peace/Caritas body knows what their roles are Jesuit publications, director While police presence is stan - onciliation efforts with Canada’s Canada (CCODP); the Knights of and these need to be defined in Martin Scorsese described Columbus, the Saint Vincent de the New Year,” he said. his new Pope names first woman Paul Society, the Catholic Women’s “It shows we are taking serious - film Silence League; and the Canadian Con - ly the response to the TRC (Truth as a major ference of Catholic Bishops and Reconciliation Com mission) stage in his to head Vatican Museums (CCCB) met to formally inaugurate Calls to Action,” Nahanee said. pilgrimage the Circle at the CCCB offices in “We want to have a good relation - of faith, a By Carol Glatz library. Ottawa Dec. 5. They will meet ship with indigenous people like pilgrimage She has degrees in literature, again early in the New Year. we used to prior to the residential that includ - VATICAN CITY (CNS) — archive administration and art his - “I’m looking forward to a schools.” ed flunking Pope Francis has chosen, for the tory, specializing in the history of Happy New Year in 2017 for in - “It’s mutual respect we need to out of the minor seminary, first time, a woman to head the drawing, engraving and graphic digenous people and the Catholic have for each other and the investigating other religions Vatican Museums. arts. She also taught history of Church,” said Deacon Rennie church is changing,” he said. and recognizing that Barbara Jatta, 54, is an Italian graphic arts at the Suor Orsola Nahanee, chair of the CCAC and “They want to listen to what the the Catholic Church art historian and graphic arts Benincasa University in Naples. one of five indigenous members indigenous peoples are saying.” was his home,” expert, who had been serving as She is married and the mother of of the Circle. Nahanee is a mem - writes Cindy Wooden. vice-director of the museums three children. ber of the Squamish First Nation — RESPECT , page 10 — page 8 since June. The Vatican announced the New world disorder appointment Dec. 20. She began her new role as direc - This week Gerald Schmitz tor of the museums Jan. 1, 2017, reviews The Age of Jihad: replacing 77-year-old Antonio Islamic State and the Great Paolucci, who had been director War for the Middle East by since 2007. Patrick Cockburn. The book Each year millions of people combines Cockburn’s visit the Vatican Museums, which incisive reporting of several include the Sistine Chapel and decades with insightful more than 50 different galleries. It up-to-date analysis of is one of the largest museums in this “new world disorder.” the world with 200,000 objects in — page 9 its collections — 20,000 of which Call for courage are on public display — 27,000 square feet of frescoes, and 4.35 Whether the new year will miles of exhibit space. be good or not depends on Jatta started working at the Vatican in 1996 when she was us choosing to do good each CCN/D. Gyapong day, Pope Francis says. hired to head the Vatican Library’s departments of prints. In 2010, she — page 12 CIRCLE MEMBER — Irving Papineau, vice-chair of the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council, is also a was named curator of the artwork member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle. He addressed the last CCCB plenary as part of a panel on in the prints department at the indigenous issues. 2 Prairie Messenger INTERNATIONAL NEWS January 4, 2017 Even complaining to God is a form of prayer: pope

By Junno Arocho Esteves Italy’s Golden Circus, who per - travel, began to doubt God’s only see stars, but for Abraham, faith fulness,” the pope said. formed several acrobatic feats promise of a son borne by his they become a sign of God’s “Hope never disappoints.” VATICAN CITY (CNS) — To and entertaining performances at wife, Sarah. complain to God in moments of the end of the general audience. It is in this moment, the pope doubt and fear like Abraham did The pope even participated in said, that Abraham prays to God is not something bad but rather is one of the performances. As he in the dark of night, a darkness a form of prayer that requires the and an illusionist grabbed the that mirrored his “disappoint - courage to hope beyond all hope, ends of a tablecloth, they seem - ment, discouragement and the Pope Francis said. ingly made a small nightstand difficulty of continuing to hope in While in life there may be levitate to the amazement and something impossible.” times of frustration and darkness, applause of the pilgrims. Faith is not just silent accep - “hope is still there and it moves During the audience, the pope tance or a “certainty that secures us forward,” the pope said Dec. continued his series of talks on us from doubt and perplexity,” 28 during his weekly general Christian hope and reflected on but it also means “to argue with audience. the life of Abraham who, along God and show him our bitterness “I won’t say that Abraham with his wife, Sarah, left his without ‘pious pretenses.’ ’’ loses patience, but he complains homeland with hope in God’s “ ‘I became angry with God, I to the Lord. This is what we learn promise of a son. told him this, this, and that.’ But from our father Abraham: com - This hope, he said, gave he is a father and he understands plaining to the Lord is a form of Abraham the ability to “go you; go in peace. You must have prayer. Sometimes I hear confes - beyond human reason, and world - this courage. This is hope,” the sions where people say, ‘I com - ly wisdom and prudence” to pope said. plained to the Lord.’ But no. believe in the impossible. It is in the darkness of night (Continue) to complain; he is a “Hope opens new horizons; it and in the darkness of his own father and this is a form of prayer. makes us able to dream that doubts that Abraham once again Complain to the Lord, this is which isn’t imaginable. Hope receives, believes and hopes in good,” he said. makes us enter into the darkness God’s promise of descendants as Entering the Paul VI audience of an uncertain future to walk in numerous as the stars, Pope hall, the pope greeted thousands the light,” the pope said. Francis said. CNS/ L’Osservatore Romano via EPA of pilgrims from all over the However, this path is not “To believe, it is necessary to CIRCUS PERFORMS FOR POPE — Pope Francis watches a per - world. Among those present was without its difficulties, even for know how to see with the eyes of former with the Golden Circus during his Dec. 28 weekly audience in a group of performers from Abra ham, who, after months of faith; we all may (look up and) Paul VI hall at the Vatican. Benefits association, diocese file suit over HHS transgender regulation

FARGO, N.D. (CNS) — The transitioning to the other gen - ees insurance and benefit pro - employers from discriminating the courts have understood the Catholic Benefits Association, der. The HHS regulation re - grams that adhere to Catholic against employees on the basis term ‘sex’ in federal law to mean the Diocese of Fargo and quires group health plans to teaching. of sex, race, colour, national ori - biological sex — male and Catholic Charities North Dakota cover these procedures and ser - The regulation, which also gin, and religion. Title IX states: female,” Archbishop William E. filed a lawsuit Dec. 28 in U.S. vices. mandates abortions be performed, “No person in the United States Lori of Baltimore, chair of the District Court in North Dakota “We ask only for the freedom affects health insurers, hospitals shall, on the basis of sex, be Catholic Benefits Association, against a federal regulation to serve consistent with our con - and health plans administered by excluded from participation in, said in a statement. scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 science and our Catholic faith,” or receiving federal funds from be denied the benefits of, or be “By redefining ‘sex’ to mean that redefines “sex” for anti-dis - Bishop John T. Folda of Fargo HHS. There is no religious subjected to discrimination under both ‘gender identity’ and ‘termi - crimination purposes to include said in a statement, released by exemption. any education program or activi - nation of pregnancy,’ the Obama sexual orientation and gender the Catholic Benefits Association. The final HHS regulation was ty receiving federal financial administration is not only trying identity. “While we do not discriminate published in May. It applies to assistance.” to sidestep Congress and impose The regulation from the De - against individuals because of implementing Section 1557 of the Title IX does have an exemp - radical new health care mandates partment of Health and Human their orientation, our Catholic Affordable Care Act, which pro - tion for religious organizations, on hospitals and employers, it is Services requires that Catholic values will not permit us to pay vides that individuals cannot be but the HHS regulation does not creating a moral problem for hospitals and health care pro- for or facilitate actions that are subject to discrimination based on include that language. Catholic employers that must be viders perform or provide gen - contrary to our faith.” their race, colour, national origin, “For decades, Congress and addressed,” he added. der transition services, hormon - The Catholic Benefits Asso - sex, age or disability. al treatments and counselling as ciation is made up of Catholic It cites Title VII of the Civil Vatican says 3.9 million well as a host of surgeries that dioceses, hospitals, school sys - Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX would remove or transform the tems, religious orders and other of the Education Amendments sexual organs of men or women entities that offer their employ - Act of 1972. Title VII prohibits pilgrims attended Jubilee year

By Junno Arocho Esteves attended the 11 jubilee audi - ences held one Saturday a VATICAN CITY (CNS) — month. More than 3.9 million pilgrims More than 169,000 people visited and attended papal events, took part in special group audi - liturgies or prayer services during ences; more than 924,000 peo - the Holy Year of Mercy in 2016, ple participated in papal litur - the Vatican said. gies in St. Peter’s Basilica or St. The Prefecture of the Papal Peter’s Square; and more than Household, the Vatican office that 1.6 million people joined the co-ordinates the audiences and pope for the Angelus or the distributes the free tickets to papal Regina Coeli prayer on Sundays audiences and liturgies, said a and major feast days in St. total of 3,952,140 people attended Peter’s Square. a papal event at the Vatican. The The statistics released by the Vatican released the statistics Dec. Vatican stand in contrast to the 29. numbers published on the Jubilee Although the total was slightly of Mercy website, which states higher from the 3.2 million visi - that over 21 million participated tors received by Pope Francis in in the Holy Year of Mercy. The 2015, for a jubilee year it still fell number includes pilgrim groups short of the 5.9 million pilgrims and individuals who crossed who visited in 2014. through the Holy Door that are Terrorists attacks in Europe not included in the Vatican’s sta - throughout the year are also tistics. thought to have discouraged visi - The papal event statistics do tors from travelling during what not include papal events in the are typically busy tourist seasons city of Rome or international vis - CNS/Francis R. Malasig, EPA in Italy. its made by Pope Francis. They PHILIPPINES TYPHOON — Residents wade through floodwaters Dec. 27 after a typhoon swept through During 2016, 762,000 people also are based on the number of Nabua, Philippines. Typhoon Nock-Ten packed 185-kph winds that downed power lines, uprooted trees and attended the pope’s 43 weekly ticket requests and estimates of knocked out communications infrastructure while making travel difficult. general audiences while 446,000 crowd size. January 4, 2017 CANADIAN NEWS Prairie Messenger 3 Walls and bridges an apt metaphor for year 2016

By Michael Swan Canada’s bishops. the kidnapping and beheading of The Catholic Register However, the 21 Coptic Christians in Libya. prob lems of genocide Pope Francis’ bridge building Over and over throughout 2016, in the Middle East, instincts went both directions Pope Francis spoke of walls and which threatens to across the historical divisions bridges. It is an apt metaphor for wipe out ancient within Christ’s church. His move much of what transpired in the Christian, Yazidi and toward healing the divisions of Catholic world in 2016. other minority popu - 1054 with the Orthodox were “A person who thinks only lations, won’t be matched by a commitment to about building walls, wherever solved by resettling a overcome the Protestant split in they may be, and not building few thousand refu - the western church which now bridges, is not Christian. This is gees. The Catholic enters its 500th year. not the Gospel,” the pope told a Near East Welfare The pope travelled to the Lund planeload of journalists on Feb. 18. Association of Can - Cathedral in Sweden Oct. 31 to “The founding fathers (of the ada, the Canadian commemorate 500 years since European Union) were heralds of Catholic Organization Lutheranism forged a path apart peace and prophets of the future. for Development and from Rome. There he spoke of Today, more than ever, their Peace, the Jesuit both sides in the Reformation vision inspires us to build bridges Refu gee Service and divide upholding “the true faith.” and tear down walls,” Pope CNS/Tiziana Fabi, pool via Reuters Aid to the Church in He also pledged that Catholics Need Canada contin - and Lutherans, who both affirm a Francis told European politicians YEAR OF MERCY COMES TO A CLOSE — Pope Francis closes the Holy Door in Aachen, Germany, as he ac - of St. Peter’s Basilica to mark the closing of the jubilee Year of Mercy at the ue to raise money and belief in the real presence during cepted the International Charle - Vatican Nov. 20. He presented his apostolic letter, Misericordia et Misera , (Mercy deliver programs to the sacrament of the eucharist, magne Prize May 6. and Misery) at the conclusion of the closing mass of the jubilee Year of Mercy. In support refugees who will continue to work toward a “Do you know the first bridge the letter the pope called for several special initiatives begun during the Year of hope to rebuild their common reception of commu - that has to be built? It is a bridge Mercy to continue on a permanent basis. communities. nion. that we can build here and now Development and Patriarch Bartholomew of by reaching out and taking each to permit an assisted death in re - Life and Family repeated its plea Peace helped design and took part Constantinople may have even others’ hands. This is a great stricted circumstances, Toronto’s for palliative care by reminding in a global Caritas response to the had the last (meaningful) word in bridge of brotherhood,” he told Cardinal Thomas Collins was left politicians that caring for the frail crisis in wartorn Syria — a a Catholic fight that threatened to hundreds of thousands of young pleading for honest, direct and and the dying is one of those response that Pope Francis helped get ugly as 2016 came to a close. Catholics at World Youth Day in simple language. things that makes us human. launch in July. Pope Francis had released Amoris Krakow, Poland, July 31. “The now officially accepted “The simple humanity of (pal - “It is unacceptable that so Laetitia (The Joy of Love), his “Wherever there is a wall, terminology, such as ‘Medical liative care) touches them and many defenceless persons — apostolic exhortation on family there is a closed heart. We need Assistance In Dying,’ does not comforts them, as they experience among them many small children life, in April to a generally fa - bridges, not walls!” the pope describe medical assistance in respect for their bodies and for — must pay the price for conflict, vourable reception. However, declared to the St. Peter’s Square dying,” Collins said June 20. “It their human dignity at a mo ment for the closure of the hearts and there was backlash within the crowd in his Nov. 9 Angelus describes killing. Let us say what of great fragility and vulnerabili - the want of a will for peace among conservative Vatican ranks. address. we mean and mean what we say.” ty,” wrote outgoing COLF execu - the powerful,” the pope said. Beginning with a “dubia” The plane-ride comment to The problem now is that the tive director Michele Bouvla in a By December, Aleppo had fall - mailed into the pope in Sep tember, journalists about bridges and right to suicide in a medical set - letter to Parliament Dec. 8. en and the United Nations called it followed by a series of press inter - walls received the most attention. ting is generating demands that it Nationally, Canadians have a “meltdown of humanity.” views and the public release of Reporters had asked Pope Francis be mandatory for somebody to maintained a bridge to the suffer - Building bridges is a delicate their questions for Pope Francis in to comment on Donald Trump’s provide the service. Will this ing refugees of Syria. What began business. Pope Francis found November, four cardinals demand - election campaign promise to obligation be imposed on individ - as a promise in 2015 to bring himself alone on something akin ed Pope Francis “clarify” his build a wall across the 3,201-km ual doctors? On the medical pro - 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada to a tightrope in February when teaching on pastoral care for United States-Mexico border. The fession as a whole? On institu - has grown to 36,393 as of Dec. 4. he tried to extend the hand of divorced and remarried Catholics pope first warned the journalists tions, including Catholic hospi - Catholic parishes continue to ecumenical brotherhood to Mos - in Amoris Laetitia — with that he does not weigh in on the tals, nursing homes and hospices? respond generously through the cow Patriarch Kirill. A brief American Cardinal Raymond politics of elections in any coun - There are many unanswered ques - private sponsorship program, meeting between the Patriarch of Burke even threatening the pontiff try, then gave into temptation to tions and Catholics, including despite bureaucratic slowdowns Rome and the Patriarch of with a “formal act of correction.” make his simple, common-sense many doctors and nurses, find since the government reached its Moscow at Havana’s José Marti The Patriarch of Constanti nople observation about something themselves stranded in the debate. promised number at the end of International Airport Feb. 12 re - sat down to read the 264 pages of more fundamental than Trump’s The work of building bridges February. sulted in an agreement between Pope Francis’ reflections on two election rhetoric. is never done. Collins and other The slowdown has exasperated two pastors to protect Christians Trump also gave in to tempta - bishops reached out across reli - many parishes and annoyed in a world that had just witnessed — YEAR , page 6 tion when he decided to take gious divides to lobby for more offence at the pope’s remarks, meaningful ways to care for the claiming that one day the Vatican dying, whatever the law may say will need Donald Trump to about assisted suicide. defend the Holy See against an “Our traditions instruct that Islamic State invasion and then there is meaning and purpose in calling the comments of the spiri - supporting people at the end of tual father of more than a billion life,” said a June 14 joint state - Catholics “disgraceful.” ment from Christian, Jewish and It may be that the 80-year-old Muslim leaders. “Visiting those pope sees something about our who are sick, and caring for those world and our times that calls for who are dying, are core tenets of our attention. That was under - our respective faiths and reflect scored by his designation of 2016 our shared values as Canadians. as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. Walls Compassion is a foundational ele - and bridges may be the key to ment of Canadian identity, and it any faithful understanding of is accordingly incumbent on our 2016. elected officials at all levels of In Canada, a bridge of care government to support a robust, which should carry us from this well-resourced, national palliative life to the next has collapsed care strategy.” under abstract legal and political They argued there is no mean - arguments. Out of the rubble, citi - ingful choice in end-of-life care if zens have been offered a legal palliative care is only available to right to have a medical profes - one-third of Canadians. sional end their lives. Hopes rest on a Conservative Assisted suicide and euthana - private member’s bill which sia became legal in 2015 when would require the government to the Supreme Court ruled the draw up a national plan to provide Criminal Code could not prevent universal access to palliative care. people from seeking and finding Private members’ bills are rarely Gerald Schmitz made law, but all three parties a medicalized version of suicide. CANADA KICKS OFF 150th — Ottawa welcomed 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation, with a But it took until June this year for spoke in favour of Bill C-277 and party in blizzard conditions. Minister of Canadian Heritage Mélanie Joly was proven prophetic when she Parliament to pass a law. it could be given the House of invited Canadians to “bundle up and come celebrate” the night on Parliament Hill as the official kickoff of As debate unspooled from the Commons thumbs-up by February. a year of revelry, according to the Ottawa Citizen. Thousands braved the snow and tight security on the court ruling to the new legislation The Catholic Organization for Hill, which included long waits for a bag search and pat down, and a heavy police presence. 4 Prairie Messenger CANADIAN NEWS January 4, 2017 Music program aims for social change through song

By Josh Tng pick up skills in self-expression, locals were sufficiently influ - give children of all backgrounds music. “While the school is not The B.C. Catholic achievement, leadership and enced by the “power of music to musical and personal skills. specifically a Christian outreach teamwork. bring positive social change” to “Teaching and directing at the program, we sing Bach, Mozart ABBOTSFORD, B.C. (CCN) The academy is inspired by the give birth to Bakerview Music academy puts me into contact and other greats, and all the chil - — A music program that has Venezuelan El Sistema program, Academy. every day with children of the dren have learned to sing in saved thousands of children from which José Antonio Abreu “We are in our fourth year of community,” said McCune. Latin, German, Italian and other a life of crime in Venezuela is launched in 1975, says program operations with nearly 80 stu - “They have different needs and languages.” now giving equal learning oppor - director Alex McCune. The dents who come to this program challenges in their lives, but at McCune’s approach to teach - tunities to Abbotsford youngsters. Venezuelan program had saved two days a week,” McCune said. our music school they are all wel - ing draws heavily from the At the Bakerview Music “hundreds of thousands of chil - “Classes run for just over two come and valued.” “Sparrows system,” an Ontario Academy, professional music dren from a life of crime,” he hours, training each student in McCune, a parishioner at Sts. program designed by Maestro teachers offer free after-school said. choir, musicianship and in their Joachim and Ann Parish, Alder - Uwe Lieflander, said McCune, lessons to children. In addition to While Abbotsford didn’t face instrument.” grove, teaches the choir with a who worked alongside Liefland. musical proficiency, the children the issues Venezuela did, several The goal of the program is to strong focus on classical sacred The Sparrows program trains Catholic children in music theory, singing technique and the rich Salt + Light finds more room with move to new space tradition of liturgical music. “We get great results because we have By Michael Swan Thought and Culture, named in very high standards, always The Catholic Register honour of former New York encouraging the students to strive Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. for excellence and to take pride in TORONTO (CCN) — How - There was nothing about their professionalism and focus,” ever much the suits from media Rosica’s training as a Basilian said McCune. companies may complain at CRTC priest, including years spent at the Teachers emphasize social hearings, broadcasting is big busi - École Biblique in Jerusalem, that change through music. “Our ness in Canada — to the tune of prepared him for life as a broad - teachers are with us because they $17.3 billion in 2014 revenues. casting executive. believe in this model,” said Holda But for the one priest and 36 “I consider my role to have Fast Redekopp, chair of the acad - lay people who mount Canada’s been sort of a talent scout, a emy. “They love the kids and premier Catholic broadcasting coach and bringing people on- know that they are not only teach - enterprise, it’s something entirely board,” he told The Catholic ing music skills, but also behav - different. Register. ioural skills. We have many vol - “There’s nobody here with a What Rosica brings most is a unteers who are loving the kids puffed up sense of what broad - lively faith in doing whatever is and encouraging and supporting casting is. This is a mission,” said possible as well as possible. them beyond what we ask.” Salt and Light Media Foundation “The Catholic community and Redekopp noted many parents CEO Rev. Thomas Rosica. the non-Catholic community — and teachers have noticed im - “There’s not one person here who Catholic Register/M. Swan they deserve excellence,” Rosica provement to learning skills and doesn’t have a mission at heart.” NEW HEADQUARTERS — Rev. Thomas Rosica, CEO of the Salt + said. “They deserve authentic behaviour by children in the pro - It has been 14 years since the Light Media Foundation, stands in the new headquarters of the reporting, truthful reporting. They gram. “Our kids stay with the pro - tiny digital television service Catholic broadcaster in midtown Toronto. Salt + Light has almost don’t deserve filth. They don’t gram all the way through Grade launched on a shoestring in the tripled its space with the move. deserve the bombastic stuff.” 12,” she said. “The ultimate goal afterglow of Toronto’s 2002 No one ever described Rosica is to form a youth orchestra and World Youth Day. For 2017, the steeped in darkness and tasteless - from its century-old building at as shy, but he takes no credit for choir to serve the community by TV station which strives “to give ness at times” has acquired the the corner of Richmond and Salt + Light’s success. bringing service and joy.” the flavour of the Gospel and the tools and the space to do the job. Jarvis in Toronto into new space “I’m a firm believer in divine The academy is free of charge, light of Christ to a world that is On Dec. 9 Salt + Light moved at Davisville and Mt. Pleasant in providence. This had to happen,” but runs on volunteers and dona - mid-town. The broadcaster has he said. “This is the realization of tions. More information is avail - CMIC appoints new added a real studio — a broadcast a dream.” able at www.bakerviewmusic.ca theatre big enough to stage event broadcasts — and nearly tripled communications head its floor space from 790 square metres to 2,044 square metres. By Anne Hanley His commitment and advocacy The fairly modern but far from for Aboriginal literacy and educa - new building where Salt + Light BOSCO FOUNDATION TORONTO — Catholic tion was spurred by a weeklong now does most of its production John Bosco Missions In Canada has an - visit to Big Trout Lake First has such advantages as a low Child & Family Services Foundation nounced the appointment of Jeff Nation Kitchenuhmaykoosib likelihood of floods (Salt + Light Muzzerall to lead the organiza - Inninuwug in 2013, when he was almost lost its master control The John Bosco Child and Family Services Foundation (Bosco tion’s Communications and director of Indigenous, Govern - room to flooding last year), a Foundation) is a public foundation dedicated to the provision of Media, effective Dec. 5, 2016. ment and Community Relations at newer power grid (annoying little buildings and facilities used for the treatment, education and Originally from New Bruns - St. Paul’s University College of blackouts are a problem down - wick’s Miramichi area, Muzzerall the University of Waterloo. town) and some solid, vibration- housing of children, adolescents and adults who are in need of is an indigenous person with a The remote Oji-Cree reserve of proof concrete. support. long-standing leadership career in 1,400 residents is located 600 km In the old studios with the centu - Bosco Foundation believes in assisting non-profit and charitable education management, relation - north of Thunder Bay. To reach ry hardwood floors and exposed organizations who provide vital services which aid vulnerable ship-building and business devel - the community, Muzzerall com - brick, camera tripods had to be opment at such organizations as pleted the final two-and-one-half- secured with sandbags to try to keep people in our society. We do this by providing our facilities to Alesco Educational Consulting, hour leg of the trip on a nine- vibration to a minimum when trucks various non-profit and charitable agencies at below market level St. Paul’s University College at seater plane. Following the visit, passed by on Richmond Street. rental rates. the University of Waterloo, the The new studio space is only he told The Waterloo Region Our facilities are used for social services group care, foster Joseph L. Rotman School of Record that he was struck by “the part of a trajectory which has Management at the University of complexity of it all-the beauty and seen the not-for-profit broadcaster care, adult mental health care, the St. Francis Food Bank, two Toronto, the Richard Ivey School the pain that exist simultaneously. leap to the forefront of Catholic AA groups and a NE Edmonton cadet core among others. of Business at the University of I see this as just the start. This is a broadcasting. In addition, we provide volunteer services to assist two small non- Western Ontario, and Brendan Salt + Light produces program - seed that’s going to grow.” profit organizations working with low income seniors and victims Wood International in Toronto. Muzzerall succeeds Patria ming in English, French, Italian Muzzerall holds a bachelor of Rivera, who, after over 20 years as and Chinese. Its work is available of stroke with fundraising and volunteer recruitment assistance. arts in English and mass commu - communications director of the on seven different platforms — The Bosco Foundation is currently working with a large service nications from York University in national charity, will be retiring television, radio, a blog, Internet organization on a joint project with the aim of providing Toronto, a masters of cross-cultur - later this year. During her term as TV, a Roku channel, social media affordable housing for low-income seniors. al conflict management from York communications director, Rivera (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) University’s Faculty of Environ - oversaw the steady growth of the and a monthly magazine. 100% of donations go toward charitable purposes. mental Studies and a masters of organizations’ print publications The Toronto broadcast centre Administrative expenses are covered by other sources. business administration from and the expansion of its online pres - is supplemented with French-lan - Waterloo’s Wilfrid Laurier Uni - ence to parishes, dioceses and vari - guage operations based in Mon- Please forward your donation to: versity. ous media outlets across Canada. treal. Bosco Foundation Under Rivera’s leadership, Catholic The next frontier is New York. 315-6770 129 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5C 1V7 Missions In Canada’s magazine Salt + Light and the Archdiocese N Hanley is publications and won numerous awards from the of New York are in talks about a Tel: (780) 809-8585 Fax: (780) 809-8586 communications officer at Catholic Press Association of the permanent Salt + Light presence www.boscofoundation.com *Charitable Tax Number: 85985 8664 RT0001* Catholic Missions In Canada. United States and Canada. at the new Sheen Center for January 4, 2017 LOCAL NEWS Prairie Messenger 5 Cana Continues family camp has spiritual dimension

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski some quagmire, out of the muck, pagers going off, no shiftwork — started to lose that edge of bitter - fishing, kayaking and canoeing. out of the post post-partum just nature, and sacraments, other ness and anger; I started to soften. The public beach is a 15-minute SASKATOON — A summer depression mess that we had nuclear families, and each other.” Some of that stone in my heart walk away. Adults who want to vacation experience with a spiritu - (been in),” she said. The experience of the Cana changed to beating flesh again.” get up early to go for a round of al dimension is helping families “I’m an RN. I work in an ICU camp continued to resonate when For Hiebert, this second Cana golf in the provincial park can do reconnect more deeply, away from — shiftwork, weekends, holidays. the Hiebert family returned home. experience came in the summer so, she noted. There is a large everyday cares and interruptions. My husband is a refrigeration “Little things started to change between her experience of Year 1 campfire area, basketball/tennis Cana Continues family camp mechanic — works weekdays — the meals were a big change. and Year 2 of the Eparchial Lay outdoor court, and plenty of open is an initiative of the Ukrainian Monday to Friday, and also on call We prioritized eating together. Formation program. “I needed space for playing. Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon after hours and weekends. For We started turning to each other that grace, that healing, through The newly constructed camp offered at St. Michael’s Church many years, when the kids were lit - more,” said Hiebert. confession. I needed to fall in building includes hotel-style Camp at Madge Lake, Sask., in tle, we only ever had one weekend “One other big thing we love again with confession and accommodation, with bathrooms, Duck Mountain Provincial Park, off together as a family, all five of learned is how to guard your fami - not be scared of the sacrament.” tubs and showers in each room about 35 minutes from Kamsack. us (that was, if he didn’t get called ly from outside influences, how to As her children grew, the chal - (there is also one wheelchair- Designed for families with chil - in),” she said. “Cana was an enor - protect your Nazareth, how to be lenges and blessings of Cana also accessible room.) The facility dren still living at home, Cana mous change from home, just being in the world, but to still be your - changed. In 2014 it was easier to features a large hall with a com - Continues will be offered again able to eat all our meals together . . . self, in Christ, in the world — not set aside electronic devices, she mon dining area. Families bring Aug. 13 - 19. I’d never realized how apart we to lose sight of your faith or each noted. “We reflected a lot on how their own food, preparing and eat - The Saskatchewan family were, till we started being together.” other,” she said. “It was pure and much our little family had trans - ing meals as a family unit. camp is modelled on the Cana Walls came down during the simple grace. It was Mary, Joseph formed over the years, nourished, Laundry is available on-site. Colony pilgrimage camps offered time at Cana Colony, she de- and Jesus, with their donkey, grown. . . . It was very fruitful!” There are two scheduled events by the Madonna House Apos - scribed. going in a different direction after A 2014 Sobor in the Ukrainian each day: divine liturgy in English tolate founded by Catherine “I think my heart was nearly a having a dream. Our domestic Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon is celebrated each morning, and Doherty at Combermere, Ont. heart of stone by the time I got to church needed rebuilding.” identified the call for “families every afternoon there is a priest- Teresa Hiebert has worked on the first Cana. And there my heart The family’s spiritual growth evangelizing families,” and as one led conference with the parents (an launching the program in the cracked a little. It’s not bad to received further boosts at subse - response, Cana Continues was activity co-ordinator is provided eparchy after experiencing the realize you’re broken. It is quent Cana experiences, which launched here in August 2015. for the younger children). Madonna House family camp in painful. I could start to feel again were different each time. Chal- “The first Eparchial Cana was A Ukrainian Catholic priest Ontario as a pilgrimage with her . . . and that is how the light gets lenged by a book by Catherine a blessed week of training, learn - and a host family are present with own young family — first in in and those stone walls come Doherty (now reprinted as Be - ing and orientation at St. the families for the week: Bayda 2009 and then again in 2012 and down,” she said. ginning Again), Hiebert returned to Michael’s Camp at Madge Lake. is scheduled to attend the 2017 2014. It has been a life-transform - “That was a huge spark — the confession after years away. The camp was still a flurry of weeklong camp. There are also ing experience. meals together, not having con - “It was so beautiful. It was building and construction — a opportunities for sharing among “It was a beautiful turning tact with extended family/friends pure Holy Spirit, grace, healing,” beautiful new facility in progress. families. point for us as a family. It was — just being us; a mom, a dad, she said. “I know my family Rev. Basil Malowany and Rev. “You learn so much being able like we started coming out of and kids. No phones ringing, no could sense the change in me. I’d Ivan Nahachewsky were camp to talk to other families,” Hiebert pastors,” described Hiebert. noted. “The kids mingle with other “We had daily divine liturgies at kids; the parents meet other par - the Holy Eucharist Catholic Church ents.” It’s an opportunity to talk in the mornings (the church is about challenges, share ideas and located right on the campsite), par - insights, and support each other in ent sessions with the priest every prayer. afternoon, and a prayer service At its heart, however, Cana every evening. Every evening was Continues is a chance for a family a different service, either at the to withdraw and reconnect with dock, by the fire, or in the hall, she each other spiritually in a natural said. “We sang divine liturgies (in setting, away from daily pres - English) together, shared meal - sures and interruptions. times, shared stories and encoun - Registration for Cana Continues ters. Yes, we evangelized each begins in January. There is a $50 other. We inspired each other.” registration fee, with the rest con - Some think the week is only tributed according to each family’s about preaching and prayers, but need and ability. For more infor - Cana Continues is a rich and var - mation see www.skeparchy.org/ ied vacation experience. There is familyandlife Sharon Leyne CAROLS AT SAMARITAN PLACE — Catholic home-school families with children of all ages sang Christmas carols Dec. 21 at Samaritan Place in Saskatoon. Armed with bells and violin the young children were able to bring some joy and holiday cheer to residents and staff of the long-term care home run by Emmanuel Care. Prelate Ursuline dies at age 101

SASKATOON — Sister teaching certificate, Bertsch’s 45- also involved in parish ministries, Dorothy (Gertrude) Bertsch, OSU year teaching career in the elemen - including catechetics, sacramental (Prelate), died Dec. 25 at the age tary grades took her to Revenue, preparation, and sacristy work. of 101. Billimun, Denzil, Goodsoil, On her retirement in 1980, She was born in 1915 on her Bertsch moved to Glengarda resi - family’s farm near Tramping dence in Saskatoon where she pro - Lake, where she was baptized at vided ministry visiting the sick St. Michael’s Church. She cele - and elderly, served as a tutor, brated her first communion and librarian and receptionist, as well received the sacrament of confir - as undertaking typing for the mation in the same church. Oblates and being engaged in She was taught by the Ursu - community service. She participat - lines of Prelate at Tramping Lake ed in a renewal sabbatical in 1987 School, and in 1932 she attended in Arnprior, Ont. She also spent a St. Angela’s Academy in Prelate year cooking at the Generalate and for Grade 11, entering the Ursu line then served for 10 years at St. novitiate in 1933. She made her Angela’s Academy as support staff first vows in 1935, followed by taking on the responsibility of the Photo submitted by Zena Deibert her Perpetual Profession in 1938. laundry. She enjoyed hobbies such In 1934 - 35 she attended as needlework and stamp collect - DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE — D&P representative for Kerrobert Normal School at Moose Jaw and ing, and was an avid reader. deanery Zena Deibert, parish priest Rev. Binu Rathappillil, VC, and Sacred Heart Parish Development and Peace representative Marlene was then assigned to Dante After hip surgery in 2004, she Dewald (from left) stand before a bulletin board at Sacred Heart OSU School, where she taught Grades 1 moved to St. Angela Merici Parish in Denzil, Sask., highlighting the mission of Development and - 9 three years, paid by “prom- Sister Dorothy Bertsch, OSU Residence in Saskatoon. Occa - Peace and a 50-year timeline of activities and outreach. Parishioners issory notes.” Her second three- sions of joy and gratitude includ - were invited to become members of Development and Peace, the inter - year teaching assignment was at Barthel, Liebenthal, Fox Valley, ed celebrations of her 75th anni - national development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada. Glen Eden School, six kilometres Quinton, Primate, and St. Mary’s, versary as an Ursuline in 2010, A prayer intention for D&P was part of Sunday mass, and there was from Denzil. After upgrading her Cosine. While teaching, she was and her 100th birthday in 2015. also a presentation about the Catholic organization.

6 Prairie Messenger DEEPENING OUR FAITH January 4, 2017 Week of Prayer is a quest for true stability

“ministry of reconciliation” St. Paul speaks of (v.18) — with ener - gy, vision, prayer and good humour. An inspired combination. Questioning To receive what Christ brings is to be changed, and those clos - Faith est to us must feel that change the most. This is the kind of thing Mary Marrocco Abbé Couturier understood by spiritual ecumenism, and his con - viction that the closer each Chris - How difficult is human rela - and continual human energy tian community comes to Christ, tionship! How glorious, how expended in trying to break it. the closer they come to each deeply and universally sought- Reconciliation is a key word other. But as we come closer after it is! Our hunger for relation - of the Gospel, but it’s one of together, our wounds will surface. ship can draw out the best and the those keys that seems doomed to So our relationships with each worst in us. The deepest wrestling be forever getting lost. Recon- other are destabilized, in quest of is with one another, in relationship ciliation to God sounds wonder - a truer stability. That’s why the — be it person to person, nation to ful, but the way there may be work of ecumenism is scary and nation, or church to church. hard to take because it generally exciting at the same time. “We entreat you on behalf of involves changing our relation - “Everybody knows it’s coming Christ,” urges St. Paul, “be recon - ships with each other, and that is apart,” sang Leonard Cohen. St. ciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). It tough for us humans. Paul points out that where it’s isn’t easy, but it’s urgent. The Week of Prayer embodies coming apart is where it’s coming We are invited to pray with this the insight of Abbé Couturier to life. There’s an opportunity for passage during this year’s Week of (one of its architects) that the what’s new in us to renew what’s Jesse Hair Prayer for the Unity of Christians closer we come to Christ, the old and worn out in us. “Every - (as Abbé Paul Couturier preferred closer we come to each other. thing old has passed away; see, CHURCH UNITY — This is the logo of the Canadian Council of to call it). Annual prayers for No wonder we are often in - everything has become new!” he Churches (in French: Conseil canadien des Églises ), the largest ecu - menical body in Canada, representing 25 churches of Anglican, cries (v.14). Christian unity are held formally all clined to stay far away from Evangelical, Free Church, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox, around the world from Jan. 18 - 25. Christ, since coming closer to Last fall, in Canterbury and Protestant, and Eastern Catholic traditions, as well as the Canadian These prayers have happened every each other is no easy matter. Rome, bishops gathered in pairs — Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Week of Prayer for Christian year since 1908, including during “Love is not a victory march,” Catholic and Anglican — for an Unity embodies the insight of Abbé Couturier (one of its architects) war years. Who knows, maybe this singer Leonard Cohen wrote with eight-day pilgrimage. This event that the closer we come to Christ, the closer we come to each other,” is one of the reasons the world has his usual perspicacity. The ecu - was part of the international gather - writes Mary Marrocco. not yet flown apart despite the vast menical work of healing Christian ing of Anglican and Catho lic bish - divisions has not been a victory ops (known as IARCCUM) estab - delight us all the more. save the remaining 155 people. march. It’s been a path of light and lished in 2001. Anglicans and At this particular bishops’ The gift of these crosses gave a Marrocco is a marriage and shadow, marked by disappoint - Catholics have been sundered, meeting, a quiet, unheralded new depth to the familiar ecu - family therapist, teacher of theol - ments and failures in counterpoint sometimes violently, for over four moment came with a unique and menical symbol of a cross in a ogy, and writer, and co-ordinates with glorious transformation and centuries. Since 1966, when Pope poignant beauty. boat. The bishops were challenged St. Mary of Egypt Refuge. She joyous encounters. It’s the plain, Paul VI gave his episcopal ring to The unity the bishops experi - to carry together the cross of our can be reached at marrocco7@ simple hard work of women and then-Archbishop of Canterbury enced was embodied in their time. They were commissioned by sympatico.ca men who have undertaken the Michael Ramsey, many sutures receiving a piece of the true cross Pope Francis and Archbishop of have been sewn into those wounds. — not a cross of gold and jewels, Canterbury Justin Welby to be This pilgrimage was one of many but the cross of vulnerability and “artisans of healing and reconcilia - Year reveals need for mercy inter-church gatherings and en - even failure — a Lampedusa tion in the power of the Gospel.” counters happening all around us, cross. This is the cross of people This is work that cannot wait. Continued from page 3 Trump justified not asking God for in ways that were never possible who died fleeing violence and Where do we get this kind of wis - forgiveness by talking about his before. They are bringing us ever crossing the Mediterranean. Local dom? synods concerning marriage and participation in the eucharist in his closer to reconciliation and peace, carpenter Francesco Tuccio made “The love of Christ urges us on, the family, then wrote for the Dec. Presbyterian church. mostly without our noticing. the crosses from the wreckage of because we are convinced that one 2 edition of L’Osservatore Romano “When I drink my little wine — Sometimes the best things happen a a boat that crashed off the shores has died for all . . . so that those that the Patriarch of Rome has which is about the only wine I drink little at a time, unbeknownst to us, of Lampedusa, killing 311 refu - who live might live no longer for something more fundamental than — and have my little cracker, I then burst into bloom all at once to gees; the townspeople helped themselves” (1 Cor 5:14-15). legal procedures in mind. guess that is a form of asking for Amoris Laetitia “first and fore - forgiveness, and I do that as often PRAIRIE MESSENGER PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY most recalls the mercy and com - as possible because I feel cleansed,” passion of God and not just moral he said. “I think in terms of ‘let’s go norms and canonical rules,” on and let’s make it right.’ ” MCKERCHER LLP BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS Bartholomew wrote. 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Carey Landry, to forgive us and heal us. In the end we are just forgiven, but also filled with the Spirit, sanctified and called to be saints as were the Corinthians, through for - healed of those defects of character, sinfulness that caused giveness and healing. us to sin in the first place. Jesus does not want to just Liturgy Our task is to respond to this call. First, we are to redeem us, but also wants to sanctify us. We need to dis - allow Jesus to redeem us, to forgive us our sins and our pose ourselves for that too, to seek it and to pray for it. and Life wrongdoing. We do that especially through a humble, sin - The key to healing is humble self-awareness of our cere celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. One of painful emotions such as anger, defects of character such the greatest losses to the church in our day is a sense of as stubbornness and false pride, or even addictions that we Sylvain Lavoie, OMI repentance, or sorrow for sin. It is as if we are somehow can admit to ourselves, share with others, and present to above that — that this belongs to a previous age of the our Lord for him to take them away by filling us with his church. Spirit and healing us. A hymn written by Carey Landry entitled Lay Your Nothing could be further from the truth. Probably Those who probably understand this biblical process Hands captures succinctly the two-fold mission of Jesus as more than ever we need to see through the smoke screen of spiritual growth best are members of the 12 Step redeemer and sanctifier with the line “Let them bring your of sophistication, self-sufficiency and even false pride that Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. That program is iden - forgiveness and healing.” claims to be above the need to humbly repent, confess our tical to the sacrament of reconciliation when placed side The readings today invite us to live a powerful spiritu - sins, and receive the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. by side, and in fact, can bring back to the church a ality of precisely forgiveness and healing. In many ways we might be like the scribes and renewed sense of healing. First, Isaiah in the Old Testament reading speaks of a Pharisees of Jesus’ day who questioned John the Baptist, Steps 1-3 (powerlessness, belief and surrender) are servant who will be honoured and strengthened by God to did not believe him, saw themselves as the religious holy what we call contrition in the sacrament. Step 4 (moral be a light to the nations. That servant will glorify God, ones above the need to repent, and rejected the invitation inventory) we call examination of conscience. Step 5 gather the nations, raise up the tribes and bring about sal - of John to be baptized in the waters of repentance. They (admitting to God, one’s self and another human being the vation. resisted that nudging of the Holy Spirit and ended up com - exact nature of our wrongs) we call confession. Steps 6 & John the Baptist in the Gospel takes that thought of plicit in the trial, mockery and crucifixion of Jesus. 7 (praying for the removal of our defects of character) we Isaiah further. He speaks of a Lamb of God who is greater call healing. This is the most neglected aspect of the sacra - than he, filled with the Spirit, a Son of God. This Spirit- Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 ment as it is lived out in the church today. Steps 8 & 9 Second Sunday filled Son of God will take away the sins of the world and Psalm 40 (making amends) we call penance. Steps 10-12 (daily in Ordinary Time baptize with the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 inventory, prayer and sharing) we call reconciliation. January 15, 2017 St. Paul in the second reading to the Corinthians John 1:29-34 It is fascinating to see how the Spirit of the living God fleshes out the implications of the mission of this mysteri - has been at work in the 12 Step Program, leading the most ous servant in Isaiah, who is the Lamb of God and spirit- There is nothing so pleasing to a parent as a child who wretched of all people, the addicted, to experience forgive - filled Son of God in John. Paul addresses his words to the humbly admits to doing something wrong, seeks forgive - ness, healing and a new life of joyful, free sobriety. How Corinthians who believe in Jesus, and who are sanctified ness, apologizes and goes on to try to repair the damage much more so should we, the members of the church, be by Jesus, called to be saints. that was done. It must be the same with our loving Father, leading the way into the reign of God, a life of freedom The teaching is clear. Jesus, the servant of Isaiah and who delights more in the one repentant sinner who returns from sin and full of peace and joyful service — we who the Lamb of God of John the Baptist, came with a two- than in the 99 who do not think they need to repent. The are baptized, catechized and given a sacramental spirituali - fold mission — to redeem and sanctify, or, in the words of lesson here is that we all need to repent, to confess and to ty of forgiveness and healing as our way of life. be forgiven — there are no righteous persons! The eucharist we celebrate now is itself an experience But forgiveness is only the first part of the chorus to of forgiveness and healing, a powerful celebration of the Sylvain Lavoie, OMI, Archbishop Emeritus of the that hymn, and to the two-fold mission of Jesus. The ser - redemption and sanctification brought about by the pas - Archdiocese of Keewatin-The Pas, is chaplain at the Star vant of Yahweh in Isaiah, and the Lamb of God in John, sion, death and resurrection of Jesus. of the North Retreat House in St. Albert, Alta. He contin - also came to fill us with the Spirit, to sanctify us, and heal As we enter into this Second Sunday of Ordinary ues to live out his motto, Regnum Dei Intra Vos (the king - us. Otherwise we run the danger of relapse, of falling into Time, let us resolve that it be anything but ordinary by liv - dom of God is among you), which is his overriding focus wrongdoing and sin in the same way, over and over again. ing fully this gift of a sacramental spirituality of forgive - and passion. The secret of the spiritual life is healing. We are not ness and healing. Rolheiser chooses his favourite books from the past year

Love. Bailie again takes up Rene doubt, the signature book on con - Final Stages of Cancer and Girard’s anthropology to shed templation and centring prayer. Jottings along the Way. A man of In some new light on how the cross faith and letters, Gallagher shares of Christ is the most monumental Among biographies and essays: the journal he kept during the last moral and religious event in his - Marilynne Robinson, The nine months of his life, when he Exile tory. The text is very dense and Givenness of Things, Essays. already knew he was dying. (truthfully) a tough read, but its These essays are dense, deep, Katie Roiphe, The Violet Hour, insights are exceptional. robustly sane, and are Marilynne Great Writers at the End. How did Ron Rolheiser, OMI Heather King, Shirt of Flame, Robinson, the gifted novelist, at a number of great writers, includ - A Year with Saint Thérèse of her religious best. ing Sigmund Freud, John Updike Lisieux. This book will make for a Michael N. McGregor, Pure and Susan Sontag face terminal So much of life, particularly to pick up a book this becomes a very good private retreat for any - Act, The Uncommon Life of illness? This book tells us how. today, constitutes an unconscious precious, cherished time. And so one struggling with an addiction Robert Lax. This is the biography Paul Kalanithi, When Breath conspiracy against reading. Lack I try to pick books that I read or obsession, or just with medioc - of the man who was Thomas Becomes Air. This is a remarkable of time, the pressure of our jobs, carefully: I read reviews, listen to rity in his or her spiritual life. Merton’s closest soul-friend, lived journal of a young doctor facing a and electronic technology, among colleagues, and keep track of my Christophe Lebreton, Born out his life as a secular monk, and terminal diagnosis that documents other things, are more and more favourite authors. I also try to From the Gaze of God, The who carried his solitude at a high his courage, faith, and insight. putting books out of reach and make sure that my reading diet, Tibhirine Journal of Martyr Monk, and noble level. It will help re- out of mind. There is never each year, includes some spiritual 1993 - 1996. This is the diary of awaken your idealism. Three novels I recommend: enough time to read. The upside books (including at least one his - one of the Trappist monks who Fernando Cardenal, Faith and Paula Hawkins, The Girl on of this is that when I do find time torical classic), some biographies, was martyred in Algeria in 1996. Joy, Memoirs of a Revolutionary the Train. This didn’t make for a some novels, and some essays. It is the intimate journal of a Priest. This is a great read about an great movie, but the book is a Among the books that I read young man, which chronicles how exceptional man, a priest and a page-turner. Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, this year, these are the ones that he moves from paralyzing fear to Jesuit, who played a leading role in Ian McEwan, Nutshell, and and award-winning author, is touched me. I cannot promise the strength for martyrdom. Daniel Ortega’s government in Edna O’Brien, The Little Red president of the Oblate School of they will touch you, but each of Kathleen Dowling Singh, two Nicaragua and was commanded by Chairs. The pedigree of these two Theology in San Antonio, Texas. them left me with something. books: The Grace in Dying and John Paul to step down. It is a pri - authors alone is enough of a rec - He can be contacted through his The Grace in Aging. According to vate journal that tells the other side ommendation, but neither will website: www.ronrolheiser.com. Among books in spirituality: Singh, the process of aging and of what much of history has one- disappoint you here. Now on Facebook: www.face - Gil Bailie, God’s Gamble, The dying is exquisitely calibrated to sidedly recorded about the strug - book.com/ronrolheiser Gravitational Power of Crucified bring us into the realm of spirit. gles for justice in Latin America. A wildcard: In these two remarkable books Daniel Berrigan, Essential Kenneth Rolheiser, Dreamland she traces this out with the depth Writings, edited by John Dear. and Soulscapes, A Prairie Love that, outside of the great classical Daniel Berrigan died in late April Story. Full disclosure: Kenneth is mystics, I have not seen. of this past year. His writings set my brother and I lived through Christine M. Bochen, Editor, the compass for what it means to be many of the stories he shares, so Small packages The Way of Mercy. This is a series a Christian prophet, and this is an there is admittedly a huge bias Small Packages welcomes prepaid ads re parish events. of remarkable essays on mercy, excellent selection of his writings. here. But the book delivers on its Rates: $17.65 for the first 60 words, $4.75 for an additional including some by Pope Francis title and will give you a more and Walter Kasper. Three books that deal with fac - realistic sense of what it was like 25 words. Second and subsequent insertions half-price. The Cloud of Unknowing. I ing aging and dying: to grow up in a “little house on Please include cheque with ad and mail to: Small Packages, finally had the chance to study this Michael Paul Gallagher, Into the Prairies.” Prairie Messenger, Box 190, Muenster, SK S0K 2Y0 classic in some depth and it is, no Extra Time, Living Through the Happy reading! 8 Prairie Messenger ARTS & CULTURE January 4, 2017 Silence filmmaker Martin Scorsese talks about faith

By Cindy Wooden Father (Frank) Principe. I learned Scorsese conducted by Jesuit get past his ego? His pride?” and of compassion and love — that’s so much from him, and that Father James Martin, who also focus on the needs of his parish - the key. The sacraments, if you ROME (CNS) — In two long includes mercy with oneself and provided advice during the mak - ioners. “I wanted to make that are allowed to take them, to expe - interviews with Jesuit publica - with others,” Scorsese told Jesuit ing of Silence , a film based on the film. And I realized that with rience them, help you stay close tions, director Martin Scorsese Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of novel by Shusaku Endo. The Silence , almost 60 years later, I to God.” described his new film Silence as the journal La Civilta Cattolica . book and film are a fictionalized was making that film. Rodrigues Spadaro asked Scorsese if, like a major stage in his pilgrimage “This man was a real guide. account of the persecution of (one of the main Jesuits in the Father Rodrigues, he ever felt of faith, a pilgrimage that includ - He could talk tough, but he never Christians in 17th-century Japan; story) is struggling directly with God’s presence when God was ed flunking out of the minor actually forced you to do any - the central figures are Jesuit mis - that question.” silent. seminary, investigating other thing — he guided you. Advised sionaries. Scorsese told Spadaro that, “When I was young and serv - religions and recognizing that you. Cajoled you. He had such Scorsese had wanted to make while he would not describe him - ing mass,” the director respond - the Catholic Church was his extraordinary love,” the director the film since reading the book self a regular churchgoer, “my ed, “there was no doubt that home. said in the interview, published in 1989. Actually making the way has been, and is, Catholi - there was a sense of the sacred. I Growing up in New York, “I Dec. 9. film, he told Martin, “it becomes cism. After many years of think - tried to convey this in Silence , was extraordinarily lucky, A day earlier, America maga - like a pilgrimage. It’s a pilgrim - ing about other things, dabbling during the scene of the mass in because I had a remarkable priest, zine released an interview with age. We’re still on the road and here and there, I am most com - the farmhouse in Goto. At any it’s never going to end. I thought fortable as a Catholic.” rate, I remember going out on it would for a little while, but “I believe in the tenets of the street after the mass was over once I was there, I realized no. Catholicism. I’m not a doctor of and wondering: How can life just Even in the editing room, it’s the church. I’m not a theologian be going on? Why hasn’t every - unfinished. It will always be who could argue the Trinity. I’m thing changed? Why isn’t the unfinished.” certainly not interested in the pol - world directly affected by the The film is set for a Dec. 23 itics of the institution,” the direc - body and blood of Christ? That’s release. tor said. “But the idea of the res - the way that I experienced the In the interview with Spadaro, urrection, the idea of the In - presence of God when I was the 74-year-old Scorsese said, carnation, the powerful message very young.” “When I was younger, I was thinking of making a film about being a priest. I myself wanted to follow in Father Principe’s foot - steps, so to speak, and be a priest. I went to a preparatory seminary but I failed out the first year. “And I realized, at the age of 15, that a vocation is something very special, that you can’t acquire it, and you can’t have one just because you want to be like CNS/ L’Osservatore Romano somebody else,” he said. “You SCORSESE MEETS POPE FRANCIS — Pope Francis meets U.S. have to have a true calling.” film director Martin Scorsese during a Nov. 30 private audience at the One thing he always wondered Vatican. The meeting took place the morning after the screening of his about Principe and other priests, film, Silence , for about 300 Jesuits. he said, was “how does that priest Books Doctor’s memoir is a testament of personal faith

WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi. New York: Random House, 2016. Hardcover, 228 A. Barkman pages, $33.00 CDN. Reviewed by Edwin Buettner He casts forth his ice as morsels. . . . Occasionally one comes across a book that during a lenten church service that he receives a key (Ps 147:17 KJV) defies the typical genre categories. When Breath insight: science by itself could never quench his Becomes Air is a memoir, a spiritual diary, an own and the universal spiritual thirst: “. . . to make Cool Treat account of medical education, a glimpse into the science the arbiter (of ultimate meaning) is to banish realities of brain surgery, and a testament of person - not only God from the world, but also love, hate, The winter is bitter al faith. It is brilliantly crafted by an author writing meaning . . . a world that is self-evidently not the but last night God sweetened the season within the crucible of terminal illness. By the second world we live in.” One senses that his strivings and by making a batch of snow candy page of the prologue, the reader is already privy to struggles had been but a preparation for this confes - as thick and white as divinity fudge the author’s devastating diagnosis of a rapidly sion of faith. whipped into peaks spreading cancer. As an intimate and deeply person - Kalanithi’s journey brings to mind Israel’s 40 spread quickly al account of meaning in life and death, it invites the years of wandering in the desert. Like Moses, and swirled with knife edge of wind. reader to enter into that most fundamental of ques - Kalanithi is shown a land “flowing with milk and This morning I feast my eyes tions. honey” only to find that he may not take up resi - on his confection. There is a singular uniqueness in Dr. Kalanithi’s dence. The scriptural reading for that lenten service By Alma Barkman path to becoming a highly competent neurosurgeon. was the parable of the sower, which for Kalanithi As a youth he was determined not to go into medi - becomes a metaphor for the hope that his life, cine despite the urgings of his physician father. His despite its shortness, will bear fruit beyond the interests lay in the exploration of the existential grave. He sees that though he may not participate in NOW AVAILABLE question: what is the nature and purpose of humani - the harvest, ultimately “. . . the sower and the reaper e-Edition subscriptions ty? An early passion for the power and beauty of can rejoice together.” visit: www.pmonline.ca for more information words, led to Kalanithi’s earning a graduate degree Of necessity, Kalanithi draws heavily on his Receive 45 issues per year in English. Curiously, he also pursued studies in experiences in the study and practice of medicine. biology, for he sensed that “. . . the language of life Yet, the book draws its power from Paul Kalanithi as experience — of passion, of hunger, of love — the human being whose work as a doctor always Mail coupon to: Prairie Messenger, Circulation Dept. (must bear) some relationship . . . to the language of gave priority to the person-to-person connection Box 190, Muenster, SK S0K 2Y0 neurons, digestive tracts, and heartbeats.” with patients (without compromising the “moral Phone: (306) 682-1772 Fax: (306) 682-5285 email: [email protected] Aside from a few pages near the end of the requirement” technical excellence). It is during his J book, there is little direct reference to what many final days that he comes to recognize the ultimate J One YearJ $37.00 might consider “religious” themes. Yet, in the pages shared poverty of the doctor-patient relationship: U.S. $170.00 Foreign $269.00 Applicable tax included leading up to that point, Kalanithi’s reflections con - “. . . two people huddled together.” Paradoxically, J J tinuously point toward a transcendent dimension of it is from these ashes that the reader may draw New Renewal life, despite any direct reference to a deity. It was hope, even joy. Name: ______

Address: ______Advertise in the Prairie Messenger City/Town: ______Prov: ______Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5 p.m. Ph. 306-682-1772 Fax 306-682-5285 Postal Code: ______Tel: ______

email: [email protected] Visa/MC: ______Expiry: ______January 4, 2017 ARTS & CULTURE Prairie Messenger 9 Farewell 2016: welcome to new world disorder

trines) and the dashed aspirations over, Iraq’s Sunnis had for cen - When the U.S. eliminated Abu of the “Arab spring.” (Tunisia is turies exercised political power Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the sole partial exception but over the Shia and Kurdish majori - al-Qaida in Iraq, with a targeted Readings Egypt has reverted to an “even ty. Overthrowing that, followed strike in 2006, the congratulations more repressive police state.”) by incompetent Shia-dominated proved grossly premature. When & Meanings Epic miscalculations have pro - governance, was a recipe for Obama withdrew U.S. troops, duced wars that “turn into bloody chaos. stalemates with no outright win - The Arab Gerald Schmitz ners or losers, aside from the mil - uprisings of 2011 lions of civilians who are the vic - appeared to In two weeks the worst nation - Age of Jihad combines his inci - tims.” sweep away sev - al major-party candidate in U.S. sive reporting of several decades The first 9/11 wars, in Af ghan - eral old regimes history will become its most unfit with insightful up-to-date analysis. istan and Iraq, led to early easy but have also president at a time when the 9/11 Cockburn’s introduction cites “victories” and a “mission belied western wars of what Lawrence Wright’s the prophetic lines from my accomplished” myopia that, lack - expectations. new book calls “the terror years” favourite poem by W.B. Yeats, ing reliable local partners, proved Militant Islam (following up his Pulitzer prize- The Second Coming , that begins: deceptive. The Taliban retreated was always an winning The Looming Tower ) “Things fall apart; the centre can - to Pakistan and in a few years element in them. cast a long shadow over the tat - not hold/Mere anarchy is loosed was able to stage a return. (It now Where peaceful tered remains of post-Cold War upon the world.” The centre is not controls more territory than at protests were hopes for a better world order. In holding in many places; nowhere any time since 2001.) The dys - frustrated, a mili - a recent London Review of Books more so than in the “vast region functional western-supported tarization of dis - commentary on three recent vol - of instability” from the borders of Karzai government made deals sent provoked umes about the so-called “Islamic Iran to North Africa. While stabil - with warlords and was mired in civil conflict. Or, State,” Owen-Bennett-Jones ity has been rare since the dissolu - corruption. As Cockburn ob - as in Bahrain, the observes: “After 15 years of con - tion of the Ottoman Empire a cen - served in 2008, “the dominant West stood by as political feature was dislike or such protests Patrick Cockburn, The Age of Jihad: Islamic State hatred of the government at all were severely and the Great War for the Middle East levels of society.” repressed from Matters were even worse in the outset, further (London and New York, Verso, 2016, 449 pages) Iraq where the disastrous deci - inflaming Sunni- sions of the occupiers to dissolve Shia tensions. In the army and blacklist all Baathist almost all cases flict, there are now many places tury ago, 9/11 “was the starting party members provided recruits the outcome has on earth where westerners dare pistol for a series of calamitous for a growing insurgency. Under - been more op - Verso Books not tread and western politicians events which destroyed the old estimated at the time was the dev - pression and vio - NEW WORLD DISORDER — The Age of Jihad are reduced to defining victory as status quo” as manifested in the astating impact on the population lence, not democ - by Patrick Cockburn charts the turmoil of today’s an absence of attacks at home.” savage civil wars “in which Sunni of the 13 years of sanctions fol - racy. What Cock - Middle East and the devastating role the West has played in the region from 2001 to the present. Those are “remarkable achieve - fundamentalist jihadis play a lead - lowing the First Gulf War that burn calls the ments” for an Islamist extremism ing role.” The ill-conceived 2003 “had already shattered the coun - “Somaliani za - that feeds off the weaknesses of invasion of Iraq was a particularly try’s society and economy.” tion” of Libya could have been eager to turn the page on an western liberal democracy. destabilizing geopolitical “earth - Cockburn notes the premonition foreseen. Yemen has been ripped unpopular war, western interest (Trump’s election was as much quake” that exacerbated Sunni/ of the UN Humanitarian Co-ordi - apart with the regional Sunni- waned. As Cockburn writes: “It celebrated by IS as by autocrats Shia sectarian hostilities. Added nator Dennis Halliday who re - Shia rivalry between Saudi became yesterday’s crisis. Tele - and neofascists.) to the consequences of failed signed in protest in 1998: “What Arabia and Iran being played out vision and newspapers closed There is no better guide to what western military interventions and should be of concern is the possi - in a savage proxy war largely down news bureaux in Baghdad has been happening “over there” withdrawals have been other neg - bility of more fundamentalist ignored by the western powers. and covered the story only scanti - than Patrick Cockburn, the intre - ative factors, notably the role of Islamic thinking developing . . . Syria’s agony in the throes of ly, right up to the moment ISIS pid longtime correspondent for the Gulf absolute monarchies (that as a spinoff of the sanctions revolution and counter-revolution captured Mosul in June 2014 and The Independent and regular includes Saudi Arabia’s spread of regime. We are pushing people to is the greatest affront. For a time the country fell apart.” Baghdad London Review contributor. The extremist “Wahhabist” Sunni doc - take extreme positions.” More- the West was banking on the itself was at risk of falling as Assad dictatorship to collapse politicians in the capital fled to like Gaddafi’s. Instead it fought Jordan. Redemptorist Priest Father Graham Hill, C.S.sR. back ruthlessly while Islamist The “caliphate” proclaimed by extremists penetrated the north of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a survivor Ordained June 10, 2016, Grande Prairie, Alberta the country from Iraq. of the notorious Abu Ghraib “Moderate” forces have given prison, is under siege. While way to a military opposition some Sunnis may have welcomed “wholly dominated by ISIS and it initially, its subject populations al-Qaida clones.” The West there - have endured a reign of terror and fore faces an enormous dilemma ruthless prohibitions. Even if ISIS while Russia and Iran are deter - can be defeated with the help of mined to keep Assad in power. foreign powers, the damage will However much the outside pow - be immense and long lasting. ers, including Turkey and the Sectarian divisions between Gulf monarchies, contest Islamic Sunni Arabs, Shias, Kurds, and State control of parts of Syria, others make for an explosive they have contradictory aims. In cocktail. It’s hard to see how Iraq Cockburn’s view, “the horror and Syria can be put back togeth - story for the Syrian people will er again. Given that Iraq borders go on until the regional players six countries and Syria five, their decide that nobody is going to convulsions also contribute to win and bring it to a stop.” regional destabilization. It will surely take more than Cockburn counts eight wars Trump’s promise to “bomb the being fought in the Muslim coun - s___ out of ISIS” to do that. tries of the Middle East and North Africa which have led to the I Believe... “murder and migration of whole “Redemptorists continue to live out Saint Alphonsus’ concern for those groups of people,” with no end in who do not receive the good news as such — that is why I joined them..” Are you sight. Fr. Graham Hill, C.S.sR. While these multiple catastro - Moving? phes may seem to be far away, Come and See, with the Redemptorists. Please let us know a Canada is not immune to the con - Contact month in advance. sequences — in refugee flows, Fr. David Purcell, C.S.sR. Write to: radicalized youth lured by jihadi Circulation Dept. propaganda, the ramping up of Prairie Messenger Box 190 security surveillance in response [email protected] Muenster, Sask. S0K 2Y0 to terrorist threats. [email protected] If the western liberal-democra - www.redemptoristvocations.ca PLUG IN TO CHRIST Undeliverable papers cost twice tic centre does not hold, the “age Hear our Redemptorist audio 416-770-3217 as much to return. of jihad” may be just the begin - ning. Happy New Year?

PRINT AD - Prairie Messenger D NO 1 Nov 24, 4:00 pm S 6.0 “ w x 6.25” d R 10 Prairie Messenger FEATURE January 4, 2017 Catholic schools show compassion as love in action

Then, hopefully, the people who experience our compassion will pass it on to others so the rings of Catholic the ripple continue and, as they continue, compassion will trans - Connections form the world! St. Henry’s Senior School in Melville, under the direction of Deanna Pellatt Principal Steven Boucher, found a way to make the focus on com - passion a connective element to student learning while at the same “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with time making the teaching of com - compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” passion more relevant to the stu - — Colossians 3.12 dents and their day-to-day living. The first step was to spend time Christ the Teacher Catholic actions of compassion ripple out with the students on the instruc - Schools in Melville, Theodore, to others who want to be like him. tion of compassion and what that and Yorkton continue their jour - Therefore, in the images around meant. Using a variety of re - ney of encouraging stewardship as the outside of the centre, we see sources there was a 15 minute a way of life. The faith focus for other people showing compassion. instructional lesson for each reli - this school year is the virtue of These images include Pope gion class about what compassion compassion. Thomas Gumbleton Francis, Jean Vanier, Mother is, a detailed examination of the claims that compassion is Mary, Saint Francis, Bishop division’s poster, and understand - one of Jesus’ most Bryan Bayda, and adults ing the quote inspired by Mother important virtues and and young people like Teresa, “compassion is love in that compassion is ourselves who have action.” truly one of the taken to heart the The second step to this project most significant words of Jesus to was for each student to write their ways of following “go and do like - own story of compassion. They Jesus. wise,” to be moved were to choose either a situation The school divi - with compassion where they were shown compas - sion, together with and to do something sion or where they showed com - graphic designer Blair about the hurts and passion to someone else. The stu - Maki, has once again cre - needs of others. dents were encouraged to not use ated a poster (seen here) as a Just as all the people in the names in their stories to allow visual reminder to staff and stu - images around the outside of the anonymity. This activity has dents throughout the year. The poster responded to the ripple allowed each student to share a poster was designed with the idea effect created by Jesus, our lives little about their own life and how of the ripple effect. In the centre are meant to have a rippling they relate to the understanding we have images of Jesus showing effect as well. We are now the of compassion. compassion. His words and people among the rings of the rip - While compassion is an easy on display throughout the school trust, responsibility, and mercy. ple beyond the poster. We are word to understand on the sur - for the remainder of the year to Our schools participate in a vari - called to follow in the footsteps face, when we seek a deeper remind students, staff, and visi - ety of projects including the Farm Pellatt is the Religious Edu - of Jesus by sharing our faith, and meaning of it, the words inspired tors of the many stories of com - Credit Canada Drive Away cation Consultant for Christ the our gifts and talents so that others by Mother Teresa become even passion we witness every day. Hunger Campaign, Me to We, Teacher Catholic Schools in can experience the compassion of more alive — “Compassion is St. Henry’s Junior School in Candle of Hope, and many more. Yorkton. God through our loving actions. Love in Action .” The stories are Melville, under the direction of Most recently our schools were Principal Joanne Sebastian, has involved in a variety of Advent also connected the faith focus on projects which included weekly Respect for culture needed for reconciliation compassion to student learning. prayer celebrations, singing and The students and staff are creat - visiting with senior citizens in our Continued from page 1 “I think it’s a good thing, oth - For Nahanee, the UNDRIP’s ing a book based on and titled communities, purchasing gifts erwise we are just responding call to recognize the spirituality after our division theme — The from Free The Children and “It’s just now we’re on an from our own different dioceses of indigenous people and their ABCs of Compassion: Love in Chalice for families and communi - equal basis,” he said. “No more across Canada,” Nahanee said. rights to have their culture and Action . The following is taken ties in need around the world, and residential school telling you “It’s better to have a number of spiritual develop without interfer - directly from the forward of the collecting necessary goods and what you should do, but what we people who can speak together. ence from the church is key. book: funds to assist various charities and can do together.” That way we know what is going “I think it’s about respect for “The ABCs of Compassion service organizations with their “I’m very optimistic,” he said. on in each of our areas. We know the culture as it is,” he said. “We uses each letter of the alphabet to Christmas campaigns for those in The Truth and Reconciliation how each is responding to the would still like to convert people describe a virtue, characteristic, need. Engaging in these various Commission has laid out the Calls to Action.” back to the church, to person or word that strengthens, projects allows students and staff plans to do that. “We cannot Membership in the Circle Christianity, because I believe supports, and guides us to be not only to help those in need, respond to everything they are means “embracing our responsi - people still need to be God-cen - compassionate. We partnered which has been and always will be asking for but we can do what we bilities” and examining the tred.” with an author and publisher in an important practice in our can do. I believe it’s going to be “impact of reconciliation on the But Nahanee said he also Melville, Saskatchewan, Susan Catholic schools, but also to foster great.” future of our mission,” Gauthier believed in what Pope John Paul Harris, to make this book a reali - growth in a virtuous way of life. “We had already been talking said. The Circle will examine II said when he visited Canada ty. Students were divided into Our yearly faith focus, which and exchanging in an informal how reconciliation is “lived out that the Gospel “does not take groups led by teachers and brain - helps us to become good stewards way,” said Josianne Gauthier, and how it connects to our mis - away the culture but can purify stormed words related to compas - and disciples of Christ, is a way director of In Canada programs sion for social justice, peace, and and strengthen it.” sion. Once the words were short - of increasing awareness that not for Development and Peace. the rights of all to this national Since the government policy listed and the final ones chosen, only is living a virtuous life the Gauthier had been part of the reconciliation process that the that tried to “take the Indian out the meanings were developed. moral thing to do, but that we are working group that had been Catholic Church and the Catholic of the child” in the residential Then the students drew illustra - called to make sure our words working on defining the mandate, movements are engaged in.” schools, and the subsequent loss tions to support the words. We and actions reflect our compas - to “give ourselves some objec - “Our Lady of Guadalupe to generations of indigenous peo - believe this active engagement sionate God who created us in his tives as Catholic movements Circle is a Catholic coalition of ples of their language and culture, will embed compassion indelibly image and likeness. going forward.” indigenous people, bishops, cler - Nahanee has seen a revival. in the life of our students.” God shows compassion through The groups had crafted a joint gy, lay movements and institutes “People who managed to hang Principal Sebastian was adding us. We are God’s hands, heart, and response to the Truth and Rec - of consecrated life, engaged in onto their language and customs some finishing touches and pre - voice for the people around us. onciliation Commission’s March renewing and fostering relation - have shared it and that culture is paring to forward their creation to When we show God’s compassion 2016 deadline for a response to the ships between the Catholic growing very strong now,” he their editor and publisher prior to to others and to the world, we con - Calls to Action from the churches Church and indigenous people in said. the Christmas break. We are look - tinue the ripple effect inspiring oth - that were involved in running Canada,” said the Circle’s mis - Gauthier added, “I also really ing forward to seeing this bilin - ers to show God’s compassion — Indian residential schools. sion statement. liked how, even though the bish - gual book as a finished product! and on and on it will go transform - “The idea was to have a na - Among the Calls to Action is ops’ conference is present, it’s not All of our schools are always ing the world! tional response, because we are the formal adoption and applica - a hierarchical presence, it’s a cir - involved in a number of projects Pray that God will make not a national church like the tion of the principles of the cle. Everybody has a voice. where staff and students put stew - waves with your faith, even rock - Anglican Church,” said Nahanee. United Nations Declaration on Everybody is heard and given a ardship virtues into practice. This ing a few boats along the way. “We wanted to have groups that the Rights of Indigenous Peoples chance to express themselves. year’s focus on compassion fol - Let the ripple effect of your faith were more or less representative (UNDRIP) as a “framework for Our ideas do not always flow at lows previous years’ focus on the and your compassion build up the of a national Catholic response.” reconciliation.” the same speed.” virtues of gratitude, generosity, kingdom of God here and now. January 4, 2017 EDITORIALS/LETTERS Prairie Messenger 11

A positive message for life invaluable as our culture shifts toward embracing always a positive one. life. On a related front, a group of priests, nuns and The pro-life movement is often coloured by its Commenting on our culture’s perception of the laypeople in India’s Kerela state have formed a group critics as a negative movement, namely, as anti-abor - pro-life movement, she said, “Unfortunately, the cur - to respond to the pastoral needs of transgender peo - tion. This brings it into confrontation with what has rent view of the pro-life movement is often unfairly ple. Formed under the banner of Pro-Life Support, it become labelled a more positive “pro-choice” move - negative, and many young people don’t want to asso - offers outreach programs for the transgender commu - ment in western society. The politics of this needs to ciate with it. In a way, we fill a void by helping peo - nity. change, and it is good to publicize how it is changing. ple think differently about pro-life by inviting them India has an estimated 500,000 transgender peo - One group, among others, that is changing the to re-imagine what that term and the related actions ple. They are often ostracized from their families and perception of the pro-life movement is Save the actually mean.” — without adequate state support in terms of Storks. “One way we’re helping people approach the On another front, the transgender movement is employment, health and education — they end up on conversation of pro-life is by shifting the emphasis heating up in a controversial fashion. the street begging for money or are exploited in the from being solely on saving the baby, and shifting A regulation from the U.S. Department of Health sex trade. the focus to understand why women feel they need to and Human Services requires that all hospitals and “The whole church has a big role to play,” said get abortions,” says Marcie Little, creative director health care providers, including religious ones, per - Rev. Paul Madassey, who is in charge of pro-life sup - of Save the Storks. “This helps people develop form or provide gender transition services, hormonal port for the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council. He empathy that leads to compassion.” treatments and counselling as well as a host of surg - noted Pope Francis has talked about the need to give According to Crux, the group is partnering with eries that would remove or transform the sexual “pastoral care to the LGBT community.” pregnancy resource centres across the U.S. to give organs of men or women transitioning to the other “There is an active sex racket from North India abortion-vulnerable women options. The group’s gender. The HHS regulation requires group health eyeing transgender people in Kerala,” he explained. vision is to create mobile ultrasound units and offer plans to cover these procedures and services. “They are trying to exploit the discriminatory situa - training and support services to pregnancy centres. As noted on page 2 of this issue, the Catholic tion they face,” Madassey told ucanews.com. Save the Storks says it has funded roughly 40 Benefits Association, the Diocese of Fargo and In mid-December, sisters of the Congregation of bus projects (20 on the road and 20 in production), Catholic Charities North Dakota filed a lawsuit Dec. the Mother of Carmel offered their buildings to form gained over 165,000 supporters, and saved over 28 against the regulation that redefines “sex” for an exclusive school for dropouts among transgender 1,000 babies. anti-discrimination purposes to include sexual orien - people, considered the first of its kind in the country. The buses are equipped with ultrasound tation and gender identity. The nuns offered their venue after at least 50 build - machines, surround sound systems and large TV dis - In a related case, on Dec. 31 a federal judge in ing owners declined to let out their buildings, indi - plays. They are helping save lives outside abortion Texas blocked applying the regulation on a coalition cating the discrimination prevalent in the society, clinics and on college campuses. of religious medical organizations who said the rul - Madassey told ucanews.com. “As part of our mission to equip pregnancy cen - ing was contrary to their religious beliefs. A pro-life culture encompasses a large tent. It tres, we actively engage with the next generation by While some will give a negative label to this provides a positive response to people caught up in encouraging them to re-imagine the pro-life move - resistance to adopting society’s current encour - life’s tragedies. However, it’s a message and attitude ment,” Little said. Their innovative spirits, thought - agement, even of children, to change gender iden - that doesn’t always come through clearly — or want fulness, and care for people afflicted by injustice is tity, evidence shows that such a transition is not to be accepted by the larger society. — PWN A priest’s view on ministry to those asking for assisted suicide Letters to the editor The Editor: With regard to years of active parish ministry I ister is inclined to take direction the challenge that is being pre - would also dare to share my in such cases from canon law We welcome your response to articles published in the sented these days to priests and experience. some serious thought might be Prairie Messenger. Two-way communication assures every - bishops who are called upon to In this and similar difficult given to canon #1752: “In cases one of a better exposure to the truth. minister to dying persons who cases I take a few moments to of transfer of priests (in serious We cannot publish any letters to the editor unless you give have requested their physician to meditate on the words of Our trouble with the bishop), the pro - us your full name, your address and your telephone number. help them bring on the in - Lord on the cross when He said: visions of canon 1747 are to be (It is especially important to remember this if you are sending evitable, I offer them my empa - “Father, forgive them; they do not applied, always observing canoni - your comments by email) . thy. know what they are doing” (Luke cal equity and keeping in mind Due to limited space we ask you to keep your letters short — However, after more than 56 23:34). Secondly in case the min - the salvation of souls , which in 300 to 350 words maximum. The Prairie Messenger reserves the the church must always be the right to edit letters to conform to space requirements and newspa - Pope prays for nations supreme law .” — Rev. Art per style . suffering from violence Seaman, Camp Morton, Man.

Continued from page 1 the Holy Land and that Israelis and Palestinians turn away lion euro (US$6.3 million) would from hate and revenge while be distributed on Christmas Day to having “the courage and deter - assist in relief efforts in Ukraine. mination to write a new page of Earlier this year, the pope called history.” for a collection across churches in Praying for an end to current Europe to help the people of the tensions, the pope also called for wartorn country. peace in Venezuela, Colombia, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, “where Myanmar and the Korean penin - their peoples suffer war and the sula. brutality of terrorism,” were in the Christ’s birth, he said, is a pope’s prayers so that they may sign of joy and a call for the “be able to once again find unity world to contemplate “the child and harmony.” Jesus who gives hope once again The pope also remembered to every person on the face of the Africa, especially Nigeria where earth.” fundamentalist terrorism “exploits “ ‘For to us a child is born, to children in order to perpetrate hor - us a son is given.’ He is the ‘prince ror and death” as well as South of peace;’ let us welcome him.” Sudan and the Democratic Repub - After his address, the bells of lic of Congo, calling on their lead - St. Peter’s rang loudly, pealing ers to choose the path of dialogue throughout the square as they did CNS/Jagadeesh Nv, EPA rather than “the mindset of con - in the evening Dec. 24 following PROTEST IN INDIA — Members of the LGBT community hold placards during a protest rally in flict.” the proclamation of Jesus’ birth Bangalore, India, Oct. 21, 2016. The church in India’s Kerala state has formed a group of priests, nuns and He also prayed for peace in during Christmas mass. laypeople to respond to the pastoral needs of transgender people. Pope Francis has encouraged this.

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By Carol Glatz ing a New Year’s Eve celebration hope and belonging from seeing thanksgiving to God Dec. 31 in their lives and to thank the Lord at a popular nightclub early Jan. mothers who never stop embrac - St. Peter’s Basilica. for all signs of his generosity, VATICAN CITY (CNS) — 1, killing at least 39 people and ing, supporting and fighting for As the year ends, he said in his “seen in countless ways through Whether the new year will be wounding at least 70 more. what is best for their children homily, he asked people to reflect the witness of those people who good or not depends on us choos - “I ask the Lord to support all incarcerated in prisons, ill in hos - on how God has been present in quietly took a risk.” ing to do good each day, Pope people of goodwill who coura - pitals, enslaved by drugs or suf - Francis said. geously roll up their sleeves in fering from war. Reform is more than just “That is how one builds peace, order to confront the scourge of “Where there is a mother, saying ‘no’ to hatred and violence terrorism and this bloodstain that there is unity, there is belonging, — with action — and ‘yes’ to fra - is enveloping the world with the belonging as children,” he said. a facelift, pope tells Curia ternity and reconciliation,” he said shadow of fear and confusion,” he Just like all mothers of the Jan. 1, which the church marks as said. world, Mary, Mother of God, By Junno Arocho Esteves centric): Without an authentic the feast of Mary, Mother of God Earlier in the day, the pope “protects us from the corrosive evangelical spirit and faithfulness and as World Peace Day. spoke of how maternal tenderness, disease of being ‘spiritual or - VATICAN CITY (CNS) — of the church to its own vocation, Speaking to the some 50,000 hope and self-sacrifice were the phans,’ ’’ that is when the soul The reform of the Roman Curia is “any new structure will corrupt in pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s “strongest antidote” to the selfish - feels “motherless and lacking the not a mere facelift to rejuvenate short time.” Square for the first noon Angelus ness, indifference and “lack of tenderness of God, when the an aging body but a process of — Rationality: No Vatican of 2017, the pope referred to his openness” in the world today. sense of belonging to a family, a deep, personal conversion, Pope office is greater than another and peace day message in which he Celebrating mass in St. Peter’s people, a land, to our God, grows Francis said. the responsibilities of each office asked people to adopt the “style” Basilica, which was decorated dim.” Meeting with cardinals and the must be clearly distinguished. of non-violence for building a with bright red anthuriums, ever - Mary shows that humility and heads of Vatican offices for his — Functionality: The merging politics for peace. green boughs, white flowers and tenderness aren’t virtues of the annual Christmas greeting, the of offices, demotions and promo - Lamenting the brutal act of pinecones brushed with gold paint, weak, but of the strong, and that pope warned that “it is not wrin - tions must always be done to terrorism that struck during a the pope said that a community we don’t have to mistreat others kles the church should fear” but streamline and hone in a dicast - night of “well-wishes and hope” without mothers would be cold in order to feel important, he said. rather the stains that impede its ery’s specific mission. in Istanbul, the pope offered his and heartless with “room only for The pope also presided over an growth and relevance in the world. — Up-to-date (“ Aggiorna men - prayers for the entire nation of calculation and speculation.” evening prayer service with “The reform does not have an to ”): Vatican offices must read Turkey as well as those hurt and The pope said he learned so eucharistic adoration and the aesthetical end to make the Curia “the signs of times” and adapt to killed. A gunman opened fire dur - much about unconditional love, singing of a special hymn of more beautiful; it cannot be the needs of the universal church. understood as a sort of facelift or — Sobriety: The Roman Curia applying makeup to beautify the must be willing to simplify and Patriarchs lament exodus of Christians elderly curial body, nor plastic slim down, especially when it surgery to remove wrinkles,” the comes to “offices that are no longer By Doreen Abi Raad pope said Dec. 22. responsive to contingent needs.” While his addresses in previ - — Subsidiarity: Reorganize BEIRUT (CNS) — Lamenting ous years focused on curial ills priorities within the offices and, if the exodus of Christians from their and medicinal virtues, this year’s necessary, shifting responsibilities ancestral homelands, Catholic speech laid out a 12-step program to another dicastery while work - patriarchs of the Middle East of guiding principles geared ing in sync with the Secretariat of pleaded for peace and security in toward an appropriate and long- State. their annual Christmas messages. lasting recovery. — Synodality: Reducing or In separate statements, the “It was necessary to speak of merging Vatican offices avoids prelates shared their anguish illnesses and cures so that every fragmentation and allows for more regarding the persecution and operation — to achieve success frequent meetings between the uprooting of Christians from the — be preceded by an in-depth pope and the heads of those offices. region. diagnosis, by accurate analyses — Catholicity: The Curia Cardinal Bechara Rai, patri - and must be accompanied and fol - should mirror the universality and arch of Maronite Catholics, lowed through with precise pre - multicultural nature of the church appealed to the international com - scriptions,” the pope said. and hire personnel from around the munity to work to end terrorism Listing 12 criteria, the pope world while emphasizing the “that is killing and displacing explained that the reform is at its important role of permanent dea - families and depriving them of heart a sign of the church’s liveli - cons and the laity — especially their rights and dignities” He ness and a “process of growth and women — in the life and mission made the comments in his mes - above all, conversion.” of the church. sage from Bkerke, the patriar - The guiding principles of the — Professionalism: Every office chate north of Beirut. CNS/Musa Al Shaer, EPA reform of the Roman Curia are: must adopt a policy of personal for - He also called upon the UN CHRISTMAS HOMILY — Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apos - — Individuality (Personal con - mation to avoid the “rust” and rou - Security Council “to work seri - tolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, delivers the version): A person’s spiritual tine of functionalism, as well as ously to find political solutions to homily during Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity in the well-being can either strengthen putting a definitive end to the prac - the wars, aimed at bringing com - West Bank town of Bethlehem. the body of the Curia or damage it tice of “ promoveatur ut amoveatur ” prehensive and lasting peace and and make it sick. (“removal by promotion”). “This is the repatriation of refugees back 60,000 Syriac Catholics — when the second largest city of Syria, — Pastoral conversion: The a cancer!” the pope exclaimed. to their homelands.” the region was overtaken by after being liberated and reuni - workplace must have a pastoral — Graduality (Discernment): In his message, Syriac Cath - Islamic State militants in 2014. fied,” he added. spirit where “no one feels neglect - Taking time by verifying, correct - olic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III “How would they welcome Melkite Catholic Patriarch ed and mistreated” and everyone ing and discerning methods and Younan called attention to “our Christmas, but in tears and anxi - Gregoire III Laham, in his mes - can experience the care of the policies that can “allow the neces - beloved brothers and sisters of ety for their future!” the patriarch sage, stressed that “today in the Good Shepherd. sary flexibility to achieve a true Syria and Iraq . . . deprived of wrote. Middle East, the cradle of Chris- — Missionary spirit (Christ- reform.” the Christmas joy, having Regarding his visit in late No - tianity, the Christian presence is endured the horrible conse - vember to the recently liberated threatened . . . by wars that have quences of war, violence, and all Christian villages in the Nineveh given rise to this terrifying exodus, kind of persecutions.” They suf - Plain, Younan said “there is still a especially of Christians.” fered “all this hardship” because lot to do” to inspire confidence “This is a prayer for the peace of their Christian faith and their “to our eradicated and exiled of Christmas to protect our suffer - willingness “to persevere in community” to return to their ing countries, especially Pales - faithfulness to Jesus the sav - ancestral land. tine, Iraq and most especially our iour,” he added. “We have to keep hoping that beloved Syria,” the Syrian-born Younan reiterated that Chris - the local government and interna - patriarch wrote. “I continue to tians were “uprooted from their tional leaders will expel the terror - repeat my motto: give us peace lands and driven out unjustly ists and restore peace and securi - and security, because that is the from their homes by barbarian ty,” he said, emphasizing that this warranty and condition for Chris - terrorists, in Mosul and the Plain is a basic condition for the return tian resistance, presence, role and of Nineveh, Iraq,” referring to the “of our uprooted people.” witness.” exodus of some 100,000 Chris - “We hope the same for all the Laham urged the region’s tians — among them more than inhabitants of wartorn Aleppo, Christians to stay in their home - lands, stressing that “our presence here is of great, global and histor - We must not wish for the disappearance of our ical significance! We are not CNS/Muhammad Hamed, Reuters troubles but for the grace to transform them. asked to sacrifice our families, ISTANBUL TERROR ATTACK — The funeral procession of one of though we must struggle to the victims from Istanbul’s New Year nightclub attack is seen in — Simone Weil remain here despite dangers, dif - Fuheis, Jordan, Jan. 3. A gunman killed 39 people, including a ficulties and hardships.” Canadian woman, in the attack.