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SPRING/SUMMER 2017 CATHOLIC OTTAWA The Bishops of Ontario travelled to Rome in Easter Week for what is known as their visit ad limina apostolorum. This means, literally, “to the threshold of the Apostles.” Bishops are required by Canon Law to make a pilgrimage to the tombs in Rome of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The requirement historically is to do so every five years, but with the growing number of Bishops such frequency is not possible to maintain. The last time the Bishops of Canada made such a pilgrimage was in 2006. Canadian Bishops do so by region: the bishops of the Atlantic region in March, the bishops of the West and North in early April and the bishops of Quebec in May. The visit comprises Mass not only at the tombs of the two greatest Apostles (St. Peter’s at the Vatican and St. Paul-outside-the-Walls) and at the other two major Roman Basilicas (St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran), but also an audience with the Holy Father and discussion sessions at a number of dicasteries (Vatican departments) whose officials form the Roman Curia. Accompanied by my Auxiliary Bishop Christian Riesbeck CC and Episcopal Vicar Father Geoffrey Kerslake, our pilgrimage took place from April 24-30 and our meeting with Pope Francis took place on April 25, the feast of St. Mark and the 22nd anniversary of my episcopal ordination. After the Ad Limina itself, many of the bishops from Ontario went to Assisi for three days of retreat (May 1-3). Following that, Father Kerslake and I took part in the Order of Malta’s pilgrimage to Lourdes in company of, and to serve, the sick and infirm (May 4-7). On this pilgrim journey of faith I kept in prayer the needs of our local Church of Ottawa and the intentions of the priests and deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese. Meeting of Ontario Bishops with Pope Francis, April 25, 2017 Courtesy of Osservatore Romano AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM VISIT By Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J.

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Page 1: SPRING/SUMMER 2017 AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM …...SPRING/SUMMER 2017 CATHOLIC OTTAWA The Bishops of Ontario travelled to Rome in Easter Week for what is known as their visit ad limina

SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7

CATHOL IC OTTAWA

The Bishops of Ontario travelled to Rome in Easter Week for what is known as their visit ad limina apostolorum. This means, literally, “to the threshold of the Apostles.”

Bishops are required by Canon Law to make a pilgrimage to the tombs in Rome of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The requirement historically is to do so every five years, but with the growing number of Bishops such frequency is not possible to maintain.

The last time the Bishops of Canada made such a pilgrimage was in 2006. Canadian Bishops do so by region: the bishops of the Atlantic region in March, the bishops of the West and North in early April and the bishops of Quebec in May.

The visit comprises Mass not only at the tombs of the two greatest Apostles (St. Peter’s at the Vatican and St. Paul-outside-the-Walls) and at the other two major Roman Basilicas (St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran), but also an

audience with the Holy Father and discussion sessions at a number of dicasteries (Vatican departments) whose officials form the Roman Curia.

Accompanied by my Auxiliary Bishop Christian Riesbeck CC and Episcopal Vicar Father Geoffrey Kerslake, our pilgrimage took place from April 24-30 and our meeting with Pope Francis took place on April 25, the feast of St. Mark and the 22nd anniversary of my episcopal ordination.

After the Ad Limina itself, many of the bishops from Ontario went to Assisi for three days of retreat (May 1-3). Following that, Father Kerslake and I took part in the Order of Malta’s pilgrimage to Lourdes in company of, and to serve, the sick and infirm (May 4-7).

On this pilgrim journey of faith I kept in prayer the needs of our local Church of Ottawa and the intentions of the priests and deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese.

Meeting of Ontario Bishops with Pope Francis, April 25, 2017Courtesy of Osservatore Romano

AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM VISITBy Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J.

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E N G L I S H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E SCATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 72

A snapshot visually represents a person or people or some sort of scenery at one specific period in time. Here is a snapshot of the Family and Youth Ministry office (FYMO). Two years ago when the office morphed from into Family and Youth Ministry, communication was chosen as a main priority. This led to the development of our website (www.fymottawa.com), expanded use of social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and our monthly FYMO newsletter.

On the Youth Ministry side of the office, many parishes offer programs for youth and young adults. Some parishes are expanding their efforts in ministry by hiring a Family and Youth Ministry Coordinator. In January, our office celebrated the 6th annual Don Bosco Youth Ministry Gala; an occasion to gather and highlight some of the many incredible

volunteers from our parishes, groups and movements.

This year, the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team is offering opportunities for young adults to determine

their spiritual gifts, As well, it is assessing the needs of high school aged youth and will be having a summer youth rally.

In preparation for the 2018 Synod on Youth Ministry: Faith and Vocation, the FYMO is facilitating four public

meetings to collect input.

On the Family side of the office, facilitator training on the FOCCUS pre-marriage inventory training was given.

Finally, the office has assessed many of the marriage preparation models offered and is looking at the possibility of offering one of these over the summer.

FAMILY AND YOUTH MINISTRY: A SNAPSHOTBy Ted Hurley

6th annual Don Bosco Youth Ministry Gala

In Memoriam

Fr. Ernst Schoenhammer, O.M.I. died at the age of 78 on Friday, December 30th, 2016 in Ottawa.

Born on May 16, 1938 in Bamberg Germany, he was ordained to the priesthood on December 18, 1965 for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He exercised his priestly ministry at St. Albertus Pfarrgemeinde (German-speaking Parish), since arriving in Ottawa in 1966, when he was appointed associate pastor. He served as pastor since 1977. He also served as regional vicar (region II) from 2003 - 2011. In 2003, he received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his service to the German community. R.I.P.

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A R C H B I S H O P ’ S O F F I C E CATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7 3

Earlier this year, I began to discuss with the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Council of Priests a strategy to map our goals for the coming years (2017-2020).

This will help our parishes and associations focus their energies and create a vital and engaged local church.

We have chosen to adopt the invitation of Pope Francis that each Catholic see himself or herself as a “missionary disciple” called to share the gospel message of Jesus with family members, fellow parishioners and friends at school, work and play.

To do this, I am asking newly-appointed pastors to seek out a small team of parish leaders who will commit to going through a discipleship process with him. Then they will work with him so that together—pastor and flock—they may draw others to become disciples—helping people to encounter Jesus and commit to his way of life—thereby becoming mature missionary disciples.

Becoming a disciple can begin in a number of ways: following the Alpha program, taking a “Life in the Spirit” seminar, making a Cursillo weekend, embracing one of the spiritualties represented

in the archdiocese (e.g., Carmelite, Franciscan, Ignatian, Marist, Oblate, Communion and Liberation, Companions of the Cross).

The goal is that over time every parish will develop an active process of forming disciples so that parents can be equipped take up the challenge of handing on the faith to their children. Then our youth will see marriage, consecrated life and priesthood as ways to live out the call of Jesus to know Him intimately and make Him known to others. We will carry this out in an environment that protects and makes safe all who attend our parishes and groups, which our Code of Conduct requires.

I will write more on these themes in coming issues of Catholic Ottawa. For now, I invite you to make your own the call to be someone who knows, loves and learns from Jesus—His “disciple”—and become so enamoured of Him that you wish to share your experience of Him with others as a “missionary”.

May the Church of Ottawa become a faith community of missionary disciples of Jesus!

A PASTORAL VISION FOR OTTAWABy Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J.

Archbishop Prendergast celebrates Mass in Rome on the 22nd Anniversary of his Episcopal Ordination, April 25, 2017

Archbishop Prendergast and Pope Francis, April 25, 2017Courtesy of Osservatore Romano

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E N G L I S H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E SCATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 74

This Fall there will be a Ottawa-wide campaign to promote the Alpha Course in many different Christian churches including our Catholic Christian parishes. Alpha is an introduction to the Christian faith hosted by a parish comprising a shared meal, a short video presentation and a facilitated discussion of the week’s topic. It began in London England in an Anglican church, but there is a Catholic version of Alpha that has been very successful in introducing people to the Catholic Christian faith. The free downloaded talks are about thirty minutes long covering topics like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?” and “How does God guide us?” The fellowship that develops over the weekly meals and gatherings is a wonderful way to build community and

bring people together who are at many different places in their faith journey. A number of Catholic parishes in Ottawa have run Alpha courses and are offering them again this year. What is new this Fall is the interdenominational cooperation between Christian communities across the Ottawa-area in widely promoting the Alpha course so that as many people as possible have a chance to awaken or deepen their faith. For more information about Alpha, see the website alphacanda.org or contact Pastoral Services to find out how your parish can offer this free, fun and effective way of introducing someone to Christianity and helping others to explore together the truth and beauty of our Catholic Christian faith!

OTTAWA AREA FALL 2017 ECUMENICAL ALPHA CAMPAIGNBy Fr. Geoffrey Kerslake EV

• Boomers: Have you anchored your aging yet? Patricia Marsden-Dole, social justice coordinator from the archdiocese is happy to come and speak to a parish group and their boomer friends about considerations about housing and other challenges that must be engaged as we age.

• Seniors Ministry: A series of four training sessions for friendly visiting either by parishioners individually or as members for a parish ministry have been developed for parishes with large senior populations. As our population ages communities of seniors must learn to bring dignity, meaning, reconciliation, and acceptance to each other through generous and hope filled personal interactions.

• Food Banks: Food Banks in our neighbourhoods, many with large poor and or newly arrived refugee populations, continue to need the financial support and personal engagement of volunteers from our parishes. This is particularly so in the summer months when our generous supporters are often away in cottage country or on vacation. Hunger doesn’t take holidays.

FROM THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE By Patricia Marsden-Dole

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E N G L I S H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E S CATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7 5

Catholic parishes across the archdiocese continue to support refugees fleeing war and persecution by sponsoring families to help make a new start here in the nation’s capital. Since January of 2016, 24 parishes in Ottawa have committed to helping 133 people (72 adults and 61 children). We have permission to share one family’s story. The Jarous family was sponsored by the Holy Name of Mary Parish in Almonte and arrived in the Archdiocese of Ottawa in the Winter of 2016. They were warmly received and quickly settled into life in the Ottawa Valley. The family consists of Khodor and Nour, the father and mother, and one boy and two girls, Amipad, Jessica and baby Goldana. The family started their own catering business “Jessica’s Syrian Food.” With the help of the

parishioners in Almonte, the family business is off to a great start! The business catered the lunch for our Winter Pastoral Day on February 15th where attendees experienced authentic cuisine to everyone’s great delight. “Jessica’s Syrian Food” is one example of the industriousness of new Canadians in putting their skills to use and sharing their culture to everyone’s benefit. Many other parishes also can report positive news about the families they have sponsored. Catholic parishes in Ottawa have been sponsoring families for many years from different parts of the world helping people get a new start in our country. It is just one example of Catholic Christians putting our faith into action and sharing the blessings that we have received from God as proud Canadian Christians.

WELCOMING NEW CANADIANS – A FAMILY STORY FROM ALMONTEBy Fr. Geoffrey Kerslake EV

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E N G L I S H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E SCATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 76

Every economic decision that we take in our parishes must consider its impact on God’s creation. As declared by Pope Francis at the Interreligious General Audience held on October 28, 2015, “We must always seek to leave the world better than we found it, beginning with the environment in which we live, and the small gestures of our daily life.”

Temporal decisions within our parishes that reflect care for God’s creation can yield financial benefits for our parishes. We welcome our new Property Manager, Michael Falardeau and volunteer Data Analyst Philip Yung to the Archdiocese, both of whom are working in collaboration with the Archdiocesan Care for Creation Ministry to identify parishes that could

benefit from ecological initiatives that reduce energy costs while helping the environment.

One project currently underway is the Save On Energy Program which is overseen by local electricity distributors. Eligible parishes receive a free onsite lighting assessment, up to $2000 in incentives for energy efficient lighting upgrades, and a “turnkey” approach to lighting installation. The result: lower energy consumption and an example of our efforts to “leave the world better than we found it”. To learn more about programs that help our parishes serve as stewards of God’s creation, please contact John Dorner (613-738-5025, ext. 251).

PARISH LIFE – LEAVING THE WORLD BETTER THAN WE FOUND ITBy John Dorner

ON SITE LIGHTING ASSESSMENT AT ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH - Philip Yung (Data Analyst), Tammy Blackburn (Lighting Assessor) and Michael McGrath (Custodian, St. Augustine Parish)

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J U B I L A R I A N S CATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7 7

Fr. Vincent Pereira (40 years)

Fr. Pereira was born September 23, 1950, at Udyavar, India. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 27, 1977, in Holy Name Cathedral, in Bombay, India, for the Diocese of Bellary, South India. In India, he served as Associate Pastor at St. Mary’s Parish (Manvi), Assistant Director for 2 years at St. Anthony’s Community Development Centre (Bellary) and Director for communications for evangelization purposes (Bellary). He has served the Church of Ottawa as Assistant Pastor at Blessed Sacrament (Ottawa), Assistant Pastor at Holy Redeemer Parish (Kanata),Associate Pastor at St. Maurice’s Parish (Nepean), Administrator at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Ottawa), Member of the Ottawa Regional Tribunal, Pastor of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal parish (Russell), Administrator of St. Ignatius Parish (Ottawa),Pastor of St. Augustine’s Parish (Ottawa), Member of the Council of Priest, Diocesan Consultor, Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Ministry of Region IV(English sector), Regional Vicar, Region IV (English sector), Pastor of St. Augustine’s Parish (Ottawa), Associate Judicial Vicar to the Ottawa Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunal, Interim Judicial Vicar, Judicial Vicar of the Ottawa Regional Tribunal, Pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church (Ottawa) and Judge of the Ottawa Regional Tribunal. He is the author of a number of several publications.

Father Daniel Hawkins, M.S.F. (40 years)

Father Daniel Hawkins, M.S.F., was born on September 2, 1947. He attended elementary and secondary schools in Toronto before pursuing post-secondary studies at the University of St. Louis in Missouri and at Saint-Paul University in Ottawa. He was ordained with the Missionaries of the Holy Family in his home parish of Corpus Christi in Toronto on September 4, 1977. Since his ordination, he has served as Vocation Recruiter, Novice Director and taught in various schools in Buckingham and Ottawa. His appointments in our diocese were as follows: Chaplain of St. Patrick’s Junior High School, Administrator of St. Monica’s Community, Pastor of St. Monica’s Parish, Pastor of St. Martin de Porres Parish, Pastor of St. Leonard’s Parish (Manotick) and is now serving as Pastor of St. Basil Parish.

These are the English sector jubilarians for this year. Please see Catholique Ottawa – édition du printemps / été 2016 for our French sector Jubilarians’ biographies. Our Francophone Jubilarians are : (60 years) Msgr. Roger Quesnel, P.H.; (55 years) Fr. Robert Maurice; Fr. Jean-Louis Gosselin; Msgr. Gérard St-Denis, P.H.; (50 years) Fr. Gilles Tanguay; Fr. Gilles Marcil; (40 years) Fr. Gratien Girod; (25 years) Fr. Daniel Paquin and Fr. Alain Guèvremont.

Other priests in our archdiocese are celebrating anniversaries are : (60 years) Friar Jacques Tremblay, o.p.; (55 years) Fr. Francis Morrisey, O.M.I.; (50 years) Fr. Timothy Amyot, o.s.m.; Friar Yvon Gélinas, o.p.; (40 years) Fr. Normand Brûlé, O.M.I.; (25 years) Fr. Lukose Kochupurackal, C.M.F.

2017 JUBILARIANS

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T R I B U N A LCATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 78

MARRIAGE & CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGYBy Fr. Vincent Pereira, JCD, JV.

Anthropology is a science that deals with the origins, cultural developments and social customs and beliefs of human persons. Christian anthropology originates from the Biblical creation narratives where from the beginning, “God created humankind in his image … male and female He created them”, and by saying “Be fruitful and multiply” [Gen.1:27-28]. This bears the seal of Christian marriage and thereby God also endows the persons with transcending capacity – a capacity to love and a capacity to be loved. From a Christian anthropological viewpoint, the persons are capable of freely choosing, electing and entering into a marital interpersonal and a covenantal relationship. This relationship becomes a channel of interplay for the good of the spouses involving freedom, love, conjugal intimacy and the offspring. Marriage is a sacred and social reality with laws, obligations, rights and responsibilities which safeguard the sanctity of marriage and family.

The secular world does not take into consideration the sacredness of marriage as we are made aware by the high rate of divorces, separations and cohabitations. A Roman Rotal Judge Rev. Vito Pio Pinto says that those difficulties arise “from the context of profound anthropological transformation of our day, in which the faithful themselves risk being especially affected by a lack of solid Christian formation.” Mere secular anthropological presuppositions are not reconcilable with Christian anthropological

foundations because the secular anthropological concepts are neither rooted in Christian philosophy nor in Christian theological principles. St. John Paul II warned the Church lawyers, judges and other officials: “Such danger is not merely hypothetical if we consider that the anthropological vision, from which numerous trends in the field of contemporary psychological sciences originate, is on the whole decidedly irreconcilable with the essential elements of Christian anthropology. This is so because that vision is closed to values and meaning which transcend the immanent factor and which allow human beings to tend towards the love of God and of their neighbor as their final vocation.” Christian anthropological values are Christologically centred whose primary concern and goal is to form our minds and hearts according to His Will in order that we may carry out our Christian vocation and mission of married life and family.

The vision of Christian anthropology always promotes harmony in Christian marriage that is between man and woman created in the image of God to know and to love Him and this vision is a permanent, exclusive, intimate conjugal community of life and love, for the good of the spouses, for mutual self-donation, for procreation, committed to fulfilment and not for self-gratification – all to cause happiness for the married persons in their marital and familial journey.

SACRED PLACES FOR SACRED MEMORIES...

IN THE TRADITION OF FAITH

Hope Cemetery4660 Bank StreetOttawa ON K1T 3W7 613-822-1212hopecemetery.ca

Notre-Dame Cemetery 455 Montreal Road Ottawa ON K1K 0V2 613-746-4175notredamecemetery.ca

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A D M I N I S T R AT I O N CATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7 9

MISSED OPPORTUNITIESBy Ted Prowse

When one dies, the full value of their RRSP or RRIF is included in income. The income inclusion is deferred when the spouse is the beneficiary or in certain other special situations.

I recently reviewed the estate of a widow and saw the substantial amount of income tax that was payable. Over 50% tax on most of the value of the RRIF, a great amount of tax. The deceased could have taken advantage of the charitable donation provisions of the Income Tax Act to benefit the Church and reduce income tax.

One consideration would have been to bequest an amount to the Church. This would have provided funds for continued Parish or Archdiocese initiatives as well as saving tax at over a 50% rate.

Another alternative would have been to make donations to the Church during the deceased’s lifetime. The non refundable donation tax credit would be equal to or greater than the tax on the withdrawn funds and would reduce the tax payable. This method would have been reviewed carefully because of old age security implications, etc.

Governments encourage donations to the Church via generous income tax reductions. Parishioners should plan their affairs carefully and, in doing so, consider the benefits in making donation(s) to the Catholic Church. There is no time like the present to plan one’s affairs.

PREPAID OFFERINGS FOR MASSESBy Ted Prowse

In this fast moving world the silent wishes of a deceased may not be fulfilled. Many Catholics would appreciate that after they die, Masses would be offered for their intentions and those of family members. This is a great way to bring family members together to remember and pray for the deceased and loved ones.

Consideration might be given to establishing a fund prior to one’s death or, via one’s will, so that Masses could be offered for their intentions during the year and for several future years. The Masses could be offered at your Parish or another Parish, should you so choose.

The established fund could also be used to make annual donations to your Parish where the income generated by the fund is greater than the yearly offering for the Masses. This continues your support of the Parish on an annual basis.

What a wonderful way to insure that prayers will be offered up for you and your family in the future. This is a new program being offered by the Archdiocese. Please contact the Development Office at the Archdiocese of Ottawa for further details at [email protected] .

In Memoriam

Father André Fortin died on Monday, January 9, 2017 at the age of 85 years.

Born on June 5, 1932 in Cobalt, Ontario, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 17, 1960 at Saint-Jean-Marie-Vianney Parish in Gatineau. Holding a Master`s degree in Library Science and a license in Canon Law, not only did he teach at St. Pius X Seminary for nearly ten years, he also served the diocese as Assistant-Chancellor, Archivist, Associate Judicial Vicar and Judicial Vicar at the Ottawa Ecclesiastical Tribunal until his retirement in 2004. Father Fortin also served parishes of the Archdiocese as Administrator, Assistant Pastor and Pastor.

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F R E N C H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E SCATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 710

In 2017, reaching out to the young in a meaningful way is not always easy. It sometimes seems like it’s a challenge that’s impossible to meet, yet Saint-Remi parish has made it a priority.

For the last three years, at the beginning of the pastoral year, a group of parishioners meet to develop a strategy on how best to provide, allocate and integrate, time and space for youth ministry. When we started, we had between four and ten young persons at our youth group meetings. We changed our approach, we listen to Pope Francis. We went out of our comfort zone. A member of the Knights of Columbus asked me how we manage to attract so many dynamic young persons each Sunday. The answer: we started to listen to them.

On April 8, at our diocesan gathering and celebration of World Youth Day – WYD 2017, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, members of the Saint-Remi youth ministry team were invited to read the different parts of the Passion of Christ. We had asked them

beforehand if they would like to do that. They were excited; they felt they were given a part to play in the Church. Each volunteered according to his or her interest or capacity. Some volunteered to do a reading; others to accomplish other tasks. All were enthusiastic. Their participation certainly helped give a different tone or coloring to the celebration. You will find below the copy of an e-mail I received from one of the participants. Eunice has been a member of the Saint-Remi Youth Team from the very start. At first she was very shy; she didn’t talk or smile very much. Now, while we can say that she remains a discreet person, she smiles much more and is more at ease to express her feelings. It was a nice surprise to get this message from her: “Good Sunday Sister Mona, Manon, Dao & Gyvenska. I just want to thank you for this Saturday of preparation for the World youth Day celebration. Thank you for taking time to be with us to prepare that Day, for being with the young members of Saint-Remi’s parish. I think I can speak for everyone when I say : Much appreciated. Thanks again, have a good week and God bless you all !’’

YOUTH MINISTRY AT SAINT-REMI PARISHBy Manon Chevalier

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F R E N C H PA S T O R A L S E R V I C E S CATHOL IC OT TAWA † SPR ING /SUMMER 20 1 7 11

POPE FRANCIS CALLS US TO ACTIONBy Gilles Marleau

In our time, as Pope Francis reminds us, we are experiencing a bout of “piecemeal” violence, of different kinds and levels, which causes great suffering: wars; terrorism, organized crime and unforeseen acts of violence; abuses of all kinds; and the devastation of the environment. Before this tragic situation, it is important all persons of goodwill coordinate their efforts to give an effective response to these challenges. It is important to proclaim the equal dignity of all human beings and to build bridges between peoples and individuals, bridges that can overcome the walls of exclusion, indifference racism and intolerance.

In his message to the participants in the Meeting of Popular Movements held in California in February, Pope Francis invited Christians to take a close look at what is going on in the world around them and to take action towards social justice. Christ has entrusted to us with the important mission of taking care of those who suffer in their bodies and in their spirit, of bringing to them God’s mercy and salvation.

Catholics will find in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church a document that will guide them and help them see the realities of the temporal world, a document in

which they will find enlightenment for their own specific mission. Christian communities will be able to look to this document for assistance in analyzing situations objectively, in clarifying them in the light of the unchanging words of the Gospel, in drawing principles for reflection, criteria for judgment and guidelines for action (Compendium §11)

Finally, let us ponder these words of Pope Francis: By confronting terror with love, we work for peace.

Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) contains mystical teachings that are truly bearers of joy. “The couple that loves and begets life is a true, living icon […] capable of revealing God the Creator and Saviour. For this reason, fruitful love becomes a symbol of God’s inner life (cf. Gen 1:28; 9:7; 17:2-5, 16; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3-4)” (Amoris Laetitia no. 11). Pope Francis suggests that couples who have elected to commit their lives to one another in a sacramental union must strive to live their lives in a way that bears witness to the loving mystery of God. Pope Francis goes on to say that the couple’s fruitful relationship and, by extension, the relationship that unites all members in the family, becomes an image for understanding and describing the mystery of God himself, the Christian vision of the Trinity. Pope Francis then quotes Saint John Paul II: “Our God in his deepest mystery is not solitude, but a family, for he has within himself fatherhood, sonship and the essence of the family, which is love.’’ These teachings are not of Pope Francis’ own making; he only brings back to light the Trinitarian dimension already present in the theology of Saint Paul, who relates the couple to the “mystery” of the union of Christ and the Church (cf. Eph 5:21-33). (Amoris Laetitia no. 11). In his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI also stressed that ‘marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes an icon of the relationship between God and his people’ (Amoris Laetitia no. 70). And, so, the couple united

in the sacrament of marriage bears witness not only to the love that exists in God’s inner person but also to God’s love for all Creation (Amoris Laetitia nos. 71 and 72). In the sacrament, Christ himself ‘encounters Christian spouses... He dwells with them, gives them the strength’ (Amoris Laetitia nos. 71 to 73).

This idea of image which is at the heart of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation is full of meaning. In the first Greek translations of the Book of Genesis (The Septuagint) where it is said that God created humans as male and female, it is also said that it is in his image that he created them (Gen 1:27). The word ‘image’ comes from the word ‘eikon’ in Greek, a word we also translate as icon. In the Christian tradition, an icon is not simply a work of art; it is above all a manifestation of the spiritual world.

And, so, if the couple represents such a degree of holiness that it is said to an icon of the love of God, ‘sexual union, lovingly experienced and sanctified by the sacrament, is in turn a path of growth in the life of grace for the couple’, in the life they share in common, in the life of the whole family (Amoris Laetitia no. 74). The ministers of the sacrament of marriage are the man and the woman who marry. Their consent and their bodily union are the divinely appointed means whereby they become “one flesh” (Amoris Laetitia no. 75).

THE COUPLE, AN ICON OF GOD’S LOVEBy Serge Cazelais

Page 12: SPRING/SUMMER 2017 AD LIMINA APOSTOLORUM …...SPRING/SUMMER 2017 CATHOLIC OTTAWA The Bishops of Ontario travelled to Rome in Easter Week for what is known as their visit ad limina

This newsletter is published by the Communications Office of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, 1247 Kilborn Place, Ottawa, ON, K1H 6K9 Tel: 613-738-5025; Fax: 613-738-0130 www.catholicottawa.ca

ISSN 1927-2618 (Print)ISSN 1927-2626 (Online)

- RECENT DIOCESAN EVENTS -

Sanctifying Families Couples’ NightSenhor Santo Cristo Parish, February 11, 2017

Family DayNotre Dame Cathedral, February 20, 2017

Christmas ConcertNotre Dame Cathedral, December 12, 2016

Homelands MassNotre Dame Cathedral, January 22, 2017

Blessing of the New MausoleumNotre Dame Cemetery, February 2, 2017

Communion and LiberationNotre Dame Cathedral, February 24, 2017

Vespers – Closing of the Year of MercyNotre Dame Cathedral, November 16, 2016

Rite of ElectionNotre Dame Cathedral, March 5, 2017