News - February 2021 RSS Feed

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is pleased to introduce Journey Through Lent, a new video series that offers reflections on Gospel readings for each Sunday in Lent. As Canadian Catholic faithful continue to experience the pandemic’s challenging realities, this series is meant to be a source of deep spiritual solace and insightful pastoral preparation for Easter. The videos will feature the Most Reverend Gerard Bergie, Bishop of St. Catharines and the Most Reverend Marcel Damphousse, Archbishop of Ottawa-Cornwall, who provide meaningful spiritual and pastoral reflections for individuals, families and communities as they prepare to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The 2021 Message of Pope Francis for Lent is titled “ ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem’ (Mt 20:18), Lent: a Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love”. In his message, the Holy Father writes: “In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember the One who ‘humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross’ (Phil 2:8). During this season of conversion, let us renew our faith, draw from the ‘living water’ of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.”

For several weeks now, I have been receiving requests for clarification on the subject of vaccination. I have taken my time to answer these questions because it is a complex reality and it is important, in my position, to offer the faithful of our Diocesan Church statements that are truthful and clear. It is important to note that there is a lot of information circulating in social networks on this subject. Experts in the field of health seem to contradict each other on different aspects of the question. In addition, there are positions based on conspiracies, both political and religious. There is enough material in the media to confuse even the most learned.

The liturgical season of Lent is fast approaching. On February 17, the Church will begin the holy season with Ash Wednesday. For many of the faithful, this is a sacred day when a visit to the church is desired to celebrate Mass and receive the ashes. We hope that by this date, the lockdown will be lifted and we will be able to regain the freedom to return to our churches in greater numbers, always respecting the restrictions and precautions to ensure health security for all. This year, the imposition of ashes can only be done by sprinkling ashes on the top of the head (not on the forehead). This is a form permitted by the Roman ritual.

In a Decree of Implementation issued on 8 December 2020, and following a request from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments sent to the Episcopal Conferences of all English-speaking countries, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) agreed to adjust the English-language wording to the conclusion of the Collect (the opening prayer) in the Roman Missal as approved for use in Canada. As of Ash Wednesday, 17 February 2021, the word “one” is to be omitted from the conclusion of the Collect, and likewise of similar prayers in the liturgy (for example, the Blessing of Water at the Easter Vigil). Instead of ending “one God, for ever and ever”, the Collect will now end “God, for ever and ever”.

Beginning 2 March 2021, the Office for Evangelization and Catechesis (English Sector) of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will offer a four-part webinar series entitled Nurturing Friendship, the Directory for Catechesis in Dialogue with the Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, and invites individuals who are responsible for evangelization and catechesis including, clergy, consecrated persons, laity involved in ministry, directors and coordinators of evangelization and catechesis, and Catholic educators to participate.

ST. ANDREWS WEST — It’s -21 C at 8:35 a.m., and the trickle of cars turning into the parking lot at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church is underway, soon to become a steady stream.