There was much buzz at the recent Synod on Synodality in Rome regarding the possibility of women deacons. In the New Testament, St. Paul refers to a woman named Phoebe as a “servant” or “deacon,” and “patron of many” (Romans 16:1-2), and it seems that at one time in the early Church, women had designated roles of service that no longer exist in the same form today.
I am very disappointed in the articles in The Catholic Register on current wars. This is a religious publication purportedly supporting the thoughts of Pope Francis. Let it do so. Let us have more news about the works of our Pope and his ambassadors to Ukraine, Russia, Israel and Palestine. We do not need the chest thumping and righteous anger spewed out in the current publication. Do I have to look in The Toronto Star for news of the great works of our Pope? Should I not hear such news amidst calming, peace-calling solutions from your newspaper?
In the Oct. 15 issue, Glen Argan laments the drop in priestly vocations in Canada (“Still waiting for Vatican II to bear fruit”). He believes that if the laity follow their call to be the light of the world, more vocations will be forthcoming. Vocations to the priesthood often began with the experience of altar boys. The tendency to downplay the importance of altar servers discourages vocations.
Anna Farrow’s excellent article about consecrated virgins in the Nov. 5 edition was a joy to read, but there is an error. The actual name of this ecclesiastical province is the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, having been formed by a merger of the Archdiocese of Ottawa with the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall in 2020.
The Editor’s response to John Killackey’s “Let the revolution begin” letter of Oct. 22 was cute but incomplete.
Regarding the Editor’s comment on my letter published in The Catholic Register Oct. 22 issue:
This morning I filled the hatch of my car with donations of winter clothing from parishioners to be distributed to homeless people in Edmonton’s inner city. It’s the start of a Christmas collection by the ecumenical Inner City Pastoral Ministry, and this is early November. The donations will likely swell in the weeks ahead.
I must respond to the column by Peter Stockland in the "What is history without the truth?" in October 15 issue of The Catholic Register.
Three of us from Concerned Lay Catholics agreed to make the trip to Rome. We saw this as an opportunity to connect with and learn from similar organizations working in other parts of the world, and to learn as much as possible about the official Synodal process itself. We had connections to people both inside and outside the process, so we were confident that our experience would be balanced and well-informed.
One of my favourite things about public speaking is the conversations that happen at the end of the event. After ideas, emotions and (hopefully) the Spirit whirl around a large room with many hearts, something is distilled between two previous strangers. There is such immense trust in these brief encounters. A story to share. Words of gratitude. Another perspective.
As a newcomer to Vancouver, and in only the second year of my presidency at Corpus Christi and St. Mark’s College, I am still in a stage of wonder, discovering new things every day, about the city and indeed about the colleges themselves.