Readers Speak Out: July 18-25, 2021
Shared responsibility
Canada’s Catholic bishops need to apologize for the Church’s involvement in residential schools, but not because of public pressure or demands by the Indigenous people of Canada, or requests by the prime minister, or even by the Parliament. Rather the bishops need to apologize in order to exemplify the virtue of solidarity, one of the most revered principles of Catholic social teaching.
$60 million settles sexual abuse suit
Quebec’s Brothers of the Sacred Heart agreed to pay $60 million to settle two class-action lawsuits on clerical sexual abuse.
With Ontario moving into Step 3 of its reopening plan as of 12:01 a.m. July 16, there will no longer be capacity limits for places of worship. That won’t mean, however, that churches will be wide open for Mass.
The Catholic bishops of Saskatchewan have begun the process for a new fundraising campaign to support survivors of residential schools.
Readers Speak Out: July 4-11, 2021
‘Bowdlerized’ reality
The horrific news of the residential schools grave sites created such an avalanche of rancour against the Catholic Church that factual information was either deliberately ignored or distorted.
Canadian delegations of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican Dec. 17-20.
Readers Speak Out: June 27, 2021
No closure
Re: Lets set record straight on papal apologies (June 16):
Fr. Raymond De Souza correctly reports that Chief Phil Fontaine, a residential school survivor and three- time leader of the Assembly of First Nations, met with Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 and spoke positively about the conciliatory and compassionate words of regret expressed by this pope.
Prayer created for National Indigenous Peoples Day
To mark the 25th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada on June 21, the Canadian Conference Catholic Bishops (CCCB) have released a prayer titled “Prayer for Tolerance, Forgiveness, Reconciliation.”
Readers Speak Out: June 20, 2021
United mothers
Re: Prayers, sorrow for Kamloops children (June 13):
I am a Catholic mother of five. In my 20s, my encounter with Christ changed the course of my life. When I became a mom, I was moved to help shape my culture and actively tried to do so. It is inconceivable to me that other mothers would have had their children ripped from their very arms in the name of this culture, in the name of Christ.
The Catholic Register earned recognition in 14 categories at the Catholic Press Association Awards on June 10, including two first-place awards for our columnists and six writing awards for Associate Editor Michael Swan.