• Home »
  • Canada »
  • Nun arrested at Toronto bank protest
hand and heart

The recent post office troubles have impacted our regular fundraising efforts. Please consider supporting the Register and Catholic journalism by using one of the methods below:

  • Donate online
  • Donate by e-transfer to accounting@catholicregister.org
  • Donate by telephone: 416-934-3410 ext. 406 or toll-free 1-855-441-4077 ext. 406
A “pray-in” at a Toronto bank branch April 9 led to the arrest of nine, including a Catholic nun.
A “pray-in” at a Toronto bank branch April 9 led to the arrest of nine, including a Catholic nun. Photo by Martin Reis

Nun arrested at Toronto bank protest

By 
  • April 9, 2024

Nine religious leaders, including a Catholic nun, were arrested by Toronto Police following a “pray-in” at a downtown RBC branch April 9.

The protest was against RBC’s continued funding of fossil fuel projects. 

“RBC is fueling a climate disaster,” said Sr. Mary-Ellen Francoeur, who was among the nine charged with trespassing for disrupting operations at the bank branch at Yonge and Gerrard Streets. “We are calling on RBC shareholders to think of future generations and to vote to immediately end funding for new fossil fuel projects and wind down existing funding as soon as possible.”

Those arrested at the pray-in are leaders or members of Catholic, Anglican, Baptist and Unitarian congregations in Toronto. 

Among those arrested was Rev. Bob Paterson-Watt, minister of Woodbine Heights Baptist Church.

“As people of faith we believe we have a moral duty to protect God’s creation,” said Paterson-Watt. “That means non-violently resisting the RBC’s business-as-usual investment in fossil fuel projects that fuel climate-linked fires, floods, droughts and heatwaves, even if that means going to jail.”

RBC was the world’s second largest financier of fossil fuel projects in 2022, according to the Banking on Climate Chaos website. It said in 2022 alone RBC made $36 billion investments in fossil fuels, the site said.

The others arrested were Len Desroches, Anglican Rev. Michael Van Dusen, Suzanne Maziarz, Lyn Adamson, Margaret Rao, Kim Bradshaw and Brooke Lydbrooke.

Tagged under:

Related items

More in this category: « The future of Catholic education? Bar association pushing abortion rights »

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE