Back To School? Already?

Yes, I hate to say it or even write it but we're moving towards the end of summer. With a late Labour Day this year, some are even about to begin school shortly. It's time to take an inventory of all that we accomplished over the summer months - time with family, if we're lucky, a vacation from our day to day activities, travel, sunshine (actually rain) and enjoying God's creation.

It's good to see even our Archbishop is getting a few well deserved days off. That said, I still received a call last week in between acts outside of a play at the Shaw Festival from His Grace. For some, there is no "down time"...

With September on the horizon, it's time for the young people to hit the books once again. For those who lead them in their day to day education, it's also a new beginning. To help support and affirm all Catholics who work in the field of education, each year there is a liturgical celebration, dinner and talk to help prepare them for the year ahead.
The 8th Annual Education Mass, sponsored by the Catholic Teacher's Guild, takes place on Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Paul's Basilica in downtown Toronto. Following mass there is a dinner and talk by Archbishop Collins on "Scripture & Education". All the details can be found by accessing the invite from His Grace along with a poster for additional info. All are welcome.

By the way, if you want to be inspired, check out the Toronto Star's profile on some of the top students across the GTA this past year. With some averaging 99 or even 100% in ALL courses, it's pretty amazing. Even more affirming is taking a look at the volunteer work and outreach that all of these students have been involved with. Kudos on their amazing accomplishments!

Let's say a special prayer as our young people embark on a new school year, whether it be at the elementary, secondary or post-secondary level. I can still remember my own first day of senior kindergarten, requiring a bribe of a popsicle from my Mom to ensure I would enter the school. I think the janitor even got in on the act, promising to replenish my supply if necessary.

While most don't need that sort of motivation, we wish them all the best and thank all those, from the janitor to school secretaries, teachers, educational assistants, principals and more for the wonderful job they do in sowing the seeds of faith in our young people. May there be plenty of popsicles for you all!

Graphics: FreeFoto, Google Images

Catholic Health Care: A unique blend of care and caring...

In speaking with a reporter at a secular media outlet this week, he told me of his frustration as a Catholic in trying to defend the faith. In the newsroom or in his travels, he found plenty of negative stereotypes about the church that seem to crop up regardless of the issue being discussed. "Why don't people understand the huge reach of the church and how our community would not be the same without our contributions?"

I concur. Most folks know us for the doctrine and the buildings but have little appreciation for what's going on "behind the scenes". A perfect example is the Catholic community's contribution to the health care sector.

Just looking at the province of Ontario, there are more than 30 Catholic facilities that continue to care for patients - body, mind and spirit. Their unique blend of care and caring has been in place for hundreds of years. From well known facilities like St. Michael's Hospital in downtown Toronto to St. Joseph's Hospice in Sarnia, St. Joseph's Villa in Sudbury and the Mental Health Care Centre in Penetanguishine, a Catholic presence is strengthening the entire community in our province.

Without the contribution of these fine insitutions, many of whom were found by women religious hundreds of years ago, our health care system would not be the same. At a time when we see Americans grappling with how to create a health care system that works, we see facilities inspired by the healing ministry of Jesus that quietly make a difference every day.

Each year, the Catholic Health Association of Ontario hosts a conference - this year's gathering takes place in toronto September 23-25, 2009 at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Toronto. The theme: In Our Hands: Sustaining Catholic Health Care into the Future. Those who may be interested in issues around health care from a faith perspective should consider attending.

As is tradition, a post- convention ethics conference takes place each year, put on by the good folks at the Centre for Clinical Ethics (a shared service of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph's Health Centre and St. Michael's Hospital). The one day session is entitled "Affirming an Ethic of Health Care: Back to the Future.

These are great opportunities for our family of faith to learn more about how the Catholic community is front and centre, supporting our community from the first breath of life to the final moments of life's journey.

Special thanks to all those who are involved in the vocation of health care. We are grateful to the women and men who have paved the way, carving the path for a ministry that is vibrant and collaborative, caring and compassionate, always mindful of their duty to care for those suffering with dignity and respect.

Photos: CHAO, Centre for Clinical Ethics

A Faith That Acts! Euthanasia & Bill C-384

We're hearing more and more about the whole issue of euthanasia and end of life care in the media these days. Thankfully, we're also starting to hear faith communities speak out and educate their congregations on what can be done to "turn the tide".

In Canada, a private members' bill C-384 has been tabled in our parliament. Its summary states the following: "This enactment amends the Criminal Code to allow a medical practitioner, subject to certain conditions, to aid a person who is experiencing severe physical or mental pain without any prospect of relief or is suffering from a terminal illness to die with dignity once the person has expressed his or her free and informed consent to die."

For years, the church has spoken about the reverence for life from the moment of conception to natural death. There's nothing natural about speeding up the process and allowing someone else to cause our death through euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. For this reason, people of all faiths and none at all are raising up their voices, contacting their political representatives and urging them to vote against Bill C-384.

Catholic dioceses across the country have distributed information on what our family of faith can do. In short, we're inviting Catholics to contact their local member of Parliament, by phone, email, letter or in person, to respectfully register their concern about this proposed legislation. The summer is a good time to find your member at home in their local constituency office.

We are also asking our government officials to look at palliative care programs and how they can be expanded across the country. These programs work to assist those who are suffering, to offer them support and care in their final days. Palliative care programs also work with the families of those who are sick, offering the complete support that those in their final days deserve.

We've recently updated a special section of our website that provides visitors with all sorts of resources to help educate, inspire and motivate Catholics to action. It's important for us all to not only learn more about these issues but also to live a faith that acts and do all that we can to speak out.

Encourage your family and friends to take action on this important issue. For many, the measure of our society is how we treat the most vulnerable among us. Many Catholic health facilities have led the way in pioneering palliative care in recent years. Let us treat the sick and suffering with dignity, compassion, love and respect until they are called home to the Lord.

We need look no further than the example of the late Pope John Paul II for an individual who showed us how to live and how to die. Is there anyone among us who can say that the final days of the late Pontiff's life were somehow less significant or impactful than his healthiest years? It's time to turn the tide...

Photos: Archdiocese of Toronto

Putting Together 2 Minutes of Television...

From time to time, in this space, we try and give you a sense of some of the work of the PR/Communications Dept. for the Archdiocese. My previous blog entry spoke of the Saturday ordination of Toronto's newest priest, Fr. Mounir El-Rassi. Some of you may have watched a very nice story put together by Karlene Nation at CTV Toronto that appeared on the Sunday supper hour newscast - a 2 minute and 30 second story. Sounds simple enough. Well let's rewind to show you a little more about how the story came to be.

It starts on the afternoon of Thursday, August 13, 2009. I'm in Ottawa for meetings so Nerissa Flores in our office takes a call from Karlene. She's looking to do a story about vocations, someone interested in religious life. Can we find a man and a woman to profile for a story that will run this weekend?

Knowing Mounir's ordination was taking place in two days made finding our male interviewee a slam dunk. Check. Finding a woman moving into religious life proved a more difficult challenge.

For the next 3 hours, Nerissa works the phones - one religious community declines confessing they had a bad experience previously with the media and are reluctant to speak for this story; another religious community tries to line someone up only to find out the individual is not available. Finally, close to 5 p.m., Nerissa tracks down a woman from the Sisters of the Precious Blood, prepared to go on camera the next day. Great job Nerissa!

Meanwhile, in Ottawa, I'm working the phones to set up something with Mounir, hopeful that he will be available the day before his ordination for a chat with the media.

Friday morning arrives only for us to learn that CTV only has time in the segment to profile one of the individuals and they elect to go with the priest. We agree to meet at St. Barnabas Parish in Scarborough (where Mounir was completing his internship) at 11:00 a.m. for an interview and some b-roll (footage that can be used to help tell the story). I call the Sisters of Precious Blood with apologies for the cancelled interview (I think they're actually relieved).

St. Barnabas Parish is unique as the rectory (clergy living quarters) is not attached to the church. It's about 5 km away. Enroute I call Mounir to ask if he can bring some casual clothes as well as his traditional "blacks" to wear as I just received an email from Karlene asking for some casual clothes. Mounir happily makes the trek back to the rectory and does a quick change, arriving back at the church as the CTV crew arrives, with a smiling Karlene Nation leading the way.

We settle in the offices of the parish for the interview, which goes about 30 minutes. Mounir tells his vocation story about 5 times, as Karlene puts it, "to help everyday viewers understand the story in simple terms." All the while, the pastor of the parish, Fr. Edwin Gonsalves is preparing for a Friday noon hour wedding taking place steps away.

We finish the interview and prepare to film some b-roll. Two late guests for the wedding and the parish caretaker are solicited into helping out for an "interactive" conversation with Mounir. He walks in and out of the church about 10 times so that the camera operator can get the appropriate angle.

My cell phone rings - it's a woman looking for a letter of congratulations from the Pope for her parents' 71st wedding anniversary which takes place Saturday. I digress...
A happy Filipino couple, newly married, comes out of the church to find a smiling Mounir greeting them with CTV cameras filming away. They must wonder how their Friday noontime nuptials have attracted such attention.

An interview with yours truly on the formation process for priests takes place - it lasts about 10 minutes (they end up using 8 seconds - I'm not insulted - this is standard practice). Mounir does some more friendly hellos on camera before we wrap things up. It's about 1:30 p.m. - 2.5 hours since we began.

In the course of the afternoon, I receive 4 more phone calls and 3 emails from Karlene asking to clarify a number of issues, pronunciations, spelling, etc. The last call comes at 7:00 p.m. in the midst of feeding a baby pureed squash.

Saturday morning I arrive at St. Michael's Cathedral about 9:30 a.m. Carol Charles, camera operator at CTV is there and we get her in position for the best spot to film during the ordination. Karlene shows up about 30 minutes into the ordination and is soon in tears, moved by the beauty of the ceremony. We say our goodbyes shortly thereafter and I say a quiet prayer that the story will be one that Fr. Mounir can be proud of.

The story is a good one. It airs during the 6 p.m. newscast. It's an accurate piece, warm, respectful and tells the wonderful faith journey of a man who began his discernment in his 20's in Lebanon and, this weekend, at the age of 42 became Toronto's newest Catholic priest.

Three days, 25 phone calls, 19 emails, one cancelled interview, one tired seminarian I mean priest, a tearful reporter and a baby who enjoys squash. All for 2 minutes 30 seconds. Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

Photos: CTV, Freefoto.com

Car Audio Installer Wired for the Priesthood!

This weekend, the Archdiocese of Toronto will be blessed once again with a priestly ordination. Most come to expect ordinations on Mother's Day weekend in May, which is the norm for our family of faith. That said, sometimes God has other plans and, this weekend, we will welcome Mounir El-Rassi as the newest priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto.

Mounir began his priestly formation for the Melkite Catholic Rite. By way of background, there are a number of Eastern Rite faith communities that are in communion with Rome. These include the Ukrainian, Slovak, Maronite, Melkite Eparchy and other rites. Having grown up in the Melkite Catholic Rite, Mounir began his faith formation in this tradition.

As his studies evolved, he felt a call to serve for the Archdiocese of Toronto as a Roman Catholic Priest. With the blessing of the Melkite Bishop and Archbishop Collins, not to mention the approval of the Vatican, he continued his studies and has just completed a year long internship at St. Barnabas Parish in Scarborough.

Mounir was born in Lebanon, a war torn country in the mid 1960's. As a youngster, priesthood wasn't part of his plan (even when suggested by his mom) even though he loved attending church. The second in a family of six children, five boys and one girl, Mounir arrived in Canada in 1990 with two brothers and an aunt. Three years later the rest of his family would arrive.

Work wise Mounir tried his hand for three years as a Car Audio Installer. Later he studied Computer Networking before embraking on four years in the real estate industry. While the work provided freedom and financial rewards, he was feeling more and more empty.

Instead Mounir found himself turning to prayer and scripture for answers. He developed a special devotion to Mary and describes his time studying at St. Augustine's Seminary as "the best days of my life."

So our thoughts and prayers go to the soon to be Fr. Mounir. If you feel like stopping by the ordination ceremony, it takes place Saturday morning 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael's Cathedral.

We continue to give thanks for the gift of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Considering the call? We've got plenty of information online to help with the discernment process.

During this Year of the Priest, we give thanks for Mounir and all those who faithfully serve the church. This former audio expert definitely heard the call loud and clear. His final installation will soon be complete...

Photos: Pioneer, Google Images

The Mystery Worshipper: At A Church Near You...

Part of our work in communications involves tracking what's being said about the church. Whether it's the Archdiocese, the Archbishop, the Pope or the Catholic Church in general, it's important to try and maintain a pulse on what's being said out there. Of course, one could spend the entire day trolling newspapers, websites, blogs or other social media - it's just not practical to cover it all.

My own tracking involves receiving regular google alerts, a simple email that is sent to you on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly) and links to websites that mention keywords you provide (Archdiocese of Toronto, Archbishop Collins, etc.).

Recently, my google alert tipped me off to a website that had a story about one of our churches. I guess more accurately it was a review. I'd never heard of the site before but found it to be quite fascinating: The Mystery Worshipper.

Here's how it works: "Mystery Worshippers" (MW's) from around the world attend church services at a venue of their own choosing. They don't need to belong to the religious denomination but attend services to get an overall impression of the faith experience in a particular community.

MW's answer a standard template that includes some of the following questions: "Did anyone welcome you personally?", "Was your pew comfortable?", "Which part of the service was like being in heaven?", "What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?", "What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days time?", "Did the service make you glad to be a Christian?"

In looking at the questionnaire, it struck me that we could learn a lot by answering these questions about our own faith communities. How do we welcome the stranger? What do we remember about the liturgy seven days later? How does the community actively participate in our celebration?

It was most interesting to read a few of the reviews, which included some of our own local churches. As the site states, "The only clue they have been there at all is the Mystery Worshipper calling card, dropped discreetly into the collection plate."

Of course, this isn't a popularity contest. Our faith is full of rich traditions and we're not a stage show looking to "entertain" the congregation. The site conveyed this in a review of the "extraordinary rite" celebrated at a local Catholic Church in Toronto, which commented on the beauty of the rite, "The mystery and reverence were appreciated...".

Yet at the same time, some basic lessons can be learned from reading the reviews. It also allows us to get a sense of how we are seen by others looking into our communities. I remember being part of a Jubliee Year initiative to welcome those who have been away from the church. In the course of the discussion, we also had to ask ourselves, "How do we effectively welcome those who have been away or are joining us for the first time?"

So the next time you attend church services, smile at the person next to you, welcome them warmly and pray for those with whom you're celebrating...you never know, they could be the Mystery Worshipper in disguise!!

Photos: Google Images

Afghanistan's Lone Priest...

It's easy for us to take for granted just how many priests are serving our local church both in Canada and specifically the Archdiocese of Toronto. Catholic News Service (CNS) recently profiled the work of one priest caring for the tiny Catholic population in Afghanistan. A good reminder for us all not to underestimate the tremendous freedom we enjoy, allowing us to celebrate our faith. CNS piece from Jessica Weinstein follows below...

Lone priest shepherds tiny flock of Catholics in Afghanistan

By Jessica Weinstein - Catholic News Service

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNS) -- In the midst of the escalating war in Afghanistan, there is a place of peace for Kabul's tiny Catholic population. Inside the Italian Embassy compound visitors will find a small white building marked simply with a cross. Its guardian is the shepherd of Kabul, Barnabite Father Giuseppe Moretti.

A warm 70-year-old Italian with graying hair and a sharp sense of humor, Father Moretti is the only priest in Afghanistan.

"Our presence is the presence of the master's seed," he said in an interview with Catholic News Service.

Father Moretti first arrived in Afghanistan in 1977, two years before an invasion by the former Soviet Union touched off a generation of fighting. When the war between the Soviets and the Afghan Muslim fighters known as mujahedeen ended in 1982, it was quickly followed by a civil war that raged throughout the 1990s.

In 1994, the embassy was attacked and Father Moretti was shot. He survived, but he left the country. After American forces drove the Taliban, a Sunni Muslim fundamentalist religious and political movement, from Kabul in 2001, Pope John Paul II asked Father Moretti to return."It was my duty as shepherd to stay with my flock", he said.

According to the Vatican, there are just 250 Catholics in Afghanistan. Father Moretti said about 150 people regularly attend Mass inside the embassy. All are members of the international community. At a July 22 evening Mass, 10 nuns from three different orders took part in worship and received Communion. Sister Chantal de Jesus, a member of the Sisters of Jesus in France, came to Afghanistan in 1955, bringing a team of nurses to the hospital in Kabul.

"They treat us quite well here," she said. "They know us as Christians. We're well-accepted, even wearing the cross," said Sister Martina, a member of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Blessed Mother Teresa.

Sister Martina's order is one of the most recent to arrive, beginning its ministry in 2007. Because of its work with mentally handicapped children and widows, the order's accreditation was approved quickly by the Afghan government.

The need in Kabul is great. According to the United Nations World Food Program, more than two-thirds of the population lives in poverty.

"Many are widows," said Sister Martina in a thick Irish brogue. "They live in terrible conditions and the landlord throws them out during the winter. Many have five to eight children."We help with rent and food distribution," she added.

But the Catholic presence is limited to aid workers. Afghanistan is explicitly Muslim. Preaching Christianity is strictly forbidden. Sister Fortunata, a member of the Missionaries of Charity and native of Rwanda, teaches a literacy class for teenage girls. She had begun translating the Quran, the sacred book of Islam, from Arabic into the local languages to help the women with their studies. But after learning that three people had been executed for doing the same thing, she stopped.

"They did enjoy it (while it lasted). It was a way to speak about God," she said. "We can communicate the main principles of living a good life, but we can't talk about Jesus," Sister Martina said.

"Our presence here is the presence of the mustard seed," Father Moretti said. "Our testimony is the silent testimony of our life and our works."

For the Italian priest, much of that work centers on stoking the spiritual fervor of the faithful. He recalled that Gen. Dan McNeil, former commander of U.S. forces and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, was among the regular Mass attendees. An autographed photograph of the two men adorns the hallway of the rectory.

But Father Moretti lamented that many Catholics among the international community in Kabul do not attend Mass. Even the Muslims notice, he said. "The Afghan people are believers, and they respect a lot people who profess another religion, not only in word, but in action," he said. Father Moretti recalled how much it spoke to the Afghan workers at the embassy when Catholics started trickling into Mass after the Taliban fell.

"For two years, the Mass on Sunday was empty," he said, "and I remember our Afghan workers said to me, 'Father, they are unbelievers.'"

"Now, when they saw the church full of people, with joy they said, 'Father, there are so many people and they are happy.' This is the feeling of the Afghan people about religion," Father Moretti said. Now, as U.S. soldiers pour into Afghanistan and the country prepares for its second presidential election, Afghans are rebuilding their lives.

After having seen so much upheaval during his tenure, Father Moretti is very cautious when he speaks about the future of Afghanistan.

"We hope. Our dream is peace, real peace, and if there is peace, there is democracy. Democracy in Afghanistan is a hard journey," he said.

Photos: Reuters, CNN