Archbishop Collins' Address - 2009 Cardinal's Dinner - Scandal & Hope

Address of His Grace, Archbishop Thomas Collins
30th Annual Cardinal's Dinner - October 29, 2009
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto

Each year the Cardinal's dinner is an occasion for all of us to come together in a spirit of friendship to enjoy one another’s company, and to help those who are in need.

Cardinal Ambrozic is not able to be with us this evening, and we remember him in our prayers, that God may richly bless him and give him good health.

I would like to extend my thanks to this year’s dinner chairman, Ronald Osborne, and to the committee involved in organizing this wonderful evening.

From the beginning, Joe Barnicke has been the moving spirit behind the Cardinal`s dinner, one of the many ways in which he so generously and zealously serves the good of all. Thank you, Joe.

We are honoured by the presence of leaders from all levels of government. Your vocation is a holy one, and your patron saint is St. Thomas More. We should all support you in prayer, that you may govern wisely and be strengthened in your difficult work.

It is wonderful to gather so many people from within the Catholic community: priests and parishioners from across the archdiocese.

I want to especially recognize our good friends of other faiths who are with us each year. Your participation in the Cardinal’s dinner is a much appreciated expression of the way in which people of many religious traditions work together to make our whole community a better place.

The many small charitable organizations supported by the proceeds from the Cardinal's dinner do immense good in assisting those who are in need. You will note in your program the beneficiaries of last year’s dinner. These charities reach out to offer hope and practical assistance to those who are vulnerable, alone, and faced with difficult challenges. In these hard economic times, that assistance is especially needed.

For 30 years the Cardinal’s Dinner has been an occasion for the Archbishop of Toronto to share his thoughts, concerns, and hopes with the many people who are brought together for this event. And so tonight, in that tradition, I want to share what is of concern to me, and what gives me hope.

First, a concern.

The Catholic Church in Canada has been going through a difficult time lately, with the scandal of a bishop being charged by the police. The people of Antigonish and Atlantic Canada are suffering the full brunt of this scandal, and we join with them in prayer and solidarity, but all of us are affected. Any such scandal will be much in the news, and that is understandable.

The pain of scandal comes first of all because the fact of the evil itself is shocking, especially when it involves the abuse of the young and the vulnerable. To think of the multi-billion dollar industry of sexual exploitation is to be enraged; it is a scourge upon our society.

Although those who pause to reflect will recognize that this massive evil industry is hardly being sustained by the patronage of the clergy of any faith, if a priest or bishop engages in this iniquity, the outrage is all the more intense, and rightly so, for we who are ordained are called by God, and entrusted with the service of His people; any abuse of that trust is a betrayal of our vows to God, and of the people we are consecrated to serve.

Faithful Catholics who love the Church, and who have a deep reverence for the holiness of the office of priest, and especially of bishop, are immensely shocked and saddened when they hear that someone who is ordained is accused of evil actions.

Anyone who has participated in the awesome rites of ordination is conscious of the majesty of the priesthood of Christ, which He has chosen to share with frail humans, "vessels of clay" as St. Paul calls them, so that He might work through them in a sacramental way. I celebrate several ordinations each year, and every time I am filled with awe. When I place my hands upon the head of the candidate at the moment of ordination, I silently pray in my heart: "Lord, may this man be a faithful and holy priest all the days of his life."

To me, as a bishop, the pain of any priestly scandal is a sharp personal reminder that I need to do all that I can to be sure that those who are ordained, for all their inescapable human frailty, are living their vocation with integrity.

In our seminaries, over the long period of preparation for the priesthood, we continually strive to improve our procedures for solid human, intellectual, pastoral, and spiritual formation, so that only those candidates who are suited for the priesthood will proceed to ordination.

As for the choice of bishops, the process is extremely thorough, with detailed letters of reference from dozens of men and women. A thorough process, but not perfect. If no one in that extensive reference net is aware of a problem, it will be missed.

Those entrusted with discerning who should be ordained as priest or bishop need to be diligent, and to pray for wisdom, always aware that they might fail to spot an unsuitable candidate, especially if the problem is deep seated and hidden from everyone behind a splendid exterior.

As for improper behaviour by those already ordained, I and all of us who exercise authority in the Church have a solemn obligation to God and to the people we serve, especially to the most vulnerable, to act clearly and effectively if a problem is discovered, although also with great care that injustice not be done to an innocent person, whose name and life can be destroyed be a false accusation.

The basic reality is that in the sacrament of Holy Orders God works through frail humans, and always has done so, and always will. In the twelve apostles we see the whole range of raw material from the beloved disciple to Judas. As long as the human heart is susceptible to iniquity, we will face scandals among the apostles.

Scandals are like airplane crashes: 1) they are dramatic exceptions to the fundamental reality; 2) they do immense harm; and 3) they challenge us to work more effectively to be sure that they do not happen in the future.

As I look back over two and a half years as Archbishop of Toronto, I am filled with hope. As I constantly travel around the archdiocese, I daily encounter generous and loving people, alive in their faith - devoted priests, deacons, and religious, and zealous and faithful laypeople – all living their vocations with integrity and joy. I often wish that any people who are discouraged or cynical could come along with me to share that experience.

I will mention a few things that have particularly struck me.

Our Archdiocese itself is richly diverse in culture, and each day we work together with friends of many different faith traditions. I well recall a gathering at city hall at which most of the religions in our community were represented. It is good to recall that over 80% of the people of Ontario profess some religious faith.

I was most grateful to be invited to Beth Tzedec synagogue to celebrate the feast of Succoth with that community. On another occasion I was glad to join in a fruitful Jewish-Muslim-Christian evening of dialogue. A while ago I joined with the Anglicans at St. James Cathedral for Evensong and Lectio Divina.

People of faith need to work together in our society that is sometimes considered to be secular. But secular simply means “of this age”, as distinct from the sacred reality of the heavenly kingdom. It does not mean, or should not mean, that our society is better if it is devoid of religion.

I have found that the deeper people’s faith is, even though they disagree on matters of belief, the more they can and do co-operate to serve the common good, and especially in matters of social justice and caring for the needy.

From the earliest days of our history, many of our great health care institutions, and social service organizations, have operated from a foundation of faith, a particular faith which determines the spiritual values that inform all of their activities. They are religiously based: that is their starting point, but they have always served people of all faiths, or of no faith, without distinction. It is important that this religious freedom be respected. Our whole society is enriched by the religious motivation that energizes so many of those who care for the sick, the troubled, and the needy.

A nation or province can be healthy and will flourish when it includes within it a rich assortment of smaller voluntary communities, in which people can be at home and can practice their faith, and move out from that base to serve the wider community.

Here are a few notes about what is happening in the particular community of faith that is the Archdiocese of Toronto. I hope that these observations will be helpful for the Catholics who are here this evening, but also informative for our friends of other faiths, who may be interested in some background about the present situation of the large local community that is the Archdiocese of Toronto, to which so many of their friends and neighbours belong.

We make up about a third of the population of this area, from Oshawa in the East to Mississauga in the West, and from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay. We are a large family – almost two million people – and diverse. As we always point out, Mass is celebrated in 37 different languages each Sunday.

There are many roles within our community. The highest responsibility belongs to the lay people of the Church, whose mission is to let their life of faith transform first themselves, and then society. They are assisted by members of religious orders, and by deacons, priests, and bishops. In this “Year of the Priest” I particularly express my gratitude to the hundreds of priests, true shepherds after the heart of Christ, who care for the spiritual wellbeing of the people of the archdiocese.

We were sad a few months ago to lose Bishop Grecco, who cared so faithfully for the central region of the archdiocese, as well as for the various ethnic communities, and the many lay movements within the Church. Now as Bishop of Charlottetown he is the bishop of a whole province. May God abundantly bless him in his new pastoral ministry.

Each of our auxiliary bishops cares for a region of the diocese: Bishop Boissonneau in the west, Bishop Hundt in the north and east, while Bishop Grecco was responsible for the central region. They co-ordinate the work of the priests and parishes in the region, and deal with pastoral issues that arise. Each is also responsible for certain matters that affect the whole diocese, such as Catholic Education, or the life of Religious orders. Every week they meet with me and with Father Vincent Nguyen, the Chancellor for Spiritual Affairs, and Mr. John McGrath, the Chancellor for Temporal Affairs, to discuss the pastoral care of the whole diocese.

Many people share in pastoral ministry in the archdiocese, but since coming to Toronto, I have been reflecting on the specific matters that I should concentrate on personally as Archbishop.

As I look to the years ahead I foresee the need for me to concentrate personally on the following seven areas:

1) To take time to think and pray about how to confront creatively the
challenges we face in a secular and individualistic society, and to direct
the long range pastoral planning of the archdiocese.

2) To devote special personal attention and time to the priests, to the
seminarians, and to potential priestly vocations.

3) To proclaim the Word of God through preaching, and through Lectio
Divina, the prayerful reading of the Bible, which is celebrated in St.
Michael’s Cathedral each month, and communicated through Catholic
media resources so that the wider community can participate.

4) To become engaged in the public life of our secular society through the
media, through writing, and through contact with leaders of the
community. This also involves personal relationship with people of other
faiths, something which all of us need to do.

5) To help support publicly funded Catholic education.

6) To support St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto.

7) To oversee the formation of candidates for the priesthood. There are presently 14 Toronto seminarians studying Theology at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Scarborough, and 11 Toronto Seminarians living at Serra House, who are in the pre-Theology philosophy program of St. Philip’s Seminary, which is operated by the Oratorian fathers. There are also 21 Toronto seminarians who come to us from other countries, and who are being prepared for the priesthood at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, which is connected to the spiritual movement in the Catholic Church known as the Neocatechumenal Way.

So there are presently 46 candidates preparing to be priests of the Archdiocese of Toronto. In order to strengthen the Seminary, and to provide spiritual resources for the whole archdiocese in the future, I have sent nine priests away for further studies, and I will send more in the years to come. This is a significant sacrifice, not only financially, but also in the loss of so many priests from the central mission of parish ministry, but such a sacrifice is necessary if we are to be faithful stewards who look to the future, as God wants us to do.

That is my personal list of priorities, as I seek to fulfil my vocation as Archbishop of Toronto. All of us here present have different vocations, and distinct missions in life. But for all our differences, each of us is called to live with integrity, and to serve God by showing practical love to those whom we encounter every day.

May God bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring all of us to everlasting life.

Photos: Archdiocese of Toronto

Dialogue, Bishops, Dinner & Books...

Apologies for the lack of posts this past week. Your scribe just returned from a week away with family out of the country for a little r and r but now will be back in the swing of things. And what a week it was...thanks to my colleagues in the Office of Public Relations & Communications office for holding the fort in my absence...

Catholic/Anglican "full communion" announcement - lots of reaction still pouring in on this one. I was interested to see the amount of media that played this story off as a desperate Catholic Church that's bleeding members trying to make a pitch for disenfranchised anglicans. Maybe these are the headlines that sell newspapers (which wrap tomorrow's fish and chips).

That said, the dialogue is hardly new, it's been going on for years. The Holy Father has taken to putting some meat on the bone and trying to formalize the relationship for those who have an authentic desire to be in communion with our family of faith. Let's wait to see the full document and how it will be implemented before passing judgement.

More interesting for yours truly as a communications director is how the information is released. The Vatican held a high level press conference in Rome which allowed local reporters to ask questions and pick up the story. My wish list for the more global roll out would be to provide bishops and local dioceses with simple background documents on these complex issues, to provide answers to frequently answered questions that no doubt will come from the media and our own flock, to ensure that our shepherds and those who assist them in communications would have the tools to swiftly and succinctly respond to what's accurate and what's inaccurate about these significant church developments. Oh and most importantly, these should be available the day before the announcement so that everyone can be prepared.

My experience has been when there is a lack of information, people draw their own conclusions. Thus, my desire to have the full documents so that we can provide informed comment. Unfortunately, reporters, those angry at the church and those with good intentions but otherwise misinformed quickly shape the story and it becomes a game of broken telephone. These are important days for inter-faith dialogue and it would be a shame to see personal interpretations bruise relationships that have been evolving day by day week by week in dioceses around the world.

The Canadian bishops met last week in Cornwall and covered a myriad of topics including further discernment around the relationship with Development & Peace, their pursuit of life & family issues and continued dialogue with the Anglican Church (not intended to sync with the Vatican announcement, just an interesting coincidence). Having attended a plenary in the past as an observer, it's a packed schedule. The bishops could likely tone their biceps by curling the extensive binders of information provided. As important as the formal sessions are the informal discussions that take place before and after hours with our shepherds, giving them a chance to get the pulse on issues from various parts of the country and, most importantly, to come together in prayer. Let's continue to pray for all our bishops - their responsibilities are enormous and in most cases, they operate with limited resources, with many as their sole diocesan office employee.

This Thursday, Archbishop Collins will host the 30th annual Cardinal's Dinner. Since 1979 more than $5 million has been raised for local charities - the dinner brings together more than 1,500 religious, political and business leaders in addition to many clergy, parishioners and supporters of the Catholic community. The Archbishop is putting the finishing touches on his address which will be made available in this space early Friday.

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Ask your prayers for peace both around the world and in our own community. This past weekend one of our parishes experienced some serious acts of vandalism with statues and other items defaced late at night. Our parishes work hard to provide a place of welcome and prayer for our community and it's always sad to see someone who feels the need to deface these sacred objects and spaces.

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And to end on a more uplifting note, having been away for a week can, at times, give you a few moments to steal away a few pages of a favourite book. I very much enjoyed two pieces on this last time away, one older and one quite new. The new - "A View from the Trenches", released last month by Novalis and authored by North Bay priest, Monsignor Dennis Murphy. The book speaks of the difficult challenges faced by clergy in today's society: an ever increasing secularism, ongoing abuse scandals and an overall shift in attitude in how both Catholics and non-Catholics see the role of the priest.

Yet this is a hopeful book. It speaks of the need for clergy to find support in prayer, their fellow priests, the laity and their bishop. Lots of food for thought and a good read for both clergy and laity.

The second book? Published six years ago: The Five People You Meet In Heaven, Mitch Albom, author of the well known "Tuesdays with Morrie" (another great read). While it's not a theological take on what happens when we die, the story speaks of redemption, love and how our lives are intertwined with all those we meet on the journey. Some touching moments....yes, even when they come from an author whose day job is writing about sports.

After all, some of our best prayers come from sports-lovers. Just ask any Maple Leafs fan right now if they believe in miracles?

Photos: Life, Archdiocese of Toronto

Supporting our Priests: as an organization and faith community...

As we continue with the Year of the Priest (YOTP), periodically we'll get calls from Catholics asking us what type of events the Archdiocese has planned for this special year for clergy? Well in discussions with Archbishop Collins and the priests responsible for planning this year of celebration, the key is trying to strike the right balance.

While it's wonderful to have public celebrations and acknowledgements of our clergy, it's also important that behind the scenes, the diocese is offering tangible support to the shepherds of our faith. Those planning activities for the YOTP use the ratio of 75/25 when discussing our initiatives. 75% of the activities are those planned specifically for clergy and their pastoral support while 25% will be more outward activities that our family of faith can participate in.

So what's the 75% all about? Here's a few initiatives that are taking place in the Archdiocese that you may or may not be aware of:

1) Personal meetings with the bishop - Archbishop Collins is meeting regularly with the graduating classes from St. Augustine's Seminary. One week it may be the class of '71, the next the class of '72 and so on. Fellowship, prayer and dialogue for priests who graduated from the seminary together is important. Many don't have the chance to connect with their classmates often, clergy can relate to joys and struggles based on their years of service and most importantly, they feel supported by meeting with their shepherd and each other. While these meetings will last well beyond the Year of the Priest, it's an important initiative intended to allow the bishop to stay connected to his flock and vice versa.

2) Communal Prayer - a series of monthly gatherings have been organized that will allow our priests to come together for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. These take place throughout the diocese at various retreat centres and provide a respite for priests to gather regularly in fraternal prayer and solidarity.

3) Annual Priests Seminar & Retreat - each spring all priests with assignments in the Archdiocese of Toronto gather for a week long retreat and every fall, clergy come together for a seminar that covers a variety of topics. With so many priests in the Archdiocese, it's necessary to spread these events over 2 weeks. The gatherings not only offer tangible support for priests in their daily ministry but also pastoral support away from the hectic pace of what priests face day to day. This year's first seminar is just a week away and always serves as a highlight for many of our clergy.

4) Healthy Spiritual Routine - recently priests were sent a communication that encouraged them to ensure they have a healthy spiritual diet. That means, as we've so often heard from Archbishop Collins, getting to confession, not as confessor but penitent.

As for the 25% of more public activities, a few areas that our family of faith can participate:

1) Prayers for Priests - we can all pray for priests, those currently with us and those who have passed on and inspired us in our faith journey. We pray for vocations and can encourage those we see as potential clergy to pursue the call. We have already distributed prayers of the faithful and will continue to provide new petitions that recognize the important contributions of our priests.

Shortly, we'll be producing more than 150,000 prayer cards that will be distributed to parishes before Christmas. Parishioners will be asked to remember priests in their own prayers, not only at church but at home and in their day to day prayer-life. Sneak preview of the front of the card below...

2) Serra Clubs - this lay movement has a long-standing history of praying for vocations and taking tangible action to support priests. Serra Clubs within the Archdiocese of Toronto will once again host the annual Ordinandi Dinner, drawing 1,500 people for one of the biggest "catholic" events of the year where guests can hear the vocation stories of those about to be ordained. The Toronto Downtown Serra Club is gearing up for a priests' appreciation dinner on November 17, 2009 at the University of Toronto, St. Michael's College. All priests will be invited. Countless other lay movements are also including YOTP activities in their annual calendar of activities.

3) Personal Initiatives - thousands of Catholics out there have already come up with their own unique ways to recognize priests. The Catholic Register will have regular profiles of clergy from across the country, some dioceses offer prayers for priests of the diocese on a calendar displayed in every parish. Many families will invite a priest to their home to share a family meal - for some, it's returning to a tradition from their own youth where the priest played a regular role around the family dinner table.

Why not resurrect this practice and get to know a priest beyond the hour or so you see him from week to week at your parish? Better yet, write your parish priest a handwritten letter thanking him for all that he's done, a great homily, fostering a welcoming community at your parish. You'd be amazed at how one positive, affirming message can make an impact.

The Archdiocese of Toronto Year of the Priest website also has a number of resources and profiles you can access to get to know our clergy a little more personally this year.

Priests have sacrificed much to care for us. They're called on to be social worker, human resource officer, business manager, accountant and spiritual guide on most days all before noon. It's important that we all find time to give back and offer our support for them, in a special way, during this Year of the Priest.

May every priest across the Archdiocese feel the support, prayer and friendship of their flock. It's the least we can do....

Photos: Archdiocese of Toronto

Taking Care of Our Kids...

Many of us will have enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday close to family and friends, consuming more turkey than we probably should have and relishing the traditions that have become part of the annual holiday celebration.

For many children, closer than you think, this holiday was not filled with joy. Living in a broken home, perhaps victimized by abuse, shuffled from address to address - for these kids, it's hard to find much to be thankful for.

Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) is working to raise awareness and find loving homes for children marginalized in our community. October is child abuse prevention month and CCAS has a number of initiatives and awareness tools to help us all learn more about how we can identify the signs of abuse in our own communities.

For those not familiar with the work of CCAS, from their own website, a little history:

For more than 100 years, the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS) has been providing services on behalf of the Catholic community to help protect children from abuse and neglect. In 1893 the Archbishop of Toronto, the Most Reverend J. Walsh, called together a group of laymen to address the need to help orphans and neglected children, particularly those of Irish Catholic and French Catholic descent. This meeting resulted in the creation of the St. Vincent de Paul Children's Aid Society on October 18th, 1894. It had only one paid employee.

For the next 40 years, the Society relied heavily on volunteers, parishes and religious orders of the diocese. The first paid social worker was hired in 1932.

As the Catholic population of Toronto increased, services expanded. Since 1946, the Society has been called either the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto, or the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto as the city's name has changed.

The tradition of service to the community continues, with a staff of nearly 500 employees and, in addition, the valuable participation of volunteers, foster families, and adoptive parents. True to its historic roots, the Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto maintains its identity as a member agency of the Catholic Charities of Toronto.

In 2007/2008, the agency served more than 19,000 children with hundreds placed in foster homes and adoptive families. Sadly, the largest number of referrals came from police. It's a sad statement for the way in which many children are abused or displaced not in some foreign land but in our own neighbourhoods. Their formative years become tumultuous, positive role models are absent and loving care, something which many of us assume is a given, is completely foreign to these young people.

Archbishop Collins has issued a public letter encouraging families to consider learning more about the Foster Parent program. It's one of many ways we can all get involved. October 18-24 is Foster Family Week for CCAS: at any given time, 1,100 kids are unable to live with their parents due to parental illness, abandonment, child abuse or neglect. Check out the CCAS website for more info.

It's the job of each one of us to stand up for kids. They deserve nothing less than stable homes, loving families and unconditional love. It's time we all do our part to ensure that it's not just a dream...

Photos: Catholic Children's Aid Society of Toronto

Our Newest Saint: A Humble Priest Serving those with Leprosy

During this "Year of the Priest", we look for the powerful witness of clergy in our world to show us examples of faith in action. They're all around us but this weekend at the Vatican, one will be honoured in a very special way.

The spiritual patron of those living with leprosy, HIV/AIDS and others who feel marginalized by their illnesses will be elevated to sainthood later this week.

On October 11, 2009, Father Damien de Veuster, a catholic missionary priest who devoted his life to working with people affected by leprosy, will become Saint Damien in a ceremony at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI presiding. The Belgian priest lived in a leprosy colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, between 1873 and 1889, eventually dying of the illness.

As part of the process to sainthood, two miracles were attributed to Father Damien’s intercession, one which took place in 1895, the other, more than 100 years later in 1999. His elevation to sainthood (canonization) presents an example of heroic virtue for people of faith.

For most of us, leprosy is something we remember hearing about in bible stories. You'd be hard pressed to hear many people referencing leprosy these days and most probably wonder if the disease still exists. Well it certainly does and the October 11 canonization ceremony will also help raise awareness regarding the ongoing outreach to those suffering from leprosy worldwide, notably for an organization based in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

The Leprosy Mission Canada has been quietly working with victims of the disease since 1892 and has served thousands of people in more than 30 countries with life-changing treatment and rehabilitation. TLM works today to heal the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those impacted by the disease. They are a Christian based organization, committed to ensuring the needs of those afflicted with leprosy today are not forgotten. Visit their website for more information about their important work.

Consider the following facts about leprosy in 2009:

• Every two minutes someone will be diagnosed with leprosy.
• 4 million people globally live with the permanent effects of the disease.
• The World Health Organization recently estimated that there were almost 300,000 new diagnosed cases worldwide annually.
• Modern medical advances have developed a cure for the disease. The cost to cure one case of leprosy? $350.

I can recall, some years ago, being invited to a screening of the movie, "Molokai" which depicted the life of the soon to be Saint Damien. A powerful example of Christian witness for a man paid the ultimate price of his life to care for those suffering from the debilitating disease.

The October 11 Vatican ceremony will canonize 5 individuals of diverse backgrounds and life achievements and bring to 28 the number of new saints canonized under the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. These holy men and women serve as shining examples of lives inspired by charity, faith and love.

For the folks at The Leprosy Mission Canada and all those who serve those marginalized by their illness, we give thanks and offer our prayers this week. May the legacy and witness of Saint Damien live on for years to come.

Photos: L'Osservatore Romano, CNS

Catholic Outreach to Storm Victims in the Philippines

The last few weeks have seen terrible natural disasters strike much of Asia with many countries impacted by devastating loss of life, uprooted homes and rebuilding efforts that will take years.

When these tragedies strike, the Catholic Church is quick to respond as are many faith based organizations. ShareLife, the charitable fundraising arm of the Archdiocese, moved quickly to establish humanitarian relief channels for those wishing to contribute. At the grass roots level, parishes like Our Lady of the Assumption have mobilized efforts to help those wishing to assist with relief efforts in the Philippines. One thing is certain: in times of distress, our family of faith is quick to respond. Here's more information from the official ShareLife communication to parishes:

On September 26, Tropical Storm Ketsana (also known as Typhoon Ondoy) struck the Philippines, causing the most severe flooding the country has experienced in more than 40 years. As of September 29, 240 people were reported to have died and an estimated 450,000 had been displaced, many having lost their homes, their property and their livelihoods. With the impact of this disaster still not fully clear, relief efforts are underway around the world to assist the victims of the flooding and landslides related to Tropical Storm Ketsana.

The ShareLife Office is accepting monetary donations to support disaster relief efforts in the Philippines, assisting in the provision of food, shelter, clean water, and medical and cooking supplies for those affected by the storm and flooding. Working through the Catholic Church’s official international relief network, Caritas Internationalis, funds will be channelled to Caritas Philippines (NASSA). Initially, NASSA is providing aid for a total of 10,000 families (50,000 people) in the seriously affected areas.

Those wishing to help through a financial contribution may do so in the following ways:

· Online through ShareLife’s website: www.sharelife.org

· By phone through the ShareLife office – 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411

Through the parish, making cheques payable to:

ShareLife – Parish Name – Tropical Storm Ketsana Relief - Philippines

ShareLife is also monitoring the situation in other countries impacted by the storms for ongoing relief efforts. Keep an eye on their website and new blog for all the latest updates.

It's important to note that ShareLife does not apply any administrative fees to humanitarian relief efforts, ensuring your donation is maximized to reach those most in need. During this time of crisis for so many suffering, please remember them in your prayers and know that they will be most appreciative of any monetary support you can offer.

Photos: Associated Press

Archbishop Anthony Mancini Speaks to the People of Antigonish

As Catholics in Canada, it's been a very difficult 24 hours. The news cycle in our country has been dominated by the tragic, sad and shocking news that a retired Canadian Bishop has been arrested on serious charges relating to possession of child pornography.

We have received calls from the local media to comment on the situation. As is the case when there are criminal allegations involving members of the clergy, we defer to the official spokespersons at the local level to provide informed comment. It's not our role to speculate or spread misinformation about a very serious situation. Reporters deserve comment from those who can speak with authority to a particular issue.

The official spokespersons who have been extremely accessible to the media the last 24 hours include Archbishop Anthony Mancini, Archbishop of Halifax and current Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia and Father Paul Abbass, a pastor and spokesman for the Antigonish diocese.

For all those impacted by these sad events, we offer our prayers and thoughts during a very difficult time. On Thursday afternoon in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Archbishop Mancini held a news conference and shared the following statement with the media.

2:00 p.m. October 1, 2009

Good Afternoon. I am Archbishop Anthony Mancini, Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Antigonish.

First I must tell you that I am not speaking for Bishop Raymond Lahey, I am not informed about events that are unfolding for Bishop Lahey. I am not going to speculate with you about Bishop Lahey. I believe that would be irresponsible on my part. I am not a lawyer or a judge or a policeman or anything else like that. I am a Bishop.

I am here with Father Paul Abbass, who is spokesperson for the diocese of Antigonish. He brings the experience of the local reality of this diocese. I have prepared a letter to the people, priests and religious of the Diocese of Antigonish and to those who have been victims of sexual abuse in the past and are feeling revictimized now. I will read it to you now.

As Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Antigonish, I have come to be with you in the midst of this sadness, pain and anxiety. I come with what I have, that is, my care and my concern. It is in this sense that I understand the shepherding role that I am asked to exercise here. Let me first speak to those victims of past sexual abuse and to all for whom this news rekindles past pain. These recent revelations take on the character of victimization. I wish it were not so. This is not what our community of faith is supposed to be about.

We have already stated that this new reality will not undo the settlement with victims of sexual abuse that has been approved. I am well aware that everyone is in shock. I am concerned with all who are trying to find any meaning in this devastation. I do not have the solution to this problem, or the capacity to take away the pain, or the means to erase this tragedy. It may be that some would wish for a quick solution to the problems we are facing, but all that I know is that whatever the solution may be, it will be a matter of collaboration and faith, and we all must do our part.

I have come today to meet with the priests and diocesan personnel, to reach out to all and to attempt to ensure that all will be cared for as best we can.It is important to recognize that we are standing in a place of brokenness and vulnerability right now.

In these very early days, we need to begin to look forward, not to escape this pain but to look at how we are being called to be the community of faith at this time. This calls for a great deal of hope, and belief that we do not do any of this alone. We are all in this together.

I want to encourage the priests to gather with each other, that they may help one another to come to the greater appreciation that they are brothers in Christ, and so find the strength to continue in the ministry entrusted to them.

Also, I want to encourage parishioners to draw on each other’s faith as you carry this painful burden and grieve for the losses that we are experiencing. If you can, bring this burden to the parish Eucharist, where we bring all our troubles. This is how we can continue to be the community of faith for and with one another in these times.

I am committed in spite of everything that has happened to try to help us all get to another place, more reflective of the Gospel we are about. This can be an opportunity for all of us to rediscover what it is to be the community of faith, to realize what the root of our faith really is, and how each of us helps to share the faith.

We are going through a very painful contemporary experience of the mystery of our Faith, which is all about Passion and Death yes, but it is also about the promise of Resurrection, without which we have no future. So I call on you to be hopeful because we believe in new life and new possibilities.