Crisis Simulation, Media Training & Radio Ads...

With the "New Year" of the church and the advent season upon us, doesn't seem like there are enough hours in the day to fill all the tasks on the plate these days. A bit of insight on some of the issues the Communications Department is working on the last little bit.

1) Episcopal Ordinations - the Communications Office often doubles up as the event planning office. We're well on our way to coordinating the details around the arrival celebrations for Bishop Nguyen and Bishop McGrattan. As previously stated here, the London celebration for Bishop McGrattan takes place January 12 in London while Bishop Nguyen's episcopal ordination takes place the next day in Toronto. We are designing invitations, compiling the guest lists and working to get all invites mailed off by mid next week.

Then we move on to planning the programs for each celebration. Add to that liaising with the reception venues, menus, liturgy planning and media around both events, it all adds up to some significant planning at a time that was already busy to begin with. It's been great working with our team as well as some great folks at the Diocese of London on these events.

2) Crisis Communications Simulation - our office conducted a crisis communications simulation last week. I highly recommend this advance planning for any organization. It is said that more than 65% of corporations have a crisis communications plan on file but less than 20% ever hold a mock simulation. Our team ably participated in two scenarios that helped us walk through a mock crisis and determine roles, responsibilities and just how we would respond in the event of a crisis. It's not a matter of if these situations are upon you but when. The Archdiocese deals with mini "fires" from week to week - some are on a micro level affecting a parish or particular region while others can be on a macro level which would impact the entire diocese. We also need to be prepared for any emergency or crisis situation that could impact the business offices of the Archdiocese.

All said, a simulation is like a fire-drill. It's never the real thing but you're a lot more prepared once you've gone through the exercise. Time well spent and invested. I'll be presenting at the annual AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) Conference next week in Toronto on Crisis Communications Planning with a team of non-profit communicators some of our best practices, successes and learnings. Should be fun.

3) Media Training - we just completed another round of media training. We try and schedule these sessions from time to time, identifying key leaders in the Catholic community who may be called upon to speak to the press. Given that there aren't many days that go by when we don't receive a request from the media, it's important to have a solid roster that includes bishops, clergy, women religious and lay men and women. We'll have another session in a couple of weeks to continue to nurture and strenghten our communications resources. The women outnumbered the men in our most recent session, and everyone involved did a great job!

4) Catholic Communicators in Education - I had the chance to attend a great session earlier this week, sponsored by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA) for communication directors from Catholic school boards across the province. Thanks to OCSTA for including me as a guest in this group - it provides an important link and reinforces the triangle of ministry - parish, home and school that we continue to stress in our evangelization. Some great synergy in the room and always great to connect with other colleagues in communication.

5) Christmas Radio Ad Campaign - you may remember the We Are Catholic advertising campaign that ran during Holy Week earlier this year. Well phase 2 of the campaign will be launched the week of Christmas with ads on AM radio station Newstalk 1010. It's not a huge media buy - we want to be responsible stewards of any funds spent on advertising but this will give us another opportunity to present the message of "Christmas" to an increasingly secular community during the week of the birth of the Christ-child. Ads will start airing December 21st - more information to follow in this space.

We're also working on some interesting media requests including the possibility of some clergy and women religious appearing on a national quiz show - not your common everyday inquiry but one of those that's fun to put together. Hopefully we can make it happen - stay tuned for more details.

6) Proposed Euthanasia Legislation - Thanks to all those across the Archdiocese that have been so dilligent in contacting their MP's regarding the proposed Euthanasia bill. Word came down in the last couple of days that the scheduled debate and vote originally planned for next week in the House of Commons, will now be moved to February. We must continue to contact our political leaders to express our serious concerns about the Bill and advocate for increased funding and support of palliative care programs. The Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute (CCBI) holds their annual lecture on December 3rd - A deeply human need - palliative care for the young, the old, the marginalized and homeless. Consider attending this important gathering. The CCBI website has all the details.

So all in all, lots to report on. We're grateful for all that the Catholic community continues to do to make a profound impact in so many different ways...giving of one's time and talent - it's the best gift you could ask for!

Photos: OCSTA, Freefoto.com

A Final Song for Monsignor Barrett Armstrong - 1929-2009

St. Michael's Cathedral was filled to capacity this past Thursday as family and friends gathered to say goodbye to a beloved priest, teacher and friend. Msgr. Barrett Armstrong passed away November 14 just shy of his 80th birthday. A staple at Toronto's St. Michael's Choir School (SMCS) for years, Msgr. Armstrong served as Director of Music for more than 4o years at SMCS.

Dozens of priests, current students from the Choir School and hundreds of alumni paid their respects with one final send off for Msgr. Armstrong. Among those in attendance included alumni John McDermott, Michael Burgess (who sang Panis Angelicus) and Barenaked Ladies member Kevin Hearn.

Retired priest Fr. Don MacLean took a look back at the life of Msgr. Armstrong in a homily that wove its way throughout the storied career of a priest who composed, conducted, counselled and laughed his way through a life centred on faith. Remarking on some of his more famous puns, Fr. MacLean recalled seeing Msgr. Armstrong using a cane for the first time. Remarking to his longtime friend that he was now using a cane, Msgr. Armstrong replied, "It makes me "able".

Fr. MacLean spoke of Msgr. Armstrong's lengthy service to the church, including his role in conducting choirs for the 1984 Papal Visit, a warm friendship with Cardinal Ambrozic and Msgr. Armstrong's own interview as a St. Michael's Choir School student at the tender age of 12.

It is a blessed experience to be in a church where the responses are hearty and the singing fills every corner of the mother church of the Archdiocese. For those familiar with the final commendation and farewell at a Catholic funeral mass, you know the words and music to "In my body, I shall look on God, my Savior." It's all the more powerful when the congregation is singing the farewell to the man who wrote the song.

In a fitting tribute, as the hearse departed St. Michael's, the entire student body of the Choir School lined the street, breaking into applause as Msgr. Armstrong made one last ride down Bond St.

It was the final act in a life that has inspired generations of Choir School students and others beyond the hallowed halls of this renowned institution. Thank you Msgr. Armstrong for your shining example of faith. Your musical score on earth is complete. We can be assured that heaven is richer with the addition of a new conductor, pun master and faithful priest, ensuring that for all those who have gone before us, the beat goes on...

Photos: St. Michael's Choir School, Archdiocese of Toronto

New Auxiliary Bishops: Key Dates & Assignments Announced

It's been a busy last week getting details together around the arrival of Toronto's newest bishops. The full complement of diocesan bishops gathered together briefly this past week to celebrate mass at the second week of the annual priests' seminar north of Toronto.

We can now provide further details regarding their episcopal ordinations.

The episcopal ordination of Bishop William McGrattan will take place in his home diocese of London at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at St. Peter's Cathedral. 24 hours later in Toronto, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Vincent Nguyen will be held at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 13, 2010, at St. Michael's Cathedral.

Now the real work begins - planning these events is always a joy but with it comes a lot of work with details and logistics that require many checks and balances - yes, that means some long days ahead!

We are often asked if these events are open to the public. I can tell you, as one involved in coordinating the Toronto events, unfortunately, we must limit the gatherings to invitation only. It's not because we are trying to be selective about who can attend, it's more practical than anything. The cathedral can only seat up to 1000 people. Factor in more than 600 priests, 100 deacons (+ their wives) and you've already got the church 75% full before you've extended an invitation to the special guests' family and friends. If the mother church of the Archdiocese had seating capacity for 2,000 it would be a different story.

However, with busy schedules and many public events taking place week to week, you'll have plenty of time to meet Toronto's newest bishops in short order.

With two new auxiliaries comes their assignments. Archbishop Collins has announced the new pastoral responsibilities of his episcopal team. They are as follows:

Bishop John Boissonneau - Regional Bishop of the Western Region, Vicar for Catholic Education, Vicar for Liturgy, Liaison with Catholic University Chaplaincies, Liaison with Theological Faculties.

Bishop Peter Hundt - Regional Bishop of the Northern Region, Vicar for Religious, responsible for the Pastoral Mission Fund and the Missionary Co-Operative.

Bishop William McGrattan - Regional Bishop of the Central Region, Vicar for Ethnic Communities, and Liaison with Lay Movements.

A fourth region, the Eastern Region has been created consisting of Scarborough (which had been part of the Central Region) and Durham (which had been part of the Northern and Eastern Region).

Bishop Vincent Nguyen - Regional Bishop of the Eastern Region, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Moderator of the Archdiocesan Curia, and Vicar for Deacons.

The division of the diocese into four regions will occur on January 14, 2010, on which date any changes in episcopal assignments will also take effect.

So for those who may wonder about the role of the Auxiliary Bishop, you can see that there is plenty to keep them busy. By dividing the Archdiocese (Canada's largest) into four distinct regions, it allows the Archbishop and auxiliaries to tackle issues and pastoral needs strategically. While things don't officially get rolling with the new team until January, be assured that the work has already begun.

And they say things slow down around Christmas....certainly not for the church! You might say it's "peak season"!

Photos: Archdiocese of Toronto

Could you be a Catholic School Board Trustee?

Education. Some might say it's our most important investment. There is no shortage of discussion around publicly funded Catholic education, both in Catholic and secular circles. For more than 160 years, our system has been a critical part of our provincial history. More than 600,000 students are educated in the system each year with over one million Ontarians choosing publicly funded Catholic schools for their kids. We must never forget the tremendous responsibility that comes with planting the seeds of faith in our young people as well as providing them the tools to contribute to our society as responsible citizens, discerning believers and caring family members. I believe firmly in all of this because I am a Catholic school grad and I believe in publicly funded Catholic education.

There are a number of ways that our community can be engaged in supporting publicly funded Catholic education. I like to think of it as the triangle of partnership: parish, home and school. All have a critical role to play. It's important for us all to remember that it's not somebody else's responsibility to instill Catholic values and faith in our young people - it's our responsibility.

An interesting new series of workshops will be taking place this January to help our family of faith learn more about the important role of the Catholic school board trustee. They're intended to take a deeper look at the role of the trustee both from a spiritual and practical perspective. And no, there will be no calculus involved so we can all breathe a little easier.

But first what's a Catholic trustee? Well, just as we elect local councillors to address the interests of our geographic area during municipal elections, we also elect school board trustees at the same time to help oversee the important work that takes place in our school boards. There are five english and one french catholic school board within the Archdiocese of Toronto. Their budgets are immense - hundreds of millions of dollars to oversee and nurture.

To properly administer these funds require faithful and responsible stewardship. Catholic School Board Trustees come from all walks of life: they are a reflection of our diverse faith community. There is no typical day for them - they put in hours upon hours of meetings, phone calls and correspondence because they believe they can make a difference. While I can't confirm it officially, in the time I wrote the previous paragraph, there were likely 2,302 trustee meetings across the province. You get the idea.

In 2010, we will hold municipal elections and once again, Catholic school board trustees will be elected. Have you ever considered running for the position? There are hundreds of men and women across the province who have answered the call to this vocation and we are grateful for their tireless efforts. We also extend an invitation to those who may not have previously considered the role to reflect on putting their name forward. While you may not have won that hard fought student council race in Grade 7, it's time to move on and give it another try. I know, you would've extended recess by an extra five minutes - seemed like such a sure thing.

St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto is presenting a series of workshops on 6 consecutive Saturdays (Jan 9/10 – Feb. 13/10) for anyone in the province of Ontario who is considering running for the position of Catholic trustee, is a present trustee, or any other persons who are interested. For a full description of the sessions and an invitation from Archbishop Collins, click here. You can also learn more about the role of Catholic School Board Trustee by visiting the website of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Asssociation.

Topics covered will include: The Mission and Overview of the Catholic School System, Historical and Legal issues in Catholic Education, Finance, Roles and Responsibilities, Election, and Skills required of a Catholic trustee. A highly qualified faculty with experts in education who have lived the experience so to speak will be on hand to share personal reflections. Even if you're not thinking of running for trustee but would like to learn more about the role of publicly funded Catholic education in our province, it's worth a look.

Of course, there needs to be homework for this assignment and here it is: if the course isn't in the cards for you, here are three other things you can to do strengthen publicly funded Catholic education:

1) Check your property tax bill to ensure your support is directed to your local Catholic school board. If you are a tenant you can verify your support by contacting your local Catholic school board or municipal office.

2) Vote! Traditionally, the voter turnout for school board trustee has been extremely low. We need to change that and engage our family of faith. By the way, in order to have a vote for Catholic school board trustee, you need to have your property tax bill directed as per the suggestion above.

3) If you don't see yourself running for elected office, affirm someone who has made that decision. Maybe it's contacting the current trustee to thank them for their ongoing efforts, perhaps it's encouraging a leader in the community you think would make a great elected representative to run for office.

So to recap, you don't educate millions over 160 years watching from the sidelines. There's lots of work to be done. Let's strive for more than just a "Participant" ribbon. When we all work together as a family of faith, the "good news" continues...

Class dismissed.

Photos: Archdiocese of Toronto, Toronto Star

Pope Benedict Appoints Two Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Toronto

TORONTO (6 November 2009) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Father Vincent Nguyen of the Archdiocese of Toronto and Father William McGrattan of the Diocese of London as Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

His Grace, Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, responded to the news with the following statement:

“We thank the Holy Father for blessing us with two new shepherds to assist the people of the Archdiocese of Toronto as we grow together in faith. I have worked closely with both Father Nguyen and Father McGrattan; as bishops, they will bring a love of the church and an abundance of gifts to their new roles. I look forward to collaborating extensively with them in the days ahead.”

Bishop-elect Nguyen spoke of the announcement: “I am humbled to have been asked by the Holy Father to serve the people of the Archdiocese of Toronto as Auxiliary Bishop. To the faithful of the Archdiocese, please pray for me as I embark upon this new ministry as I will pray for you. I will do all I can to assist Archbishop Collins as we strive to strengthen and nurture the diverse faith community of the Archdiocese.”

Bishop-elect McGrattan commented on the Holy Father’s appointment: “I am blessed to have served the people of the Diocese of London for the last 22 years. While it will be most difficult to leave the wonderful family I have come to know so well, I eagerly await the opportunity to meet the faithful of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Please pray that I will be faithful in this challenging ministry. I hope that as I come to know the priests, deacons and lay leaders, we will be able to share the blessings of pastoral ministry which I experienced in London.”

Father Vincent Nguyen was born in Viet Nam in 1966, the sixth in a family of seven boys and two girls. He came to Canada in 1984, entering St. Augustine’s Seminary in 1993. Ordained a priest in 1998, he has served in parish ministry in Mississauga and Toronto while also providing pastoral leadership for Vietnamese Catholics in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Father Nguyen traveled to Rome for studies in 2005 and was awarded a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome in 2008. He returned to Toronto and was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Spiritual Affairs in August 2008. In September 2009, he was appointed as Chancellor of Spiritual Affairs and Moderator of the Curia.

Father William McGrattan was born in London, Ontario in 1956, the oldest of two children. He entered St. Peter’s Seminary in 1982 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1987, serving in parish ministry in Chatham, Ontario. Father McGrattan studied in Rome and earned his Licentiate in Fundamental Moral Theology from the Pontificio Universita Gregoriana, Rome in 1992. He returned to London, joining the faculty of St. Peter’s Seminary, teaching theology courses and eventually serving as Vice Rector and Dean of Theology. Since 1997, he has served as Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary in addition to serving on numerous boards and committees.

As one of the most diverse dioceses in the world, the Archdiocese of Toronto is home to 1.9 million Catholics who celebrate Mass each week in over 30 different languages. More than 800 diocesan and religious priests serve the Catholic community in 225 parishes across the Archdiocese.

Photos and biographical information regarding the Archdiocese of Toronto’s newest bishops can be found online: http://www.archtoronto.org/

H1N1 Restrictions, Media & Funerals...

Many may feel that all they hear about in the media these days is the H1N1 virus. Problems with vaccination clinics, misinformation, expert advice that sometimes seems contradictory - it can all be a little overwhelming. Yet it is an issue that is with us and we all need to do what we can to prepare appropriately.

Earlier this week, the Archdiocese of Toronto announced new guidelines that went into affect this past Tuesday. Similar guideilnes have been issued in most dioceses across Canada.

By way of background, the new measures essentially built on the initial recommendations made by Archbishop Collins on September 16, 2009. After discussions with local health officials in the past week, the decision was made to ask all parishes to implement the new measures to ensure consistency in parishes across the Archdiocese.

Our office was directly involved in the H1N1 story on Monday of this week when Bill Steinburg and I coordinated media relations for the funeral of Evan Frustaglio, the young man who died of H1N1 on October 26. It was the largest gathering of media for a funeral I've experienced in my time with the Archdiocese, on par with the funeral almost one year ago to the day for Brandon Crisp in Barrie. About 25 reporters were present, along with several satellite trucks, plenty of cameras and accompanying gear.

Fr. Vito Marziliano, currently pastor at St. Clare's Parish and former pastor of All Saints Catholic Church, presided at the funeral and was a huge help to our office. He was able to utilize our protocol that is in place for high profile church events, liaise with Evan's family regarding the appropriate use of the media at the funeral, provide us with copies of his homily and the eulogy delivered after mass by Evan's father. Our office, in turn, was able to provide members of the media with this information, allowing them to report accurately on the events of the day. The parish hall was wired for sound and we were able to allow the media to listen to the service respectfully, without having reporters in the church taking notes. No cameras were allowed inside the church.

In these situations, our role is not to be "on camera" but, rather, to assist the media with their needs while allowing our clergy to take care of the pastoral needs of the family. We also do our best to provide information to reporters, the small bits that appear in stories. "What is the seating capacity of the church?" "What is the protocol when the funeral procession arrives?" "How well does the presiding priest know the family?"

As the funeral continues inside the church, we are providing updates, time estimates, additional information that has been confirmed, etc. In the midst of the service Monday, one young man collapsed in the church hall. Along with several police officers and the assistance of the wonderful church secretary, Elsa, we were able to provide first aid for the young boy who had fainted at the service.

We must always remind ourselves that we are present in these circumstances because a tragedy has taken place. My experience has been that almost all reporters are respectful and are not anxious to cover these types of stories. Our presence provides parameters for the media - otherwise, they would have no idea where they can and cannot go. Their affirming feedback tells us that the our work is extremely important, enabling them to properly cover these difficult events.

As for the new guidelines issued by the Archdiocese of Toronto, any liturgical changes are only taken after careful consideration, consultation and reflection. We recognize that many people will welcome additional proactive measures but there are also many who will feel frustrated by these changes and that is understandable. We must remember three main points in the days ahead:

1) Any restrictions are made only after close consultation with local health officials. We defer to their recommendations regarding public health issues.
2) These restrictions are meant to protect our family of faith, the entire body of Christ, especially those most vulnerable.
3) These are temporary measures only - we will return to our regular practices as soon as possible.

May we remember all those who are sick and suffering and in a special way, we remember Evan Frustaglio and his family. May he rest in peace.

Photos: CBC, Archdiocese of Toronto