CCCB recap, day 1 / CÉCC, première journée

Greetings from the annual plenary of the   Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops! This video shows a recap of the day's events. Yours truly has a spot at the 7:10 mark.

 Et voici le vidéo en français:

Rosella Kinoshameg does our Diocese proud

 Very proud to see that Rosella Kinoshameg, a member of our Diocesan Order of Service from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, was a Canadian representative to the International Conference on Catholic Indigenous Ministry. Her spiritual leadership continues to shine. Full press from the CCCB release here (with link below):

Representatives from Catholic Indigenous organizations came together last week with Catholic Bishops from the Episcopal Conferences of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States for the International Conference on Catholic Indigenous Ministry (ICCI). This gathering, held in Washington D.C., was a historic milestone advancing dialogue, learning, and fellowship among pastoral agents working with Indigenous-Catholic communities.

Hosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, the purpose of the week-long gathering was to share experiences, ideas, resources, and best practices encountered in the relationship between the Catholic Church and Indigenous communities.

The Canadian delegates who participated in this International Conference were: the Most Rev. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton, the Most Rev. Mark Hagemoen, Bishop of Saskatoon, who represented the CCCB, alongside Ms. Rosella Kinoshameg (Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Ojibway/Odawa), Ms. Giselle Marion (Tłı̨chǫ First Nation, Behchokǫ̀, NWT) and the Hon. Graydon Nicholas (Welastoqiyik, Neqotkok), as Indigenous representatives.

“It was an honor to be here together along with the other representatives from the Native and Indigenous communities,” said Graydon Nicholas, a Wolastoquey Elder, former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, and member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share on the common themes that were identified, on matters of great interest, and on the hopes and challenges which we experience in our respective countries. We would like to thank the organizing committee for the years of careful preparation that have gone into making this Conference a reality.”

“This conference provided an opportunity for all participants to dialogue, which has fostered a better understanding of the relationship between the Church and Indigenous peoples,” said the Most Rev. Richard Smith, Archbishop of Edmonton. “My hope is that the conversations we had during this meeting can bring us closer together towards a path of dialogue and reconciliation. It was another opportunity to hear directly from the Indigenous peoples of Canada and other countries. This event was a reminder to walk together with our Indigenous peoples on the path to healing towards a future full of hope.”

The gathering added an international component to the wider and comprehensive synodal approach that the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church is taking to reinvigorate ministry with various ethnic and cultural communities. Included as a key part of the meeting agenda was a listening session for the Bishops with representatives from Catholic Indigenous organizations, with the intent that it will help charter a path for ministry to Indigenous Peoples at the international level. The topics of discussion emphasized the importance of being both Catholic and Indigenous, and included evangelization, education, reconciliation, healing, inculturation, as well as reflection on social concerns such as poverty, racism, and the environment.

Link:

https://www.cccb.ca/media-release/international-conference-seeks-to-promote-dialogue-between-catholic-bishops-and-indigenous-catholic-populations/

Smooth and delicious

I tried a new smoothie recipe recently: beets, blueberries, strawberries, pomegranite juice, honey and kale. It was delicious! And leftovers ready to freeze for use another day.

An honoured gift, from a deceased POW

I was gifted this Rosary yesterday. The original owner was captured by the Red Army and deported to Siberia during WW2. After the war ended, he was sent home but died on the way. The rosary was among his personal effects sent to his family, and it was handed down. It will be an honour to pray with it.

J'ai reçu ce chapelet en cadeau hier. Le premier propriétaire a été capturé par l'armée soviétique pendant la Deuxième guerre mondiale, et a été déporté en Sibérie. Après la guerre il est décédé en retournant chez lui. Le chaplet était parmi ces effets personnels, et faisait parti de la patrimoine historique de la famille. Il sera un honneur de l'utiliser pour ma prière.

Happy birthday to me! Bonne fête à moi!

My new car is in, so I went to the dealership today to work out the final details. People are already teasing me about the "episcopal" colour. What can I say... happy birthday to me! :-)

Ma nouvelle voiture est arrivée chez le concessionnaire, donc je suis allé aujourd'hui pour finaliser les détails. Les gens me taquinent déjà au sujet de la couleur "épiscopale". Bonne fête... à moi! :-)

12 anniversary as a bishop! 12e anniversaire d'épiscopat!

 Today is my 12th anniversary of ordination as a bishop. What an adventure it has been! Please say a prayer for me, that I may have the strength to be up to the task.

Aujourd'hui je fête 12 ans d'ordination épiscopale. Quelle aventure! Priez pour moi SVP, pour que je puisse avoir la force nécessaire pour réussir.

Even the dog made a new friend!

 My sister and her family came by the office this morning to say goodbye before heading back to Ottawa. She brought the dog, who made a new friend.

Louna is the little dog, and is sort of our office mascot here at the Diocese. Summit is my sister's dog, and weighs over 10x the smaller one. We were a bit worried about how their first meeting might go, but they were immediate friends. It put a smile on everyone's face.

Family up for a visit

 My sister Miriam has come for a visit to Sudbury, bringing the three kids (Brigid, Paxton and little Temperance). They got in last night, and I took them on a tour of my office after they checked in to their hotel. Today, I met them for breakfast, and later for lunch.

The red lobster in the background is there because we ate at... well... Red Lobster. :-)

The kids are off to the Big Nickel this afternoon, and then back to the hotel pool. They all leave tomorrow. So happy to have them here!

Le ressentiment : comment s’en débarrasser

Mon entrevue avec l'émission "Église diocésaine" au sujet du ressentiment vient d'être publié. Cela suit une homélie que j'avais fait pendant le carême (en anglais). J'espère que cela peut aider.

Opening Mass for Sudbury District Catholic School Board

I had a chance to celebrate Mass this morning for the staff of the Sudbury District Catholic School Board, on the occasion of a professional development day prior to the start of the school year. 

People were clearly happy to connect with each other, so folks were quite chatty. I made sure to give us all an extended time of meditation after communion prior to the final blessing. I'm looking forward to my next chance to visit the schools and school board.

Visiting the Michaelites

 I was mainly on the road today as I headed back to Sudbury from St. Peter's Seminary in London. On the way I decided to visit the retreat centre of the Michaelite Fathers, as I wanted to learn more about their devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel. My guide was Father Mateusz Sobierajski, who met me there after their morning Mass.

It turns out there are many forms of such devotion, such as a Chaplet of Saint Michael, as well as a Scapular of Saint Michael which one obtains by being enrolled in the confraternity of the same name. They also do a big outdoor Mass around Saint Michael's feast day on September 29. 

More info: Michaelites in Canada