Foundations, "Exploring Our Faith Together" is a faith enrichment program for adults offered by the parishes in Saskatoon's Roman Catholic diocese during the fall and spring of each year. The cost of each course is $5 per person, per two hour session. High school students: no charge. Anyone is welcome to attend sessions -- it is not necessary to be member of the parish organizing the event. Pre-registration is required. A minimum of 15 people is required for the course to run. A partial selection of topics is included below. The complete Foundations schedule for Spring 2008 and contact information is available on the RC diocesan website.

"Zombie Jesus or Resurrected Christ" with Blake Sittler
Holy Spirit Parish, Saskatoon, Monday, March 3, 7:30 pm
Every Sunday we proclaim that we believe in the resurrection of the dead but do we really understand what the resurrection is? Blake will investigate the scriptural, theological, historical and practical aspects of our hoped for glorification.

"Theology of Johnny Cash" with Blake Sittler
St. Patrick Parish Centre, Saskatoon, Wednesday, March 5, 7 pm
Visiting different aspects of Catholic theology using the lyrics of Johnny Cash.

"Spirituality & Social Justice" with Gertrude Rompré
Holy Spirit Parish, Saskatoon, Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 pm
How do we develop a balanced spirituality that includes a commitment to justice? How do we create a balanced activism that remains gospel-centered? This session explores these questions and how we can develop a "faith that does justice".

"A Funny Thing Happened on my Way Through the Bible" with Blake Sittler
Assumption of Our Lady Parish, Kerrobert, Wednesday, March 12, 7:30 pm
A search for the use of humour in the Old and New Testament and a discussion about the importance of making the Word relevant to people today.

"Interchurch Families" with Shirley & Bernie Karstad
St. Anne Parish, Saskatoon, Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 pm
Interchurch marriages are a particular life situation for many Christians that require special pastoral sensitivity. We will explore the realities of these families which share a baptismal and marital oneness.

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The Friends of Sophia winter programme continues with a presentation by Dr. Moira Day, Associate Professor, U of S Drama Department. Moira will present a talk entitled "Women, Theatre and Religion in the Western Tradition: From Antiquity to 1700".

Wed. March 5, 2008 @ 7:30 pm in the Chelsea Commons, rm 231, St Thomas More College.

The Friends of Sophia is an interdenominational group of women, based at the University of Saskatchewan, dedicated to nurturing Christian feminist spirituality through educational opportunities, shared experience and liturgical celebration. For more information see the Friends of Sophia website.

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(CCCB – Ottawa) – As part of the United Nations' International Year of Planet Earth, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has published a pastoral letter which calls for a collective consciousness to face critical environmental problems affecting the earth.

Produced by the Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs, the pastoral letter is titled "Our Relationship with the Environment: The Need for Conversion."

The Commission asserts that despite important commitments at summits held in Rio, Kyoto, Johannesburg and Bali, Canada represents "an extreme case" of non-compliance.

"After signing the Kyoto Protocol [in 1997], in which we agreed to decrease our greenhouse gases to six per cent less than those of 1990, we have instead increased them by approximately 25 per cent," the letter explains.

The Bishops state that Canadians are not sufficiently conscious of the impoverished inheritance they are leaving for the generations to come. As a result, the Commission for Social Affairs calls for immediate adjustments to improve the current situation, particularly for the well-being of future generations and the Global South.

In order to restore humanity's bonds with nature and lessen the effects of ecological breakdown, the pastoral letter proposes several ways Canadians can change, including:

• Regaining a sense of limit and adjusting our way of life to the planet's available resources
• Freeing ourselves of an "obsession to possess and consume" and instead choosing "joyful austerity" or voluntary simplicity
• Making personal efforts in favour of the environment

The Bishops insist that responsibility for restoring a healthy relationship with nature falls on each individual, who must re-examine his or her perceptions about possessions and personal comfort. This will demand greater solidarity and new forms of sharing among all Canadians, they said.

In October 2003, the CCCB Social Affairs Commission published an earlier letter on the environment entitled "The Christian Ecological Imperative." This text, as well as the recent pastoral letter which has just been published, is available on the CCCB website http://www.cccb.ca/. Printed copies may be ordered from .

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(CECC – Ottawa) – Dans le cadre de l'Année de la planète terre, telle que proclamée par les Nations Unies, la Conférence des évêques catholiques du Canada (CECC) vient de publier une lettre pastorale dans laquelle elle en appelle à la conscience collective face aux graves problèmes environnementaux qui frappent la planète.

Produite par la Commission épiscopale des affaires sociales, la lettre pastorale a comme titre : « Notre rapport à l'environnement : le besoin d'une conversion ».

Les auteurs de la lettre ne manquent de souligner qu'en dépit des importants engagements pris lors des rencontres de Rio, Kyoto, Johannesburg et Bali, le Canada représente un « cas extrême » de non-respect de ses engagements.

« Après avoir signé le protocole de Kyoto [en 1997], dans lequel nous nous engagions à diminuer nos émissions de gaz à effet de serre à 6 pour cent de moins que celles de 1990, nous les avons plutôt augmentées d'environ 25 pour cent », peut-on lire dans la lettre.

Les évêques notent que la société canadienne n'est pas suffisamment consciente de l'héritage appauvri qu'elle léguera aux générations à venir. Ils souhaitent donc que des ajustements soient apportés dès maintenant afin d'améliorer la situation actuelle, pour le mieux-être des prochaines générations et des populations de l'hémisphère sud.

En vue de rétablir les liens avec la nature, la lettre pastorale identifie un certain nombre d'actions qui pourraient être entreprises afin d'atténuer les effets de cette crise écologique, y compris :

• retrouver le sens de la limite et ajuster notre mode de vie aux ressources planétaires disponibles;
• se libérer de l'obsession de posséder et de consommer et opter plutôt pour « une austérité joyeuse » ou une simplicité volontaire; et
• consentir des efforts personnels en faveur de l'environnement.

Au dire des évêques, il incombe à chaque personne de rétablir les liens qui ont été détériorés avec la nature, de revoir sa conception de la possession et du confort personnels. C'est donc à une solidarité accrue et à de nouvelles formes de partage que sont invités tous les citoyens du Canada.

Déjà, en octobre 2003, la CECC avait publié une première lettre sur l'environnement intitulée : « L'impératif écologique chrétien ». Ce texte, de même que celui qui vient d'être publié, est disponible sur le site Web de la CECC. Des copies imprimées peuvent également être obtenues en s'adressant à .

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by the Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard,
Director of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism

It all began in the middle of the night, sometime in December. The previous day I had email to say that very senior aboriginal and church leaders were going to cross the country together to promote the work of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This was exciting. The TRC struck me as a courageous way to help heal this wound in our national soul.

My heart sank, however, when I read the proposed itinerary. No mention of Saskatchewan. "How typical", I thought, the chip on my prairie-girl shoulder well in place. I thought: it doesn't matter to those people 'down east' that Saskatchewan has a very large native population, that many residential schools were located here. With a fatalistic sigh, I went to bed.

And woke up in the middle of the night. There was no question: I had to write to the organizers and urge them to come to Saskatchewan. A few minutes on the internet brought up the email address. I wrote at once, urging our case and offering the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism as the local partner.

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[Anglican Journal] Rev. Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa, who serves as a consultant in congregational development for the diocese of Toronto, has been named co-ordinator for dialogue: ethics, congregational development and inter-faith relations, for the Anglican Church of Canada's faith, worship and ministry department.

One of Mr. Kawuki-Mukasa's responsibilities will be to staff conversations about the issue of sexuality as mandated in 2007 by General Synod, the national governing body of the Anglican Church of Canada. He will also staff the human life task force, which looks at issues of ethics, and will represent the Canadian Anglican church at inter-faith dialogues and "foster the network of practitioners of congregational development," according to the announcement.

Ordained a priest in the Church of Uganda in 1985, Mr. Kawuki-Mukasa has been exercising his ministry in Canada since 1992. He has served in the ecumenical shared ministry parishes of Lynn Lake and Snow Lake, Man., diocese of Brandon. He was also a member of the faculty of the Centre for Christian Studies and a consultant for ethnic ministries for the United Church of Canada.

Mr. Kawuki-Mukasa completed a PhD in theology and interdisciplinary studies from the Toronto School of Theology in 2005. He has a masters degree from the University of Zimbabwe, a master of divinity from the Nairobi School of Theology, and a bachelor of arts in political science from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

Recently, he has been helping the diocese of Toronto develop relations with Anglican dioceses in Africa, said Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan in a notice announcing Mr. Kawuki-Mukasa's appointment. "He has written extensively and participated in many events discussing issues in the Anglican Communion today. He will bring an important perspective into the work of the General Synod at this time," she added.

Mr. Mukasa will assume his new portfolio on June 1. He succeeds Linda Nicholls, who was elected a suffragan bishop of Toronto last November.

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10 a.m. Good Friday, March 21

This prayerful walk through the streets of Saskatoon features a reflection on the Way of the Cross focusing on justice and peace issues in the world today. For information, contact Tony Haynes at the Roman Catholic diocesan Justice and Peace office, 306-242-1500 or toll-free 1-877-661-5005.

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KAIROS wants you to turn off your lights for an hour at 8 pm on Saturday, March 29!

Why? Because our use of fossil fuels –- symbolized here by a light bulb -- is contributing to global climate change. In 2007, the people of Sydney, Australia, decided that they could send a powerful message for change by turning off all their lights at the same time. More than 2 million citizens and businesses did so. Now, the World Wildlife Fund is taking Sydney's history–making moment global by encouraging people, businesses, and communities all over the world to turn off their lights and demand action on climate change.

KAIROS asks you, your church, and your community to join in this global effort as part of your commitment to the Re-Energize: Time For A Carbon Sabbath campaign. Use this time to reflect on your use of fossil fuels and their connections not just to climate change but to human rights and conflict as well. Build community around these issues. Advocate with local and federal governments to change their policies and practices related to fossil fuels.

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Notre dépendance à l`égard de pétrole tue des personnes et la planète... parfois à petit feu par la dégradation progressive de l'air que nous respirons et des écosystèmes dont nous dépendons toutes et tous, et parfois rapidement à la suite des nombreuses violations des droits humains et des conflits liés au contrôle et à l'usage de l'énergie fossile. Y-a-t-il des alternatives?

Oui! KAIROS - initiatives œcuméniques canadiennes pour la justice pense qu'il est temps que nous réexaminions, à titre individuel et comme societé, notre dépendance à l'égard des combustibles fossiles. Joignez-vous à notre campagne d'action Repenser l'énergie : Il Est Temps de Prendre un Congé Sabbatique de Carbone et servez-vous de notre site Internet pour découvrir comment il vous est possible de changer vous-même, de changer votre milieu et d'aider à changer le monde en repensant tous et toutes ensemble de l'énergie!

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Toronto (ENI). A Canadian church magazine has become the first North American sponsor of a travelling exhibit of the life and work of natural scientist Charles Darwin, whose theory of the evolution of species has long been a source of conflict between scientists and Christians who take the Biblical account of creation literally.

The exhibit, which opened at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto on 8 March, had failed to find support from the museum's usual sponsors. Museum officials said none disagreed with Darwin's theories but cited concerns about a potential backlash from Christians opposed to the idea of evolution.

The editor of the United Church Observer, David Wilson, decided the Canadian magazine should become a sponsor after learning that the exhibit had received no corporate support in other North American cities where it had been mounted.

In announcing the magazine's sponsorship, Wilson said, "There is nothing in the exhibit that threatens or diminishes religion. If anything, it shines a light on the inherent beauty and wonder of a creation that is constantly and eternally evolving. The Darwin exhibit deserves support and we're not afraid to say so."

According to public opinion surveys, significant numbers of Christians in North America oppose Darwin's theory that humans evolved from simple life forms over many millennia. In the United States, school boards in as many as 25 states have been challenged in recent years to include what is called "intelligent design" in science studies, a view that its critics say encourages students to doubt the theory of evolution.

The Rev. Paul Fayter, a professor of science and religion at York University in Toronto and a parish minister with the United Church of Canada, told Ecumenical News International, "The Observer has shown great leadership. This small gesture speaks to the centuries-long, deep and mostly supportive relationship the Church has had with the world of science."

:: Darwin: The Evolution Revolution runs from 8 March to 4 August in Toronto before moving to the Natural History Museum in London, Britain, in time for celebrations marking Darwin's 200th birthday in February 2009.Printer-friendly pageImprimable

Rome (ENI). Pope Benedict XVI's baptism of an Egyptian-born Muslim Italian journalist, known for being a strident critic of restrictions of religious freedom in Islamic countries, has been questioned by Muslim leaders in Italy.

Magdi Allam, a columnist and deputy editor of the Milan-based Corriere della Sera newspaper, was one of seven people from five countries baptised by the pontiff at the Easter Vigil Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on 22 March.

"What shocked me is the high profile the Vatican gave to the conversion," said Yaha Sergio Pallavicini, vice president of the Religious Islamic community, one of Italy's Muslim groups. He questioned why Allam had not been baptised in Viterbo, the city 100 kilometres north of Rome where the Egyptian-born journalist lives.

Allam was born in Cairo in 1952, and attended a Roman Catholic school in Egypt. He came as a young person to Italy, where he did his university studies, afterwards working as a journalist and writer.

Explaining his decision to seek baptism, Allam wrote in Corriere della Sera, "In my first Easter as a Christian I discovered not only Jesus, but for first time the true and One God, who is the God of faith and of reason". He added, "beyond the ... Islamic extremism and terrorism that has appeared on a global level, the root of evil is inherent in an Islam that is physiologically violent and historically conflictive."

Italian writer Claudio Magris noted on 25 March in Corriere della Sera, "The way in which this conversion happened and his statement obviously have a political significance."

Allam has been under special police protection for five years because of death threats. He was an enthusiastic advocate of the US-led military action against Iraq in 2003, and he has written a book in support of Israel.

An article in the international Arab Newspaper Al Quds al Arabi stated, "The Pope is provoking the indignation of Muslim by baptising a former Muslim who supports Israel and who his well known for his aversion to Islam."

Still, Bishop Rino Fisichella, the rector of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, said, "Allam's choice was a very spiritual one." Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told journalists, "I don't know the origin of the event, or who promoted it."Printer-friendly pageImprimable

Love for one's neighbour is "an essential and integral part of faith in God and love of God" for both Islam and Christianity. How Christians and Muslims can engage in reflections of this love together is the central theme of a commentary issued by the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Thursday, 20 March. Compiled by Christian experts in Christian-Muslim relations, it addresses the churches and offers suggestions on responding to the widely noticed letter "A Common Word" by 138 Muslim leaders in October 2007.

The commentary entitled "Learning to explore love together" is part of on-going consultations in which the WCC has engaged its member churches and ecumenical partners since November 2007. It invites them "to explore together with Muslim fellows the love of God and the love of neighbour in their respective contexts".

"We are encouraging our churches to consider this invitation offered by the Muslim leaders as a new opportunity for interreligious dialogue" said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia. "It is our hope that this commentary will be a helpful tool as churches reflect on 'A Common Word,' and begin to engage in dialogue with the Muslim community," he said.

The document invites the churches to reflect on the two major theological themes of "A Common Word," love of God and love of neighbour. It points to the historical challenges and new promises of such dialogues and outlines a process for continuing dialogue among Muslim and Christian leaders. It is "a pressing necessity that while Christians and Muslims must find ways of enhancing what they hold in common, they must also find ways of acknowledging and respecting the differences between them," the document states.

"This document signals the initiating of a process," said Rima Barsoum, WCC program executive for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, "it calls for a joint planning group that will carefully prepare and jointly invite Muslim and Christian leaders and scholars for continuing dialogue events that will encourage interreligious cooperation at the global and local levels.

This process of response was affirmed by the Central Committee of the WCC at its meeting in February 2008, in Geneva.

• Download the document "Learning to explore love together" (pdf, 46 KB)
• "A Common Word", a Muslim letter to Christian leaders
• More information on the WCC Programme on Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation

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[Rome • ENI] Le baptême par le pape Benoît XVI d'un journaliste italien musulman d'origine égyptienne - connu pour être un virulent critique des restrictions à la liberté religieuse dans les pays musulmans - suscite des interrogations de la part de responsables musulmans en Italie.

Magdi Allam, chroniqueur et rédacteur en chef adjoint du quotidien milanais Corriere della Sera, était l'une des sept personnes de cinq pays différents à avoir été baptisées par le souverain pontife pendant la messe de la veille de Pâques à la basilique Saint-Pierre, au Vatican, le 22 mars.

"Ce qui m'a choqué, c'est le tapage que le Vatican a fait autour de cette conversion", a déclaré Yaha Sergio Pallavicini, vice-président de la Communauté religieuse islamique, une des organisations musulmanes d'Italie. Il s'est demandé pourquoi Magdi Allam n'a pas été baptisé à Viterbo, la ville située à 100 km au nord de Rome, où le journaliste d'origine égyptienne vit.

Magdi Allam est né au Caire en 1952 et a suivi sa scolarité sur les bancs d'une école catholique romaine en Egypte. Jeune homme, il est arrivé en Italie, où il a fait ses études universitaires puis travaillé en tant que journaliste et écrivain.

Expliquant sa décision de se faire baptiser, Magdi Allam a écrit dans le Corriere della Sera : "Lors de ma première fête de Pâques en tant que chrétien, j'ai découvert non seulement Jésus, mais aussi pour la première fois le véritable et unique Dieu, qui est le Dieu de la foi et de la raison". Il a ajouté : "Au-delà de ... l'extrémisme et du terrorisme islamiste qui existent au niveau mondial, les racines du mal sont inhérentes à un islam qui est physiologiquement violent et historiquement propice au conflit."

L'écrivain italien Claudio Magris a indiqué dans l'édition du 25 mars du Corriere della Sera : "La façon dont s'est passée cette conversion et sa déclaration ont manifestement une signification politique."

Magdi Allam est sous protection policière spéciale depuis cinq ans en raison de menaces de mort. Il a été un défenseur zélé de l'intervention militaire américaine en Irak en 2003 et il est l'auteur d'un livre dans lequel il exprime son soutien à Israël.

Selon un article paru dans le journal arabe international Al Quds al Arabi, "le pape provoque l'indignation des musulmans en baptisant un ancien musulman qui soutien Israël et qui est bien connu pour son aversion à l'égard de l'islam."

Toutefois, l'évêque Rino Fisichella, recteur de l'Université pontificale du Latran, à Rome, a déclaré : "Le choix de Magdi Allam a été très spirituel." Le cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, président du Conseil pontifical pour le dialogue interreligieux, a déclaré à la presse : "Je ne connais pas l'origine de cet événement et je ne sais pas qui l'a soutenu."

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L'amour du prochain est "un élément essentiel et une partie intégrante de la foi en Dieu et de l'amour de Dieu" pour l'islam comme pour le christianisme. La manière dont chrétiens et musulmans peuvent réfléchir ensemble à cet amour constitue le thème central d'un commentaire publié par le Conseil œcuménique des Eglises (COE) le jeudi 20 mars 2008. Rédigé par des experts chrétiens du dialogue avec l'Islam, il suggère aux Eglises de réponses possibles à la lettre intitulée "Une parole commune", signée par 138 responsables musulmans en octobre 2007.

Ce commentaire, intitulé "Apprendre à approfondir l'amour ensemble", s'inscrit dans le cadre des consultations en cours que le COE a lancées auprès de ses Eglises membres et des partenaires œcuméniques en novembre 2007 en les invitant à "approfondir avec les musulmans l'amour de Dieu et l'amour du prochain dans leurs contextes respectifs".

"Nous encourageons nos Eglises à considérer l'invitation lancée par les responsables musulmans comme une nouvelle occasion de dialogue interreligieux", déclare le pasteur Samuel Kobia, secrétaire général du COE. "Nous espérons que ce commentaire constituera un outil utile aux Eglises dans leur réflexion sur 'Une parole commune' et facilitera leur dialogue avec la communauté musulmane."

Le document invite les Eglises à réfléchir aux deux grands thèmes mentionnés dans "Une parole commune": l'amour de Dieu et l'amour du prochain. Il souligne les défis historiques et les nouvelles promesses des dialogues de ce genre et esquisse un processus permettant de poursuivre les échanges entre responsables chrétiens et musulmans. Il est "absolument indispensable que, tout en trouvant comment souligner ce qu'ils ont en commun, chrétiens et musulmans imaginent aussi comment reconnaître et respecter les divergences qui existent entre eux".

"Ce texte marque le début d'un processus", déclare Rima Barsoum, responsable du dialogue entre chrétiens et musulmans au COE. "Il invite à constituer un groupe mixte de planification qui jettera les bases d'un dialogue et invitera les responsables et théologiens chrétiens et musulmans a y participer dans le cadre de manifestations propres à encourager la coopération interreligieuse aux niveaux mondial et local."

Le processus de réponse à "Une parole commune" a été approuvé par le Comité central du COE lors de sa réunion de février 2008 à Genève.

• Texte intégral de "Learning to explore love together" (en anglais)

• "Une parole commune", lettre de dignitaires musulmans aux responsables chrétiens

• Pour plus d'informations sur le Programme "coopération et dialogue interreligieux" du COE

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