[Rome] 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.
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Christians and Muslims must enhance common ground and acknowledge differences, says WCC

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] 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.
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[Toronto] 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.
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Prendre un Congé Sabbatique de Carbone

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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March 29 is a Carbon Sabbath

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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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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New Anglican coordinator for ethics & inter-faith relations

[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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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.

How could I make such a commitment in the middle of the night, with no hesitation and no consultation? It was simple: the amazing PCE network. 24 years of building inter-church partnerships paid off. The PCE’s Restorative Justice Committee usually just do one workshop in November, but 2007 was different. Our focus was the continuing racial divide in our region. The question we asked was how can we, as native and non-native people, walk together to heal our communities? It was clear that this would not be a one-off event, but a process. We began to seek aboriginal partners and found them. There was a growing sense that God was taking us somewhere, well out of our comfort zones. The stage was set.

On January 11 we got word that the national tour, impressed by the strength of our invitation, was coming to Saskatoon on March 9. Hastily the Restorative Justice committee assembled, and others were invited on board — including Ethel Ahenakew of the Saskatoon Native Ministry, Alan Jacques, who ministers on the Dakota Whitecap First Nation, Mary Ann Assailly, of the Anglican diocesan outreach network.

We were excited. Someone asked how many people will come. I said I wasn’t sure, but we should prepare for up to 400. There was incredulous laughter. (We are used to disappointment.) But we persuaded ourselves to think big, and got to work — especially Carol Zubiak our chair, and Carol Penner, our office manager. We were delighted when FaithLife Financial stepped up to the plate and gave us $1,000 to help.

Four churches ran residential schools on behalf of the federal government — Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United. Their local church leaders were enthusiastic about the March 9 visit, and promoted the event among their people. Chief Lawrence Joseph, head of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, flew to Ottawa to check out the national launch of the tour. That convinced him that the churches were sincere. He agreed to speak in Saskatoon, and promoted the event with Saskatchewan native leaders.

Invitations went out far and wide — oh the wonders of email. The press releases went out. We held our breath.

Then the phone began to ring. The computer went crazy. Media said they were coming. By the week of the tour, we were arranging overflow seating and urging the Western Development Museum to squeeze in more seats and stand by with extra food.

On the day we counted 471 going past the registration desk. People were streaming in, white and native, old and young. There was a line-up of those wanting to smudge. The perfume of sweetgrass filled the air. People sat at round and long, tables, filling the hall. Expectant and a little nervous.

On stage the national tour’s display featured a young native boy’s face, with a very institutional haircut. His face appeared on the podium as well. When Ted Quewezance, residential school survivor and head of the survivor’s society, stood at the podium and told his story. I felt I was time travelling, for Ted — a man in his fifties or sixties — bore an uncanny resemblance to that little boy.

Each church leader spoke well, with words of clear apology for a very serious wrong. Chief Joseph had called it a ‘holocaust’. The uncomfortable truth, new to me, was that many children never came home from those residential schools. Many died or disappeared. We must remember. There is so much that most non-native people don’t know.

The program ran long, but the audience stayed with it. There were tissues placed on each table. They were needed. Many were touched — the audience, the museum serving staff, the media people, the local sound technician. A young Métis prison worked shared her sense of delight about the event. A school survivor in her sixties told me about the great sense of lightness and peace that had come upon her as the afternoon unfolded.

We finished with a meal and a round dance. When I went to the microphone and asked “Who’s ready for some singing and dancing?” there were whoops and shouts and applause. As ‘Young Thunder’ drummed and sang, a circle of people formed, holding hands, dancing around the edge of the hall. Native and white together, moving to the drum, a ring reaching not just once around the hall, but in places two lines thick. A moment of declaration. A moment of hope.

People asked me, “Are you coming back next year?” The question was about whether the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, when it shapes its itinerary for the major city events, will remember to come to Saskatchewan. We need them to come.

At the PCE, we’ll be standing by for the phone call.

—

• For background on the Truth & Reconciliation Commission go to www.residentialschoolssettlement.ca
• The tour website is www.rememberingthechildren.ca
• A Most Holy Day – The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, reflects on the Saskatoon stop of the tour.
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CECC : une lettre pastorale sur l’environnement

(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 mchabot [at] cecc [dot] ca.
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Canadian Catholic Bishops pastoral letter on environment

(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 www.cccb.ca/. Printed copies may be ordered from mchabot [at] cecc [dot] ca.
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from the Saskatoon Star Phoenix Aboriginal and church leaders are joining together on a cross-country tour aimed at helping the healing process related to residential schools. The event, Remembering the Children, will make a stop in Saskatoon Sunday. The city is one of four being visited, along with Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg. The purpose of
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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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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
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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Exodus. Numbers. Judges
Perhaps this is a sign of how long the struggles over human sexuality have monopolised our attention. The following note was posted on our blog in 2004. It is still a helpful contribution.

“Exodus. Numbers. Judges. As conservative parishes leave the liberal Episcopal Church, who shall inherit the real estate?”

This is an excellent article from LegalAffairs by Elizabeth Austin. It provides some insight into the role of bishops, hierarchy, and conciliar government in the Episcopal Church. It is a little different in every Anglican province, but Canada will have some similarities. The legal precedents will also be different. In Canada, many of the major legal precedents regarding church property were established following the 1925 church union that resulted in the United Church of Canada.
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Le totem de Bossey retourne à la terre
[Nouvelles de COE] La 6ème Assemblée du COE s’était tenue en 1983 au Canada, à Vancouver. A cette occasion les Églises du Canada avaient offert un totem de 15 mètres de haut, non seulement comme souvenir de cette Assemblée en Amérique du Nord, mais aussi pour promouvoir la voix des peuples indigènes du Canada.

Ramené en Europe, ce totem de cèdre sculpté par les peuples indigènes du Canada avait trouvé sa place dans le parc verdoyant de l’institut œcuménique de Bossey. Avec les intempéries suisses, ce totem avait vieilli et menaçait ces derniers mois de tomber.

Le COE a donc décidé, en concertation avec les donateurs du totem, de le faire reposer désormais à l’horizontal. Cette pratique est en accord avec les traditions indiennes, pour qui un totem n’est évidemment pas considéré comme éternel et doit donc pouvoir retourner à la terre, pour compléter le cycle de la vie.

Dimanche 17 février, un temps de commémoration a été organisé à l’institut de Bossey, durant le comité central du COE, pour marquer ce moment de la “descente du totem” de Vancouver.
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Bossey totem pole returned to the earth
[WCC News] After 25 years standing vigil at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, a totem pole was returned to the soils of the earth Sunday at a ceremony attended by many of those taking part in this week’s Central Committee meetings.

The totem was presented as a gift of the churches of Canada at the WCC’s Sixth Assembly, held in Vancouver, as a way to raise the profile of indigenous people. Time and weather took its toll on the nearly 50 foot-tall totem since its placement at Bossey, and it had become unstable.

Following advice from the First Nations of Canada, the WCC decided to hold a respectful ceremony to remember the gift and the work of those who carved it. Rev. Carmen Lansdowne, a Central Committee member from the United Church of Canada and member of the indigenous people of western Canada, was asked to lead the ceremony. A small, permanent display will continue to tell the totem’s story.
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[CECC Communiqués] Dans un message rendu public aujourd’hui, Mgr V. James Weisgerber, président de la Conférence des évêques catholiques du Canada, se fait le porte-parole de ses confères évêques en réclamant qu’un réel débat porte sur la présence et la mission canadiennes. Il souhaite que ce débat se concentre sur les enjeux fondamentaux qui affligent le peuple afghan.

Selon lui, les membres du parlement du Canada, au moment de leurs délibérations, devraient toujours garder en tête le souhait le plus cher des Afghans et de toute population : la paix. « Les considérations d’ordre politique ou électoral sont secondaires lorsqu’il s’agit de l’avenir d’un peuple et de vies humaines. Nous invitons les parlementaires à mettre de côté leurs positions préétablies et à reconnaître que la vérité est à rechercher ensemble. La diversité des points de vue doit être accueillie comme une richesse possible pour l’élaboration d’un plan d’action concret et positif, mais dont le but ultime est l’établissement de la paix », a-t-il déclaré.

Se référant au Rapport Manley, le Président de la CECC affirme que les autorités gouvernementales doivent faire preuve d’une plus grande transparence auprès de la population. « Une information plus complète et de meilleure qualité de la part de notre gouvernement permettrait aux citoyens et citoyennes de notre pays de mieux comprendre le but, les enjeux, les modalités du conflit en Afghanistan et de mieux évaluer l’engagement de nos forces armées et des organismes humanitaires canadiens. Cette information est essentielle si l’on veut ensemble prendre des décisions qui permettront de faire progresser une paix réelle et durable dans ce pays. »

S’il avoue que la situation est très complexe, Mgr Weisgerber reprend les propos du pape Benoît XVI afin d’étayer son argumentation : « La guerre est la pire des solutions pour tous. Elle n’apporte rien de bon, pour personne, pas même pour ses apparents vainqueurs. »

Pour le Président de la CECC, la voix que les évêques font entendre aujourd’hui s’appuie sur un riche enseignement de l’Église catholique en matière de doctrine sociale. Il en souligne particulièrement trois éléments : des négociations de paix, réalisées de bonne foi et qui impliquent toutes les parties en présence; une nette distinction entre les opérations militaires et l’aide humanitaire; et, une protection de la dignité humaine des soldats canadiens.

Enfin, c’est aussi par la prière que Mgr Weisgerber enjoint les croyants à se joindre à lui afin « que le peuple afghan retrouve la paix et la sécurité; que les familles des soldats qui ont donné leur vie trouvent la consolation; que nos soldats et leurs familles se retrouvent bientôt rassemblés; que nos dirigeants politiques tiennent un débat sérieux qui permettra aux Canadiens et aux Canadiennes de décider du rôle du Canada en Afghanistan. »

• Message de Mgr V. James Weisegerber « Appel pour un réel processus de paix en Afghanistan » www.cccb.ca/site/content/view/2567/1152/lang,frc/
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[CCCB press release] In a message published today, Archbishop V. James Weisgerber, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for a serious debate on the Canadian presence and mission in Afghanistan. This debate, he said, should focus on the key issues facing the Afghan people.

As spokesperson for the Bishops of Canada, Archbishop Weisgerber said Canadian members of Parliament should remember that, most of all, the people of Afghanistan want peace. “Political and electoral considerations must take second place when it is a question of human lives and a people’s future,” he said. “We would invite the members of Parliament to put aside any predetermined stances, recognizing that the truth will involve concerted efforts. Diverse points of view need to be welcomed as contributions toward developing a detailed and constructive action plan, with peace as the ultimate goal.”

Referring to the Manley Report, Archbishop Weisgerber added that the Canadian government needs to show greater transparency on the Afghanistan conflict. “More complete and reliable information from the government will help Canadian citizens better understand the objective, the questions and the conditions involved in the Afghanistan conflict, and also how to evaluate the engagement there of Canadian armed forces and humanitarian agencies,” the CCCB President stated. “This information is essential if all Canadians are to be involved in making decisions that can lead to real and lasting peace in that country.”

Although admitting the situation is complex, Archbishop Weisgerber cites Pope Benedict XVI in observing “that war is the worst solution for all sides. It brings no good to anyone, not even to the apparent victors.”

The CCCB President indicated the Bishops want the social teaching of the Catholic Church to be heard, and went on to note three points based on this teaching: peace negotiations, carried out in good faith and involving all the parties concerned; a clear distinction between military operations and humanitarian aid; and safeguarding the human dignity of Canadian soldiers.

Archbishop Weisgerber concludes his message by inviting every person of faith to join him in prayer “that the Afghan people find peace and security; that the families of soldiers who gave their lives find consolation; and that our political leaders engage in a serious debate that will help Canadians decide on Canada’s role in Afghanistan.”

• Message of Archbishop V. James Weisgerber: “Call for true peace process in Afghanistan” www.cccb.ca/site/content/view/2567/1152/
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St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon presents: Winter Refresher from February 10th to 13th, 2008. The theme this year is This Sacred Earth: the ecological challenge to religion with the theme speaker Dr. Heather Eaton.

For registration and information regarding Winter Refresher 2008. For additional information contact St. Andrew’s College: toll free: 877-644-8970; or www.standrews.ca.

Join us for Great Music, Engaging Theology, Stimulating Conversation, and Celebration.
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[Anglican Journal] By a vote of 13 in favour and four against, staff at the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), the relief and development arm of the Anglican Church of Canada, voted on Feb. 8 to unionize and become part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

One staff member, who asked not to be named, said the union was formed “as a mechanism to facilitate staff-management relations.” All 17 staff who were eligible to vote did so.

This is the first attempt to form a union by employees at PWRDF, which in 2001 became separately incorporated from General Synod (the governing body of the Anglican Church of Canada). An earlier attempt by all General Synod employees to unionize failed in 1997.

Staff said the formation of a union by a group associated with a church should not be seen as unusual since similar organizations like Kairos, an ecumenical peace and justice group of which the Anglican Church of Canada is a member, are themselves unionized.

They added that the PWRDF’s work involves working with unions and unionized workers. “In a way, we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We’ve always believed in the rights of workers to organize themselves,” said the staffer in an interview.

PWRDF management did not raise any objections when a notice came from the Ontario Labour Relations Board that employees had made an application to form a union.

Under labour law, an employer is allowed to raise any questions or objections about plans to form a union five days before employees cast their votes.

The quiet campaign to unionize began in mid-fall. “Having looked at various options, it was thought that unionizing was the best,” the staffer added.

CUPE, which has more than 500,000 members across Canada, represents workers in various sectors including healthcare, education, libraries, social services, transportation, and municipalities.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada and president of PWRDF’s board of directors, said that he would consult with board members and the fund’s executive director, Cheryl Curtis, before making any comment.

Ms. Curtis was not available for comment.
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[Warsaw] The bishop in charge of recruitment for Poland’s Roman Catholic clergy says he does not believe recent scandals are to blame for a sharp fall in vocations, after the church noted a 24 percent reduction in admissions to the country’s 84 Catholic seminaries.

“Decisions about vocations aren’t taken under the influence of short-term events,” said Bishop Wojciech Polak, who heads the church’s National Council for Vocations Ministry. “Today’s culture discourages firm life-long commitments. But we’re not yet seeing any radical, drastic drain in priestly callings, or feeling any tangible shortage of clergy.”
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Remembering the Children: Aboriginal and Church Leaders prepare for Truth and Reconciliation

Cross-Canada Promotion Tour
Saskatchewan stop is March 9, 2008

Senior aboriginal and church leaders are crossing Canada this March to promote the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which is being set up as part of the healing process set out in the Indian Residential Schools Agreement.

The tour seeks to bring awareness of the TRC to the general public and especially the people of the churches. At the invitation of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon will be one of the 4 stops on the tour. The PCE organizing committee is made up of representatives of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United, and Presbyterian churches and the Mennonite Central Committee. Other stops are Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver. We asked for the tour to have a Saskatchewan stop because the residential schools issue is so important in our province.

The Saskatoon event is Sunday, March 9 at the Western Development Museum, starting at 3.00 pm, concluding with a feast & round dance.

Assembly of First Nations leaders and Regional Chiefs are part of the tour, along with senior staff from the Office of the Interim Director of the TRC. The other members include the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican National Indigenous Bishop, the Moderator of the United Church of Canada and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Local church and political leaders will offer a word of welcome to the national tour team at the event. The AFN will be in touch with chiefs in the region about this, and the FSIN have been invited to be present

We are excited that this important event is coming to Saskatchewan. This is a public event. We hope you can be there and will tell others about it. There is no charge for the event. A donations basket is available. Pre-registration is strongly advised to help us plan seating, and is ESSENTIAL if you will be staying for the feast. Register by phone (306-653-1633) or email pce [at] ecumenism [dot] net or write to the PCE at 600-45th Street West, Saskatoon, S7L 5W9.

Yours sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard
Executive Director,
Prairie Centre for Ecumenism (for the Restorative Justice Committee)

For background on the TRC go to www.residentialschoolssettlement.ca
The tour website is www.rememberingthechildren.ca
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Communion distributes second draft of proposed ‘covenant’
Design group tries to uphold autonomy of provinces

[Marites N. Sison • Anglican Journal] Addressing concerns raised by several provinces, including Canada, about granting more authority to primates and other Instruments of Unity in the Anglican Communion, an international group has released a second draft of the proposed Anglican Covenant that maintains the body’s current structures.

The St. Andrew’s draft, so-called because the Covenant Design Group met Jan. 28 to Feb. 2 at St. Andrew’s House in London, also offers “a much more carefully-drawn emphasis on provincial autonomy,” said Eileen Scully, co-ordinator for ministry and worship of the Anglican Church of Canada’s faith, worship and ministry department. Ms. Scully represented the Canadian church in the meeting of the group, which the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams appointed in 2007 in response to a request of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates’ Meeting and of the Anglican Consultative Council.

But while underscoring the independence of provinces, a key section of the draft asks provinces to commit to a process by which they can settle disputes over matters that “threaten the unity of the Communion and the effectiveness or credibility of its mission.”

It states that provinces must be “willing to receive from the Instruments of Communion a request to adopt a particular course of action in respect of the matter under dispute.”

(The Anglican Communion is served by four “instruments of communion”: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference of bishops, Primates Meetings and the Anglican Consultative Council.)

The draft notes that, “While the Instruments of Communion have no legislative, executive or judicial authority in our provinces … we recognize them as those bodies by which our common life in Christ is articulated and sustained, and which therefore carry a moral authority which commands our respect.” But it adds, “Any such request would not be binding on a church unless recognized as such by that church.”

The covenant stops short of saying what the consequences might be for a church that refuses to adopt any request, stating only that it constitutes “a relinquishment by that church of the force and meaning of the Covenant’s purpose.”

Ms. Scully acknowledged that this is “really difficult stuff because here is where we’re trying to uphold provincial autonomy and saying that we’re autonomous in Communion … What we set out to do is to offer processes with proper checks and balances that respect the realities of provinces and the Anglican Consultative Council and the limited powers of the primates as a collective, not corporate, body.”

During its meeting, the group reviewed submissions from 13 out of 38 provinces and six extra-provincial churches, plus “a large number of responses” from groups and individuals across the Communion.

The draft will be offered for reflection to the Lambeth Conference, the decennial meeting of bishops scheduled July 16 to Aug. 3 in Canterbury, England, and to the broader Communion, after which the design group will meet anew to prepare another draft. That version will then be sent to the Anglican Consultative Council and the primates’ meeting in March 2009 as well as the provinces. It could take more meetings and more drafts, a process that could take years, before a final document can be presented to provinces for approval, said Ms. Scully.

The establishment of a covenant was one of the key recommendations of the 2004 Windsor Report, a document published by the Lambeth Commission on Communion which was created by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to contain a schism in the Anglican Communion over the issue of sexuality.

The latest draft of the covenant “really reflects a movement away from creating new structures,” said Ms. Scully.

In a commentary, the group noted that since “some comments indicated that the covenant was somehow ‘canonizing’ (the) four instruments of communion that have evolved in a somewhat haphazard way” it amended the text of the first draft “to allow both for the evolution of the Instruments, and to acknowledge the existence of other informal instruments and links.”

The group noted that while the covenant “does not preclude or even seek to limit the possible development of these and other Instruments, we nonetheless believe that the Instruments as now working represent a special means of faithfully maintaining our common life, and ones that need to remain at the center of our common commitments.”

The draft emphasizes that there is no intention to create a “centralized jurisdiction” and that the Instruments of Communion “cannot dictate with juridical force on the internal affairs of any province.”

Ms. Scully also said that several provinces of the Communion, including Canada, “were very key in saying, ‘we are committed to the covenant process if such a covenant enhances our mission; we need to know that this isn’t just going to be something about institutional cohesion.'”

In a commentary on the draft, the group noted the “lack of formal discursive responses from other provinces,” and expressed the hope that it “does not necessarily signal disapproval.” The group, headed by Archbishop Drexel Gomez, primate (national archbishop) of the West Indies, cited the lack of translations of text as a possible factor in the low turnout of responses from provinces.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Covenant Response Group is scheduled to meet in Winnipeg Feb. 7 to 8, to discuss how the Canadian church will respond to this latest draft.

The St. Andrew’s draft is available at www.aco.org/commission/covenant/st_andrews/draft_text.cfm
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It is a source of joy that Catholic pastors may, in particular circumstances, administer the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick to Christians who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church. On such occasions, we acknowledge the importance of the sacrament as a source of grace for all the baptized.

On December 16, 2007, Bishop Albert LeGatt of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon announced the release of Pastoral Directives for Sacramental Sharing between Catholics and Baptized Christians of Other Denominations. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has reviewed the Directives and found them worthy.

The Pastoral Directives were created to bring awareness to both clergy and laypeople of the occasions when sacramental sharing is possible. Bishop LeGatt desires a sound pastoral and consistent response across the diocese to requests for sacramental sharing.

Saskatoon Diocesan Commission for Ecumenism

For further reading and understanding of the Pastoral Directives, please review the following resources:

• Bishop Albert LeGatt’s letter (December 16, 2007)
• Pastoral Directives (revised February 13, 2007) [PDF 99 Kb]
• Directives Pastorales (13 février 2007) [PDF 94 Kb]
• Pastoral Notes (January 31, 2005) [PDF 67 Kb]
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The following commentary on the recent violence in Kenya was written by Giuseppe Caramazza, a Comboni Missionary working in Kenya for 16 years. The article was published in L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s newspaper, on January 30, 2008. The English translation presented here was prepared by Matthew Sherry for www.Chiesa, a weblog by Sandro Magister of La Repubblica.

The roots of the violence
by Giuseppe Caramazza

In the international press, the violence that is shaking Kenya is still being defined in relation to the electoral upheaval that began in the African country at the end of December. In reality, one should not confuse the political protest with the killings that are taking place above all in the Rift Valley, the region that divides the country in two, from north to south. Nor should one forget the hundreds of persons killed and the more than 250,000 internal refugees, mostly housed by parishes and convents. It is true, however, that there is a connection between the political crisis and the violence.

During the electoral campaign, the political opposition often said that, once it had come to power, it would employ the politics of the majimbo. This is a Swahili word that we can translate as regionalization. The Catholic Church, like other Christian confessions, immediately declared its opposition to this. Why?

In the colonial era, the English divided the country along tribal lines, and not always in keeping with the territories that were truly controlled by the various ethnic groups. This led to a rigid territorial division that was then adopted by the newly created republic of Kenya. It should not be forgotten that when the English took control of Kenya, they wanted to see in African society a reality that had been fixed for centuries, while in fact there were populations on the move, and, in some cases, common territories that were exploited in different ways by two or more ethnic groups.

It should also not be forgotten that two hundred years ago the population of Kenya was a small fraction of what it is now. It would be impossible to propose going back to the former borders today. With independence, the centralized English administration continued, and was even strengthened during the years of the semi-dictatorship of President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi.

The proponents of the majimbo want to restore to the regions the right to administrate their own resources. The government has not accepted this idea., and the Churches have aligned themselves against it because it conceals the terrible seed of tribalism.

Already in the past, the former president Moi used this card to reinforce his position among the ethnic groups of the Rift Valley. Every time that he wanted to frighten the residents who were not originally from the region, he threatened them with the majimbo. The message was clear: those who were not originally from a particular place did not have the right to live there or to own property. This goes against the constitutional principle that sees Kenya as a united country and gives Kenyans the right to live anywhere within the borders of the nation. These are principles that are not readily admitted by many who still today perceive as their place of origin the ancestral territory as it was delineated by the colonial administration.

After the disaster of the presidential election last December 27, in various areas of the Rift Valley some members of the local ethnic groups saw the opportunity to drive out the “foreigners” and appropriate their lands and their other belongings. It is clear that the ethnic group hardest hit was that of the Kikuyu. They are the largest ethnic group, their ancestral territory is not sufficient to accommodate all of them, and so many of the Kikuyu have bought land in the Rift Valley and have turned it into model farms.

But it is not a question only of the Kikuyu. The Luya are being targeted in the area of Eldoret, the Kamba near Nakuru, the Kisii in Kipkelion. It could not have been expected that the Kikuyu would stand around twiddling their thumbs, and in fact there has been violence in Nakuru and Naivasha, which are Kikuyu-majority cities.

It should not be forgotten that the worst violence has occurred in the places that have been experiencing insecurity for years. The clashes in Londiani, Molo, and Cherengani today have something sinister about them, since there has been similar violence in these areas almost constantly over the past five years. This is not, therefore, a new outbreak of tension, but the explosion of a violence with ancient roots.

In recent days, moreover, the group Human Rights Watch published a report in which it affirms that the politicians of the Orange Democratic Movement, the opposition party, have fomented ethnic hatred in many areas, have collected money for the purchase of weapons, and have asked residents to expel the members of other ethnic groups from their property. New investigations will shed more light on these accusations. It is clear, however, that the majimbo has been invoked by the opposition, and they are culpably responsible for the violence of recent days.

In Nairobi, the political demonstrations have died down, giving way to various mediation initiatives. The slums, which house the majority of the population on less than ten percent of the urban land, are being kept under control. So far, it has not been possible to bring the government and the opposition to meet at the same table. Former UN secretary Kofi Annan has made concerted efforts in recent days, and has succeeded in making a few small openings for dialogue. The bishops have encouraged Kofi Annan to continue along this path, and have invited President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to make room for dialogue.

Dialogue between the contending parties has always been the solution adopted by Kenyans to address questions between two rivals. Nonetheless, the violence and the public accusations exchanged between the two parties risk blocking the process and clouding the vision of the contending parties. Whatever the political solution, it is clear that the major questions that must be addressed are the ones that went unresolved during the previous government of Kibaki: the fair distribution of land, access for all to the country’s resources, growth of the civic sense of the population and its right to participate in the political debate.
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The Friends of Sophia winter programme will begin with a presentation by Dr. Mary Ann Beavis, Professor of New Testament at St. Thomas More College. Mary Ann will explore the relationship between feminist theology and Canadian women’s art, focusing on the work of Bernice Santor, Pnina Granirer and Lilian Broca.
Wed, January 30, 2008, @ 7:30 pm in the St. Andrew’s College Lounge.
Parking is available. Please use the parking circle by the main doors, not the Parking Lot.
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[ACC News – January 30, 2008] What follows is the text of a letter written by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, to Prime Minister Stephen Harper dealing with the federal government’s stance on Canadians sentenced to death in foreign jurisdictions.

29 January, 2008

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

On behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada, we write to express our grave concern regarding the decision of the Government of Canada to accept the imposition of the death penalty on Canadians under the jurisdictions of other countries.

We refer to the case of Ronald Allen Smith, a Canadian citizen on death row in the state of Montana, USA, and to the November 1, 2007 statement made by Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day to the House of Commons, that this government “will not actively pursue bringing back to Canada murderers who have been tried in a democratic country that supports the rule of law.”

This decision constitutes a serious departure from Canada’s historic efforts to seek clemency for Canadians facing the death penalty in foreign countries.

The Anglican Church of Canada stands with the worldwide Anglican Communion against any government who practises capital punishment, and in favour of seeking alternative ways to sentence offenders so that the divine dignity of every human being is respected and yet justice is pursued (Lambeth 1988).

The Anglican Church of Canada affirms the sacredness of all human life as God’s gift to creation. We believe every human being is made in God’s image, regardless of the degree to which it has been distorted. We oppose the death penalty in every circumstance as an act of violence in response to violence – an act which strikes at the very heart of society (House of Bishops 1984).

Therefore, we call on the Government of Canada to reverse its present stance and to intervene strenuously with other governments when Canadians face a sentence of execution, as has been the practice in the past.

We respectfully request a reply to this letter stating the reasons for this policy reversal and indicating your future intentions.

Sincerely,

+Fred

The Most Reverend Fred J. Hiltz,
Archbishop and Primate
The Anglican Church of Canada

Copied to:
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P.,
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
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More than 20,000 Baptists from across North America will gather in Atlanta January 30-February 1, 2008, in an unprecedented demonstration of Baptist unity. The history-making event will culminate months of planning by leaders of more than 30 Baptist organizations who laid the groundwork for a new era of cooperation during a series of meetings at The Carter Center in 2006 and early 2007.

The New Baptist Covenant is an informal alliance of more than 30 racially, geographically, and theologically diverse Baptist organizations from throughout North America that claim more than 20 million members. Representatives of these Baptist organizations have reaffirmed traditional Baptist values, including sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and its implications for public and private morality, as well as their obligations as Christians to fulfill the biblical mandate to promote peace with justice, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick and the marginalized, and promote religious liberty and respect for religious diversity.

Under the theme “Unity in Christ,” the three-day Atlanta Celebration will feature speakers and presenters who will address historic Baptist commitments and explore other opportunities to work together as Christian partners. The Biblical text for the Celebration is Luke 4:18-19. Themes for the five plenary sessions are:

• Unity in Seeking Peace with Justice
• Unity in Bringing Good News to the Poor
• Unity in Respecting Diversity
• Unity in Welcoming the Stranger
• Unity in Setting the Captive Free

In addition to the plenary sessions, the Celebration will feature 16 special-interest sessions dealing with topics such as racism, religious liberty, poverty, the AIDS pandemic, faith in public policy, stewardship of the earth, evangelism, financial stewardship, and prophetic preaching.

Joint Midwinter Board Meeting

Prior to the New Baptist Covenant Celebration, the Joint Midwinter Board Meeting of the National Baptist Conventions in America, represented by the four Black Baptist Conventions — National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. (NBCUSA, Inc.), National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. (NBCA, Inc.), Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. (PNBC, Inc.), and National Missionary Baptist Convention of America (NMBCA) — will be held January 28 – 30 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The mission of this second historic meeting is to continue strengthening the bonds between the four Conventions.

The Joint Midwinter Board Meeting is expected to draw 10,000 attendees from across the nation, and the world, who will meet over a three-day period to review the business and governance of their respective Conventions, engage in biblically based educational and informational forums highlighting community, domestic, and world issues, and join in Christian fellowship. The four Conventions will come together daily for joint sessions and activities, in addition to holding separate meetings. This is the second gathering of the four Conventions, and as agreed upon by each Convention president during the groundbreaking 2005 gathering in Nashville, TN, it will continue to be a regularly scheduled meeting held every three to four years.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 8 has been posted on our website.

Be at peace (I Thess 5:13b)

Is 11: 6-13 • The wolf shall live with the lamb
Ps 122 • Peace be within your walls
1 Thess 5: (12a) 13b-18 • Be at peace among yourselves
Jn 17: 6-24 • That they all may be one

Commentary

God’s desire for human beings is that we live in peace with one another. This peace is not only an absence of war or conflict; the shalom desired by God is that which arises from a reconciled humanity, a human family which participates in and embodies the peace which God alone can give. Isaiah’s image of the wolf living with the lamb, the leopard lying down with the kid, offers an imaginative glimpse of the future God desires for us. While this shalom is not something that we can create on our own, we are called to be instruments of the Lord’s peace, artisans of God’s reconciling work. Peace, like unity, is a gift and a calling.

Jesus’ plea for the unity of his disciples did not take the form of a commandment or a request. It took the form of a prayer, words lifted up before the Father on the night before Jesus was put to death. It is a prayer which rises from the depths of his heart and of his mission, as he prepares his disciples for all that is to come: Father, may they all be one.

As we mark the 100th anniversary of the Octave/Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, celebrating it within the context of the yearnings, prayers and initiatives for the unity of Christians through the centuries, we do well to take stock of where we are on this Spirit-led journey. It is a time to give thanks for the many fruits of prayer for unity. In many places, animosity and misunderstanding have given way to respect and friendship between Christians and Christian communities. Christians who have gathered together to pray for unity have often joined together in acts of common witness to the gospel, and worked side by side in serving those in great need. Dialogue has assisted in building bridges of understanding, and has led to the resolution of some of the doctrinal differences which have separated us.

Yet it is also a time to repent, for in our divisions we continue to stand under the judgement of Jesus’ prayer for unity and Paul’s imperative that we be at peace among ourselves. In the present day, Christians are publicly divided on many issues: in addition to our ongoing doctrinal differences, we are often at odds with each other on moral and ethical questions, on matters of war and peace, on current issues where common witness is called for. Internally divided and in conflict with each other, we fall short of the lofty calling to be signs and instruments of the unity and peace willed by God.

What then shall we say? There is reason to rejoice, and cause for sorrow. It is a moment to give thanks for those of past generations who have spent themselves generously at the service of reconciliation, and a time to recommit ourselves to be artisans of the unity and peace which Christ desires. And it is a time to ponder again what it means to pray always, through our words and deeds, through the lives of our churches.

Prayer

Lord, make us one: one in our words, that a single reverent prayer might rise before you; one in our yearning and pursuit of justice; one in love, serving you by serving the least of our sisters and brothers; one in longing for your face. Lord, make us one in you. Amen

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 7 has been posted on our website.

… help the weak (1 Thess 5: 14)

1 Sam 1: 9-20 • Hannah prays for a son
Ps 86 • Listen to my cry of supplication
1 Thess 5: (12a)13b-18 • We urge you… to help the weak
Lk 11: 5-13 • Ask and it will be given you

Commentary

Unable to bear a child and in great distress, Hannah prayed to God for a son and in due time, her prayers were answered and Samuel (which means I have asked him of the Lord) was born. In Luke’s gospel, we read that Jesus himself tells us to “ask and it shall be given” and in our need, we turn to God in prayer. The response may not be what we expect but God always responds.

The power of prayer is immense, especially when linked to service. From the gospels, we know that Christ wants us to love and serve one another. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, the theme of service is taken up in the imperative: “help the weak”. We do not find it impossible to respond ecumenically in a practical way to people’s weakness or distress; churches of different traditions often work hand in hand. But their witness in some situations is seriously weakened by their division, and when we want to pray together, we are sometimes deeply suspicious of the different prayer forms we encounter in Christian traditions other than our own: Roman Catholic prayers which are addressed to God through the saints or Mary the mother of Jesus; Orthodox liturgical prayers; Pentecostal prayers; the spontaneous, Protestant prayers which address God in direct, everyday language.

There are signs however of a new consideration of different forms of prayer. Within American churches, the experience of Pentecostal renewal has also led to a greater appreciation of the power of prayer and Pentecostals have begun to feel more comfortable in the ecumenical movement. Discussions with the Orthodox churches in the World Council of Churches have led to greater appreciation of each other’s prayer forms.

Without doubt, confidence in the power of prayer is common to all our traditions and has rich potential to further the cause of Christian unity – once we can understand and overcome our differences. We should give prayerful support to the dialogues which seek to address those differences among our churches and which prevent us from coming together at the Lord’s table. Praying together that prayer of remembrance and thanksgiving would allow a great stride to be taken along the road to unity.

Prayer

Help us, Lord, to be truly one in praying for the healing of our world, for the mending of divisions in our churches, and of ourselves. May we not doubt that you hear and will answer us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 6 has been posted on our website.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5: 16)

2 Sam 7: 18-29 • David’s prayer of praise and rejoicing
Ps 86 • Incline your ear, O Lord
1 Thess 5:(12a) 13b-18 • Rejoice always
Lk 10: 1-24 • The sending of the seventy-two

Commentary

In prayer we are aligning our wills to the will of God and so participating in the fulfilment of his purpose. We need the Holy Spirit to change the hearts of believers, so that we have the grace to work with God and become part of his mission and his goal of unity. As we pray for this without ceasing we are aware that “more workers are needed for the harvest”. At many ecumenical gatherings, and particularly at the annual National Workshop on Christian Unity in the USA, it is recognized that if the ecumenical movement is to prosper today and in the next generation, more young people need to be drawn into it. We need more workers to experience the joy of praying to be part of the work of God.

The readings for Day 6 give us insight into what it means to work for the sake of the gospel. David, amazed that he might be part of the plan to build a magnificent temple for the Lord, asks, “Can God indeed dwell on earth?” then concludes, “Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you”.

The psalmist prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever”.

In the sending of the seventy-two, Jesus confirms that through his disciples, and those who would come to believe in him through their word, his peace and the news that “the kingdom of God has come near to you” would be proclaimed to the world. At their joyful return, despite rejection, Jesus rejoices at their success in the submission of the evil spirits in his name: the message is never to cease, never to give up.

God’s will is for his people to be one. Like the Christians in Thessalonika, we are urged to “rejoice always” and “pray without ceasing”, trusting that as we commit ourselves wholly to working with God, his purpose of unity will finally be fulfilled.

Prayer

Lord God, in the perfect unity of your being, keep our hearts so burning with the desire and hope for unity that we will never stop working for the sake of your gospel. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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[WCC News] A number of major international Christian youth movements and organizations called for stronger efforts towards unity in a joint statement issued on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Addressed to the heads of the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, Christian World Communions and Regional Ecumenical Organizations, the statement asks them to “share ecumenical dialogue with young people” and expresses the commitment of the signatories to “raise awareness of the importance of Christian unity among young people”.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 5 has been posted on our website.

Be patient with all of them (Thess 5: 14)

Ex 17: 1-4 • Why?
Ps 1 • Yield fruit in its season
1 Thess 5: (12a) 13b-18 • Be patient with all of them
Lk 18: 9-14 • A humble prayer

Commentary

We cannot be complacent about the divisions between Christians and we are rightly impatient for the day of our reconciliation to come about. But we must also be conscious that ecumenical effort is not sustained at the same rhythm everywhere. Some go forward in leaps and bounds, others are more prudent. As Paul exhorts, we must be patient with everybody.

Like the Pharisee in prayer, we can easily come before God with the arrogance of those who do all things well: “I am not like other people”. If we are sometimes tempted to denounce the slowness or rashness of the members of our church or those of our ecumenical dialogue partners, the invitation to be patient sounds an important and timely warning.

Sometimes it is towards God that we show our impatience. Like the people in the desert, we sometimes question him: why do we have to continue this painful journey if it is all to no use? Let us stay confident. God responds to our prayers, in his own way and his own time. He will create new ways, to meet today’s needs, of bringing Christians together.

Prayer

Lord, make us your disciples, attentive to your Word, day and night. On our journey towards unity, give us hope for fruit in due season. When prejudices and suspicion seem to dominate, we pray you, give us the humble patience necessary for reconciliation. Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 4 has been posted on our website.

See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all (1 Thess 5: 15)

Ex 3: 1-12 • God hears the cry of the Israelites
Ps 146 • The Lord…secures justice for the oppressed
1 Thess 5: (12a) 13b-18 • See that none of you repays evil for evil
Mt 5: 38-42 • Offer no resistance to one who is evil

Commentary

Together as God’s people, we are called to pray for justice. God hears the cry of the oppressed, the needy, the orphan and the widow. God is a God of justice and answers with his Son, Jesus Christ, who commands us to work together in unity through peace and not through violence. Paul also emphasizes this in the words “see that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all”.

Christians pray without ceasing for justice, that every single human person will be treated with dignity and given a fair share in this world. In the United States of America, the injustice of the slavery of Africans ended only with a bloodletting civil war, followed by a century of state-sponsored racism. Even the churches were segregated according to colour. Sadly, racism and other forms of bigotry, such as fear of the alien, still linger in American life.

Yet it was through the efforts of the churches, particularly the African-American churches and their ecumenical partners, and most especially through the non-violent resistance of the Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, that civil rights for all were enshrined in American law. His deeprooted conviction that only Christ-like love truly conquers hate and brings about the transformation of society continues to inspire Christians, drawing them together to work for justice. Dr King’s birthday is a national holiday in the USA. Each year, it falls either just before or within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

God heard and responded to the cries of the Israelites. God continues to hear and respond to the cries of all who are oppressed. Jesus reminds us that God’s justice is embodied in his own willingness to sacrifice his own security, his own power and prestige and his very life to bring to our world the justice and reconciliation through which all human beings are treated as equal in worth and dignity.

It is only as we hear and respond to the cries of the oppressed that we can move forward together on the road to unity. This also applies to the ecumenical movement, where we may be required to “go the extra mile” in our willingness to listen to one another, reject vindictiveness and act in charity.

Prayer

Lord God, you created humanity, male and female, in the divine image. May we pray without ceasing and with one mind and heart that those who are hungry in our world will be nourished, that those who are oppressed will be freed, that all human persons will be treated with dignity; and may we be your instruments in making this yearning a reality. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 3 has been posted on our website.

Admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted (1Thess 5 : 14)

Jon 3: 1-10 • The repentance of Nineveh
Ps 51: 8-15 • Create a pure heart in me
1 Thess 5: (12a)13b-18 • Encourage the faint-hearted
Mk 11: 15-17 • A house of prayer

Commentary

In the beginning and at the heart of the ecumenical enterprise can be found a pressing call to repentance and to conversion. We sometimes need to know how to call each other to task within our Christian communities as Paul invites us to do in the first epistle to the Thessalonians. If one or the other causes division, he should be rebuked; if some are afraid of all that a difficult reconciliation could imply, they should be encouraged.

Why hide the fact? If divisions between Christians exist, it is also through a lack of will to be committed to ecumenical dialogue and even, simply, to prayer for unity.

The Bible tells us how God sent Jonah to rebuke Nineveh and how the whole city repented. In the same way, Christian communities must listen to the Word of God and repent. In the course of the last century, we have not been lacking in prophets of unity who have made Christians aware of the unfaithfulness manifest in our divisions and reminding them of the urgency of reconciliation.

In the image of the vigorous intervention of Jesus in the temple, the call to Christian reconciliation can seriously call into question our narrow self-understanding. We too have a great need of purification. We need to know how to rid our hearts of all that prevents them from being a true house of prayer, concerned for the unity of all peoples.

Prayer

Lord you desire truth deep-down within us: in the secret of our hearts, you teach us wisdom. Teach us to encourage each other along the road to unity. Show us the conversion necessary for reconciliation. Give to each of us a new, truly ecumenical heart, we pray you. Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
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[CCCB press release] The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is pursuing the work it began nearly 20 years ago on sexual abuse by publishing Orientations for diocesan sexual abuse protocols.

The document is intended to assist Catholic dioceses in Canada in updating their diocesan protocols for the prevention of sexual abuse and for their pastoral response to complaints about possible sexual abuse of minors by clergy or other personnel under diocesan responsibility.

By publishing the Orientations, the CCCB is supporting the work of the Bishops who continue to ensure appropriate measures in their respective dioceses, so children can be in a safe pastoral environment.

The Orientations repeat, clarify and reinforce the recommendations in From Pain to Hope which has been an indispensable reference since its publication in 1992 by the Catholic Bishops of Canada.

The Orientations are the result of extensive consultations – including with victims – and a long, though necessary and fruitful reflection and analysis. Lay experts were also consulted, including specialists in child psychology and others working with young adults and children on a regular basis. The expertise of dioceses, religious organizations and other institutions such as community groups, schools, and sports clubs was also sought out so their experiences as well as research helped to shape the document being made public today.

“These new orientations add to the wide array of resources which the dioceses already have to help improve their diocesan protocols for sexual abuse. The priority is to prevent abuse of any kind, respond to complaints, offer full collaboration with civil authorities, and reduce the risk of sexual abuse,” stated Most Reverend V. James Weisgerber, Archbishop of Winnipeg and President of the CCCB.

Because each diocesan Bishop is autonomous, each is responsible for adopting a diocesan protocol, as well as initiating, supporting and maintaining the means for preventing sexual abuse, and also for responding to abuse complaints in the diocese.
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The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 2 has been posted on our website.

Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5: 18)

1 Kings 18:20-40 • The Lord indeed is God
Ps 23 • The Lord is my shepherd
1 Thess 5: (12a)13b-18 • Give thanks in all circumstances
Jn 11:17-44 • Father, I thank you for having heard me

Commentary

Praying is rooted in the trust that God is powerful and faithful. God alone is the one who holds all in his hands, the present and the future. His word is credible and truthful.

The story of Elijah in 1 Kings impressively demonstrates the oneness of God. Elijah berates the apostates who worship Baal, who is not answering their prayers. Yet when Elijah prays to the one God of Israel, the response is immediate and miraculous. Realizing this, the people turned their hearts back to God.

Psalm 23 is a profound confession of trust. It depicts a person who believes that God guides him and stays with him also in the darkness of life and in situations of desolation and oppression.

We may find circumstances that may be difficult, even turbulent. We may have moments of despair and resignation. Sometimes we feel that God is hidden. But he is not absent. He will manifest his power to liberate in the midst of human struggle. Thus we give thanks to him in all circumstances.

The raising of Lazarus from the dead is one of the most dramatic scenes recorded in John’s gospel. It is a manifestation of Christ’s power to break the bonds of death and an anticipation of the new creation. In the presence of the people Jesus prays aloud, thanking his Father for the mighty deeds he will do. God’s saving work is accomplished through Christ so that all will come to believe.

The ecumenical pilgrimage is a way in which we realize the wondrous deeds of God. Christian communities which have been separated from each other come together. They discover their unity in Christ and come to understand that they are each part of one church and need one another.

The vision of unity can be darkened. It is sometimes threatened by frustrations and tensions. The question may arise whether we Christians are truly called to stay together. Our continuous praying sustains us as we look to God and trust in him. We are confident that he is still at work in us and will lead us to the light of his victory. His kingdom begins with our reconciliation and growing unity.

Prayer

God of all creation, hear your children as we pray. Help us keep our faith and trust in you. Teach us to give thanks in all circumstances, relying on your mercy. Give us truth and wisdom, that your church may arise to new life in one fellowship. You alone are our hope. Amen.

***

Source: 2008 Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

The 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being observed in Canada from January 20 to 27th. The theme is taken from I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

One resource for the Week is a series of biblical reflections for the 8 days. Today’s reflection for Day 1 has been posted on our website.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Bien que la prière soit sans nul doute au coeur de la vie chrétienne, prier ensemble n’est pas une tâche facile pour les Eglises qui forment la chrétienté mondiale. Même aujourd’hui, les prières communes sont des événements exceptionnels plutôt qu’une partie de la vie quotidienne des Eglises. Mais au moins une fois par an, il est devenu “normal” pour beaucoup d’Eglises et de communautés de prier ensemble lors de la célébration annuelle de la Semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens. En 2008, le 100e anniversaire de cette initiative œcuménique hautement significative est célébré partout dans le monde.
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Although prayer is certainly at the heart of Christian life, praying together is not an easy exercise for churches within worldwide Christendom. Even today, common prayers are exceptional events rather than part of the daily life of the churches. But at least once a year it has become “normal” for many churches and congregations to pray together during the annual celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In 2008, the 100th anniversary of this most meaningful ecumenical initiative is being celebrated around the globe.
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in North America, and the 20th anniversary of the event in Saskatoon. Sister Juliana Heisler, director of parish life at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, has witnessed a steady increase in interest over the past two decades. “Services of prayer
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If you pray for something for 100 years you might find the prayer refines itself in the light of new realities, and then perhaps the prayer itself deepens your understanding and broadens your horizon. For 100 years Christians have been formally setting aside seven or eight days in January to pray with Christ for unity. “It’s really about being on our knees together and praying for the unity that is willed by God, in the way God wants, when God wants,” [Marianist] Father Luis Melo told The Catholic Register.

…

After 100 years of acknowledging Jesus’ last will and testament in prayer, the theme for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “Pray Without Ceasing.” “We’ve come to a new level of maturity in terms of ecumenical activity,” said Atonement Friar Father Damian MacPherson, ecumenical and interfaith affairs officer for the archdiocese of Toronto. “Perhaps that’s why it’s becoming more difficult.”

Glib talk of an easy and obvious unity among Christians may have been common in the first decade or more after the Second Vatican Council, but as churches make substantial progress — the 1999 Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification with the Lutheran World Federation and the 1965 rescinding of the excommunications of 1054 between Orthodox and Catholic Churches — ecumenists begin to see how long the road to unity might be. “We cannot be looking for giant steps. It’s painfully slow, painfully slow,” said MacPherson. “Patience is the hallmark of the good ecumenist.”
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“Pray without ceasing” is the theme of the 2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Celebrated in Canada from January 20 to 27th, this year the theme is drawn from the St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians (I Th. 5:17). Paul’s encouragement to pray without ceasing is particularly apt for this year’s Week of Prayer which commemorates the 100th anniversary of this annual observance.

The materials from the 2008 WPCU international resource package are available for download in PDF format. Adapt these materials in your own settings, and print the worship service freely in your own church bulletins.

Worship services and other events are scheduled across Canada and around the world. Events are listed on this website for Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, Victoria, and Winnipeg. If you would like us to list your WPCU event in Canada, please email the webeditor.
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2008 is the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in the United States. In 1908, the Rev. Paul Wattson, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, suggested that the period between January 18 and 25 be an octave of prayer for Christian unity. In this proposal, he was giving form to Pope Leo XIII’s 1894 call for an octave of prayer, and to earlier suggestions from the Lambeth Conference and various other leaders. Wattson and the Friars observed the octave at Graymoor beginning in 1908, and championed the octave throughout the United States. In France, efforts to establish the octave in France were led by Fr. Paul Couturier beginning in the late 1920s. Further details can be found in our “A brief history of the Week of Prayer” written by Nicholas Jesson.

2008 offers an opportunity to look back at our efforts at Christian unity and to recognize the central importance of prayer together in Jesus’ name. A new website for the 100th anniversary observances has been established at the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute.
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