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Fr. Albert Thévenot is new Bishop of Prince Albert

(CCCB – Ottawa) On 26 May 2008, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Blaise Morand as Bishop of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and appointed Father Albert Thévenot, M. Afr., as his successor.

At the time of his nomination, Bishop-elect Thévenot was the Provincial Superior for North America of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), which is based in Montreal. Bishop Morand is retiring as required by Canon Law, having reached the age of 75 years in September 2007.

Born on 4 November 1945, in Somerset, Manitoba, Bishop-elect Thévenot entered the Missionaries of Africa in 1964. After a time of formation, he went to Tanzania from 1973 to 1976 where he taught in the Minor Seminary of Katoke. After a year of studies in Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, he studied theology at the Missionary Institute of London, England.

After his ordination to the priesthood on 2 August 1980, he successively worked in Tanzania until 1985, then in Canada until 1992, again in Tanzania until 1998, and in Rome until 2004 as a member of the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa. After a period of renewal at the Dominican Institute of Montreal, he became the National Secretary for the French Sector of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith from January 2005 to July 2006, just before his election as Provincial Superior.

The Diocese of Prince Albert has 21 diocesan priests, 8 priests who are members of religious communities and 90 religious Sisters serving over 55,450 Catholics in 87 parishes and missions.
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Posted: May 26, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=463
Categories: NewsIn this article: bishops, Canada, Catholic
Transmis : 26 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=463
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : bishops, Canada, Catholic

Christian-Jewish relations ‘difficult’

[The Tablet • Christa Pongratz-Lippitt] Cardinal Walter Kasper this week admitted that Christian-Jewish relations were going through a difficult period following the publication of the revised Good Friday Prayer for the Tridentine Rite, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt. Cardinal Kasper, president of the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, was speaking in an interview with the Ulm-based daily Südwest-Presse on the eve of the Katholikentag in Osnabrück. Several prominent German Jews will not be attending that event on account of the prayer.

Admitting the current tensions in Catholic-Jewish relations in Germany, Cardinal Kasper said: “Germany is, of course, particularly sensitive for historical reasons. This is a difficult period but I think we will be able to get back to the level of dialogue we have had up to now – at least that is what we would like to achieve.”

Asked why a German Pope “of all people” had been so “insensitive to German history” Cardinal Kasper said Pope Benedict “wanted to do something positive. He wanted to improve a prayer that the Jews found offensive and he succeeded. But that did not go quite as far as people wanted or expected. The Pope showed his good will as his unplanned visit to a synagogue in the US shows. This was seen as something most positive in America. In Germany things are different but we are doing all we can to overcome the difficulties.”

Asked why Pope Paul VI’s Good Friday Prayer for the Jews had not been adopted for the Tridentine Mass, Cardinal Kasper replied, “The present Pope wanted the language of the old prayer kept while improving the contents. He did not want to introduce a new liturgical form into the old, extraordinary form.”
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Posted: May 24, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=462
Categories: TabletIn this article: Judaism
Transmis : 24 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=462
Catégorie : TabletDans cet article : Judaism

Anglican-Lutheran meeting focused on mission and ‘servant ministry’

[The Anglican Journal • Marites N. Sison] Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, said that “an emerging focus around mission” characterized a spring gathering of the third Anglican Lutheran International Commission (ALIC) in Chennai, India.

Meeting from April 28 to May 5, the group discussed “how Anglicans and Lutherans approach mission, how they understand it, how they carry it out,” said Archbishop Hiltz, co-chair of ALIC, which oversees Anglican-Lutheran relationships worldwide. “Within that focus there was yet another focus around diakonia, which is the servant ministry of the church,” he said.

In the three years that he has co-chaired the ALIC, Arcbishop Hiltz said that he has noted “movement and progress around a common understanding of what we call ecclesiology, that is, the nature of the church.” There has also been progress around such issues as, “What do we mean by the visible unity of the church? What does that really mean, what might that look like?” He added that they have also “gone deep on the ecclesiological question of, ‘what is the church in the world for, anyway?'”

The commission received reports from various regions where Anglicans and Lutherans are present and exercise ministry together.

“In some parts of the world, they’ve got agreements like we have in Canada, the Waterloo Declaration. (The 2001 accord brought the Canadian Anglican and Evangelical churches closer together in a relationship called full communion.) Different places have different agreements. Some places are not at a point where they actually have an agreement,” said Archbishop Hiltz. “We are at different stages in our dialogue.”

“Regional check-ins” are important because concerns and challenges are brought to light, he said. “As they do that, they may hear from other members of the commission from different regions who have already addressed a similar challenge.”

Archbishop Hiltz underscored the value of holding the ALIC’s meetings in different regions of the world, noting that the commission always creates space in its agenda to engage with the local church. “That engagement is everything from bringing in leaders from all over the church to tell us their story” to worshipping in local churches, he said.

In a communiqué released after its meeting, the ALIC welcomed the re-activation of the All Africa Anglican-Lutheran Commission. Archbishop Hiltz noted that when the commission first met in Moshe, Tanzania, the African members of the commission and the local bishops and clergy had reported that their regional grouping “was at a kind of low ebb, primarily because they were so absorbed in trying to cope with HIVAIDS” in their areas. He added: “As they said, until the people and leadership of the church can see … Anglicans and Lutherans working together on the ground to address this immediate, in-your-face issue, dialogue doesn’t make sense. Why would we have this conversation if you’re not following through on action on the ground?” There was a recognition of “a bit of a need for some renewed leadership in the conversation,” he said. “Lo, and behold, at this meeting, we heard that (its) work has been rekindled … they’ve got a plan laid out for the next couple of years whereby Lutheran and Anglican bishops will meet, theologians and clergy will meet.”

The commission also discussed the proposed Anglican Covenant, which will be presented at the upcoming Lambeth Conference this July. “One of the big concerns at the joint commission (meeting) last year, as we heard from the other provinces, and certainly, from the Lutherans, was the concern around a growing authority for the primates’ meetings,” said Archbishop Hiltz. (At last year’s meeting, the commission said it had “extensive discussions” on the first draft of the covenant, and “offered a response from the perspective of the document’s potential impact on ecumenical relations between the two communions.”)

Archbishop Hiltz said that the commission has noted that, “the role of the primates as some kind of magisterium (doctrinal authority) is downplayed considerably,” in the second draft released early this year, known as the St. Andrew’s Draft.

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 Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to address a schism in the Anglican Communion over the issue of sexuality.

The Lutheran World Federation, in co-operation with the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, hosted the ALIC meeting.
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Posted: May 23, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=461
Categories: Anglican Journal, CommuniquéIn this article: Anglican, Lutheran
Transmis : 23 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=461
Catégorie : Anglican Journal, CommuniquéDans cet article : Anglican, Lutheran

Station 20 West Will Go Ahead – With Your Help!

I am writing with my Board’s unanimous backing to ask your financial and personal support for the re-designed Station 20 West project. The project seeks to raise $1.675 million by December 31, 2008 in order to build in the spring of 2009.

Background
$8 million of provincial funding was withdrawn earlier this year from a project designed to bring food security, nutrition education and health services within the reach of residents of Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods, many of whom cannot travel to get food and services.

Decision to go ahead
Public support since the announcement of the funding cut has been overwhelming. Saskatoon City Council unanimously agreed to give Station 20 West an extension on the time it has to begin building. The Station 20 West Board decided to go ahead with what was always at the heart of the project – a community grocery store, including a small café, with a commercial kitchen next door managed by CHEP to provide nutrition education and help for people wishing to develop small catering businesses. There will also be office space in the complex available for health and community services.

Why a community grocery store?
Access to affordable, quality food is difficult for those in the core neighbourhoods with no transport, and poor nutrition leads directly to poor health. The last grocery store closed over 10 years ago: the nearest one today is 2 kms away. Imagine a single mother trying to bring home a week’s shopping on the bus while managing 2 small children. Imagine an older person with arthritis waiting in the cold for up to half an hour for a bus, then struggling to bring heavy groceries home. This store is wanted and needed. Local people have already pledged to spend over $1 million at Good Food Junction during its first year.

Why a church-based appeal?
Church organizations and Christian people have been involved in Station 20 West from the outset, happy to partner with all who share this vision. A recent meeting of Saskatoon senior church leaders expressed strong support for the revised Station 20 West project. The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism wants to bring this need before the Christian community as a whole because:
• Serving and giving dignity to the poor was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 4:18)
• The first apostles urged their churches to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10)
• Jesus loved bodies as well as souls – his healing miracles and feeding of large crowds (Matthew 14: 13-21) show his care for the whole person. As his followers, we take his example seriously.

Ways to give (and get a tax receipt)
• organize a fundraiser: e.g. St. John’s Anglican Cathedral recently had a community BBQ.
• have a ‘bakeless bake sale’, an event where everyone brings a financial gift instead of baking
• Invite a speaker from Station 20 West to your worship service, and take a special offering.
• If you have been blessed financially (perhaps through the recent increase in the value of your home) become part of the “Silver Dollars Club” – making a major gift in multiples of $1000.
• Contribute to the PCE Appeal online. Make sure to mark your donation ‘Station 20 West’ Cheques made out to ‘Prairie Centre for Ecumenism’ and marked ‘Station 20 West Appeal’ can be mailed to the PCE at 600- 45th St. West, Saskatoon S7L 5W9. 100% of all funds so marked will go to Station 20 West.

Find out more
• Station 20 West website
• Good Food Junction Grocery Store
• Look for Appeal updates on the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism website

Blessings

Rev. Dr. Jan Bigland-Pritchard, Director, Prairie Centre for Ecumenism
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Posted: May 22, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=460
Categories: NewsIn this article: affordable housing, community development, Saskatoon, social policy
Transmis : 22 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=460
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : affordable housing, community development, Saskatoon, social policy

May 21-24, 2008, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Each year, the Canadian Community Economic Development Network holds a national conference to bring together those who support community-based efforts to improve social conditions and create economic opportunities in Canada and beyond. The 2008 National Community Economic Development (CED) Conference is hosted by the Canadian CED Network in partnership with Quint Development Corporation.

As the premier CED event in Canada, the conference aims to:

• Strengthen CED practitioners and organizations
• Advance a pan-Canadian policy agenda for CED
• Contribute to skills development and capacity building
• Increase the profile of CED as a viable approach to the economic revitalization of Canadian communities.

Each year, the conference attracts over 400 CED practitioners, civil society representatives, civil servants, business and co-operative developers, and academics for dozens of learning and information sharing sessions, inspirational keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and local site visits. The annual conference provides an opportunity for participants to pause and reflect on our grassroots beginnings, while coming together to develop a vision for what we wish to achieve.

**Registration will be open mid-February 2008**
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Posted: May 21, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=459
Categories: NewsIn this article: community development, development, events
Transmis : 21 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=459
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : community development, development, events

New Anglican bishop ‘will play by the rules’

[Don Retson, edmontonjournal.com] Edmonton’s new Anglican bishop won’t be bending the rules in the local diocese for gay couples wishing to exchange marital vows in church.

“Basically, I’m a play-by-the-rules girl,” the Rt. Rev. Jane Alexander said.

“At the present time the national church has said we’re going to talk about this and we will vote again and look at this in 2010. And so that’s what we’ll do.”

At All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral last Sunday, Alexander was consecrated and installed as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Edmonton.

Alexander succeeds the Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews, currently residing in Toronto, who is the designate-bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is the first time in the history of the church that two women bishops have served back to back.

At certain points during the service, Alexander was moved to tears as elements of the past and present came together amid the pomp and ceremony. But the event was as spiritually uplifting for her as it was emotionally draining.

“There was just an incredible feeling of the Spirit in the cathedral,” she said, adding she felt so supported by the 700 people who packed the cathedral and spilled into the hall.

The Alexander family moved here from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1980. Husband Tim is a radiologist at University Hospital. The couple have four children.

Alexander breaks the traditional mould of church leaders.

Her father was so anti-church that he forbade young Jane from attending religious classes at her school in England. It was while singing hymns and oratorios in choirs and school assemblies that Alexander said she heard “the first whisperings of God.”

She was baptized at 25 along with her infant son Mark. At 37, while working as a professor of educational psychology at the University of Alberta, Alexander felt the call of ministry.

After theological studies, ordination in 2001 and serving several local parishes, Alexander in 2006 was inducted as rector at All Saints and installed as dean of the diocese.

On March 8, Alexander was elected on the third ballot as spiritual leader of the roughly 77,000 Anglicans in the Diocese of Edmonton.

She prides herself as a good listener and being very collegial, skills surely needed now more than ever considering the rift over the same-sex issue. More than a dozen parishes have voted in recent months to split from the church over the ongoing controversy.

Only 49, Alexander could potentially serve as bishop until mandatory retirement at 70.
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Posted: May 16, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=457
Categories: NewsIn this article: Anglican
Transmis : 16 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=457
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Anglican

Interim editor appointed for Anglican Journal

[ACC News] Keith Knight, a former communications director for the Presbyterian Church in Canada has been appointed interim editor of the Anglican Journal, the Anglican Church of Canada’s independent newspaper.

The appointment, announced to Journal staff by Communications and Information Resources director Vianney (Sam) Carriere, follows the resignation of Leanne Larmondin, who has been editor for five years.

Mr. Knight’s appointment is for a six-month term ending in January, 2009. In the fall, a formal search process will be undertaken to hire a successor to Ms Larmondin.

Mr. Knight left the Presbyterian Church position last year. Since January, he has been working as Communications Coordinator for the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the Anglican church’s development agency.

Mr. Knight has also worked as communications coordinator for the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

He has extensive journalism experience with the secular press, having worked as city editor of the Welland Evening Tribune, editor of the Lindsay Post, managing editor of the Bobcaygeon Independent and Fenelon Falls Gazette and managing editor of the Wallaceburg News.

He is the author of numerous articles on religious communications and of a book on churches and the Internet. Mr. Knight is the current president of the North American chapter of the World Association for Christian Communication.

The award-winning Anglican Journal is published 10 times a years and distributed to every recognizable giver to the Anglican Church of Canada. Though partly funded by the church, it has an independent editorial voice and is incorporated separately from General Synod.
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Posted: May 15, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=456
Categories: NewsIn this article: Anglican
Transmis : 15 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=456
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Anglican

Nouvel évêque des Ukrainiens à Saskatoon

Père Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R.(CECC – Ottawa) Sa Sainteté le pape Benoît XVI a procédé aujourd’hui à la nomination du Père Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R., comme évêque éparchial de Saskatoon.

Le Saint-Père a accepté en même temps la démission de Mgr Michael Wiwchar, C.Ss.R., qui occupait ce siège épiscopal depuis 2001. Conformément au code de droit canonique fixant l’âge de la retraite à 75 ans, Mgr Wiwchar avait présenté sa démission au Souverain Pontife lors de son 75e anniversaire, le 9 mai 2007.

Mgr Bayda est né à Saskatoon, le 21 août 1961. Après ses études secondaires au Petit Séminaire Saint-Vladimir, à Roblin, au Manitoba, il a poursuivi sa formation académique à l’Université St. Michael’s College, à Toronto, où il a obtenu un baccalauréat en philosophie, en 1982, et une maîtrise en théologie, en 1987. Il a aussi obtenu un baccalauréat en éducation à l’Université du Manitoba, en 1990.

Mgr Bayda a prononcé ses vœux solennels au sein de la Congrégation des Pères rédemptoristes en 1986 et il a été ordonné prêtre en 1987. Il a ensuite occupé divers postes dans le domaine de l’éducation et de la formation à la vie spirituelle, en plus d’exercer un ministère pastoral dans plusieurs paroisses de l’Ouest canadien. Au moment de sa nomination, il était pasteur de la paroisse Our Lady of Perpetual Help, à Yorkton, en Saskatchewan.

L’éparchie ukrainienne (diocèse) de Saskatoon compte 21 prêtres diocésains, 8 prêtres religieux, 3 diacres permanents et une vingtaine de religieux et religieuses au service d’une population de près de 18 000 catholiques répartis dans 87 paroisses et missions.
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Posted: May 2, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=454
Categories: NewsIn this article: Catholic, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Catholic
Transmis : 2 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=454
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Catholic, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Catholic

New Bishop of Saskatoon for Ukrainian Catholics

(CCCB – Ottawa) – His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today appointed Father Bryan Bayda, C.Ss.R., as the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchial Bishop of Saskatoon.

The Holy Father also accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Michael Wiwchar, C.Ss.R., who held the position since 2001. Conforming to the mandatory age of retirement at 75, Bishop Wiwchar formally requested retirement following his 75th birthday in May 2007.

Father Bayda was born in Saskatoon on August 21, 1961. Upon completing high school at St. Vladimir’s College Minor Seminary in Roblin, Manitoba, he pursued studies at the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1982 and a Master of Divinity in 1987. Further studies included a Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba in 1990 and a Diploma in Eastern Christian theology from the Sheptytsky Institute in Ottawa in 1997.

The newly appointed Eparchial Bishop of Saskatoon made his final profession as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on September 13, 1986 and was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1987. Redemptionists assignments have included serving as a teacher and director of St. Vladimir’s College and formation director of the major seminary of his community, and serving as parish priest in a number of parishes throughout Western Canada. Most recently, he was the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Yorkton, within the Eparchy of Saskatoon.

The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon includes 21 diocesan priests, three permanent deacons and more than 20 men and women religious who serve a population of 18,000 Catholics in 87 parishes and missions.
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Posted: May 2, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=453
Categories: NewsIn this article: bishops, Catholic, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Catholic
Transmis : 2 mai 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=453
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : bishops, Catholic, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Catholic

Joint declaration from Catholic-Shi’a Muslim colloquium

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (Vatican) and the Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation (Tehran, Iran) held their sixth Colloquium in Rome from 28 – 30 April 2008 under the joint presidency of His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and His Excellency Dr. Mahdi Mostafavi, President of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation.
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Posted: Apr. 30, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=452
Categories: Communiqué, NewsIn this article: Catholic, Islam
Transmis : 30 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=452
Catégorie : Communiqué, NewsDans cet article : Catholic, Islam

United Methodist Church Adopts Full Communion Proposal with ELCA

[ELCA News Service • Fort Worth, Texas] — By a vote of 864-19, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) adopted an implementing resolution April 28 that will establish full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Full communion will be fully realized by both churches should the same proposal be adopted at the next ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which meets Aug. 17-23, 2009, in Minneapolis.

The UMC General Conference, meeting here April 23-May 2, is the Methodist’s chief legislative body and meets every four years. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is the ELCA’s chief legislative authority, meeting every two years. The ELCA and UMC have been in formal theological dialogue since 1977, which led to beginning a relationship of “Interim Eucharistic Sharing” in 2005. That relationship called for members to pray for and support each other, to study Scripture together and to learn about each other’s traditions in anticipation of achieving full communion.

Full communion means the churches will work for visible unity in Jesus Christ, recognize each other’s ministries, work together on a variety of ministry initiatives, and, under certain circumstances, provide for the interchangeability of ordained clergy.

April 28 was “a banner day” because of the UMC General Conference vote on full communion, said the Rev. William Oden, ecumenical officer, UMC Council of Bishops, at an April 29 news conference. “This has been a long time coming. A lot of careful work has been done,” he said. Oden emphasized that the proposal is a relationship between the two church bodies and not a “church union.”

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, Chicago, said he eagerly awaits the ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote in 2009 and hopes that it, too, will be a strong affirmation of full communion with the UMC. Hanson also preached at an April 29 worship service at the UMC General Conference.

“This is about revival of two church bodies that are deeply committed to re-presenting themselves in a pluralistic, dynamic changing culture for the sake of mission,” Hanson said.

The two church bodies must consider what they can do together as full communion partners that was not possible before, Hanson said. He suggested possible cooperative ministries in campus ministry, global mission, advocacy for justice and peace, to name only a few. He also agreed with Oden’s assertion that full communion cannot be successful if it is considered to be a “top down” action. Full communion should be a relationship in which mission initiatives should “bubble up” in the two churches, Hanson said.

“I always think of full communion as merely a step along the way toward a new, possible future because of the relationship,” Hanson said. “That new, possible future is the for the sake of the world. It’s for the sake of mission. Full communion calls for ecumenical, missional imagination.”

Full communion also gives “formal expression” to what is happening in both churches already, said the Rev. Greg Palmer, president, UMC Council of Bishops. “In one way we’re leading, and in another way, we’re following. We are catching up with people on the ground who are doing things in partnership, in mission and in ministry,” he said.

Christians “must find meaningful, significant and substantive ways of honoring the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in one another and together, living that before the world. We must live before the world what God intends for the world,” Palmer added.

Assuming the full communion proposal is adopted by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2009, a coordinating council with representatives of both churches will be appointed, said the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Chicago. That council will coordinate how the two churches will plan for mission together and consider practical matters such as interchangeability of ordained ministers, he said.

The ELCA’s five full communion partners are the Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.

While the ELCA has successful cooperative ministries with its full communion partners, it must improve how it receives and implements full communion agreements, McCoid said. “We need to do better with how we are able to be intentional (in) sharing ministry. Grassroots sharing is really very critical, and I’ll just echo that again and again and again. The best way we can do that is by giving people permission and encouragement.”

If adopted by both churches, this will be the UMC’s first full communion agreement outside of the Methodist tradition.

The ELCA is one of 140 churches in the Lutheran World Federation and is the third-largest Lutheran church in the world with 4.8 million members. The United Methodist Church is a worldwide church with nearly 8 million members in the United States.

Audio of comments made at the April 29 news conference in Fort Worth:

The Rev. William Oden • media.ELCA.org/audionews/080429a.mp3
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson • media.ELCA.org/audionews/080429b.mp3
The Rev. Greg Palmer • media.ELCA.org/audionews/080429c.mp3
The Rev. Donald J. McCoid • media.ELCA.org/audionews/080429d.mp3

Information about the Lutheran-United Methodist Dialogue is on the ELCA Web site.

Information about the UMC General Conference is on the Web.

For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or • www.elca.org/news • ELCA News Blog
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Posted: Apr. 30, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=451
Categories: Dialogue, ELCA NewsIn this article: full communion, Lutheran, Methodist, USA
Transmis : 30 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=451
Catégorie : Dialogue, ELCA NewsDans cet article : full communion, Lutheran, Methodist, USA

Justice LaForme chosen to chair Truth and Reconciliation Commission

[Marites S. Sison • Anglican Journal] Justice Harry S. LaForme, an aboriginal Ontario Court of Appeal judge, has been appointed by the federal government to chair an independent commission that will hear the stories and promote public education about the 150-year legacy of the now-defunct Indian residential schools.

“This is an important step in our commitment to the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement, and another example of our government doing the right thing for former students, and all Canadians,” said Minister of Indian Affairs Chuck Strahl who announced on April 28 Justice LaForme’s appointment as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in Ottawa. Mr. Strahl said that Justice LaForme, who is a member of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nations in southern Ontario, “brings a wealth of respect and leadership experience and is the most senior aboriginal judge in the country.”

Assembly of First Nations chief Phil Fontaine hailed Justice LaForme’s appointment saying, “Not only is he a proud First Nations citizen, he is an outstanding jurist and a compassionate and understanding person.” He added: “I have no doubt he will leave no stoned unturned in his investigation of exactly what happened in residential schools, the harm caused, why and how it happened and who was responsible. At the same time, he will bring the grace and compassion required in the truth commission’s work so necessary for healing to begin.”

The Canadian Press quoted Justice La Forme as having said that the TRC is important “not so we can punish, but so we can walk forward into the future.” He also said he was proud to live in a country that was willing to examine a “horrendous” chapter of its history.

Archbishop Fred Hiltz, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, sent his envoy for residential schools, retired Archishop Terence Finlay, as his representative to attend the announcement of Justice LaForme’s appointment in Ottawa. Archbishop Hiltz is currently attending a meeting in Chennai, India of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission.

Last March, Archbishop Hiltz and Bishop Mark MacDonald, national Anglican indigenous bishop, joined other church leaders in a national tour to raise awareness about the commission.

Justice LaForme was unanimously chosen from more than 300 nominees by a panel composed of representatives from national native organizations and parties to the revised settlement agreement that came into effect last September. He will help select the two other members of the commission, which is part of the revised settlement agreement between the government, representatives of former residential schools students and churches who operated the boarding schools.

The TRC is meant to provide former students and their families with a chance to share their experiences in a “holistic, culturally-appropriate and safe setting.” Representatives of government and churches that operated the schools will also be invited to share their stories. (The Anglican church operated 35 of about 130 boarding schools attended by aboriginals from the mid-19th century into the 1970s. In recent years, hundreds of former students have sued the church and the federal government, which owned the schools, alleging physical and sexual abuse.)

During its five-year term, the commission will produce a report and recommendations, and establish a national archive/research center regarding residential schools.

Justice LaForme, 61, began his law career as an associate of a corporate commercial law firm before specializing in aboriginal law. He has litigated and focused on matters involving the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

He was appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice, now the Superior Court of Justice, in 1994. At the time of his appointment, he was one of three native judges appointed to this level of trial court in Canada. He was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2004.

In 1989, he was appointed commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario, and in 1991, as chief commissioner of the Indian Specific Claims Commission on Aboriginal land claims.

Justice LaForme has taught “The Rights of Indigenous Peoples” course at Osgoode Law School, where he graduated in 1977.

He has been awarded with the National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1997) and aboriginal elders have, on three occasions, presented him with an eagle feather, symbolizing the virtues of honesty, integrity, and respect.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: Apr. 28, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=450
Categories: Anglican JournalIn this article: Canada, healing, Indigenous peoples, Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Transmis : 28 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=450
Catégorie : Anglican JournalDans cet article : Canada, healing, Indigenous peoples, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Bishop Burton to move to Dallas
This Pastoral Letter was read in churches across the Anglican Diocese of Saskatchewan on April 20th.

To the clergy and people of the Diocese of Saskatchewan

Dear friends,

This is a difficult letter to write but I must let you know that I have submitted my resignation to the Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land effective September 1, 2008. I begin that day a new ministry as Rector of the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, Texas.

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the privilege of serving with you these past 17 years, first as Dean and, since 1993, as Bishop. Our sense of call to Texas is a positive one but at the same time I felt that it would be an opportunity for the Diocese to be overseen with a fresh pair of eyes, and to enjoy the excitement and momentum a change of bishop brings.

Archbishop Clarke will soon be in touch with our Executive Committee to start the process to elect a new Bishop. The person you will choose to carry this ministry forward will be greatly blessed. This Diocese is well known for the singular spirit of cooperation, good will, and thoughtfulness you bring to the challenges of the day. I have good hope and every reason to believe that God has another fruitful season in store for you.

It was said that St. Paul had a thousand friends and loved each as his own soul, and died a thousand deaths when the time came for him to leave them. I suppose every departing bishop feels something of this sense of loss but I feel it acutely today because of the exceptional generosity and openness of heart with which you have consistently encouraged me. I hope to visit with many of you before we go.

Anna, Caroline, Peter and I wish you God’s blessing as you continue steadfast in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.

Yours in Christ,

Anthony Burton
Bishop of Saskatchewan
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Posted: Apr. 21, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=449
Categories: NewsIn this article: Anglican, Canada
Transmis : 21 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=449
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Anglican, Canada

[New York | NCC News] Krister Stendahl, a tireless ecumenist who was dean and a member of the faculty of Harvard Divinity School and a former bishop of Stockholm, Sweden, died April 15 in Boston. He was 86. Harvard Divinity School immediately issued a statement expressing “immense sadness” and “immense thankfulness for a singular life
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Posted: Apr. 17, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=4897
Categories: Memorials, News
Transmis : 17 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=4897
Catégorie : Memorials, News

Saskatoon Anglicans narrowly reject same-sex marriages

[Anglican Journal] The diocese of Saskatoon, at its biennial synod held April 4-6, narrowly defeated a resolution that would have allowed clergy to bless same-sex civil marriages.

The vote was 41 against, 38 for and four abstentions, said Lorea Eufemia, secretary/treasurer of the diocese.

Moved by Canon Colin Clay and seconded by Cathy Hartsook, the resolution said: “Be it resolved that this 68th Session of the Synod of the Diocese of Saskatoon request the bishop to allow clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless the duly solemnized and registered civil marriages between same-sex couples, where at least one party is baptized, and to authorize rites for such blessings.”

It was the first time the issue had come before the Saskatoon synod, and the debate lasted nearly an hour and a half, said Ms. Eufemia. Opinions did not divide along urban and rural lines, she said. “Some members of urban parishes voted against it and some rural parishes were for it,” she said. She also noted that the debate was characterized by “respect, kindness and love.” The bishop of Saskatoon, Rodney Andrews, who could not immediately be reached, was pleased by the tone of the debate, she said.

The diocese has been discussing the issue of same-sex blessings for the past couple of years, she said. Members of the gay support group Integrity have spoken at diocesan council, the St. Michael report (which considers whether it is a matter of church doctrine) has been distributed to parishes and parishes have held consultations on the issue.
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Posted: Apr. 11, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=448
Categories: Anglican JournalIn this article: Anglican, human sexuality, marriage, Saskatoon
Transmis : 11 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=448
Catégorie : Anglican JournalDans cet article : Anglican, human sexuality, marriage, Saskatoon

Community Walk for Station 20 West

All-Community Walk: Lets Keep Building Our Community
Support and Celebrate Station 20 West

Bring friends, family, and neighbours!!

Saturday April 5th, gather at 10am
Station 20 West Site, 20th Street West and Avenue L South

Station 20 West is a Community Enterprise Centre being constructed in the heart of Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods.

The project will strengthen the economy and create skills and employment, provide much needed services and amenities, reduce poverty and health disparities, use LEED environmental design, and help revitalize the Westside core neighbourhoods.

The Provincial government has pulled their $8 million in promised and committed funding from the project, effectively stopping construction.

We will walk together to show community support to reinstate funding and let this innovative and much-needed community-building project reach its full potential.

Resources:
• Community Walk Poster – download, print, and post in a public location
• Join the Station 20 West Facebook Group – for the latest information on the campaign to reinstate funding
• Community Walk invitation on Facebook – send invitations to your friends
• Sign the online petition to reinstate funding
• Visit the Station 20 West website to read about the project, see artistic renderings, and contribute to the capital campaign
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Posted: Apr. 1, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=446
Categories: NewsIn this article: affordable housing, community development, health care, Saskatoon
Transmis : 1 avril 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=446
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : affordable housing, community development, health care, Saskatoon

Chrétiens et musulmans doivent souligner ce qu’ils ont en commun et reconnaître leurs divergences, préconise le COE

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
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: Mar. 27, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=445
Categories: Dialogue, NewsIn this article: interfaith, Islam
Transmis : 27 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=445
Catégorie : Dialogue, NewsDans cet article : interfaith, Islam

[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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Posted: Mar. 26, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=444
Categories: ENIIn this article: Islam
Transmis : 26 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=444
Catégorie : ENIDans cet article : Islam

[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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Posted: Mar. 25, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=442
Categories: ENIIn this article: Islam
Transmis : 25 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=442
Catégorie : ENIDans cet article : Islam

[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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Posted: Mar. 24, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=441
Categories: ENIIn this article: United Church of Canada
Transmis : 24 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=441
Catégorie : ENIDans cet article : United Church of Canada

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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Posted: Mar. 21, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=440
Categories: NewsIn this article: climate change, ecology, environment, KAIROS
Transmis : 21 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=440
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : climate change, ecology, environment, KAIROS

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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Posted: Mar. 19, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=437
Categories: Anglican Journal, DialogueIn this article: Anglican, Canada, human sexuality, interfaith
Transmis : 19 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=437
Catégorie : Anglican Journal, DialogueDans cet article : Anglican, Canada, human sexuality, interfaith

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.
… Read more » … lire la suite »

Posted: Mar. 13, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=436
Categories: NewsIn this article: Canada, healing, Indigenous peoples, Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Transmis : 13 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=436
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Canada, healing, Indigenous peoples, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

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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Posted: Mar. 12, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=435
Categories: Documents, NewsIn this article: Canada, Catholic, CCCB, environment
Transmis : 12 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=435
Catégorie : Documents, NewsDans cet article : Canada, Catholic, CCCB, environment

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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Posted: Mar. 12, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=434
Categories: NewsIn this article: Canada, Catholic, CCCB, environment
Transmis : 12 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=434
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Canada, Catholic, CCCB, environment

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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Posted: Mar. 7, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=6078
Categories: NewsIn this article: Indigenous peoples, Residential Schools, Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Transmis : 7 mars 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=6078
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Indigenous peoples, Residential Schools, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

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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Posted: Feb. 18, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=430
Categories: NewsIn this article: Indigenous peoples, WCC
Transmis : 18 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=430
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Indigenous peoples, WCC

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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Posted: Feb. 18, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=429
Categories: WCC NewsIn this article: Indigenous peoples, WCC
Transmis : 18 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=429
Catégorie : WCC NewsDans cet article : Indigenous peoples, WCC

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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Posted: Feb. 13, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=426
Categories: NewsIn this article: environment, events, Saskatoon, St. Andrew's College, study
Transmis : 13 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=426
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : environment, events, Saskatoon, St. Andrew's College, study

[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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Posted: Feb. 11, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=425
Categories: Anglican JournalIn this article: Anglican
Transmis : 11 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=425
Catégorie : Anglican JournalDans cet article : Anglican

[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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Posted: Feb. 11, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=424
Categories: ENIIn this article: Catholic
Transmis : 11 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=424
Catégorie : ENIDans cet article : Catholic

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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Posted: Feb. 6, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=422
Categories: Anglican JournalIn this article: Anglican
Transmis : 6 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=422
Catégorie : Anglican JournalDans cet article : Anglican

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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Posted: Feb. 1, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=420
Categories: News
Transmis : 1 févr. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=420
Catégorie : News

[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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Posted: Jan. 30, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=418
Categories: NewsIn this article: Anglican
Transmis : 30 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=418
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Anglican

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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Posted: Jan. 30, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=417
Categories: Conferences, NewsIn this article: Baptist, Christian unity, church, events
Transmis : 30 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=417
Catégorie : Conferences, NewsDans cet article : Baptist, Christian unity, church, events

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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Posted: Jan. 27, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=416
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 27 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=416
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 26, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=415
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 26 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=415
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 25, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=414
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 25 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=414
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

[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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Posted: Jan. 24, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=413
Categories: WCC News
Transmis : 24 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=413
Catégorie : WCC News

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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Posted: Jan. 24, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=412
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 24 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=412
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 23, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=411
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 23 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=411
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 22, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=410
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 22 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=410
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

[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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Posted: Jan. 21, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=409
Categories: NewsIn this article: Catholic
Transmis : 21 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=409
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Catholic

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.
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Posted: Jan. 21, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=408
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 21 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=408
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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.
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Posted: Jan. 20, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=407
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 20 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=407
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, prayer, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 15, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=406
Categories: News
Transmis : 15 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=406
Catégorie : News

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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Posted: Jan. 14, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=405
Categories: WCC News
Transmis : 14 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=405
Catégorie : WCC News

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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Posted: Jan. 12, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=6112
Categories: NewsIn this article: Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon, WPCU
Transmis : 12 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=6112
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Saskatoon, WPCU

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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Posted: Jan. 11, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=404
Categories: Catholic RegisterIn this article: WPCU
Transmis : 11 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=404
Catégorie : Catholic RegisterDans cet article : WPCU

“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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Posted: Jan. 9, 2008 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=403
Categories: NewsIn this article: 2008, Canada, prayer, WPCU
Transmis : 9 janv. 2008 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=403
Catégorie : NewsDans cet article : 2008, Canada, prayer, WPCU

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