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UPCOMING MASS CELEBRATIONS
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MOROCCO EARTHQUAKE: HELP NEEDED RIGHT NOW |
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada is collecting funds to support rescue and relief efforts in Morocco, after the country was hit by its most powerful earthquake in a century. A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, 72 kilometres southwest of the city of Marrakesh. Media reports put the death toll past 2,800. These grim numbers are likely to rise dramatically.
In a telegram sent on his behalf by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pope Francis expressed “his profound solidarity with those who are touched in their flesh and heart by this tragedy” and prayed “for the repose of the dead, the healing of the injured and the consolation of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and their homes.”
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada is establishing contact with organizations in the region, including Caritas Morocco. The wider Caritas Internationalis network, too, is mobilizing to help as necessary. From responding to many such natural disasters, we know that in addition to meeting great and urgent immediate needs, it is always necessary to invest in longer-term recovery and resilience-building efforts. Both of these forms of aid require and rely on the generosity of Canadians, which has always been forthcoming.
Now, it is the people of Morocco who will need your help. You can donate online at devp.org or by sending your donation to:
Development and Peace – Caritas Canada
1425 René-Lévesque Blvd West, 3rd Floor
Montréal, Québec Canada, H3G 1T7
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WE ARE BACK IN ORDINARY TIME |
The Church’s year is made up of two high seasons (Lent-Easter and Advent-Christmas) and two blocks of what, in Church language, is called Ordinary Time. It is most noticeable in the changed décor of the Church. The Easter banners have gone and on most Sundays the priest wears green vestments. Some of the music which is integral to the Mass also tends to be different. We will be in that mode for a good stretch of time, basically until the Advent season begins, December 3rd, 2023.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, this Sunday, Trinity Sunday and next Sunday, Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. The vestments are white to mark the two feasts that the Church observes on these Sundays. These two feasts could be seen as spin-offs from the enormous and foundational event we celebrated in the fifty days of Easter and for which we prepared in the forty-day Lenten season: the crucified Jesus being raised from the dead.
Trinity Sunday makes us focus on the source of that central mystery of our faith, the communion of life and love which is God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ makes us face the Mystery of the Eucharist where, ideally, we are formed as a communion which has its origin in the communion of God Father, Son and which is called to reflect that communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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| DIOCESAN PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING – July 23-24, 2023 |
Dear priests, dear deacons, dear members of parish pastoral teams, liturgy and factory assemblies,
The Diocesan Pastoral Council met on July 23rd and 24th at the Shalom Center to pray, listen to the Word, listen to one another and discern the calls of the Holy Spirit for our local Church during the next pastoral year (2023-2024). Listening to the Word of God remains the primary call that runs through our pastoral priorities. We wish to place the new pastoral year in the continuity of the theme of welcoming under the sign of listening. Important themes such as the homily and co-responsibility (partnership) in the governance of our communities appeared as places of conversion and questioning. Give ourselves the means to listen through spiritual conversation, this authentic, living and transforming dialogue, to discern the aspirations of our contemporaries and find Gospel paths for today. Also give us the means to ensure that the homily nourishes our faith in Jesus Christ, that it resonates with people's experiences, and provides support and insight into the great social challenges of our time.
These, in a nutshell, are the main lines of the priorities that we have discerned, which will allow us to walk together during the pastoral year 2023-2024. To better deepen these priorities (these calls), we will experience the launch of the pastoral year in pastoral areas during the month of October. Bishop Paul-André's pastoral letter will provide rich and important details.
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Diocesan Pastoral Animation Committee |
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POLICY FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PERSONS
IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GATINEAU
For the sake of the little ones (Pr 31:9) …protect minors and vulnerable adults
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| Message from the Diocesan Coordinator for Establishing Safe Environments
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Hello everyone, I have just about completed two visits of each French and English parish, presenting the Diocesan Guide for the implementation of measures to make our parishes safe for minors and vulnerable persons, and to protect them from other types of harm (theft, fraud, breach of confidentiality, harassment, etc.). These meetings also allowed for the presentation of concrete tools for putting these safety measures in place.
Just a reminder that this project is a diocesan priority and is compulsory, affecting both volunteers and paid staff, including priests.
As a Christian community we can be proud, to finally make this significant change, assuring all parishioners served by their parish, whether young, old, or vulnerable, that they can feel (fully) secure.
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Code of Ethics and Conduct
The diocese and parishes have adopted a code of ethics and conduct. Why? Remember what Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. (John 13:34-35). Are our attitudes and actions toward others always in keeping with the values of the Gospel? Working and being of service in a parish means being attentive and concerned for others, especially when relating to those who are most vulnerable. Adopting a code of ethics and conduct means adopting values that help us remember and live Jesus’ message to, “Love one another”.
Our First Value - Human dignity
To behave towards others with courtesy, and kindness. It means helping each other and listening. When we disrespect, belittle, harass, or humiliate another person with words and gestures, we deeply wound them in their dignity. Be attentive so that our relationships are healthy and respectful.
Our Second Value - Autonomy and Self determination
No matter where we come from, how we were brought up, or what we are capable of, each one of us has the right to express themselves, to make their own choices, to act and think for themselves. This is what the value of autonomy and self-determination in our Code of ethics means. Encourage your peers to express themselves and discuss their opinions. It is not always easy to accept having our ideas questioned by people whose opinions or experiences are different from our own. Of course, this needs to be done respectfully, that is, in consideration of others’ existence, ideas, and opinions. Maintaining prejudices, violating the right to speak, seeking to control others are just some examples of not living up to this value. “Love one another with mutual affection” (Romans 12:10). With the people we serve and in our relationships with volunteers and employees, let’s encourage one another to express ourselves and share our points of view.
Our Third Value - Personal safety
We aren’t talking about financial security here! Or taking shelter under your porch during a storm! We are talking about being committed to a way of behaving, using gestures and words that are safe in all situations. It means finding the right balance between proximity and personal distance. Our attitudes and actions are influenced by our culture, education, mores, and customs. When in our company, the people we serve and work with, should feel sheltered from all physical, sexual, emotional, moral, and spiritual danger. It means being prudent in our interpersonal relationships as Church. “A prudent person is one who takes time to step back, reflect and discern.” (Father Rémi de Maindreville). Employees and volunteers behave safely when they avoid personal communications with minors and vulnerable adults on social media, by telephone or email. They act safely when they never travel alone with vulnerable persons without authorization, when they don’t spend time alone with them, or participate in any activities that make the vulnerable person feel uncomfortable.
Our Fourth Value - Confidentiality
We don’t always realize how much damage is done when there is a breach of confidentiality. In this time of social media when financial institutions lose personal information, the protection of an individual’s private information is paramount. Discretion goes beyond being a good quality, it is now an obligation. A person who speaks with the secretary, with the priest, who confides in a volunteer, expects that what she/he has shared will be respected and remain confidential. What if the secretary discovers in the baptismal records that a child’s parents are not the ones, she/he thought they were, and he/she reveals that information! What if a person confides in a volunteer that they were abused as a child and that information gets out to the group of volunteers! Even the simplest type of personal data is confidential. If the person hasn’t given permission to share it, it should not be communicated to others. During committee meetings when an individual parishioner or volunteer is being discussed, always ask yourself, is it necessary to name the person? To share their personal information? To reveal all the information we have? If it is absolutely necessary, share as little as possible. A breach of confidentiality is potentially very damaging. Think about it!
Our Fifth Value - Loyalty and Integrity
“You shall not steal”, God’s 7th commandment. In a way, you might say that this commandment summarizes the 5th and last value in our Code of Ethics and Conduct: Loyalty and Integrity! Being honest and loyal. Do what is right. This last value seems to touch on all the expected behaviours included in our Code of ethics: act with respect, honesty, justice, fairness, confidentiality, etc. The parish must be able to place its trust in its employees and volunteers.
To have integrity is to rigorously observe, in all one's actions, the principles of justice and morality. Big words to say what exactly? They can trust me, I am a responsible person and I own the choices and decisions I make, I show gratitude towards others, I admit my mistakes, I don't take parish donations for myself, I don't use social networks to post malicious criticisms or insinuations about my parish or its employees and volunteers. A person of integrity is also someone who willingly offers to help, who is sincere in both words and actions. Finally, it also means that I will denounce any inappropriate behaviour, abusive language or gestures, especially when made towards minors or vulnerable persons.
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Chantale Duguay, Diocesan Coordinator for Establishing Safe Environments
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| OVERVIEW OF ARCHBISHOP’S VISIT |
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On Saturday, January 28th, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher met with the OLV Wardens and OLV representatives on the Inter-Parish Planning Committee. It was a very positive meeting with open and honest dialogue presented by the individuals at the meeting.
It is important to note that the discussion and the Archbishop’s intention was about addressing issues to ensure Parish sustainability and not about closing the parish’s doors. In fact, the Archbishop indicated that the responsibility for closing parishes was up to Parishioners, not the Archbishop.
It was pointed out to the Archbishop that we had a very strong core of volunteers that keep the parish going. For now, it is a stable core that has been volunteering for quite a while. We told him that this volunteer core totalled approximately 17 individuals and we are having a difficult time obtaining new blood. It was pointed out to him that the average age of parishioners was 75 plus and that typically, we have between 30 to 40 individuals attending Sunday mass celebrations. So this is a challenge that was identified.
On the pastoral front, the Archbishop mentioned that our partnering with St. Malachy through the Inter-Parish Planning Committee was a very important pastoral tool. We provided an overview of the Committee whose key elements are:
- Provide leadership, information sharing and content planning
- Respond to pastoral requests from the Diocese
- Develop special pastoral projects
With respect to partnerships, the Archbishop suggested that the Parishes in the English Pastoral Zone get together to discuss pastoral issues, challenges, and possible solutions. He will follow up on this proposal.
A proposal for a Bible Study session was raised and the Archbishop mentioned he has a colleague who could facilitate such sessions - he will follow up. The study sessions would be open to all parishioners of the Diocese.
Archbishop Durocher commented positively on our use of Zoom technology during the pandemic to broadcast our mass celebrations. He mentioned that many activities are happening over the internet such as retreats and Lenten projects, etc. He is urging everyone to explore the possibilities of the internet.
With respect to the social environment, the Archbishop is very impressed with our involvement in the community at large. In particular, he was impressed with the current initiative where we invite community organizations to attend our fellowship and coffee gatherings and present their organization’s mandate and mission. The Archbishop sees this as an example of what it means to be an outgoing church.
We discussed the Parish’s financial situation and presented him with a chart that indicated that our financial position was solid. We did identify two areas of concern: one is a leakage of water in the basement, and the second, the fact that the wood paneling in the basement may not meet the city’s fire code. We also advised him that our properties (Rectory and Church) were in good shape.
In closing, due to illness, the Archbishop was unable to preside at Sunday’s mass celebration. We look forward to his returning to celebrate mass at Our Lady of Victory Parish once his tour of diocesan parishes will be completed.
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NEW FROM THE DIOCESE
A FACEBOOK PAGE AND BLOG ADDRESSED TO OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PARISHIONERS
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The archdiocese has launched a new Facebook page specifically addressed to our English-language parishioners. You don't need to have an account to see posts, only if you want to comment, share and like them.
See the internet link: https://www.facebook.com/archgat
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We also launched a new English-language blog entitled "Together on the Way". We'll be posting longer articles here, reflections and testimonies. If you want to share a story about something going on in your parish, please feel free to contact our communications team at the diocese.
See the internet link: https://archgatblog.blogspot.com/
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25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – September 24th, 2023
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First Reading:
Responsorial Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
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Isaiah 55.6-9
The Lord is near to all who call on him
Philippians 1.20-24, 27
Matthew 20.1-16
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