24 September 2021 We, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week, take this opportunity to affirm to you, the Indigenous Peoples of this land, that we acknowledge the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. Many Catholic religious communities and dioceses participated in this system, which led
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September 16, 2021 To the priests and deacons of the Diocese of Pembroke This sixteenth day of September, 2021 Dear confreres: In recent days, I have been asked if clergy would be permitted to write a letter requesting that people be exempted from the requirement to be vaccinated for employment
Continue readingThe Brooklyn Tabernacle Evangelical church has emerged as one of the largest Christian communities in New York City, but its journey to this point was far from straightforward. When Jim Cymbala assumed the role of pastor in the early 1970s, the church counted only about 30 members and teetered on
Continue readingSeptember 12, 2021 The decision whether or not to be vaccinated is a personal decision of conscience. In the present context, it is morally licit to be vaccinated, but it is not a moral obligation. There are too many grey areas for there to be a hard-and-fast position for or
Continue reading20 August 2021 The Executive Committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) wishes to address recent reporting on the Corporation for the Catholic Entities Party to the Indian Residential School Settlement (CCEPIRSS). As a Committee, we have been profoundly saddened by the recent uncovering of unmarked burial sites
Continue readingEvangelization experts suggest that to grow a church, leaders should keep the front doors wide open, create multiple side entrances, and ensure the back door is securely closed. In this analogy, the front doors represent welcoming weekend services for non-believers, the side entrances symbolize small groups that reach out to
Continue readingJesus said to His disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). God desires to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that
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The law of “three hearings” and “seven touches” stem from research into effective evangelization practices of growing churches. These principles illustrate the journey of an unchurched individual towards committing to a Christian community. The Principle of Three Hearings An unchurched visitor rarely joins a church after a single visit. Much
Continue readingTo live a meaningful Christian life, there is a daily routine that can be followed- three actions that can be taken daily. By consistently practicing these actions, one will become stronger and more developed in their faith. Incorporating these Christian practices into daily routine can be easily done, just like
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Prepared by the Archdiocese of Toronto, July 2021. Over the past several months, there has been a national conversation on the tragic history of residential schools in Canada. The role of the Catholic Church in the residential school system has been a part of...
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