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Letters to the Editor
Some readers have asked whether they can write a Letter to the Editor of Grandin Media. Yes you can -- and we'd love to hear from you! Because Grandin Media is a digital platform, you can send your message through the contact page at https://grandinmedia.ca/more/contact-us, or you can share your comments with other readers by typing in the Comment box at the bottom of each page. |
Archbishop's Blog has Moved
Archbishop Smith's blog, The Reason for our Hope, is now being published at Grandin Media, at grandinmedia.ca/archbsmith. You can still find a link to the latest post on the front page of the archdiocesan website at caedm.ca. To subscribe to an RSS feed, use this link: grandinmedia.ca/category/voices/voices-reason-for-our-hope/feed We also welcome letters by post to:
Andrew Ehrkamp, News Editor Grandin Media 8421 – 101 Avenue NW Edmonton AB T6A 0L1 |
Condolences to Iranian Community
Archbishop Smith has sent a message of condolence to members of Edmonton's Iranian community, which lost at least 27 members in the crash of an airplane near Tehran.
To our dear friends in the Iranian communities of Edmonton:
I am writing to offer my most profound condolences and prayers, and those of the entire Catholic community of our Archdiocese, who join me in expressing deep, deep sadness for the tragic loss of life that has taken place in the plane crash near Tehran.
The mind can scarcely grasp, and the heart cannot fathom, the pain that has befallen your communities and especially the families impacted by this terrible event.
We join with you, with our fellow Edmontonians, and with all people of good will, in mourning the loss of these beloved members of your communities; and we offer our prayers for the repose of their souls and strength for their surviving family members in the days ahead.
In sincerest friendship and solidarity,
✠ Archbishop Richard W. Smith
Archbishop Smith has sent a message of condolence to members of Edmonton's Iranian community, which lost at least 27 members in the crash of an airplane near Tehran.
To our dear friends in the Iranian communities of Edmonton:
I am writing to offer my most profound condolences and prayers, and those of the entire Catholic community of our Archdiocese, who join me in expressing deep, deep sadness for the tragic loss of life that has taken place in the plane crash near Tehran.
The mind can scarcely grasp, and the heart cannot fathom, the pain that has befallen your communities and especially the families impacted by this terrible event.
We join with you, with our fellow Edmontonians, and with all people of good will, in mourning the loss of these beloved members of your communities; and we offer our prayers for the repose of their souls and strength for their surviving family members in the days ahead.
In sincerest friendship and solidarity,
✠ Archbishop Richard W. Smith
Retrouvaille
There is a better way to communicate. Rediscover your commitment. Put your marriage back on track. Learn how to forgive and trust. Whatever your issues, no marriage is beyond hope. Consider a different kind of Christmas gift to each other this year. The next Retrouvaille program (in Edmonton) begins March 13-15, 2020. For more information email info@helpourmarriage.ca, call 587-598-4357, or check the website retrouvaille.org.
There is a better way to communicate. Rediscover your commitment. Put your marriage back on track. Learn how to forgive and trust. Whatever your issues, no marriage is beyond hope. Consider a different kind of Christmas gift to each other this year. The next Retrouvaille program (in Edmonton) begins March 13-15, 2020. For more information email info@helpourmarriage.ca, call 587-598-4357, or check the website retrouvaille.org.
Men of Integrity Conference
Encounter, Empower, Evangelize – Catholic Family Ministries invites all men to this year’s Men of Integrity Conference with keynote speaker and author, Deacon Larry Oney of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is the author of Divine Mission; Finding Your Hope; Amazed by God’s Grace, and many others. For more information and to register, visit catholicministries.com.
Encounter, Empower, Evangelize – Catholic Family Ministries invites all men to this year’s Men of Integrity Conference with keynote speaker and author, Deacon Larry Oney of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is the author of Divine Mission; Finding Your Hope; Amazed by God’s Grace, and many others. For more information and to register, visit catholicministries.com.
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Benedict XVI Institute for New Evangelization Treasures of the Faith Seminar (Updated)
The Treasures of the Faith seminars explore the treasures of the Catholic tradition with a view to nurturing our faith development. This coming term we will invest time reading through St. John Henry Cardinal Newman's Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine. This promises to be a spiritually nourishing journey. Fridays 10:30 - 11:20 a.m. St John Henry Cardinal Newman: Essay On the Development of Christian Doctrine Newman Theological College 10012-84 Street, Edmonton To register, contact Lorraine at NTC Reception in person or at 780-392-2450 or reception@newman.edu Jan 24 Feb 7, 21, 28 March 20, 27 |
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Left Footers:
Restoring Christmas Traditions & Fighting Nihilism On this Left Footers Christmas special, we chatted with Ryan Topping, Vice President and Academic Dean of Newman Theological College, about his new book, Christmas Around the Fire. We discuss the importance of storytelling for rebuilding a Catholic culture, as well as the pitfalls of a postmodern use of media. |
Abuse Updates
The Archdiocese has posted a brief update on a review of files pertaining to sexual abuse by clergy who served within our boundaries from 1947 to 2018. In parallel to this work, we have conducted a comprehensive review of our abuse prevention policies and protocols with an eye to clarifying them, ensuring they meet the CCCB guidelines issued in 2018, and assuring our people that abuse will not be tolerated. We expect to publish these new policies in December. The update also addresses the issue of publishing the names of known offenders, and includes the assurance that no priest who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a child is serving in active ministry in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. The CCCB has also posted an update on this issue from the national perspective. Please visit caedm.ca/PastoralScene to accesss full text of both statements.
The Archdiocese has posted a brief update on a review of files pertaining to sexual abuse by clergy who served within our boundaries from 1947 to 2018. In parallel to this work, we have conducted a comprehensive review of our abuse prevention policies and protocols with an eye to clarifying them, ensuring they meet the CCCB guidelines issued in 2018, and assuring our people that abuse will not be tolerated. We expect to publish these new policies in December. The update also addresses the issue of publishing the names of known offenders, and includes the assurance that no priest who has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a child is serving in active ministry in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. The CCCB has also posted an update on this issue from the national perspective. Please visit caedm.ca/PastoralScene to accesss full text of both statements.
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Left Footers: Morman Missionary to Catholic Priest
In this episode of Left Footers, Father Marc Cramer, Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Edmonton, shares his faith journey from Catholicism to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, back again to Catholicism, and eventually to to the priesthood. Along the way, he gives some great insights into where we find God in everyday life. |
Edmonton pays tribute to victims of Tehran crash
More than 2,500 people filled the Saville Community Sports Centre to remember the lives of 13 Edmontonians and 163 others lost when Ukrainian Airlines International Flight PS752 was shot down by a missile shortly after takeoff from Tehran. The Edmonton victims, who were of Iranian descent, were memorialized in tributes from friends, families, colleagues and politicians. Several spoke of the importance of faith in dealing with their grief.
Read more
Innisfail parishioners aim for Easter Mass in rebuilt church
The parishioners of Our Lady of Peace in Innisfail hope to attend Easter Mass in their new church as they continue to raise thousands of dollars for a rebuild following a devastating fire. For nine months now, Sunday Mass has been held in a school gym. “In ways, it’s made our faith stronger,” said Father Liju Jose, the pastor. “When difficulties like this happen, people always have to put their trust in God. We fully trust Him because we know there is no other way. We have to pray that He will see us through.”
Read more
Federal government asks Canadians for their views on euthanasia
A public consultation process is underway that could help shape the rules for euthanasia in Canada as the federal government moves to fall in line with a Quebec court decision that quashed a key restriction. However, opponents say that any further expansion is the slippery slope that they warned against when “Medical Assistance in Dying” was first introduced in Canada in 2016.
Read more
B.C. hospice under pressure to offer euthanasia
A heated debate about whether a hospice should offer assisted suicide may come to a climax in February. Delta Hospice Society, the non-profit behind the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner, south of Vancouver, is facing pressure from the Fraser Health Authority to offer Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) to its patients. The non-profit says offering a lethal injection to its patients runs contrary to its constitution, while Fraser Health holds the position that patients have a right to it and has ordered the hospice to permit medical assistance in dying by February.
Read more
B.C. Ukrainian bishop tapped to head diocese in London
Pope Francis has named Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster to be the new bishop of the Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, England. Edmonton Bishop David Motiuk has been appointed apostolic administrator of the New Westminister Eparchy until Bishop Nowakowski’s successor is named. In a letter to the faithful, Bishop Nowakowski thanked them for their support over his 12 ½ years as bishop.
Read more
Pope sets special day to honour, study and share the Bible
The newly established “Sunday of the Word of God” is an invitation to Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his word, Pope Francis said. By papal decree, the third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Jan. 26 this year – is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.” A day dedicated to the Bible will help the church “experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world.”
Read more
Sister Sue Mosteller honoured with Order of Canada for decades of work with L’Arche
Changing the world an inch at a time with nothing but a word, a prayer, a hope or an intuition isn’t the sort of thing we very often notice, let alone celebrate. By giving the Order of Canada to Sister Sue Mosteller of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the country has indeed celebrated her for dedication to improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and for decades of work as a leader of L’Arche.
Read more
French bishops approve removal of gender from baptism certificates
The French bishops’ permanent council has approved a recommendation to remove gender references for parents on baptismal certificates. Bishop Joseph de Metz-Noblat of Langres, president of the French bishops’ Council for Canonical Questions, said the changes were made to bring baptismal practices into line with new gender-equality laws. Bishop Metz-Noblat noted that ministers cannot refuse sacraments to persons who opportunely ask for them, and that children cannot be held responsible for the situation of their parents.
Read more
‘Jeopardy!’ host cites power of prayer in cancer battle
Alex Trebek, the longtime host of the TV game show Jeopardy!, spoke recently about his journey with cancer. Born and raised in Canada, Trebek, 79, has hosted the show for 36 years. He has continued to work even as he has undergone chemotherapy for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. “If there’s one thing I have discovered in the past year, it is (the) power of prayer,” he said. “I learned it from the Jesuits when I was a kid, I learned it from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate when I was in boarding school.”
Read more
Pope Benedict wants name removed as co-author of book on celibacy
At the request of retired Pope Benedict XVI, his name will be removed as co-author of a book defending priestly celibacy, said Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican official who coordinated work on the book. “Considering the polemics provoked by the publication of the book, From the Depths of Our Hearts, it has been decided that the author of the book for future editions will be Cardinal Sarah, with the contribution of Benedict XVI,” Cardinal Sarah tweeted Jan. 14. The announcement came only a few hours after Cardinal Sarah had issued a formal statement accusing people of slandering him by saying that while Pope Benedict may have contributed notes or an essay to the book, he was not a co-author.
Read more
More than 2,500 people filled the Saville Community Sports Centre to remember the lives of 13 Edmontonians and 163 others lost when Ukrainian Airlines International Flight PS752 was shot down by a missile shortly after takeoff from Tehran. The Edmonton victims, who were of Iranian descent, were memorialized in tributes from friends, families, colleagues and politicians. Several spoke of the importance of faith in dealing with their grief.
Read more
Innisfail parishioners aim for Easter Mass in rebuilt church
The parishioners of Our Lady of Peace in Innisfail hope to attend Easter Mass in their new church as they continue to raise thousands of dollars for a rebuild following a devastating fire. For nine months now, Sunday Mass has been held in a school gym. “In ways, it’s made our faith stronger,” said Father Liju Jose, the pastor. “When difficulties like this happen, people always have to put their trust in God. We fully trust Him because we know there is no other way. We have to pray that He will see us through.”
Read more
Federal government asks Canadians for their views on euthanasia
A public consultation process is underway that could help shape the rules for euthanasia in Canada as the federal government moves to fall in line with a Quebec court decision that quashed a key restriction. However, opponents say that any further expansion is the slippery slope that they warned against when “Medical Assistance in Dying” was first introduced in Canada in 2016.
Read more
B.C. hospice under pressure to offer euthanasia
A heated debate about whether a hospice should offer assisted suicide may come to a climax in February. Delta Hospice Society, the non-profit behind the Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner, south of Vancouver, is facing pressure from the Fraser Health Authority to offer Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) to its patients. The non-profit says offering a lethal injection to its patients runs contrary to its constitution, while Fraser Health holds the position that patients have a right to it and has ordered the hospice to permit medical assistance in dying by February.
Read more
B.C. Ukrainian bishop tapped to head diocese in London
Pope Francis has named Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster to be the new bishop of the Eparchy of the Holy Family of London, England. Edmonton Bishop David Motiuk has been appointed apostolic administrator of the New Westminister Eparchy until Bishop Nowakowski’s successor is named. In a letter to the faithful, Bishop Nowakowski thanked them for their support over his 12 ½ years as bishop.
Read more
Pope sets special day to honour, study and share the Bible
The newly established “Sunday of the Word of God” is an invitation to Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his word, Pope Francis said. By papal decree, the third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Jan. 26 this year – is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.” A day dedicated to the Bible will help the church “experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world.”
Read more
Sister Sue Mosteller honoured with Order of Canada for decades of work with L’Arche
Changing the world an inch at a time with nothing but a word, a prayer, a hope or an intuition isn’t the sort of thing we very often notice, let alone celebrate. By giving the Order of Canada to Sister Sue Mosteller of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the country has indeed celebrated her for dedication to improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, and for decades of work as a leader of L’Arche.
Read more
French bishops approve removal of gender from baptism certificates
The French bishops’ permanent council has approved a recommendation to remove gender references for parents on baptismal certificates. Bishop Joseph de Metz-Noblat of Langres, president of the French bishops’ Council for Canonical Questions, said the changes were made to bring baptismal practices into line with new gender-equality laws. Bishop Metz-Noblat noted that ministers cannot refuse sacraments to persons who opportunely ask for them, and that children cannot be held responsible for the situation of their parents.
Read more
‘Jeopardy!’ host cites power of prayer in cancer battle
Alex Trebek, the longtime host of the TV game show Jeopardy!, spoke recently about his journey with cancer. Born and raised in Canada, Trebek, 79, has hosted the show for 36 years. He has continued to work even as he has undergone chemotherapy for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. “If there’s one thing I have discovered in the past year, it is (the) power of prayer,” he said. “I learned it from the Jesuits when I was a kid, I learned it from the Oblates of Mary Immaculate when I was in boarding school.”
Read more
Pope Benedict wants name removed as co-author of book on celibacy
At the request of retired Pope Benedict XVI, his name will be removed as co-author of a book defending priestly celibacy, said Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican official who coordinated work on the book. “Considering the polemics provoked by the publication of the book, From the Depths of Our Hearts, it has been decided that the author of the book for future editions will be Cardinal Sarah, with the contribution of Benedict XVI,” Cardinal Sarah tweeted Jan. 14. The announcement came only a few hours after Cardinal Sarah had issued a formal statement accusing people of slandering him by saying that while Pope Benedict may have contributed notes or an essay to the book, he was not a co-author.
Read more
Last Week:
Archbishop Smith reflects on a year of challenge and change
It has been a year of achievements and challenges in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In a year-end interview, Archbishop Smith spoke about a range of topics, from the 50th anniversary of Newman Theological College to plans to renovate the youth camps, to the defence of conscience rights. With Video.
Read more
Catholics mark a decade of drama and debate
The crisis, the kairos moment, the crux of the matter, the hinge of history — none of these are easily discernible, usually. But for Catholics, this last decade has been unusual. The decade gave us a clear, obvious turning point in the history of the Church: Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation in February 2013.
Read more
Four new Canadian saints added to canon this decade
For sheer numbers, there has never been a decade like the 2010s for saint-making. That’s because Pope Francis canonized over 800 in one go when he declared St. Antonio Primaldo and his 812 companions (martyred in 1480 by an invading Ottoman army in Oranto, Italy) saints on May 12, 2013. Between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, the 2010s were a decade of significant canonizations for Canadian Catholics: St. Brother André Bessette, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. François de Laval, St. Marie de l’Incarnation were added to the canon.
Read more
Red Deer students look ‘Back to the Manger’
All 270 students at St. Martin de Porres School in Red Deer were involved in a Christmas musical performed on stage at Red Deer College. Back to the Manger tells the story of four children at a church Christmas party who stumble upon a time machine that eventually takes them to Bethlehem for Christ’s birth.
Read more
Advent Mass helps families heal broken hearts
Christmas can be a tough time of year for those who have a lost a loved one. The annual Advent Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum, celebrated by Archbishop Smith, offered grieving families a measure of healing and comfort in the embrace of their faith. They were also invited to place ornaments in memory of their loved ones on a special remembrance tree.
Read more
Christmas at Remand Centre brightened by gift bags
For nearly 20 years, students in St. Albert Catholic schools have had a special project at Christmas. They decorate gift bags and fill them with small items and treats to be given to inmates at the Edmonton Remand Centre. It’s a simple gesture of reaching out to society’s marginalized, teaching the students that each person has dignity and is worthy of love.
Read more
Renowned scholar priest retires to Edmonton
Rev. Ian Boyd is a man of many titles – a pioneering scholar, world traveller and compassionate spiritual director. But in recent months, Boyd has become a familiar face in Edmonton – where he now plans to retire. Boyd’s philosophy is rooted in the work of G.K. Chesterton – the prolific Catholic writer, philosopher and social critic of the early 20th century. Along with a pioneering book on Chesterton’s novels, Boyd founded The Chesterton Review, which is still published today.
Read more
U of A pro-lifers win appeal over security fee demand
A pro-life group has won its appeal of a controversial $17,500 security fee implemented by the University of Alberta for staging events on campus, successfully arguing that it violated freedom of expression. “It’s very significant. This is an encouragement for anybody to say things on campus that may be unpopular, so long as it is lawful and peaceful,” said Jay Cameron, a lawyer representing UAlberta Pro-Life.
Read more
It has been a year of achievements and challenges in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In a year-end interview, Archbishop Smith spoke about a range of topics, from the 50th anniversary of Newman Theological College to plans to renovate the youth camps, to the defence of conscience rights. With Video.
Read more
Catholics mark a decade of drama and debate
The crisis, the kairos moment, the crux of the matter, the hinge of history — none of these are easily discernible, usually. But for Catholics, this last decade has been unusual. The decade gave us a clear, obvious turning point in the history of the Church: Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation in February 2013.
Read more
Four new Canadian saints added to canon this decade
For sheer numbers, there has never been a decade like the 2010s for saint-making. That’s because Pope Francis canonized over 800 in one go when he declared St. Antonio Primaldo and his 812 companions (martyred in 1480 by an invading Ottoman army in Oranto, Italy) saints on May 12, 2013. Between Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, the 2010s were a decade of significant canonizations for Canadian Catholics: St. Brother André Bessette, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. François de Laval, St. Marie de l’Incarnation were added to the canon.
Read more
Red Deer students look ‘Back to the Manger’
All 270 students at St. Martin de Porres School in Red Deer were involved in a Christmas musical performed on stage at Red Deer College. Back to the Manger tells the story of four children at a church Christmas party who stumble upon a time machine that eventually takes them to Bethlehem for Christ’s birth.
Read more
Advent Mass helps families heal broken hearts
Christmas can be a tough time of year for those who have a lost a loved one. The annual Advent Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum, celebrated by Archbishop Smith, offered grieving families a measure of healing and comfort in the embrace of their faith. They were also invited to place ornaments in memory of their loved ones on a special remembrance tree.
Read more
Christmas at Remand Centre brightened by gift bags
For nearly 20 years, students in St. Albert Catholic schools have had a special project at Christmas. They decorate gift bags and fill them with small items and treats to be given to inmates at the Edmonton Remand Centre. It’s a simple gesture of reaching out to society’s marginalized, teaching the students that each person has dignity and is worthy of love.
Read more
Renowned scholar priest retires to Edmonton
Rev. Ian Boyd is a man of many titles – a pioneering scholar, world traveller and compassionate spiritual director. But in recent months, Boyd has become a familiar face in Edmonton – where he now plans to retire. Boyd’s philosophy is rooted in the work of G.K. Chesterton – the prolific Catholic writer, philosopher and social critic of the early 20th century. Along with a pioneering book on Chesterton’s novels, Boyd founded The Chesterton Review, which is still published today.
Read more
U of A pro-lifers win appeal over security fee demand
A pro-life group has won its appeal of a controversial $17,500 security fee implemented by the University of Alberta for staging events on campus, successfully arguing that it violated freedom of expression. “It’s very significant. This is an encouragement for anybody to say things on campus that may be unpopular, so long as it is lawful and peaceful,” said Jay Cameron, a lawyer representing UAlberta Pro-Life.
Read more
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Our Deceased Priests
We pray in a special way for all our priests who have died in the month of December. (Name is followed by date of death) Rev. Martin VOLK Dec. 2, 1985 Rev. James Robert CARSWELL Dec. 6, 1983 Rev. John Joseph AHERNE Dec. 9, 1959 Rev. Kenneth George McLELLAN Dec. 10, 1976 Rev. John Joseph NOLAN Dec. 11, 1929 Rev. Thomas KROETCH Dec. 17, 2009 Rev. William A. MacLELLAN Dec. 18, 1988 Rev. Augustine HICKEY Dec. 18, 1988 Rev. Louis L. TREMBLAY Dec. 23, 1934 Rev. Terrence J. WALL Dec. 23, 1977 Rev. Maurice Joseph O’CONNOR Dec. 27, 1956 Rev. Adam PRZYSIEZNIAK Dec. 27, 1995 Rev. Albert LAISNEZ Dec. 31, 2017 |
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen |
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Left Footers: A Catholic veteran reflects on waging war and peace
Steven Defer, a Catholic veteran and former military chaplain, talks about the accuracy of war movies, the Catholic position on war, and his personal experience in Afghanistan. He is the guest of Mike Landry and Father Marc Cramer in this latest episode of Left Footers. |
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An Update on Camps Renewal Project
Planning for the redevelopment of the two archdiocesan camps has entered a new phase with the Archbishop’s approval of a 10-year business plan for the renewal project and resumption of operations at Our Lady of Victory Camp for the 2020 camping season. Archbishop Smith reiterated his commitment to OLVC and Camp Encounter at the first annual Archbishop’s Dinner on October 4, noting that they have played life-shaping and life-changing roles in the lives of many of the young people who have attended the camps. On October 30, the Camps Renewal Committee presented His Grace and archdiocesan leaders with a concrete plan for moving forward. The plan calls for $5 million in capital improvements to both sites, to be completed in three phases as the required funds are raised. We are pleased to report that this plan has now been reviewed and approved. Read the full Update (PDF 2 pages |
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend
Experience may be the answer!
Looking for a weekend refresher? A way to increase the love and romance in your marriage? Need time just for the two of you? Know a couple that does? Come and learn how to improve your marriage, learn practical techniques and rediscover your hopes and dreams for your marriage. For more information about WWME please visit wwme.org. To register for a local weekend (in Edmonton, December 19) email wwme.edmonton@gmail.com
Women of Dignity Conference: Be His, Be Brave, Be You
The 2019 Catholic Family Ministries Women’s Conference is a weekend with Mary Bielski, national speaker and evangelist. She has spoken to more than 100,000 Catholics around the nation at retreats and conferences, and has appeared on Catholic radio and television interviews including EWTN and Catholic Crossroads Radio. Mary draws her audience to the beauty of our Catholic faith, a deeper love for Christ, the Eucharist, and the call to holiness. Join us November 29-30 at Holy Trinity Parish, Spruce Grove. For more information, and to register, please visit catholicfamilyministries.com
Experience may be the answer!
Looking for a weekend refresher? A way to increase the love and romance in your marriage? Need time just for the two of you? Know a couple that does? Come and learn how to improve your marriage, learn practical techniques and rediscover your hopes and dreams for your marriage. For more information about WWME please visit wwme.org. To register for a local weekend (in Edmonton, December 19) email wwme.edmonton@gmail.com
Women of Dignity Conference: Be His, Be Brave, Be You
The 2019 Catholic Family Ministries Women’s Conference is a weekend with Mary Bielski, national speaker and evangelist. She has spoken to more than 100,000 Catholics around the nation at retreats and conferences, and has appeared on Catholic radio and television interviews including EWTN and Catholic Crossroads Radio. Mary draws her audience to the beauty of our Catholic faith, a deeper love for Christ, the Eucharist, and the call to holiness. Join us November 29-30 at Holy Trinity Parish, Spruce Grove. For more information, and to register, please visit catholicfamilyministries.com
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Pictured above are the priests who most recently arrived to serve in the Archdiocese of Edmonton. Now you know what they look like ̶ be sure to say Hi when you see them. And pray for them of course; for most it will be their first experience of an Alberta winter! They are, left to right:
Rev. Benjamin Obetta CFIC, Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Basilica, from Nigeria, Congregation of the Sons of Immaculate Conception Rev. Simmy Joseph CMI, Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Basilica, from India, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Rev. Wilson Thankachan, Chaplain, Royal Alexandra Hospital, from India, Archdiocese of Trivandrum Rev. Sergio Mafra Santos, Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, from Brazil, Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro Rev. Balraj Antony Samy SDB, Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, from India; Salesians of Don Bosco Rev. Felix Devasia, Associate Pastor, St. Theresa Parish, Edmonton, from India, Diocese of Vijayapuram Rev. Danial Dsouza SAC, Associate Pastor, Our Lady of the Angels Parish, from India, Pallotine Fathers For the updated full list of 2019 Priests Appointments, visit caedm.ca. |
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New Canadian Cardinal Rev. Michael Czerny, a Canadian Jesuit and social justice expert who once volunteered to take the place of brother priests murdered in El Salvador, is among 13 men Pope Francis will elevate to the position of cardinal next month. Read More |
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Online Faith Formation
Through the Benedict XVI Institute for New Evangelization, Newman Theological College offers a comprehensive selection of short courses on various aspects of the Catholic faith. All are offered online, so you can study from the comfort of home and work around your personal schedule. Each course runs five weeks and costs just $85; the next cycle begins on Monday, January 6, 2020. Take an individual course for interest, or work toward one or all of the 22 specialized Certificates in Catholic Studies. This program is open to adults and youth of all backgrounds and education levels. For list of courses, details, and online registration, visit newman.edu/ccs. For more information, contact Sandra Talarico at 780-392-2450 ext. 2214. See the Poster for more Details |
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Asia Bibi calls for help for Pakistanis accused of blasphemy
The “whole world” should put pressure on Pakistan to either scrap or reform its controversial blasphemy laws, said Asia Bibi, a Catholic mother freed after eight years on death row. In her first newspaper interview since her release in May, Bibi says she believes innocent people are in jail in Pakistan after being falsely accused of blasphemy. Bibi and her family plan to leave Canada, where they have found temporary refuge, to set up a new life in an undisclosed European country. Read more |
Above: Daughters of Asia Bibi, a Catholic eventually acquitted of blasphemy, pose in 2010 with an image of their mother. (Catholic News Service)
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Step by step restoration
Our Lady of the Assumption Church - founded in 1767 - is steeped in history. But now the Windsor, Ont. church needs some help to continue in the future. The total restoration cost is $20 million and the first phase has already started. Read More |
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'Unplanned' hurdles
The directors of Unplanned, the true story of a Planned Parenthood clinic director turned pro-life activist, describe the hurdles they have surmounted - and are still facing - as they bring the movie to the big screens. Read More |
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Are you a 'Practising' Catholic?
That's the question Father Kris poses in this week's video blog. And he also has some answers -- but be forewarned: no one said it was going to be easy! |
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Email Scam
An email scam has surfaced again in the Archdiocese. The scam email purports to be from your parish priest, who is asking for money or gift cards because of some urgent need; for example, to help someone in hospital. Please be assured that no priest of the Archdiocese would ever legitimately ask for money in this way. We encourage you to report such incidents to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and delete the email message. |
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Love Unscripted: Being Catholic in College
In Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis presents us with three pastoral imperatives concerning human life and the family: we are called to accompany, to discern, and to integrate weakness. Love Unscripted is a video series about discovering, listening, seeking understanding and addressing the real, day-to-day concerns of the faithful as they live in the Gospel. Join Archbishop Richard Smith as he meets a variety of young adults and explores the many ways that together we can live in the Word of God. This week, the Archbishop visits St. Joseph's College and talks with Theresa about the needs and fears of Catholic students at the U of A. |
Did You Know?
Your gifts to the Together We Serve appeal help support Campus Ministry at St. Joseph's College. |
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Make a Call for Conscience
Sometimes we hear that since euthanasia is now legal in Canada, health care professionals should have to provide it. But many doctors and nurses don't think so. Check out some of their reasons in this video from the Coalition for HealthCARE and Conscience. |
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Congratulations to our 2019 Jubilarians
The following priests are celebrating jubilees this year. Please remember them in prayer! 60 Years of Priestly Service: Rev. Gilles Gauthier OMI Ordained June 28, 1959 Retired, St Albert 50 Years of Priestly Service: Rev. Vernon Regis Ordained March 25, 1969 Retired, Sri Lanka Rev. Dino Benedet CSsR Ordained September 27, 1969 Retired, Edmonton 25 Years of Priestly Service: Rev. Paul Burchat Ordained September 10, 1994 Chaplain, Marian Centre Edmonton |
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Permanent DiaconateThe Form of a Servant
Have you ever wondered about the ministry of permanent deacons? Who are these men and how are they called? Check out this new video, released on the Feast of St. Stephen. It features some of the 33 permanent deacons here in the Archdiocese of Edmonton -- maybe some you know! (Runs 21 min.) |
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HOME VISITATIONS
Are you new to the parish or a seasoned veteran of St. Stephen’s and perhaps, would be interested in receiving a visit from our Pastoral Assistant. All you are asked for is to share with Donna your thoughts, needs, concerns, etc. regarding the parish. All comments will remain confidential. She will not be recruiting for parish positions nor will she be asking for donations. To set up a time and date you can contact Donna between 8:30 and 3:30, Monday thru Friday at
403-556-3084 (ext. 4) or leave a message and she will get back to you.
Are you new to the parish or a seasoned veteran of St. Stephen’s and perhaps, would be interested in receiving a visit from our Pastoral Assistant. All you are asked for is to share with Donna your thoughts, needs, concerns, etc. regarding the parish. All comments will remain confidential. She will not be recruiting for parish positions nor will she be asking for donations. To set up a time and date you can contact Donna between 8:30 and 3:30, Monday thru Friday at
403-556-3084 (ext. 4) or leave a message and she will get back to you.
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What does poverty look like?
Hilarie Fortune is a single mom who has struggled with abuse, homelessness and addiction. But thanks to her faith and the community around Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, she is not only surviving but helping others through parish outreach. See what poverty looks like through her eyes and those of Father Susai Jesu, pastor at Sacred Heart. Read their story (with video) |
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What keeps a Bishop up a night?
That was one of the questions posed to the Alberta-NWT Bishops when they sat down with the Grandin Media team in June to discuss the challenges they face in their dioceses. This is the first video in a four-part series. In this episode, we hear some surprising thoughts on who is evangelizing whom! |
New feast day: Mary, Mother of the Church
The Catholic Church doesn’t often add new celebrations to its pretty full liturgical calendar, but this year’s new feast day, Mary, Mother of the Church on May 21, has Catholics gearing up to mark the day or at least think a little more about Mary.
The new feast day, which will be celebrated annually the day after Pentecost, was announced in a March 3rd decree by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
“I think Pope Francis recognizes the importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her association with the Apostles and Christ, and the feast of Pentecost,” says Father Paul Kavanagh, director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese.
Read more
The Catholic Church doesn’t often add new celebrations to its pretty full liturgical calendar, but this year’s new feast day, Mary, Mother of the Church on May 21, has Catholics gearing up to mark the day or at least think a little more about Mary.
The new feast day, which will be celebrated annually the day after Pentecost, was announced in a March 3rd decree by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
“I think Pope Francis recognizes the importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her association with the Apostles and Christ, and the feast of Pentecost,” says Father Paul Kavanagh, director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese.
Read more
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The Word in an instant The Archbishop asks us all to make Scripture reading a part of our daily lives. That's not always easy, but a new smartphone app from Novalis can make it pretty effortless. The Living With Christ Prayer app is available free of charge on iPhone and Android devices. In addition to the daily Mass readings from the Canadian lectionary, the app offers collections of daily prayers, daily meditations with attractive images, and a liturgical calendar with feast and saints’ days. If you like, it will even send you reminders to take time out to pray! Read more in Grandin Media |
Lots more at grandinmedia.ca
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Venerable Men
Two giants of Catholic history in Alberta continue to be considered for possible sainthood by Pope Francis. Most Rev. Vital Grandin (left) was the first bishop of St. Albert when the diocese was erected in 1871 and was instrumental in the establishment of the Catholic Church in Western Canada. Brother Anthony Kowalczyk worked with indigenous and Métis people in Alberta and later served as a beloved custodian and handyman at College St. Jean in Edmonton. Both were members of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. “Let’s continue to promote the advancement of these causes by our prayers,” Archbishop Richard Smith wrote in his blog Wednesday, after meeting with the head of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. Both Bishop Grandin and Brother Anthony are considered venerable, meaning they have lived heroic virtues. Candidates are required to have two miracles attributed to them before being declared a saint. Read more |
Wondering about Religious Life?
Abide YEG is a great new resource for young adults in the Year of Consecrated Life. The blog includes excellent podcasts by Father Glenn and a young student who is discerning, and answers to all kinds of questions about religious life. Be sure to share with anyone you know who may be wondering ...http://abideyeg.blogspot.ca/
Abide YEG is a great new resource for young adults in the Year of Consecrated Life. The blog includes excellent podcasts by Father Glenn and a young student who is discerning, and answers to all kinds of questions about religious life. Be sure to share with anyone you know who may be wondering ...http://abideyeg.blogspot.ca/
St Stephen Catholic Parish 4302 57 Avenue Olds, AB T4H 1C5
403-556-3084
ststephen102@gmail.com
403-556-3084
ststephen102@gmail.com
