Ten years ago, on November 30, 2011, we gathered at St. Joseph's Cathedral to officially welcome our new Archbishop for the beginning of his pastoral ministry in our diocesan Church. Inspired by his episcopal motto, Sing and Walk, we learned to walk with him so that the Gospel of Christ might be proclaimed here in the Outaouais.
The CCCB Commission for Justice and Peace released a Pastoral Letter entitled For Freedom Christ has Set us Free: Pastoral Letter on Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Canada. The letter draws attention to the inherently exploitative and abusive nature of the purchase of sex and insists that in order to protect the vulnerable, this practice must continue to be criminalized: “Treating sex as ‘work’ masks the physical, psychological and sexual violence inflicted on the prostituted person. Prostitution involves selling something that by its nature cannot be bought or sold and is therefore inherently exploitative.”
Beginning on Sunday, 21 November 2021, the Solemnity of Christ the King, the CCCB will release a video recording of a Bishop in Canada reflecting on the Gospel Reading for each Sunday of Advent. This year’s reflections were developed in view of the Indigenous Delegation which will be travelling to Rome to meet with Pope Francis from December 17 to 20, 2021. Each reflection is based one of the five essential stages of reconciliation: examen, confession, repentance, reparation (making amends), and reconciliation. Likewise, it is hoped these reflections will assist the faithful, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, in preparing for Pope Francis’ eventual apostolic journey to Canada.
