On August 4th, Father Stanislas Paulin, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Rothesay declared the 65th annual Miramichi Folksong Festival ‘‘officially open’’. The festival is the longest existing folksong festival in North America. Pope Francis dedicated his general audience talk to the urgent need for young and old to come together so older people can share their faith and wisdom about the world. Clergy changes announced for 2022.
The theme announced by His Holiness Pope Francis for the 108th World Day of Migrants and Refugees is “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees.” In his message, Pope Francis reminds us that inclusion of those most vulnerable is the necessary condition for full citizenship in God’s Kingdom. Indeed, the Lord says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me” (Mt 25:34-36).
Le thème choisi par Sa Sainteté le pape François pour la 108e Journée mondiale du migrant et du réfugié est « Construire l’avenir avec les migrants et les réfugiés ». Dans son message, le pape François nous rappelle que l’inclusion des plus vulnérables est la condition nécessaire à la pleine participation au Royaume de Dieu. Car le Seigneur a dit: « Venez, les bénis de mon Père, recevez en héritage le Royaume préparé pour vous depuis la fondation du monde. Car j’avais faim, et vous m’avez donné à manger; j’avais soif, et vous m’avez donné à boire; j’étais un étranger, et vous m’avez accueilli; j’étais nu, et vous m’avez habillé; j’étais malade, et vous m’avez visité; j’étais en prison, et vous êtes venus jusqu’à moi. » (Mt 25, 34-36)
Highlights of Pope Francis' visit to Canada in words and photos. Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC of the Diocese of Saint John shares his papal visit experience. ANALYSIS: The gentle pope has whispered in the ear of Canadians the hard truth that it is time to face how this land and its resources passed into our hands and how Indigenous people were made poor in a rich country.
Sa Sainteté le pape François a terminé son voyage apostolique au Canada du 23 au 29 juillet 2022. Lors de ce « pèlerinage de pénitence », il a fait une série de déclarations publiques concernant la réconciliation et la guérison avec les Autochtones.
His Holiness, Pope Francis, completed his apostolic journey to Canada from July 23rd – July 29th, 2022. On this “pilgrimage of penance”, he made a series of public statements regarding Indigenous reconciliation and healing.
The words “I am sorry” are powerful. For Tammy Ward of the Samson First Nation, those words from Pope Francis brought tears as she listened on the Maskawacis powwow grounds. FULL TEXT of Pope Francis' July 25th apology. While the perfect bishop does not exist, he does have to be a person who knows how to get others involved in the life of the church and to listen to everyone, including those with whom he may disagree, said a new member of the Dicastery for Bishops. What the Church believes, what it thinks, what it cares about and where it’s going are subjects of debate and speculation. Sudbury, ON, theologian Christopher Duncanson-Hales is seizing on the synod process to inject some real-life, empirical data into the Catholic conversation.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John (the "Diocese") is recruiting a Director of Finance and Administration, located in Saint John, NB. This a rewarding and meaningful permanent full-time position at the Diocesan office and we are seeking a highly motivated, organized and detail-oriented individual who has their CPA designation and is interested in working in a faith-based Roman Catholic organization. For more details or to apply, please see the job advertisement.
All dioceses, parishes and ecclesial communities are called to celebrate this Day, whose theme is "In old age they will still bear fruit" (Ps. 92:15). All dioceses around the world are invited to celebrate the Day with a liturgy dedicated to the elderly. There are two main ways to participate in the Day, suggested by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life: by celebrating a Mass or by visiting the elderly alone - 'visiting the elderly who live alone is a work of mercy in our time.' Pope Francis established in 2021 that this Day will be celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July, around the feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the “grandparents” of Jesus. This year it will take place on July 24. On the same day, the Pope begins an apostolic journey to Canada.
Tous les diocèses, paroisses et communautés ecclésiales sont appelés à célébrer cette Journée, dont le thème est « Ils portent encore des fruits dans la vieillesse » (Ps 92, 15). Tous les diocèses du monde sont invités à célébrer la Journée par une liturgie consacrée aux personnes âgées. En effet, il y a deux façons principales de participer à la Journée, suggérées par le Dicastère pour les Laïcs, la Famille et la Vie: en célébrant une messe ou en rendant visite aux personnes âgées seules. Le pape François a établi, en 2021, que cette Journée sera célébrée chaque année le quatrième dimanche de juillet, autour de la fête des saints Joachim et Anne, grands-parents de Jésus. Cette année, elle est célébrée le 24 juillet. Le même jour, le Pape commencera un voyage apostolique au Canada.
Sculptor Timothy Schmalz has created a new piece - Mary, Untier of Knots, to be his artistic muse to symbolically represent the ongoing truth and reconciliation efforts in Canada. While she was executive director of the pro-life group Vancouver’s Life Community, Annabelle Chong heard many stories from faithful Catholics who had to be cautious what they said in the workplace when hot-button subjects like abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgender rights came up for discussion around the coffee machine or lunchroom.
My dearest brothers and sisters, with this letter I desire to reach you all – after having written already only to the bishops after the publication of the Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes – and I write to share with you some reflections on the liturgy, a dimension fundamental for the life of the Church. The theme is vast and always deserves an attentive consideration in every one of its aspects. Even so, with this letter I do not intend to treat the question in an exhaustive way. I simply desire to offer some prompts or cues for reflections that can aid in the contemplation of the beauty and truth of Christian celebration.
Très chers frères et sœurs, par cette lettre, je désire vous rejoindre tous - après avoir déjà écrit uniquement aux évêques après la publication du Motu Proprio Traditionis custodes - et je vous écris pour partager avec vous quelques réflexions sur la liturgie, dimension fondamentale pour la vie de l’Église. Le sujet est vaste et mérite d’être examiné attentivement sous tous ses aspects : toutefois, dans cette lettre, je n’ai pas l’intention de traiter la question de manière exhaustive. Je souhaite plutôt offrir quelques pistes de réflexion qui puissent aider à la contemplation de la beauté et de la vérité de la célébration chrétienne.
Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC continues confirming young Catholics in their Christian faith, with the Sacrament of Confirmation celebrated recently at Saint Raphael’s Church of the Good Shepherd Parish in Blackville. The Saint John High School choir returned to public performance at Saint Rose of Lima Church, Holy Spirit Parish, West Saint John. Three local Catholic groups issued a joint bid to save Saint John the Baptist Cathedral Basilica as a Catholic church in the Archdiocese of St. John’s, NL. Basilians make their bicentennial pilgrimage to Rome and pray for Pope Francis’ knee, before his Canadian visit.
During his homily on June 19, 2022, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC, of the Diocese of Saint John, began by reflecting on St. Francis of Assisi and the invitation, three times, from the crucifix to repair the church, which was falling into ruins. People have a responsibility to care for the elderly and cherish their wisdom rather than regard them as a burden on society, Pope Francis said. When Sister Nancy Brown began serving as pastoral counsellor at Covenant House Vancouver in 1998, her eyes were opened to the sex-trafficking crisis happening right under the nose of everyday Canadians. Involved in legal advocacy work today, she says to end this scourge, people need to become more aware of the signs.
New Brunswick State Council of the Knights of Columbus wives fundraise for the Indigenous Solidarity Fund. Former lieutenant governor Graydon Nicholas delivers a workshop on healing and reconciliation to Saint Croix Parish. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception community continues to work toward physical and spiritual restoration. Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz installs a pro-life sculpture of Jesus in the womb, in a Roman church to be seen by countless tourists. African Catholics in Canada are praying for peace in the wake of the Pentecost Sunday massacre in a Nigerian Catholic church.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John, located at 1 Bayard Dr. in Saint John, NB, is seeking a full-time Director of Finance and Administration. For more information and to apply please visit https://www.careerbeacon.com/en/job/1801606/239463/director-of-finance-and-administration/saint-john-nb . Applications will be accepted until Friday, June 17, 2022.
To aid in this Cathedral restoration effort, an annual collection will be taken up in the parishes on the weekend of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), this year on June 18-19, 2022. I am asking you to prayerfully consider a generous personal donation towards this campaign. Gifts of either a one-time donation, multi-year pledge, securities, bequests or life insurance are a tremendous blessing and will aid significantly in the success of this campaign. This will be a multi-year process but God-willing, the good fruits of this effort will bless our diocese for generations to come.
Pour appuyer le projet de restauration de la Cathédrale, une collecte annuelle aura lieu dans les paroisses, le 18 et 19 juin cette année, à l’occasion de la Solennité du Saint-Sacrement du Corps et du Sang du Christ (la Fête-Dieu). Je vous demande de songer, dans un esprit de prière, à faire un don généreux à cette campagne. Que ce soit un don unique ou un engagement pour plusieurs années, un don de valeurs mobilières, sous la forme de legs, ou de prestations d'assurance-vie, tous ces dons seraient une immense bénédiction et contribueraient considérablement au succès de cette campagne. Ce projet s’étendra sur plusieurs années mais, si Dieu le veut, les bons fruits de cet effort béniront notre diocèse pour des générations à venir.
