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13 October

Vulnerability and Availability to the Holy Spirit

With Sister Gaétane, Brother Daniel, we have been reflecting on the charism of consecrated life and its prophetic dimension. In line with their interventions, I would like to delve more deeply with you into two elements that emerged from the General Assembly last May: the observation of the vulnerability of our communities and the awareness that it is more important than ever to be available to the Holy Spirit.

The Notion of Prophecy

“We are going to talk about a dimension of our consecrated life that also arouses reactions, which is even its role: prophecy. We are talking about it because, first of all, it emerged from the spring General Assembly as one of the CRC’s three priorities: Be a prophetic voice of consecrated life. But also, during the Year of Consecrated Life in 2015, in his Apostolic Letter to All Consecrated People, Pope Francis wrote: I am counting on you “to wake up the world”, since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy. He called upon us to interpret events, to create signs of fraternity, with freedom and without being discouraged.”

A Prophetic Letting Go?

It is almost trite to say that the COVID-19 pandemic took us by surprise. We all already know that from experience! Our personal lives and those of our institutes have been turned upside down by this virus and, unfortunately, still are. To use an expression heard a few times and which describes the reality bluntly: “we’ve lost control.” Overnight, our daily lives changed dramatically. […] At the heart of this viral earthquake, however, a strong desire has manifested itself: the desire to live. […] Our creativity has been deployed on material, relational and spiritual levels. Isn’t that a sign of our capacity for resilience?

Charism at the Foundation of Consecrated Life and of Our Institutes

When we consider the subject of the evolution of consecrated life, the question of the charism necessarily arises. Since Vatican II, the advancement of theological thought has enriched the understanding of this gift of God given to the Church and to our institutes. However, in real-life experience, some points of confusion and question marks may remain. It is from that perspective that we shall look at three questions that concern us more directly. Where are we in our understanding of the charism that is at the foundation of consecrated life and of our institutes? What do we retain from its spiritual and institutional dimensions? What is our responsibility towards the charism of our institute?

28 September

Canadian Bishops Announce $30M National Financial Pledge to Support Healing and Reconciliation Initiatives

The Bishops of Canada, as a tangible expression of their commitment to walk with the Indigenous Peoples of this land along the pathway of hope, are making a nation-wide collective financial commitment to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors, their families, and their communities. With a target of $30 million over up to five years, this will include initiatives in every region of the country.

27 September

Launch of inaugural Truth and Reconciliation Week

Today marks the beginning of Truth and Reconciliation Week. This national educational program continues the conversation about the truths of First Nations Treaties, the Métis and Inuit Land Claims, and the legacy of the residential school system. […] This is an opportunity to fulfill the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #62 on Education for Reconciliation, which calls for the development of an age-appropriate curriculum to involve students across the country in the Reconciliation process.

24 September

Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land

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. […] Along with those Catholic entities which were directly involved in the operation of the schools and which have already offered their own heartfelt apologies, we, the Catholic Bishops of Canada, express our profound remorse and apologize unequivocally.

11 August

Jesuit Conference Issues Statement on Boarding Schools for Indigenous Students

The Jesuit Provincials of Canada and the United States commit to studying the history of Indigenous boarding schools. “We write to express our deep sorrow at the recent discoveries of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at the sites of several former boarding schools in Canada. We grieve deeply the loss of human life and culture that took place at such schools, both in Canada and the United States, and we acknowledge that the Society of Jesus participated in that history.”