Join us to explore Catholic perspectives of progress: one of the most influential and contested ideas of our times.
Progress is one of the most influential ideas in today’s culture and politics. It’s also one of the most contested. What is progress? Progress for who? And who or what is progressive? Join us to explore Catholic perspectives of progress featuring two leading thinkers on political theology and Catholic social teaching.
Featuring:
Douglas Farrow Professor of Theology & Ethics, McGill University
With summer in full bloom and the end of the pandemic in sight, the last thing many Canadians want to think about is a federal election. Recent research bears this out: Nanos Research, a major Canadian polling firm, found that only one out of four Canadians are interested in having a federal election this fall. That’s certainly understandable, given that this current federal government wouldn’t need to hold an election till October 2023 at the latest.
Nonetheless, many of you have been reading about the prospects of a federal election this summer or fall. While we can’t offer anything substantive to the speculation—and remember, it is all purely speculation—it is worth taking a moment to talk about how Catholic Conscience is preparing for the next federal election campaign.
One of our keystone programs is the Catholic Action campaign, a voter education and engagement initiative that we launch for federal and provincial elections. The aim of the campaign is to educate Catholic voters about Catholic social teaching and its application to contemporary political issues, and to inspire greater Catholic voter turnout during elections.
We’ve organized the Catholic Action campaign over a number of election cycles now, and every time we do it, we have new ideas or learn new things. We wanted to share with you a few features of the campaign you can expect whenever the next election comes around, as well as some new ideas:
Party platform comparisons: Where we’ll show side-by-side each of the party’s key policy proposals related to a range of issues, along with some insights into what Catholic social teaching has to say about these issues—all with the aim of inviting the reader to dig deeper and learn more.
Printed and digital vote pledge/prayer cards: A fun element of the campaign where, online and offline, we provide voter pledge/prayer cards with the dual purpose of offering a short prayer to help Catholics discern their votes and reminding them when election day is. Research suggests that materials like these helps improve voter turnout.
All-party conversations: In different Catholic Action campaigns, we have found different ways of bringing together political party representatives for direct conversations with Catholic voters. In the 2019 federal election, we worked with the Archdiocese of Toronto in supporting their federal election debate from a Catholic perspective. In the 2020 Saskatchewan provincial election, we organized online interviews with representatives from each of the parties to ask them questions from a Catholic perspective. Stay tuned for details about what will be organized for this coming federal election.
Election newsletter: You can watch out for special election editions of the Catholic Commons newsletter, including plenty of useful information about how and where to vote, what ID you need, and links to relevant resources for helping you discern your vote.
“How to vote” resources and workshops for new Canadian voters: Every year, thousands of new Catholic Canadians arrive in Canada from around the world. Research suggests that first-generation Canadians face some of the most difficult barriers to exercising their right to vote. In the next election, we are working to formulate resources and/or workshops specifically aimed at supporting those Catholics who have recently become Canadian citizens and will be voting for the first time.
A weekly rosary novena for the Canadian people: During the next election, and depending on its length, we intend to host a weekly, open-invitation rosary novena for the Canadian people as they discern their votes, collectively select our next federal government, and determine the future direction of our country. We look forward to bringing together Catholics from across the country for these virtual rosary prayers.
Catholic Action is one of our favourite programs, and no matter when the next federal election is, we look forward to engaging Catholic voters and inspiring them through Catholic social teaching! We believe well-formed Catholic voters can change our politics for the better, and Catholic Action is—pun intended—one way we put that belief into action.
If you’re interested in helping us out in the next Catholic Action campaign, or bringing the campaign to your parish or diocese, please send us an email! We always welcome passionate volunteers. We look forward to hearing from you.
Whenever the next election is, all Canadians will continue to be in our prayers as we approach the end of this pandemic and its still-mysterious aftermath—that all of us may recommit ourselves to the common good of all amid our current trials, and whatever trials may come. May we build the Kingdom of God together, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit!
Sincerely, Matthew Marquardt & Brendan Steven
Upcoming Events
ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, JOIN US FOR A CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP ON PROGRESS: ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND CONTESTED IDEAS OF OUR TIMES
The idea of progress is omnipresent in contemporary political discourse. It’s an idea used to describe and decry a wide array of policy ideas, movements, and visions for the future of our society. What is progress? Progress for who? And who or what is progressive? In this conversation with two leading thinkers on political theology and Catholic social teaching, we explore Catholic perspectives of progress—and how they apply to the many, competing secular conceptions of progress Catholic citizens encounter in today’s political and cultural life.
If you’re interested in political science, philosophy, and the ideas that define public life today, you won’t want to miss this conversation!
ANNOUNCING OUR NEW WEBINAR SERIES: THE BEAUTY OF CREATION
We’re excited to announce a new series of webinars we will be presenting and hosting between August 2021 and February 2022. Called The Beauty of Creation, our series will explore the glory and majesty of God’s created world, as revealed through science, natural philosophy, and our Catholic faith. The series will touch on a wide array of topics for those interested in creation issues—like human uniqueness, Green Thomism, ecological conversation, health and well-being, and more. We are so excited that these conversations will be led by some of North America’s most impressive Catholic scientists and philosophers, sharing years of experience and insight from the intersection of their scientific disciplines and our Catholic faith.
Stay tuned to this newsletter to RSVP for each individual webinar. You can RSVP now for our panel discussion introducing the series by clicking below.
CATHOLICS FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: VISIT THE WEBSITE TO DONATE OR PLEDGE YOUR COMMITMENT
When the news reported the discovery of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools operated by Catholic institutions, many Catholics were shocked, disturbed, and energized into action. A Facebook group formed called “Catholics for Truth and Reconciliation”, to galvanize conversation and action about how lay Catholics and Catholic institutions could make a deeper contribution to reconciliation and justice for Canada’s Indigenous communities.
That group has now launched a website, www.catholics4tr.com, where Catholics interested in taking action can donate to three, national Indigenous-led organizations working in different areas of Reconciliation, or can donate to various fundraising appeals launched by Canada’s bishops.
The group writes to fellow Catholics:
The recovery of graves associated with the dark legacy of Canada’s residential schools has shaken the whole country. As Catholics, we know that upholding the dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, is central to our faith. We acknowledge that this central tenet of the faith was violated by those involved in the Residential School system and in the wider abuses that Indigenous peoples have suffered through colonization.
Catholics have inherited this legacy of participation in the evils of Residential Schools and the suffering and destruction of Indigenous peoples and their spirituality, culture, and language. Catholics for Truth and Reconciliation recognize that we are called to engage in the Truth and Reconciliation process and work towards healing.
This website is an invitation for Catholics to ignite or deepen our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation alongside Indigenous peoples through donations and action pledges. We hope you will join in this important work.
WATCH JUNE’S CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP ON USING MONEY LIKE A CATHOLIC
In June, we had the pleasure of hosting two thoughtful Catholic experts—Paul Perrone, a Catholic Chartered Financial Analyst, and Michael Ryall, Professor of Strategic Management at Rotman School of Management—for an insightful conversation on how Catholics are called to use money in their personal and professional lives. This was one of our best-attended webinars yet, and we’re grateful to our guests for bringing their extraordinary professional insights to the discussion.
We’re also grateful to the Catholic Register, which published an article about the workshop: Evidently, the decision of what to do with money is becoming more convoluted for young Canadians. For any still overwhelmed by the possibilities, Perrone gives a piece of simple advice.
“Whether we’re saving, investing — the test that I use is: Is my heart getting bigger, or is my heart getting smaller?”
If you missed the workshop, we’re happy to share the recording. Click below to watch the full webinar now.
DIOCESES LAUNCH NEW APPEALS FOR RECONCILIATION AND RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS
Amid the horrifying news of the discovery of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools, Canadian Catholics across the country have sought new ways of contributing to the cause of reconciliation with our Indigenous communities and supporting our Indigenous brothers and sisters, most especially those whose families were affected by residential school experiences.
Catholic Conscience is proud that some of the dioceses we have worked most closely with these past years—namely, our friends in the dioceses of Saskatchewan and the Archdiocese of Toronto—are leading the way in launching new initiatives so Catholics can continue making positive contributions to the work of Reconciliation.
For those who live in Saskatchewan or in Toronto, we highly encourage you to participate in and make a generous contribution to these local Reconciliation initiatives led by our bishops.
On July 13, 2021, the Bishops of Saskatchewan announced a new province-wide Appeal for Support of Healing and Reconciliation – sponsored by the dioceses and eparchy in Saskatchewan. The overall goal of this campaign is to support Indian Residential School survivors and their communities, and to engage more deeply in an ongoing commitment and response to the Truth and Reconciliation process.
The Archdiocese of Toronto is currently establishing working groups, each enriched by Indigenous voices, to help guide and support their efforts. To that end, the archdiocese has identified the following priorities:
Education – initiatives to educate clergy, staff and the faithful regarding the tragic legacy of residential schools and its continuing impact on Indigenous people, and to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous spirituality.
Outreach and Spiritual Support – initiatives to support survivors of residential schools and those suffering intergenerational trauma. These may include healing circles, personal or group counselling, workshops, speakers, listening sessions, opportunities for prayer, reconciliation services, and other spiritual supports.
Financial Support – the Archdiocese of Toronto is developing a financial campaign to support ongoing healing and reconciliation efforts. A diverse working group will assist in formulating the campaign framework and related details in the weeks ahead. In response to those who have expressed a desire to contribute immediately, the Healing & Reconciliation fund has been established. Donations can be made online, by phone (416) 934-3411 or through any Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for the month of July are dialogue and social friendship. The Pope writes, “I would like to invite everyone to go beyond their groups of friends and build social friendship, which is so necessary for living together well. We especially need to have a renewed encounter with the most impoverished and vulnerable, those on the peripheries. And we need to distance ourselves from populisms that exploit the anguish of the people without providing solutions, proposing a mystique that solves nothing. We must flee from social enmity which only destroys, and leave “polarization” behind. And this isn’t always easy, especially today when part of our politics, society and media are bent on creating enemies so as to defeat them in a game of power. Dialogue is the path to seeing reality in a new way, so we can live with passion the challenges we face in constructing the common good.”
The theme of dialogue in society has been at the core of this pontificate and is a central topic in both Evangelii gaudium and Fratelli tutti, two of Pope Francis’ encyclicals. We greatly enjoyed reading this detailed analysis of Pope Francis’ idea of dialogue from the website Where Peter Is:
Key to understanding Pope Francis’s idea of dialogue is that it does not involve a mere exchange of opinions or voicing of concerns. It is rather a process—a journey that is meant to proceed slowly and serenely. It may not produce immediate results, but can bear fruit over time, making new things possible. At the same time, it is not something that can or should occur only among friends and during placid times. Instead, it is when progress seems impossible that dialogue is most needed. It is not mere “talk” to distract from the grave issues at hand, but the most direct and daring approach we can take when trapped in a painful rhetorical stalemate.
GLOBE & MAIL OP-ED: Taxing today’s religious institutions because of residential-school horrors would be missing the point
In the wake of the discovery of unmarked grave sites at former residential schools, some voices have once again raised the possibility of taxing religious institutions. In response to critics of churches’ tax-exempt status, we greatly enjoyed reading this op-ed by Brian Dijkema—vice-president of external affairs at the Canadian Christian think tank Cardus—reminding Canadians why religious institutions are afforded this unique privilege.
For every dollar in a religious congregation’s budget, the wider community receives a benefit worth an estimated $4.77. That benefit comes in many forms, including soup kitchens, housing programs, substance abuse counselling and refugee resettlement. Add in economic spinoffs, and all that activity is worth an estimated $35-billion per year to Canada.
The exemption of houses of worship from property taxes, then, recognizes that these organizations are unique engines that multiply good in the wider community, beyond those physical walls…
Recent news about residential schools should force us to reckon with injustices. But taxing churches isn’t the place to start. Rather, we should point out that such injustices are at odds with professed beliefs, and remind religious communities to renew their efforts at reconciliation and loving their neighbours.”
THE POPE’S JULY PRAYER INTENTIONS: FOR DIALOGUE AND SOCIAL FRIENDSHIP
Every month, Pope Francis shares his prayer intentions – for us, an opportunity to unite our prayers with the Holy Father and the faithful around the world. This month, Pope Francis invites us to pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship. Below is the Pope’s message and prayer for this intention:
The Bible says that whoever finds a friend has found a treasure.
I would like to invite everyone to go beyond their groups of friends and build social friendship, which is so necessary for living together well.
We especially need to have a renewed encounter with the most impoverished and vulnerable, those on the peripheries. And we need to distance ourselves from populisms that exploit the anguish of the people without providing solutions, proposing a mystique that solves nothing.
We must flee from social enmity which only destroys, and leave “polarization” behind.
And this isn’t always easy, especially today when part of our politics, society and media are bent on creating enemies so as to defeat them in a game of power.
Dialogue is the path to seeing reality in a new way, so we can live with passion the challenges we face in constructing the common good.
Let us pray that, in social, economic, and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship, men and women who always hold out a helping hand, and may no spaces of enmity and war remain.
Our topic is a critical one for Catholics in public life today: communicating like a Catholic. It will be a conversation about having political conversations—how we can live out the dignity of the human person in the ways we evangelize, advocate, and communicate with our fellow citizens in public discourse, on social media and elsewhere; and how we can model Christ through love, joy, and hope amid a polarized public conversation too often defined by hatred and dehumanization. This is especially critical when in conversation with those who disagree with us.
This workshop is all about effective communication and, crucially, charitable communication through the lens of our Christian faith. How do we communicate with others as disciples called to see the face of Christ in everyone we talk to? This workshop aims to answer that crucial question and empower you as a Christian communicator no matter your vocation.
This is an important skillset for every Catholic civic and political leader—which is all of Christ’s disciples, including you! We hope you’ll join us for the discussion, featuring two extraordinary Catholic leaders and communicators:
Catholic author and speaker Leah Perrault; and,
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation producer and host, Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann.
Applying Catholic social teaching, principles of stewardship, and Christian virtues to the ways we use money at home, office, and community.
Featuring Professor Michael Ryall, Professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, and Paul Perrone, a Chartered Financial Analyst and experienced investment industry professional.
Matthew 6:24 famously reads, “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Yet as a Catholic living 2021, there’s no avoiding money and its powerful role in our lives and the society we participate in every day. How we use money lovingly, effectively, and with Catholic social teaching in mind is crucial to how we serve God and neighbour in this life. How do we as Christian disciples use our money in Christian ways? How do we steward the money of others, in our professional workplaces or our community projects? And how can we resist a money-centric culture that often reduces our human dignity to consumption and production, while also recognizing money’s role in pursuing the common good?
Join us on Wednesday, June 30 at 7:00 PM EDT for a Catholic Civics Workshop with two Catholic experts who will help us answer these critical questions: Michael Ryall, Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, and Paul Perrone, a Chartered Financial Analyst and experienced investment industry professional.
COMMON SENSE. COMMON PROJECT. COMMON GROUND. COMMON GOOD.
Dear friends,
You may have noticed the slightly different subject line of this email, and some of you may have already guessed: we are changing the name of the Common Good Catholic to the Catholic Commons. Why? As you know, the common good is a central principle of Catholic social teaching—and one we treasure at Catholic Conscience. But in our time leading this lay apostolate, the word “common” has come up in a few different ways related to Catholic social teaching and our work. We’ve talked for some time about these ideas, and changing the name of the newsletter to reflect them. These “commons” are:
Common sense: Talking to Catholics across the political spectrum, with different vocations and different issues-of-interest, we have often heard Catholic social teaching described as common sense. We’ve come to value this description. When you radically assert the infinite dignity of every single human being, and work to conform politics and communal life to this fundamental truth, a certain common sense—that is, a sense of what is or should be common—emerges in how we should approach the issues we face as a society. We honour Catholic social teaching by pointing out that its values and principles are common sense for a well-formed person, willing the good of their neighbour.
Common project: This simple line from Gaudium et Spes—Vatican II’s pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world—has served as a spiritual commission for our work here at Catholic Conscience: “Great care must be taken about civic and political formation, which is of the utmost necessity today for the population as a whole, and especially for youth, so that all citizens can play their part in the life of the political community.” The key word here is all. Central to the expression of human dignity is participation. We all have something unique and irreplaceable to contribute to our communities, our civil society, and the wider political life of our country. We share, as Pope Francis writes in Fratelli tutti, a duty to a common project: “To be part of a people is to be part of a shared identity arising from social and cultural bonds. And that is not something automatic, but rather a slow, difficult process… of advancing towards a common project.” We belong to God, therefore we belong to each other—even when we disagree! This common project becomes a source of unity, even though we often contest its characteristics, challenges, and course towards the Kingdom. This brings us to…
Common ground: This is a cornerstone of our work, and indeed, it’s a cornerstone of Catholic social teaching overall. We all have unique gifts, unique contributions to the common project that is our shared civic and political life together. When bringing together differing perspectives and differing knowledge, disagreement arises often and energetically. We’ve seen when disagreement delves into hatred, disunity, and the intense polarization that today defines too much of our public discourse. It is good that we disagree. Indeed, we cannot come to the fullness of the truth without the fullness of the perspectives a wide array of brothers and sisters brings to the table. However, we should always disagree with a deep sense of respect for those who share their differing points of view with us. When we approach it properly, we share a common ground in our Catholic faith, even when we disagree. The most important common ground we have is this, and the fact we are all children of God. He loves us equally and zealously. In Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis writes, “Political charity is… expressed in a spirit of openness to everyone. Government leaders should be the first to make the sacrifices that foster encounter and to seek convergence on at least some issues. They should be ready to listen to other points of view and to make room for everyone. Through sacrifice and patience, they can help to create a beautiful polyhedral reality in which everyone has a place. Here, economic negotiations do not work. Something else is required: an exchange of gifts for the common good. It may seem naïve and utopian, yet we cannot renounce this lofty aim.” That aim is the last and first “common” we have come to treasure.
Common good: In Catholic social teaching, all roads lead here. It was the first name of this newsletter, and of course it remains at the centre of this project. For this is the final goal of all our work at Catholic Conscience, whether we are forming civic and political leaders, or supporting Catholic voters in their discernment, or doing our best to inspire inventive and inspired Catholic service in civic life. All of these are aimed at the common good, that high ground all human beings fully alive with God’s love march towards together. Pope Francis writes: “When the dignity of the human person is respected, and his or her rights recognized and guaranteed, creativity and interdependence thrive, and the creativity of the human personality is released through actions that further the common good.”
Releasing and engaging the creativity of the human personality through actions that further the common good—as always, the Holy Father puts excellently our goals as a lay apostolate, and indeed, the goals of this newsletter you are reading now.
With the spirit of these “commons” in mind, we hope you enjoy this edition of the new Catholic Commons. We pray it releases the creativity of action that the common sense of Catholic social teaching, the common project of civic life, the common ground of our shared dignity as children of God, and our “lofty” goal, the common good, offer all of us.
Sincerely, Matthew Marquardt & Brendan Steven
Upcoming Events
ANNOUNCING OUR JUNE CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP: USING MONEY LIKE A CATHOLIC
Matthew 6:24 famously reads, “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Yet as a Catholic living 2021, there’s no avoiding money and its powerful role in our lives and the society we participate in every day. How we use money lovingly, effectively, and with Catholic social teaching in mind is crucial to how we serve God and neighbour in this life. How do we as Christian disciples use our money in Christian ways? How do we steward the money of others, in our professional workplaces or our community projects? And how can we resist a money-centric culture that often reduces our human dignity to consumption and production, while also recognizing money’s role in pursuing the common good?
Join us on Wednesday, June 30 at 7:00 PM EDT for a Catholic Civics Workshop with two Catholic experts who will help us answer these critical questions: Michael Ryall, Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, and Paul Perrone, a Chartered Financial Analyst and experienced investment industry professional.
ANNOUNCING OUR JULY CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP: COMMUNICATING LIKE A CATHOLIC
On Wednesday, July 21 at 7:00 PM EDT, we invite you to join us for July’s Catholic Civics Workshop. Our topic is a critical one for Catholics in public life today: communicating like a Catholic. It will be a conversation about having political conversations—how we can live out the dignity of the human person in the ways we evangelize, advocate, and communicate with our fellow citizens in public discourse, on social media and elsewhere; and how we can model Christ through love, joy, and hope amid a polarized public conversation too often defined by hatred and dehumanization. This is especially critical when in conversation with those who disagree with us.
This workshop is all about effective communication and, crucially, charitable communication through the lens of our Christian faith. How do we communicate with others as disciples called to see the face of Christ in everyone we talk to? This workshop aims to answer that crucial question and empower you as a Christian communicator no matter your vocation.
This is an important skillset for every Catholic civic and political leader—which is all of Christ’s disciples, including you! We hope you’ll join us for the discussion, featuring two extraordinary Catholic leaders and communicators:
Catholic author and speaker Leah Perrault; and,
Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation producer and host, Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann.
A CATHOLIC APPROACH TO TRUTH & RECONCILIATION WITH OUR INDIGENOUS NEIGHBOURS
We have all been disturbed by the recent news out of Kamloops and Saskatchewan, where the unidentified, unmarked graves of children were identified on the grounds of former residential school once operated by Catholics. Since this news, there has been an authentic desire among many lay Catholics to make a greater contribution to the work of reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters in Canada. This is a good and healthy instinct. But where to start and what to do? Discerning this is not always clear. The public conversation around these graves has also made it clear that many Canadians—including Catholics—are not aware about the history of residential schools, the role the Church played in them, and importantly, the work the Church has done and is currently doing to advance reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
Writing in the B.C. Catholic, the Catholic Conscience team has outlined some of the challenges our Catholic community faces in productively moving forward on the reconciliation journey, as well as a new initiative we are working on to help Catholics discern their own contribution and become better informed about the Catholic role in Reconciliation:
I once had an Indigenous colleague who, in response to the feeling of helplessness arising from the enormity of the challenge of reconciliation, made a good suggestion: organizations in Canada should look seriously at committing to one or two of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls-to-Action, specifically those that the organization has the expertise or mission wherein a tangible contribution would be possible.
At the thoughtful prompting of one of Catholic Conscience’s closest collaborators – Sabrina Chiefari with the Sisters of St. Joseph – we’re thinking about the potential of building out some resources for Catholics discerning the question, “What must we do?” when it comes to reconciliation.
Here’s what we are considering:
Putting together a compilation of resources for Catholics who want to become better educated on the history of these issues and want to better understand reconciliation. We think this is an important component, to direct Catholics to resources that will leave them feeling empowered, rather than media narratives which can leave Catholics with many mixed feelings;
Assisting Catholics and Catholic organizations in discerning which of the TRC Calls to Action they could commit to. Specifically, which ones fit with their pre-existing mission and expertise and could be effectively integrated into their own work. Obviously, this fits well with our mission to offer formation for effective and engaged Catholic citizenship;
Potentially, some Conscience Conversations with key voices from a Catholic perspective on how Catholics can productively move forward on reconciliation.
We are not experts in reconciliation. Perhaps what I’m describing already exists, either from a secular perspective or a Catholic perspective. If you have thoughts or ideas on this subject, please share them with us. We are still discerning. If we do proceed, we want to do so thoughtfully and prudentially. We also want to ensure that we consult with and engage the support of Indigenous individuals who are actively involved in Reconciliation work and can help us provide the best possible supports for the project.
My hope in this is to help Catholic Canadians feel like they can productively engage in this issue, and can make a positive contribution – allowing them to do something, instead of just abiding in the painful realities of the history and the contemporary situation.
JOIN THE CANADIAN CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH IN THE LEAD-UP TO CANADA DAY
To mark the Year of Saint Joseph—Patron of the Universal Church and Patron of Canada—the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has launched a new initiative of consecration and entrustment to Saint Joseph across our country:
In keeping with the celebration of the “Year of Saint Joseph”, the CCCB National Liturgy Office and the Office national de liturgie have composed a Novena and an Act of Entrustment to Saint Joseph. The Novena begins on June 22 and ends on June 30, and is followed by the Act of Entrustment on Thursday, 1 July 2021 (Canada Day). The Novena and Act of Entrustment are available for wide use and distribution in dioceses/eparchies, parishes, religious communities, families (domestic churches) and schools.
Saint Joseph is a special patron for all Canadians—patron of our country, guardian of our Church, and a model of Christian virtues and trust in God. We all aspire to be like Saint Joseph in life and spirit, and so we at Catholic Conscience are very excited to be participating in this novena. We’ll be sharing the novena prayers each day on our Facebook—please follow along by liking our page!
Providentially, the end of the novena is timed perfectly for our next Catholic Civics Workshop on using money like a Catholic. We invite you to join us at this free event, where we will pray the final novena prayer together.
THANK YOU TO OUR FIRST-EVER CATHOLIC LEADERS MISSION COHORT!
n 2021, Catholic Conscience launched our newest project—the Catholic Leaders Mission. Designed to fill a gap in formation opportunities for Catholics in civic and political life, the program brought together leaders from across civil society and the political spectrum to grow in their faith, deepen their knowledge of Catholic social teaching, and learn more about how Catholics are called to love and serve their neighbours as servant-leaders. We were joined by approximately fifteen participants across two days of intimate workshops featuring Catholic leaders from across Canada. Our participants represented different political parties and different vocations—from political staffers to candidate, to activists and policy experts—all of whom shared a common desire to become more effective servants of their neighbours in public life, through the lens of their faith.
Thank you to our participants, trainers, presenters, and supporters, all of whom were essential to bringing this first CLM program to life!
Stay tuned for details about next year’s Catholic Leaders Mission cohort, and how you can participate.
REGINA’S ARCHBISHOP BOLEN SAYS CANADIAN BISHOPS ORGANIZING MEETING WITH POPE AND CANADIAN INDIGENOUS LEADERS
We encourage you to read this interview with Regina’s Archbishop Donald Bolen, given to the Regina Leader-Post in the aftermath of recent news that the unmarked graves of children were found on the grounds of a former, Catholic-operated residential school.
Archbishop Bolen has been energetically engaged in the work of reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters and shares his thoughts about the tragedy in this interview, as well as information about a planned, upcoming meeting in 2021 between the Pope and Canadian Indigenous leaders.
“We will do everything we can,” Bolen added.
In a letter, written and addressed to Delorme on Thursday, Bolen expressed his grief upon hearing the news out of Cowessess.
“The news is overwhelming and I can only imagine the pain and waves of emotion that you and your people are experiencing right now,” wrote Bolen.
Having been in the role since 2016, Bolen said he has worked towards reconciliation with First Nations. In his letter, Bolen recounted how Delorme had reached out in 2018, with regards to the cemetery at Cowessess.
“I extended an apology for the failures and sins of Church leaders and staff in the past towards the people of Cowessess. I know that apologies seem a very small step as the weight of past suffering comes into greater light, but I extend that apology again,” said Bolen in his letter.
In the aftermath of that meeting, Phil Fontaine—then the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations—said, “I think His Holiness understands the pain that was endured by so many and I heard him say that it caused him great anguish… I also heard His Holiness say that the abuse of the nature that was inflicted on us has no place in the Church, it’s intolerable and it caused him great anguish.” “What I heard,” Fontaine added, “it gives me comfort.”
When the Truth & Reconciliation Commission presented its final report in 2015, it asked the Pope to offer a more expansive apology than the one offered at the 2009 Vatican meeting—an apology on Canadian soil, in the style of the 2010 apology issued to Irish victims of abuse. Call to Action #58 of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission final report states:
We call upon the Pope to issue an apology to Survivors, their families, and communities for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the spiritual, cultural, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Catholic run residential schools. We call for that apology to be similar to the 2010 apology issued to Irish victims of abuse and to occur within one year of the issuing of this Report and to be delivered by the Pope in Canada.
On the issue of the Pope apologizing in Canada, Archbishop Bolen notes in his interview with the Regina Leader-Post:
Bolen said he and others have been trying to facilitate such an apology, but have thus far been unsuccessful.
“We tried to bring, as Saskatchewan bishops, we tried to bring the Pope to apologize here five years ago. We learned that you can’t do that as a little group of Saskatchewan bishops,” he said.
Bolen said right now the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has a “working group” on Indigenous relations and has arranged that a delegation of “Indigenous leaders and survivors and elders, knowledge keepers and youth will go to meet with Pope Francis before the end of the year.”
What We’re Watching
A NEW POLITICIAN-SAINT? POPE FRANCIS SETS FORMER FRENCH PRIME MINISTER AND “FATHER OF EUROPE” ON PATH TO SAINTHOOD
All of us—even politicians—are called to be saints. Pope Francis is giving us a new model of sainthood in political life and public service. In June, the Church recognized the heroic virtues of former French Prime Minister and Robert Schuman, according him the title “Venerable” and beginning the formal path to sainthood. This will not be his first title of honour—contemporary Europeans refer to him as the “Father of Europe”. A miracle attributed to Schuman as part of the canonization process would lead to his beatification; another miracle would, in turn, lead to Schuman being declared a saint.
Robert Schuman (1886-1963) was a French Catholic committed to politics – understood as a mission and a service, and as an act of obedience to God’s will – who lived in prayer and was nourished by the daily Eucharist. He was arrested and imprisoned by the Gestapo from 14 September 1940 to 12 April 1941. He managed to escape and lived in hiding until the end of [World War 2], taking refuge mainly in convents and monasteries. At the end of the war, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of France in 1945 and 1946. As a member of parliament, he took on important roles in the French government: Minister of Finance, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice, becoming a moral point of reference for the country and working for the creation of a common system of economic and social growth. Together with Konrad Adenauer and Alcide De Gasperi, he is considered one of the founding fathers of a united Europe. Their work led to the Treaty of Rome of 25 March 1957, which established the European Economic Community. In 1958 he was elected by acclamation as the first President of the new European Parliament. The following year he was struck down by a severe form of cerebral sclerosis. Unable to continue his work, he was appointed honorary president of the European Parliamentary Assembly. He died in Scy-Chazelles (France) on 4th September 1963, at the age of 77.
The Canada-wide novena to Saint Joseph instituted by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops culminates on July 1—Canada Day—where Canadian Catholics will together pray an Act of Entrustment to the Patron of Canada. We encourage you to pray the below Act of Entrustment to Saint Joseph on July 1, that our entire country may be guarded and guided by this great saint who intercedes for us always.
SIGN OF THE CROSS In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT O loving and humble Saint Joseph, Protector of the Holy Family and Patron of the Universal Church and of Canada, we honour you as the model of Christian virtues and entrust ourselves to you as our inspiration and guide in living an authentic Christian life.
Modelled after you, whom the Scriptures call the Just man, draw us closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that we may easily turn to the Lord in every circumstance of our lives and, consecrated to Him, we may know, in our vocation, the peace and joy of a holy life.
A man of listening and of action, you who have always been so attentive to the voice of the Lord and to the fulfilling of His will, help us to discern the signs of the times and to engage in the transformation of our world.
Husband, father and worker, in solidarity with the human condition, teach us how to be faithful to our baptismal promises and sensitive to the sufferings and needs of our sisters and brothers.
A man of great faith, unshakeable hope and a heart burning with charity, come to the aid of the Church and our country, watch over the elderly, the weak and the infirm, protect our children and families, and sustain those who give of themselves selflessly in pastoral and health care.
Merciful and compassionate companion on our journey, you who know the burdens weighing heavily on our hearts, intercede for our many needs, so that, by your powerful prayer, we may be delivered from the many dangers that surround us so as to experience safety and solace in the Lord and, at the hour of our death, come at last to the glory of our eternal home. Amen.
V. Joseph, who placed your hope in the Lord, R. Pray for us.
V. Joseph, who experienced the unconditional love of Jesus and Mary, R. Pray for us.
V. Joseph, whose poverty was turned into treasures in God, R. Pray for us.
V. Joseph, who taught Jesus how to pray, R. Pray for us.
V. Light of the Patriarchs, R. You enlighten our path by welcoming the One who is the Light of the world.
V. Patron of the dying, R. You accompany us on our journey into Life.
“Dear sister, dear brother, if you feel the darkness of solitude, if you feel that an obstacle within you blocks the way to hope, if your heart has a festering wound, if you can see no way out, then open your heart to the Holy Spirit.”
These were the beautiful words of Pope Francis in his homily for Pentecost, that precious moment when the Holy Spirit was sent upon the Apostles, marking the beginning of their mission to convert all the nations. We call this moment, with affection, the birthday of the Church. In the Holy Spirit, we have an unimaginable treasure—that which makes it possible for us to grow in holiness, sanctify our lives, discern God’s will, and discover how we are uniquely called by the Lord to be a “human being fully alive” as he created us to be, in the words of St. Irenaeus. In the work of living as loving Christian citizens at the service of our neighbours, the Holy Spirit is our guide, our director, and the zealous energy that makes possible all fruitful, good works.
In Pope Francis’ Pentecost homily, the Holy Father touched on the exact theme of our latest Catholic Civics Workshop—the ways ideologies block us from fully taking in the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, who always guides us to authentic encounter and loving service to our neighbours. “If we listen to the Spirit, we will not be concerned with conservatives and progressives, traditionalists and innovators, right and left,” says Pope Francis. “When those become our criteria, then the Church has forgotten the Spirit.”
Where instead, is a Spirit-animated Christian driven? Against all the cynicism and fear of our age, the Spirit drives us to joy and into the arms of those who need Christ—that is, everyone. “The Paraclete is telling the Church that today is the time for comforting,” said Pope Francis. “It is more the time for joyfully proclaiming the Gospel than for combatting paganism. It is the time for bringing the joy of the Risen Lord, not for lamenting the drama of secularization. It is the time for pouring out love upon the world, yet not embracing worldliness. It is more the time for testifying to mercy, than for inculcating rules and regulations. It is the time of the Paraclete! It is the time of freedom of heart, in the Paraclete.”
The result of this Spirit-led attitude of joy is unity. We unite despite our differences, despite our frequent disagreements, in the shared purpose of our mission on Earth: proclaiming the Good News and doing good works in the name of the one who saved us. The first Apostles, said the Pope, “had contrary political ideas, different visions of the world… once they received the Spirit, they learned to give primacy not to their human viewpoints but to the ‘whole’ that is God’s plan… The Paraclete impels us to unity, to concord, to the harmony of diversity. He makes us see ourselves as parts of the same body, brothers and sisters of one another… the enemy wants diversity to become opposition and so he makes them become ideologies.”
Usually, we write our own words in these letters. You can see why we would instead give such space to the Holy Father’s words. How could we ourselves ever better express the spirit of Catholic Conscience?
Whether you consider yourself left-wing or right-wing, no matter what particular social challenges you are most passionate about, or all the different, myriad places God has called each of you to serve, we are united by the same Saviour, the same love, the same commission. No matter your mission, invite the Holy Spirit into your mission and service. The Spirit will always lead you to fruitfulness—and will always lead you to unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. This was Christ’s desire: that we would be one in Him, as He is one in the Father, in the touching words of the Gospel of John.
Pope Francis sums it up perfectly…
“Say no to ideologies, yes to the whole.”
Sincerely, Matthew Marquardt & Brendan Steven
Upcoming Events
ANNOUNCING OUR JUNE CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP: USING MONEY LIKE A CATHOLIC
Matthew 6:24 famously reads, “You cannot serve God and wealth.” Yet as a Catholic living 2021, there’s no avoiding money and its powerful role in our lives and the society we participate in every day. How we use money lovingly, effectively, and with Catholic social teaching in mind is crucial to how we serve God and neighbour in this life. How do we as Christian disciples use our money in Christian ways? How do we steward the money of others, in our professional workplaces or our community projects? And how can we resist a money-centric culture that often reduces our human dignity to consumption and production, while also recognizing money’s role in pursuing the common good?
Join us on Wednesday, June 30 at 7:00 PM EDT for a Catholic Civics Workshop with two Catholic experts who will help us answer these critical questions: Michael Ryall, Professor of Strategic Management at the Rotman School of Management, and Paul Perrone, a Chartered Financial Analyst and experienced investment industry professional.
SUPPORT OUR PASTORS! HELP YOUR LOCAL PARISH AS PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS EASE
The COVID-19 pandemic has had terrible effects on all Canadians. All of us have been touched in some way, suffering everything from loneliness and worsening mental health, to illness or loss of loved ones, to financial precarity, being fired, facing eviction or food insecurity… the list, sadly, goes on.
As Catholics, one of the pains we have faced in this pandemic is separation from our parish communities, Holy Mass, and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We are all looking forward to returning to Mass, the site and summit of our lives as Christians.
All of us have simply been astounded by the courage and conviction of our pastors in this pandemic. They have transformed how they serve our parish communities, through online Masses, significant measures to protect the health and safety of those attending Mass in-person, and creative methods of continuing the ministries of parish life and community. Our pastors are doing their jobs. As parishioners, we have to do ours. As we begin to return to in-person Masses—God willing—over the course of the summer, consider different ways of joining the effort to ensure our parishes are thriving when this is all over:
Volunteer to support reopening efforts: Reach out to your pastor personally and offer to support reopening. For at least the summer, teams of volunteers cleaning up the church between Masses, as well as other pandemic-related measures, will be part of parish life. We can all help support these efforts—ones that will help ensure in-person Masses are possible when legally allowed to proceed.
Make an extraordinary donation to your parish, and encourage your friends to do the same: Many of our parishes have suffered significant financial instability in the pandemic. Giving a little extra this year to help restore them to stability is an investment in the spiritual well-being of all our communities.
Send a note to your pastor thanking them for their work during the pandemic: As followers of Christ, we know the power of joyful gratitude for the love and service of others. Let’s share that gratitude with our pastors, who have shown their incredible commitment to their vocations and the People of God in great difficulty.
Do you have other ideas for how we can work as individuals and communities to support our parishes as they re-open? Please, send us a message. You can email us at info@catholicconscience.org or respond to this email. We would love to hear your thoughts.
Conscience Conversations
WATCH MAY’S CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP: IDEOLOGY VS. CATHOLICISM
In May, we were joined by Sabrina Chiefari—Creation Care Animator with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto—to talk about an important theme in contemporary culture and politics: ideologies. What defines an ideology? Why do they play such an outsized role in political life today? What ideologies do we find in the culture around us, especially in the everyday lives of our neighbours? Why are ideologies so dangerous to our pursuit of the full truth, and the recognition of the inherent dignity of all human beings? Why is Catholicism not an ideology, and how do we ensure we embrace a Catholic social vision over various, competing ideological visions of life and culture? We touched on all these themes and more in a wide-ranging conversation about a concept that is so critical for any active Catholic citizen, particularly those engaged in politics, to understand.
PRAY FOR OUR PERSECUTED SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN CHINA
An international coalition of lay people is undertaking a global week of prayer for Christians living in China, a place where many religious groups are suffering persecution—most especially the Uyghur Muslims of Xinjiang, and also Christians of all denominations. The week of prayer is a response to a call from Cardinal Charles Bo, President of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, who writes:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the peoples of China have faced increasing challenges, which impact us all. It is right that we should pray not only for the Church but for all persons in the People’s Republic of China. We should ask Our Lady of Sheshan to protect all humanity and therefore the dignity of each and every person in China, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI’s prayer, “to believe, to hope, to love.” In fact, we are reminded that “the whole of the Church’s social doctrine, in fact, develops from the principle that affirms the inviolable dignity of the human person…”
In proposing this Week of Prayer I am expressing my love for the peoples of China, my respect for their ancient civilization and extraordinary economic growth, and my hopes that as it continues to rise as a global power, it may become a force for good and a protector of the rights of the most vulnerable and marginalized in the world. Pope Francis rightly reminds us that “there is also a deeper hunger, the hunger for a happiness that only God can satisfy, the hunger for dignity. I am calling for prayer for each person in China that they may seek and realize the full measure of happiness that our Creator has given to them.
ON PENTECOST, POPE FRANCIS CALLS ON THE CHURCH TO REJECT IDEOLOGIES OF ‘CONSERVATIVES AND PROGRESSIVES, RIGHT AND LEFT’
For the celebration of Pentecost this past Sunday, May 23, Pope Francis offered a stirring homily on the power of the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit calls us to unity, even amid disagreement, which should never transform into ideologies—a theme close to our hearts.
Pope Francis said, “if we listen to the Spirit, we will not be concerned with conservatives and progressives, traditionalists and innovators, right and left. When those become our criteria, then the Church has forgotten the Spirit.” He reminded them that “The Paraclete impels us to unity, to concord, to the harmony of diversity. He makes us see ourselves as parts of the same body, brothers and sisters of one another.” He warned that “the enemy wants diversity to become opposition and so he makes them become ideologies.” Adding to his prepared text, Francis said: “Say no to ideologies, yes to the whole.”
POPE FRANCIS LAUNCHES THE LAUDATO SI’ ACTION PLATFORM TO DRIVE DECISIVE ACTION IN OUR CHURCH ON SUSTAINABILITY AND INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
In May, Pope Francis announced a new initiative by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development: the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. The Laudato Si’ Action Platform is a unique collaboration between the Vatican, an international coalition of Catholic organizations, and “all men and women of good will.” The aim of the platform is to help individuals, families, parishes and dioceses, educational institutions, healthcare institutions, organizations and groups, the economic sector, and religious orders to respond to Pope Francis’ landmark Laudato Si’ encyclical on integral human ecology, climate change, and building a sustainable world. Through the Platform, on October 4th of this year, the Feast of St. Francis, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development will begin offering Laudato Si’ Plans. Laudato Si’ Plans help you discern and implement your response to Laudato Si’.
A PRAYER TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S PROMPTINGS
As we celebrated Pentecost this month, we—like the Apostles before us—awaited and prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit, to awaken us to God’s will in our lives and give us the gifts needed to carry on Christ’s mission here on Earth. Without the Holy Spirit, put simply, none of our service—to our Church, to our neighbours, to our vulnerable or our wider community—is fruitful. The Spirit is God works His wonders through us.
In that spirit—pun intended—we want to share this prayer preparing our hearts for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s promptings. In all the ways we serve and love our neighbours and pursue the common good in civic and political life, may we ask the Spirit for guidance and strength!
O Holy Spirit, You sanctify the people of God through ministry and the Sacraments. For the exercise of the Christian apostolate, You give the faithful special gifts also, allotting them to everyone according as You will in order that individuals, administering grace to others just as they have received it,may also be good stewards of the manifold grace of God to build up the whole Body in charity. From the acceptance of these charisms, including those that are more elementary, there arise for each believer the right and duty to use them in the Church and in the world for the good of human beings and the building up of the Church in the freedom given by You Who breathe where You will. Help us to learn especially how to perform the mission of Christ and the Church by basing our lives on belief in the Divine mystery of Creation and Redemption and by being sensitive to Your movement, O Divine Spirit, Who give life to the People of God and Who urge all to love the Father as well as the world and human beings in Him. Amen.
The blessed month of May is upon us—a month dedicated to our Lady, and one that includes the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1st.
You’ll see in this newsletter that Pope Francis has called for a global month of prayer to end the pandemic. We plan on joining in, and we hope you will too. This moment in the pandemic feels like the last miles of a marathon—we’re running on fumes, every mile is harder than the last, and we’re begging that the end is in sight. By God’s grace, the end will soon be near. We can’t wait to see family and friends again, and we know you share this sentiment.
Near the end of this dangerous and exhausting journey, we must turn to Mary and ask her to find the new places we are called to love and serve our fellow people of God. This month we had the pleasure of hosting Professor Charles Camosy for April’s Catholic Civics Workshop. We had a wonderful discussion about throwaway culture—you’ll find a link to the recording below—as well as how to resist that throwaway culture. We talked about how to step away from an attitude of treating other people and the wider creation as disposable, and instead to create a culture of encounter: one where, like Jesus, we see the full dignity of every person we encounter, and strenuously find a way to help, to learn, and to grow with others.
Once this pandemic is over, we’ll be back to encountering others again—family, friends, and strangers. We’ll have to learn how to really encounter each other like Jesus did, and to see our opportunities to love and serve others. To love and serve even when it’s hard for us—like Mary did amid her pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth. For those serving their neighbours, however you are serving—thank you. As always, we hope you find the Common Good Catholic enlightening and inspiring, particularly in the ways you serve.
Mary, Mother of God and mother to us all, protect our people!
Sincerely, Matthew Marquardt & Brendan Steven
Upcoming Events
ARE YOU AN ASPIRING OR SERVING CATHOLIC CIVIC LEADER? ON SATURDAY, MAY 29 AND SATURDAY, JUNE 5, JOIN US FOR THE CATHOLIC LEADERS MISSION
Are you a Catholic who falls into one of these categories?
Catholic politicians and political candidates;
Catholics who work in politics, including political staff and public servants;
Catholics who work for or volunteer for Catholic charities and advocacy organizations; and,
Catholics who serve in community leadership roles, such as on a board of directors, a parish council, or a committee.
We’d love for you to join our Catholic Leaders Mission program—a two-day series of workshops offering spiritual formation and skills training for Catholic civic and political leaders. In the vision of Catholic teaching, civic leadership is a vocation—one of the most important for nourishing the true common good of all. For Catholic civic leaders, proper formation is critical: the well-being and integrity of our communities is at stake. The formation of such leaders is the purpose of our Catholic Leaders Mission: our two-day workshops offer spiritual and moral formation, methods of discernment, and practical skills needed for the political vocation. Our graduates emerge ready to serve their communities in a spirit of political love, through a commitment to the principles of Catholic social teaching and the enhancement of the dignity of all they serve.
Here are four reasons you should join the 2021 CLM cohort.
Grow into your calling as a servant-leader.
Develop the skills needed to succeed in your service.
Learn from top Catholic leaders and political practitioners.
Join a growing community of Catholics in political and civic service.
The COVID-19 pandemic has absolutely ravaged our communities, affecting particularly those living with the challenges of poverty, isolation, and vulnerability. This pandemic will only end once a critical mass of Canadians are vaccinated. Our Church has called on us to get vaccinated when we are able. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops says: “Catholics are invited to be vaccinated, both in keeping with the dictates of their conscience and in contributing to the common good by promoting the health and safety of others… All COVID-19 vaccines that are medically approved by the relevant health authorities may be licitly received by Catholics. Since there is currently no choice of vaccine being offered, Catholics in good conscience, may receive the vaccine that is available and offered to them.”
We recommend the Catholic Register’s recent editorial on the issue. In their words: “There should be no ambiguity about the necessity for as many Canadians as possible to roll up their sleeves for a vaccine — whichever one is offered. Our politicians, health officials and religious leaders all agree on that, so let’s get on with it.”
COVID-19 vaccination appointments can be booked online or over the phone. Below are links to some provincial and municipal COVID-19 resources, with information on booking vaccination appointments:
Across Canada, we have seen that our elderly brothers and sisters especially have not been getting vaccinated at high enough rates. In Ontario alone as of March 23rd, nearly 200,000 people over the age of 80 had not been vaccinated. This is especially troubling given their particular vulnerability to this virus. If you have elderly friends or family that you know are hesitant to get vaccinated or who struggle with technology and other barriers to booking an appointment, reach out to them and offer to help! Of course, be sure to follow public health procedures however you assist.
Conscience Conversations
WATCH OUR LATEST CATHOLIC CIVICS WORKSHOP: RESISTING THROWAWAY CULTURE WITH PROFESSOR CHARLES CAMOSY
On April 22nd, we were honoured to host Fordham University theologian Professor Charles Camosy, to talk about his book Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethic can unite us. Professor Camosy’s book examines the ways our politics and culture are distant from Catholic social teaching, particularly in the ways we collectively undermine the human dignity of our neighbours near and far, born and unborn, rich and poor. He applies a Catholic social teaching lens to a range of contemporary social challenges, and calls us—as the popes do—to embrace a Catholic social vision across all the issues facing our society. In our wide-ranging conversation, we touched on how ours is a throwaway culture; how we can build a culture of encounter; and how we can put human dignity at the centre of our politics. It was a pleasure to chat with Professor Camosy, and we know you’ll enjoy the conversation.
DONATE CLOTHING, LINENS, DRAPERY AND HOUSE WARES THROUGH THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL’S BUNDLE UP SUNDAY
Throughout the year, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul here in the GTA will host Bundle Up Sundays. At Catholic parishes across the region, volunteers collect clothing, linens, drapery and house wares donated by parishioners. Donated goods are provided to our neighbours in need in communities across the GTA and to those whom the Society serves through their supportive housing and outreach programs.
Barring a continuation of Ontario’s lockdown order, the next Bundle Up Sunday will be held on May 22. Consider donating what you can!
THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF TORONTO ARE RECRUITING A VOCATIONS DIRECTOR
Our friends, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, are a Roman Catholic Congregation of women religious responding to the call to serve others. They strive to be in union with God, their neighbour and creation. Their beginnings can be traced back 350 years to France. Today, the Sisters’ works/ministries have evolved from larger institutions to forms of service that relate more closely to the homeless, the alienated, the economically poor, women at risk and the earth. The Sisters have also initiated creative collaborations with other religious congregations and laity that have resulted in, among others, much needed affordable housing and assistance to newcomers to Canada and awareness raising of new societal issues such as human trafficking.
The Sisters are recruiting for a Vocations Animator to promote the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Toronto, outlining the history, mission and values, present structure and ministries with a view to promoting the life and ministry of the Sisters and inviting others to join with them as Consecrated Religious, Associates, and/or Volunteers.
POPE FRANCIS CALLS FOR MONTHLONG GLOBAL PRAYER MARATHON FOR END OF PANDEMIC
Honouring the month of May—the month that belongs to our Blessed Mother Mary, our patron—Pope Francis has called for Christians around the world to pray for an end to the pandemic.
Each day in May, there will be a livestream from one of 30 chosen Marian shrines or sanctuaries to guide the prayer at 6 p.m. Rome time (noon EDT) on all Vatican media platforms.
We invite you to join the Pope and our Church in praying for the conclusion of this current crisis, in Canada and around the world.
READ ABOUT OUR PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT FEDERAL ELECTION IN THE CATHOLIC REGISTER We have a special, second addition for our Conscience Conversations section this month! Our executive director was interviewed by the Catholic Register about our planning for the next federal Catholic Action campaign, Catholic Conscience’s voter education and get-out-the-vote program. Here’s an excerpt:
We’re preparing for the scenario where there is a (federal) election this year,” Catholic Conscience executive director Brendan Steven told The Catholic Register.
It would be the second national vote for Catholic Conscience, but the first where it tried to help Catholics beyond the Greater Toronto Area think through their vote. Steven is making sure the organization is ready by updating its website, launching a two-day series of webinars for political candidates and policy leaders and beefing up its outreach to new Canadians in the pews.
“We think about politics as a very competitive, adversarial sort of system. But ideally it’s a forum where different perspectives, different interests come together and synthesize new approaches with the truth that they bring to those conversations,” Steven said.
“Our Church, especially in the next election, will be saying, ‘How do we bring Canadians — Catholic and non-Catholic — together in thinking deeply, in moral and spiritual ways, about the future of our country.’ ”
Would you like to help organize and execute the Catholic Action program? Send us an email at info@catholicconscience.org and let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to assist our numerous civic engagement programs.
POPE FRANCIS’ MESSAGE TO AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “A POLITICS ROOTED IN THE PEOPLE”
Pope Francis recently gave an address to a conference focused on “a politics rooted in the people,” the theme of his latest book, Let us Dream, co-written with British author Austin Ivereigh. The Pope says:
“[Politics] is about finding the means to guarantee a life for all people that is worthy of being called human, a life capable of cultivating virtue and forging new bonds… I call this politics with a capital ‘P’, politics as service, which opens new pathways for the people to organize and express itself. It is a politics not just for the people but with the people, rooted in their communities and in their values.”
One of the primary ways we love and serve our neighbours in civil society is through our daily work. Though we are paid to do it, our professions are an important way we can offer our time, talent, and treasure to God in offering to Him and in penance for our sins. This coming Saturday, May 1st is the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, patron of all those who work. We offer you this prayer composed by Pope Pius X to consecrate your work daily to Saint Joseph, that it may be shared with God and be a gift of love to God’s people.
O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials; to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen.
Ours is a “throwaway culture”, in the words of Pope Francis—one in which the vulnerable are too-often discarded like trash. It doesn’t have to be this way. In his book Resisting Throwaway Culture, Fordham University professor Charles Camosy calls us to transcend the left-right political divide in favour of a Catholic culture of hospitality and encounter where “no one is useless, no one is expendable… [and includes] those on the peripheries of life.”
In our conversation with Professor Camosy, we’ll discuss:
Our current state of toxic political polarization
How a Catholic social vision can transcend both the political left and right, and resist the forces tearing us apart
Pope Francis’ idea of a throwaway culture vs. a culture of encounter, and what it would be like to live in the latter How do we consistently apply a Catholic life ethic across a range of issues?
How can we live a culture of encounter in our ordinary lives as Christian citizens? What would the consequences be for our communities?
MEET OUR SPEAKER, PROFESSOR CHARLES CAMOSY
Charles C. Camosy is associate professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University. His work on ethics and policy moves beyond stale and lazy arguments which artificially pit liberals and conservatives against each other. Instead, Camosy finds common ground by unpacking the real complexities of some of today’s most passionately debated issues.
In his encyclical Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis describes many of the challenges facing us in politics and civic life. Among their many causes, he draws out a common theme: our lack of social and political humility. He calls us to a greater love, born in humility and the realization that we grow closer to God by loving others as we love ourselves: “Sincere and humble worship of God bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all.
It is Holy Week. In this week before he gave himself to us in the overwhelming love of the cross, Christ suffered tremendous humiliations. He was beaten, mocked, abandoned by his disciples and the society that was meant to protect him; stripped, nailed to a cross, and left to die in front of his mother. There is no greater humility than this: God allowing himself to be subjected to the worst human cruelties, out of sheer love for all.
Let us pray this Holy Week for even a crumb of this unlimited humility—that we may apply it in our personal and social lives, and in encountering the pain and suffering around us, pose the question “What can I do to serve?” instead of “How can I avoid this?”
Almighty and ever-living God, graciously grant that we may heed Christ’s lesson of patient suffering and so merit a share in his Resurrection—and may this spirit of humility wash over our politics, our culture, and every citizen with the power, big and small, to do something for the good of others.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
With our prayers for a meaningful Holy Week for you all, Matthew & Brendan
Upcoming Events
JOIN US WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21 FOR OUR FREE WEBINAR WITH ACCLAIMED CATHOLIC AUTHOR CHARLES CAMOSY ON THROWAWAY CULTURE, AND HOW A CONSISTENT LIFE ETHIC CAN UNITE LEFT AND RIGHT
A conversation about how Catholics can transcend the left-right political divide and build a political culture of encounter and hospitality
Ours is a “throwaway culture”, in the words of Pope Francis—one in which the vulnerable are too-often discarded like trash. It doesn’t have to be this way. In his book Resisting Throwaway Culture, Fordham University professor Charles Camosy calls us to transcend the left-right political divide in favour of a Catholic culture of hospitality and encounter where “no one is useless, no one is expendable… [and includes] those on the peripheries of life.” Join us for a free webinar with Professor Camosy about how a Consistent Life Ethic can unite us and build this political culture, one rooted in love and human dignity.
In our conversation with Professor Camosy, we’ll discuss:
Our current state of toxic political polarization
How a Catholic social vision can transcend both the political left and right, and resist the forces tearing us apart
Pope Francis’ idea of a throwaway culture vs. a culture of encounter, and what it would be like to live in the latter
How do we consistently apply a Catholic life ethic across a range of issues?
How can we live a culture of encounter in our ordinary lives as Christian citizens? What would the consequences be for our communities?
Charles C. Camosy is associate professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University. His work on ethics and policy moves beyond stale and lazy arguments which artificially pit liberals and conservatives against each other. Instead, Camosy finds common ground by unpacking the real complexities of some of today’s most passionately debated issues.
Works of Mercy In Our Community
HELP THE SENIORS IN YOUR LIFE BOOK A COVID-19 VACCINE APPOINTMENT
At long last, Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign is under way. As Catholics, we have a duty to be vaccinated. In the words of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Catholics are invited to be vaccinated, both in keeping with the dictates of their conscience and in contributing to the common good by promoting the health and safety of others… All COVID-19 vaccines that are medically approved by the relevant health authorities may be licitly received by Catholics. Since there is currently no choice of vaccine being offered, Catholics in good conscience, may receive the vaccine that is available and offered to them.”
In many parts of Canada, COVID-19 vaccination appointments can be booked online or over the phone. For some elderly members of our Catholic community, accessing vaccinations might be difficult. They may need technical assistance in booking an appointment online or over the phone, or a drive to their appointment at a clinic or hospital. No matter the needs, we encourage you to privately reach out to the elderly people in your life and offer to help them book and attend an appointment. Those who will have the hardest time booking an appointment are often those who are most at risk from the virus. Your loving intercession could help protect their lives. Remember: When helping, be sure to strictly follow public health guidance.
Below are links to some provincial and municipal COVID-19 resources, with information on booking vaccination appointments:
WATCH OUR CONVERSATION WITH DR. TOD WORNER ABOUT READING OUR WAY TO GOD
In February, we were honoured to host Dr. Tod Worner, the managing editor of the Word on Fire Institute’s Evangelization & Culture journal. Who better to tell us about the power of spiritual reading in bringing us closer to God, discovering who we are in God’s eyes, and helping us love our neighbours better?
In this spiritually nourishing conversation that will especially delight the readers in our audience, Dr. Tod Worner discusses with Catholic Conscience’s volunteer animator Peter Copeland:
The place of great literature in the spiritual journey, and how these works can serve as “the echoes of God in the outside world”;
How reading inspires conversion;
How the beauty of great reading opens our hearts to the Holy Spirit;
How modern humanities education in the universities has shifted focus away from great literature and virtue ethics;
The essential humanity in great works of fiction, and even non-Catholic works of literature and how they help us discover who we are in God’s eyes; and,
How reading led Dr. Worner and others to Catholicism.
WE’RE EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR OUR UPCOMING CATHOLIC LEADERS MISSION WORKSHOPS
In the vision of Catholic teaching, civic leadership is a vocation—one of the most important for nourishing the true common good of all. For Catholic civic leaders, proper formation is critical: the well-being and integrity of our communities is at stake. The formation of such leaders is the purpose of our Catholic Leaders Mission: our two-day workshops offer spiritual and moral formation, methods of discernment, and practical skills needed for the political vocation. Our graduates emerge ready to serve their communities in a spirit of political love, through a commitment to the principles of Catholic social teaching and the enhancement of the dignity of all they serve. When we first announced the CLM, the program was aimed at elected officials and those either campaigning for political office or discerning a campaign for office in the next two years. We have come to realize that the skills and spiritual formation offered by CLM are wider to a much wider group, of all those serving in a political vocation. These might include:
Catholic politicians and political candidates;
Catholics who work in politics, including political staff and public servants;
Catholics who work for or volunteer for Catholic charities and advocacy organizations; and,
Catholics who serve in community leadership roles, such as on a board of directors, a parish council, or a committee.
Beyond this list, we welcome all those who work in a political vocation. If your own work or volunteer service doesn’t perfectly fit the above list, we are open to discussing further with you. Simply email brendan@catholicconscience.org and we can chat! Here are four reasons you should join the 2021 CLM cohort.
Grow into your calling as a servant-leader.
Develop the skills needed to succeed in your service.
Learn from top Catholic leaders and political practitioners.
Join a growing community of Catholics in political and civic service.
NEW POPE FRANCIS DOCUMENTARY OUT NOW ON DISCOVERY+
A new documentary about Pope Francis has been released, taking a closer look at the ministry of our extraordinary Holy Father and the contemporary social issues which animate his apostolate to a hurting human family. In the words of the film’s director:
“This film is a love letter to the Earth and its people and will be there as a strong reminder of what can happen when we stop ‘loving one another’. May we all follow the simple mantra and beautiful actions of this incredible man – Pope Francis. I hope that it will bring attention to the important global issues portrayed in the film; and that we can come together to effect change in the world and preserve it for the future. With Pope Francis as the central figure in the film, it is a testament to the power of one person to make a difference. And an inspiration to the viewer to do the same.”
REDEMPTORIST TV REFLECTIONS ON DIGNIFIED EMPLOYMENT, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, ENCOUNTERING THE POOR, AND MORE FOR THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH
Our Executive Director recently collaborated with RedemptoristTV to produce a series of video reflections in honour of the Year of St. Joseph and Pope Francis’ apostolic letter, Patris corde, extoling the virtues of this extraordinary Christian saint. Many of these reflections touch on pressing contemporary civic challenges like dignified employment, encountering the vulnerable, the heroism and danger facing essential workers in the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. St. Joseph is one of our patron saints at Catholic Conscience and is the patron of Canada. In challenging times we turn to him for strength and guidance towards his timeless virtues: humility, trust in God, diligence, fortitude, and more.
REGINA ARCHBISHOP DONALD BOLEN’S PRAYER FOR CATHOLICS DURING ELECTIONS
During the 2020 provincial elections in Saskatchewan, Archbishop Donald Bolen of the Archdiocese of Regina offered this prayer for use during elections. This prayer has become a beloved one for us here at Catholic Conscience. We pray it often for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lay apostolate, and for all Catholics serving in civic and political vocations. We share this slightly amended version with you now and ask for your prayers as well:
Lord, father of our human family,
Your son Jesus taught us in the parable of the good Samaritan that each of us is called to care for our brothers and sisters without concern for our differences, or what divides us.
Pour your spirit out upon each and every one of us. Give us, and all involved in the civic and political vocation, A spirit of humility to acknowledge our failuresA spirit of gratitude for each of the gifts you have given usA spirit of wisdom, to guide our actions in accordance with your teachingA spirit of fraternity, so that we might have concern for the most vulnerableAnd a spirit of love, so that we might abide even more fully in You.
O God, Trinity of love, from the profound communion of your divine life grant each and every one of us a deeper sense of unity. Give to us a desire to sacrifice ourselves for our brothers and sisters. Help us to live like your family did, with simplicity in Nazareth, and as the early Christian community did, whose charity has spread throughout the world. O Good Shepherd, Christ the King, you are our Guide. Continue to guide us then to your will in this, and in every moment of our lives.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. St Joseph, pray for us. St Joan of Arc, pray for us. San Juan Diego, pray for us. St Keteri Tekakwitha, pray for us. Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys, pray for us. St André Bessette, pray for us. Amen.
