November 2011

I know, I know… how could I possibly have put up a more snooze-inducing title that this one? “Ad hoc sub-committee”? YAWN! And yet, this is part of being a bishop — there are a lot of meetings to go to for various committees and sub-committees. But don’t let the titles fool you: sometimes those committees, while having bureaucratic sounding names, actually reveal really interesting things. For instance…

Well, it is official: the English-speaking Catholic world has shifted to the use of the new (and might I add, more accurate) translation of the Roman Missal. I had the chance to “break in” the new text as part of a visit I made to Holy Name of Jesus parish this weekend. This is the very first parish I was assigned to when I was first ordained a priest, almost 10 years ago. It was nice to be “back home”, seeing familiar faces.

I had the chance to go and visit some of the Jesuits who serve here in Montreal, particularly those at Loyola High School. The Jesuits have had a long and important presence in Canada, of course, first arriving 400 years ago.

This week I had the chance to visit my spiritual alma mater, the Grand Seminary of Montreal. Monday I was there to preside the patronal feast day mass, and Tuesday was the annual alumni banquet. It was good to be able to visit with the seminarians, as well as see so many old friends.

Today I had the pleasure of visiting Holy Family parish here in Montreal (not to be confused with Holy Family in Deux-Montagnes). The pastor, Father John Baxter, has been here almost continuously since his ordination to the priesthood in the 1950’s. Father Baxter’s ministry is well-known for his creative use of audio-visual elements in the liturgy, particularly the homily. He also attracts the participation of teenagers, not exactly a group that is over-represented in parish life.

We had an interesting presentation this morning on various elements of canon law, and in particular what it means for a priest (or auxiliary bishop) to be named as an episcpal vicar. There are several episcopal vicars in the diocese of Montreal, each with a particular area of action he is responsible for. Yours truly is “Episcopal Vicar to the English-speaking faithful”. But what does that title mean?

I received a gentleman in my office today who is interested in possibly beginning a doctorate in practical theology (that is to say, the theological study and analysis of some practical element of the life of the Christian community). He came looking for input and suggestions, to see if his areas of interest might have practical sources in the life of the Church of Montreal, particularly among the English-speaking faithful. When I asked him about his master’s work, however, I discovered it was in a rather different area.

I had an interesting lunch today with a local businessman who is also a man of faith. He has only been in Montreal for a few years now, and he wanted some insight into why the faith of the people here in Quebec often seems less dynamic. As one can imagine, this is a question I’ve wrestled with myself. The more I think about it, though, the more I come to the conclusion that the crisis of faith that currently seems to be facing Western civilization is not, in fact, a crisis of faith. It is a crisis of hope.

“So what is hope?” asked my interlocutor.

40 years ago, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches founded one of the first ecumenical dialogues in Canada involving Catholics. This dialogue takes place in two main groups: the theological dialogue, composed of theological experts from both churches, and the bishop’s dialogue, with bishops from both parties. Normally those dialogues meet separately, but this year, as part of the anniversary, they met together.

Today I had the pleasure to preside a double celebration. It was the patronal feast day of Saint Willibrord parish in Verdun, during which the parish also had its confirmation celebrations. Not too many people have heard of this saint, but he does have his own Wikipedia page.