News

Hi Folks,

I experienced some very special and blessed moments earlier today.

Charlotte L'H. and I have been meeting twice per week over the summer months in Lahaie Park across the street from the Morgentaler Montreal abortuary.  Usually beginning at around 7:15 a.m. and lasting about thirty minutes, we pray for the cause of life and then attend an Eucharist service afterwards.

Over this period occasionally we have been joined by others. Well, this morning we were blessed to be joined by not one but two other prayer warriors - first, Jean R. arrived on his familiar bicycle and joined us without missing a beat.  Next, though arriving at the end of our pubic prayer, James accepted our invitation to accompany Charlotte and I to Mass and fellowship.

So, all are welcomed to join Charlotte and I weekday mornings - usually Tuesdays and Fridays, for prayer in Lahaie Park at 7:15 a.m. (Call me for details - (514) 344-2686. Next meeting: Wednesday, August 17)

Hi Folks,

Want a wonderful way to begin your day? Coffee and timbits? No, watching an award-winning pro-life video and listening to an interview with its producer - here (MPG file). Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/tfOT_LPiFUE

Hi Folks,

I trust this blog finds you all well.

Well, reactions continue to be written regarding yesterday's incident at Notre Dame de Montréal Basilica. (See links at end of blog.)

Crossroads Canada pilgrims were making their final Montreal visit before heading out to Ste. Anne de Beaupré, outside Quebec City that same day. The twelve pro-life pilgrims had arrived Friday afternoon from Cornwall and had spent the weekend praying and witnessing to Montrealers about their cross-Canada walk that began in Vancouver this past May. Friday they were received at the St. Joseph's Oratory with a sunset picnic. Saturday, after a 10 a.m. mass at the Oratory and before a picnic in Lahaie park, they prayed for a solid two hours in front of the Morgentaler abortuary. Finally, Saturday evening and Sunday they meet various parish groups both in Montreal and on south shore Longueuil sharing their experience.

On Monday the young adults and their hosts gathered for a mid-day Mass at Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. Afterwards the group processed through the busy streets of Montreal with stops at St. Patrick Basilica and Bonsecours Chapel prior to arriving at Notre Dame. The walk proceeded fairly well, with the occasional heckler mouthing off. Fortunately there were also a few affirming honks and waves.

The pilgrims were warmly welcomed at Notre Dame. Quebec Life Coalition president Georges Buscemi greeted them with a special gift - T-shirts for each participant emblazoned with the pro-life message in French. This will be fitting attire for their trek through La Belle Province. After a photo shoot of the group with their new wear, 

the lot of us proceeded to the basilica for prayer, oblivious to what awaited us.

In a nutshell, we were denied entry. (Personnel are posted at the entrance to greet and direct both visitors & pilgrims - the former, after payment, are admitted into the church while the latter into the small frontal chapel, free of charge. The latter is a glass enclosure in the nave set aside from the church for small Eucharistic celebrations, containing space for about 30 people, an altar and a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament.) We were told that our PRO-VIE t-shirts were inappropriate. A half-hour later and after some private negotiating between the pilgrims' leader - Michael Hayden, and the presiding clerical official, we eventually gained access into the chapel.

Once inside, the experience was spiritually powerful. It is difficult to recount. We were alone in the chapel. To a person, we knelt in silent meditation for some time. Afterwards, we recited the rosary and then listened to one of our group share how she had been divinely touched during the prayer with a message for all of us.  Namely, that our trial at entering the chapel this day was akin to the reception He had received in the synogogue in his home town. Upon exiting, I felt invigorated.

In conclusion, I understand that the basilica has been the site of disruptions in the past. Persons with political messages had entered the church and disrupted proceedings.  And so, norms have been set up to prevent future repeats. Yet, I think a revision is needed to the guidelines, permitting a distinction between a political message and a pastoral one.

Interested folks, can read further about this incident - here from the Lifesitenews article and here from the Crossroads pilgrims' blog site.

"Did you hear the one about the two Catholics praying for a new bishop, ...?"

I'm convinced that God has a sense of humour. Almost daily I see signs. I see it in my own life as well as that of others.

A recent incident illustrates the point. For some time, a friend and I have been aware that the local archbishop, Msgr. Jean-ClaudeTurcotte, had reached retirement age and had submitted his resignation to the Holy Father. So, we added to our prayer intentions one for his successor and that he be ardently pro-life. Well this prayer had been answered in a most unexpectant way, not to say abundant. Whereas when I prayed, I had focused upon the head of the Church here in Montreal - i.e., the archbishop position, and yet God surprised me by answering this prayer with not one but two pro-life bishops.

On July 11, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named two auxiliary bishops to Montreal. Father Christian Lépine is regular attendee at the National March for Life. I saw him there this past May and I am told of his presence in previous years.  Further he has attended other pro-life events such as the October, 2010, pro-life conference also in Ottawa. A brief description of his life in ministry may be found here.

The second appointee as auxiliary bishop is

Father Thomas Dowd. Father Dowd, the second youngest bishop in the Catholic Church. He is also profiled at the same link as Father Lépine, yet a more exhaustive meeting with him may be found on his blog found here.

So, as we all know our Heavenly Father heeds and answers our prayers and at times answering these bountifully and unexpectantly.

 Hi Folks,

Here's a link to a light-hearted video of the Crossroads pilgrims while they were in Toronto this past weekend. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/do4OI7NYiws

As I write, the Crossroads walkers are skirting the Georgian Bay and making their way towards the urban areas of Ontario.  Yet prior to venturing into Sault Ste.Marie ten days ago, the following blog entry was written by one of their group.  (Others entries may be found at: http://crossroadscanada.blogspot.com/) Enjoy. - B.J.

On Suffering

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ

In the beginning of our walk we, the crossroads members, spoke of suffering, or more specifically, the suffering we would endure. We discussed with people and parishes about the treks through the mountains, plains, and hills that were to be endured. We explained to all about the hardships, physical and spiritual, that we would bear for the sake of the unborn.

But talking about what you are about to do cannot be compared to the experience of the actual doing. We have now been gone for close to two months of our three month pilgrimage across Canada. We have traversed the mountains. We slept in the cold, sometimes in tents, sometimes crammed in the R.V. We met up with bears, moose, and other wild life, day or night, to which scared some of us half to death. There have been times when we thought someone lost, or we ourselves lost. I can attest to, as well as the rest of the crew, of taking a few wrong turns and going the wrong way (going west is not the same as going east). We have walked the long highways of the plains. There is a special challenge unique to the prairies: seeing the same thing for miles on end. The flood plains of Manitoba, though not too physically demanding, constantly reminded us of the suffering of others. To see whole fields swallowed up and replaced by vast lakes left an eerie sense of danger looming around every bend: what if our pathway was washed out, how would we continue?

Amongst these challenges there is always the threat of humanity: be he neighbour or self. We have come across with great guilt pent up inside causing instability and aggression. Trying to convince oneself of not being a murderer, or at least a conspirator of a murder, takes a toll on a man’s mind, heart, and soul. We have been yelled at, sworn at, and on the occasion swerved at because the lingering guilt bites at their inner most being. Our shirts, our cause, God’s truth breaks down years of lies and leaves one naked.   Yet the truth does not only bite at their conscience, it bites at ours as well. I am pro-life, but what does that mean? How does this manifest itself in my actions? Am I being merciful and loving? Am I being self centered, prideful, or slothful even? Am I living my life in a manner befitting of a Catholic? If I do not live up to God’s call, I will be hurting all around me with my own sinfulness.

There are also personal sufferings that have been endured for the sake of our mission of mercy. I have suffered dehydration (by not drinking enough water) and strep throat. Others have suffered because of personal realizations, character defects, family problems, and the list goes on.

I write of these things to show the seriousness of our mission. It is not simply a little jaunt across Canada, where good friends hang out and have a good time. There are too many people who do not take us seriously. I have suffered, therefor I understand a little more. I came to Crossroads wanting a rest from life, and now, because of suffering, I want to fight to protect the sacredness of life.

Suffering is a great blessing to fallen humanity. It teaches us what not to do or what to do. Even more so it unites humanity. To suffer is to connect ourselves to others who also suffer. Most importantly, to suffer is to unite that which unites all humanities suffering: Jesus Christ.  He suffered for us so that we may suffer in Him. We lift our sufferings, our burdens, our hardships, our toils to his cross. When we do this we suddenly gain supernatural strength, courage, love, and mercy. Ironically, that which was evil is turned into a great good. That which was dead comes to life. The obscenities that fly our way are turned to blessings as we pray for them. Our illnesses and stresses become causes of joy for they may save a child.

There are others out there who sacrifice themselves as well, not just the Crossroads crew. There are those who walk with us spiritually, and those who provide for us by giving us lodgings, food, and support. The Crossroads team members are only the head of the spear, there is still the whole shaft behind it giving support. Without the shaft, there is not weight for the head to fly and pierce its target. Without our supporters, those who provide for us both spiritually and physically, Crossroads would fail. Because we are united in our suffering in the same body of Christ, we are given the graces to reach out to the hardened and the broken, and God willing, to reach the hearts and minds of Canada.

God Bless,

Matthew J.J Hatchen (Friday, July 15, 2011)

Posted by p.taylor at 9:43 AM

With each passing week, seeing the need for reform at Development & Peace is becoming more and more evident. Last month, I commented on moral inconsistency; this month there is both that and some administrative quirks to note.

In June, I noted that the humanitarian agency of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, funded largely by the catholic parishioners via special collections taken during the Lenten period and also by the federal government subverts Catholic pro-active family teachings. I noted three cases.

It was suggested, elsewhere, that local bishops ought to give their approval to groups within their dioceses whom D&P is considering to partner with.

I have recently come across two other features of D&P requiring some tinkering, to say the least. First, the union representing D&P's approximately 60 employees is actively pro-abortion. The fact that the CSN – la Confédération des syndicats nationaux -- is pro-abortion is borne out in a document put out by one of the its working groups – i.e., le Comité national de la condition feminine. This document, entitled “Rapport du Comité national de la condition feminine,” came out at their annual congress in May of this year and presents the vision of the trade union –i.e., that abortion is a woman’s right. This document may be found here.

So, one wonders whether the union’s ideology has impacted and continues to influence D&P employees.

Second, setting aside moral accountability and turning to financial and administrative considerations, D&P has been ranked last in overall charity efficiency among international aid agencies by a Canadian financial magazine. MoneySense, a division of Rogers Communication, evaluated fifteen (15) companies in the “International Aid and Development” category, giving D&P a C+ rating for spending efficiency, the only one of the 15 to receive a C rating. Spending efficiency refers to monies that go directly to aid programs; 72.3% for D&P.

Each company was evaluated according to four criteria - program spending efficiency (C+), fundraising costs (A), governance and transparency (C-), and reserve fund size (B). I note in parentheses the grade attributed to D&P.

Commenting on these findings, John Pacheco, a social conservative blogger (www.socon.ca/or_bust/) observes that even though the overall rating attributed to D&P was a respectable B, this is misleading for not all criteria should be of equal merit. He writes:

1) The “B” Grade was one of the lower Grades given in the International Aid & Development category.

2) The compensating categories which helped increase the overall grade for Development & Peace concerned revenue generation and cash reserves, rather than efficiency and stewardship of funds. The latter two categories, however, are much more important categories for the individual donor because it concerns how the Charity spends donor money rather than how the Charity raises it. In one of these lesser categories, for instance, Development & Peace received an “A” Grade for fundraising efficiency. But this is very deceptive since D&P has a running tap of donations from a) the Catholic Church and its various organs and b) the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) of the Federal government. Every Lent, for instance, Development & Peace pulls in approximately $10 Million dollars from tens of thousands of duped Catholics while doing sweet jack all to earn it, except, of course, to wait for the 70 odd cheques to come rolling in from the various dioceses in Canada for their “Share Lent” campaign. And it’s a similar welfare program with their other partner in moral crime, CIDA, who keeps the abortion gravy train rolling with regular wire deposits into D&P’s bank account. That’s certainly efficient, but not in the way most people think of ”fundraising efficiency”.

In comparison, a much smaller Canadian-based aid agency with a Catholic identity, Chalice, earned an A rating.

These findings appear in the summer 2011 edition of MoneySense, but there is not electronic version yet. However, the 2010 evaluation, written by Sarah Efron, may be found here.

Mark Wednesday, September 28, on your calendars for on this day begins the Fall, 2011 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.

For those of you unfamiliar with the “40 days for Life” concept, this is an INTERNATIONAL movement aimed at ending the practice of abortion. A 40 Days for Life campaign consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting combined with a constant, round-the-clock vigil at an abortion facility and proactive community outreach. The praying and fasting may be done outside abortion facilities or elsewhere where people of faith feel more comfortable to assemble. In either case, the aim is the same: to end this deadly and destructive practice.

First begun in 2004 in College Station, Texas, this forty day vigil has spread like wildfire both across the United States and across the world. For example, this past spring, 2011, there were 247 vigil locations occurring simultaneously in ten countries, with ten vigils in Canada.

These vigils are definitely having an immediate impact. Women in large numbers are deciding not to carry through with an abortion and are deciding to spare the lives of their unborn children. For example, during this past spring, 2011 vigil there were at least 483 reports of babies saved from abortions whereas at the end of fall, 2011, vigil, 541. These represent mothers who would have aborted their children if they had not seen one or more persons praying outside the abortion facility that she was about to enter.

The benefits of the vigil do not end there. For one, many abortion facilities have closed their doors permanently due to the praying that is going outside their doors.

Still another benefit of this continuous 40 days praying is the effect it is having on the hearts of many involved. Over the years, more than a few employees – nurses and staff have decided to resign their positions at these abortion facilities. Not only that but in the Fall 2009, pro-lifers witnessed something incredible; the manager of an abortion facility crossed the life line. Abby Johnston, the manager of the College Station Planned Parenthood, walked out of her office and centre joining pro-lifers in front of her facility after assisting the abortionist in a ultrasound-aided abortion. She relates her experience of having seen the foetus move away from the abortionist instruments during the procedure in a book entitled “UnPlanned.”

Here in Montreal, this will be the sixth edition of our 40-day, 12-hour per day prayer vigil. Quebec Life Coalition president Georges Buscemi began the first vigil in the spring of 2009. He and his stalwart crew braved the cold elements and the apathy within our community to deliver the all-important message to our fellow community members – Abortion kills a Human Being.

This past spring the apathy took a surprising swing. For the better part of the vigil, those praying outside of the Morgentaler facility on St. Joseph Blvd. were shadowed by counter-protesters. These people, varying in number between three and twenty and mostly twenty- somethings and present several hours each day, would promote the prochoice message alongside our own signs and banners.

Yet, our Lord is good in all things. I consider it a blessing to have had these young people there for it is an opportunity for us to witness to them the love of God and to carry the evangelical message of hope and love to them as well as to the motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. As the apostle Paul puts it, the sufferings of this age is nary to be compared to the glory to come. So if we can be witnesses of love and peace to these young folk, not to mention the more audacious and boisterous and belligerent passer-by, it will be counted to our credit and to the credit of the One who is our all.

Lastly, I have been informed that there will be a second vigil occurring in La Belle Province: Quebec City will be undertaking its first vigil. Details remain to be worked out in terms of the site and hours. Stay in tune to our website (www.cqv.qc.ca/en/40days) for details.

Get ready to welcome some very special pilgrims. During July and August, we in Eastern Canada have the chance to meet a group of stalwart young adults carrying the pro-life message in a unique manner. Seven men and four women are currently walking across Canada as an oblation for the pro-life cause. Begun at University of British Columbia this past May 21, 2011, they have scaled the Rockies, endured hordes of mosquitoes on the prairies, and have just entered the Canadian Shield at Thunder Bay. Their trek will end in Ottawa on August 12, after travelling through Montreal.

These youth are part of movement called Crossroads, a prolife pilgrimage crossing America and Canada.

Currently there are five occurring – four in the US and one here.

Begun in 1995 south of the border, its founder was responding to Pope John Paul II call to youth to become more involved in the pro-life movement.

These pilgrimages “hope to convert the hearts and minds of others – at the grass-roots level – by witnessing to the dignity and sanctity of all human life, from the moment of conception to natural death.”

The eleven, accompanied by a motorized mobile home, walk in shifts. They walk five at a time for a twelve hour period before taking a break in their mobile home for a snooze.

So 24 hours per day they are walking for the pro-life cause. Along the way they are hosted by various prolife communities along the way. For example, while in Edmonton, the Morris family welcomed them onto their farm. Here they were given a hardy meal and participated in a quite unusual activity - riding a llama.

Their trek inevitably takes on a more sombre note when they pass the different abortion facilities on their journey. Here they get to witness the destructive power of abortion as they kneel and offer their restorative prayers. One such account, again in Edmonton, may be found in their blog entry of June 25, 2011 -  Their blog also provides access to numerous photos and descriptions of the journey.

Here in the offices of the Quebec Life Coalition (QLC) we are as busy as ever. We are keeping abreast of current developments both in the prolife field and wherever attacks on our faith and values occur. As you peruse the July newsletter, you’ll see the wide geographical scope of recent events and this is only a sample. So thank you so very much for the continuous generous support you give to this ministry.

Locally we continue to foster the message of Life. For example, during the postal strike as I cycled around different parts of Montreal and Laval delivering the June newsletter, I took the opportunity to stuff non-QLC mailboxes with some extra newsletters to get the message out there.

Also, in addition to visiting pastors at their offices and parishioners both in Laval, N.D.G., and on the south shore, I have continued to keep a prayerful vigil at the Morgentaler facility. On the one hand, I meet with a fellow prayer – Ms. Charlotte L’Heureux, twice a week for a period of public prayer; not a week goes by that we were delightfully joined by a few others.

On the other hand, again a couple of other mornings per week, I move indoors, inside the neighbouring Enfant Jésus church, to join a few more prayer stalwarts after the morning mass for a more private devotion. These prayers and sacrifices all contribute to combating the cultural war.

Lest we forget that there is a cultural war going on. The late Holy Father, John Paul II coined the expression Culture of Death. American philosopher Peter Kreeft develops the theme in an article entitled How to Win the Cultural War he argues that to be fully prepared and armed for this battle, we need become holy and loving.

Yet how does one become holy and loving? Is there a method?

No. There is none. No prayers, no meditations, no 12-steps programs, no yogas, no psychological techniques, no techniques at all. There can be no button to push for sanctity, any more than for love. For sanctity is simply love: loving God with all your soul and mind and strength.

How do you love? You just do it. A cause cannot produce an effect greater than itself. And nothing in the world is greater than sanctity, nothing greater than love. Therefore, no cause, no human cause, can produce sanctity. There can never be any technology for sanctity.

One such area where we can act in a holy and loving manner is in regards to our response to the on- going turmoil at Development in Peace. D&P is not the only way to bring Christ’s message of love to those in need. There are alternatives. Here are three that focus on doing corporal works of mercy.

1. Chalice
Active on four continents, President Fr. Patrick Cosgrove writes about the work done by this organization particularly in Haiti following the earthquake of 2010. Regarding the latter, activities include general emergency relief – food and support, construction, and education. Elsewhere he refers to providing medi- cal help in Kenya. Finally I sense that there is an onus on helping children and that projects undertaken ha- ven been completed.

2. Mary Mother of the Poor
The home page for MMP clearly spells out both its Mission and Objectives. Respectively, these are ―to seek holiness in evangelizing & working with the poor through the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary‖ and ―to Relieve Poverty; To Coordinate Health & Social Services; To Advance & Teach Catholic Tenets; and To Help Youth Develop Their Talent.

3. Catholic Near East Welfare Association - CNEWA is a papal agency for humanitarian and pastoral support, providing support for those in need in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe for more than 75 years.

Again, we will see if D&P and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will effect some change. Thank you for your continued support.

Blessings!

Click here for the QLC July 2011 Newsletter >>