[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: End of March Newsletter

Fri Apr 14 04:28:55 PDT 2023

If you read nothing else I’m asking that you scroll way down to the article
“ Canadian Lebanese Woman Pleads with Vatican” and consider signing the
petition. ‘Christine’ is a friend of mine.
Thanks, Catherine

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Concerned Lay Catholics in Canada <concernedlaycatholics at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Apr 13, 2023 at 9:17 AM
Subject: End of March Newsletter
To: <catherine.walther at gmail.com>

A recap of another busy month and a few news items we want to highlight

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Wishing all our CLC subscribers a Blessed Easter - He is Risen!
Hallelujah!!!

Happy Easter Catherine!

It seems March went out like a lion! So much happened that was newsworthy
towards the end of the month. Here are some selections from our posts that
we want to highlight this month.
Vatican Rejects Doctrine of Discovery

On March 30, the Vatican issued a statement that rejected the Doctrine of
Discovery, upon which, for 500 years, the entire structure of colonialism
was based. The statement meets one of the TRC's Calls to Action and is
being viewed by some as a good faith response by the Holy See to appeals to
Pope Francis last summer when he personally visited Canada to deliver an
apology to Indigenous peoples for their treatment in church-run residential
schools. Much more needs to be done, of course, and this move is in many
ways symbolic. What happens next will be more telling.

*Read reflections here from CLC Indigenous Relations Lead, Donna McGreal:*

*Headlines from the Vatican – March 30, 2023: The Vatican formally
repudiates the Doctrine of Discovery – By Donna McGreal, BA,
English/Cultural Studies & Indigenous Studies*

A “Joint Statement” from the Dicastery for Culture and the Dicastery for
Integral Human Development formally repudiates "those concepts that fail to
recognize the inherent human rights of indigenous peoples, including what
has become known as the legal and political ‘doctrine of discovery’."

Are we Catholics prepared to adopt this long-awaited statement at face
value, or should we be questioning further the motives within the papal
documents, namely the Bulls of 1492, 1455 and 1493? At the time, they were
considered legal documents by the Popes that initially allowed Portuguese
and Spanish sovereigns to colonize lands to advance Christianity. However,
both countries added another dimension to the original edict. They
proceeded to subjugate the original inhabitants under the guise of
advancing Christianity to “heathens” and neglected to admit the prime goal
was to enhance their country’s wealth and power by procuring valuable land,
resources and seeking their supremacy over existing nations.

Consequently, through the historical and politically motivated truths to
which we are now exposed, we should be fully cognizant that the theories of
the Doctrine of Discovery are complex and often convoluted as truths that
were designed to mask the colonizers’ purposes. There is no doubt that
conquering countries took full advantage of the Bulls and expanded them out
of the realm of their original purpose. It was just too tempting for these
explorers to discover lands where endless wealth and resources could be
acquired by the manipulation of the original purpose.

On March 30, 2023, the statement from the Vatican rings true, “the Doctrine
of Discovery is a theory that served to justify the expropriation by
sovereign colonizers of Indigenous lands from their rightful owners…it is
not a part of the teaching of the Catholic Church.” It further affirms that
the papal bulls that granted such “rights” to colonizing sovereigns have
never been a part of the Church’s Magisterium. The statement also declares
that “Historical research clearly demonstrates that the papal documents in
question, written in a specific historical period and linked to political
questions, have never been considered expressions of the Catholic faith.”

However, we have not escaped the controversial statements about the
Vatican’s announcement, but as Catholics we must decide if we will partake
in this melee or search out the historical facts ourselves to develop our
own informed opinions and move forward so that we can address the pressing
issues of improving the lives of Indigenous peoples today. Consequently, I
see the key issues facing Catholics and all Canadians is to decide how we
move forward to support the rights of the subjugated Indigenous peoples who
live in this country, who are our neighbours living on the land, so that we
can develop partnerships to look after each other and the environment. We
can fully understand the position taken by Indigenous peoples, particularly
in Canada, who were decimated by colonization and its tenets that continue
to infiltrate the postcolonial era.

There is little doubt that Indigenous peoples are also assessing their
viewpoint on the statement; however, we do know that during the Pope’s
visit in July 2022, there was a hopeful expectation among many Indigenous
Nations that the Doctrine would be rescinded. Since that visit, the subject
of the Doctrine has remained at the forefront of requests of the Pope. Now,
it has arrived.

I would never purport to speak on behalf of Indigenous peoples, but I do
believe we all have a responsibility to make reparation, even if it comes
in the form of an acknowledgement that we settlers have benefited at the
expense of Indigenous peoples. By accepting this concept, it is a first
step toward reconciliation and helps us understand that we should be
respecting and honouring the original inhabitants of this land. I am sure
we will be reading other responses in the coming weeks, but below are a few
since the Vatican announcement on March 30.

   -

   *François Paulette, a Denesuline elder, officer of the Order of Canada
   and longtime Indigenous rights advocate, said the repudiation is a strong
   step but that the church doesn't control Canadian land. It is a symbolic
   move that can lead to positive change if Indigenous leaders carry forward
   the momentum. “It’s the government of Canada that needs to make the
   changes.”*
   -

   *Jack Anawak, a former MP for Nunavut, and former member of Nunavut's
   Legislative Assembly, said the statement gives him hope, and that it's been
   a long time coming. "What it means is that we can be on a true path of
   reconciliation with the churches and the governments across the world.”*
   -

   *Kate Gunn, a lawyer with First Peoples Law firm in Vancouver, said the
   repudiation creates an opportunity for change, but doesn't change Canadian
   law. “For that meaningful change to happen, there must be concrete
   follow-up steps. She said every case that relates to Indigenous peoples'
   title and rights involve, to some extent, the assertion of Crown
   sovereignty and the Doctrine of Discovery by extension. “So, I think that
   having this clarity from the church provides some extra weight to
   Indigenous peoples' arguments..."*
   -

   *Dëneze Nakehk'o is a founding member of Dene Nahjo, a collective
   dedicated to creating spaces that help Indigenous people reconnect to
   cultural knowledge. He called the repudiation "a savvy PR move" for the
   Vatican to try to remain relevant.*
   -

   *“On the surface it sounds good, it looks good ... but there has to be a
   fundamental change in attitudes, behaviour, laws and policies from that
   statement," said Ernie Daniels, the former chief of Long Plain First Nation
   in Manitoba. Daniels, who was part of the delegation that met with Pope
   Francis in Rome last year and then again during the pontiff's 2022 visit to
   Canada, said that institutions around the world still espouse colonial
   attitudes toward Indigenous people. There’s still a mentality out there —
   they want to assimilate, decimate, terminate, eradicate Indigenous people."*
   -

   *Ghislain Picard, a longtime Innu leader and the regional chief of the
   Assembly of First Nations for Quebec and Labrador, said the news was a
   welcome development."Many of those pioneers and those who were involved in
   that work in the last 25 years must be applauding this development.”But
   Picard said the move is mostly symbolic and it's yet to be seen if it will
   affect policy in Canada.*
   -

   *"The Doctrine of Discovery was a papal statement and not a
   justification to allow Canada to unilaterally claim sovereignty over our
   peoples and our lands and commit genocide. And today, the Vatican finally
   said what our peoples have always known,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron.*

You can read the entire statement from the Vatican using this link:
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2023/03/30/230330b.html
<https://concernedlaycatholics.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89d147047a1afa176e016f353&id=7a8521cd92&e=483ebf7e41>
Release of Names of Jesuits Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of Minors

On March 13, the Jesuits of Canada released the names of members of the
Jesuit order who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of children in
Canada. Acknowledging that “the church has been slow to respond to
revelations of grievous abuse by clergy” Jesuit Provincial Erik Oland, made
good on a promise by the Jesuits in 2019 to conduct a comprehensive audit
and make the results public. Oland acknowledged there may be other cases
that were not captured in the audit. He stressed that this is not the end
of a process but the beginning and encouraged any person who has suffered
abuse by a Jesuit to notify the appropriate law enforcement or
child-protection agency in the location in which the incident took place.
They are further encouraged to contact Mr. William Blakeney, the Province’s
delegate for allegations of misconduct. He can be reached confidentially
via email at wblakeney at jesuits.org, or in writing to the Jesuits of Canada, 25
Jarry St W, Montreal, QC H2P 1S6
<https://www.google.com/maps/search/25+Jarry+St+W,+Montreal,+QC+H2P+1S6?entry=gmail&source=g>
.

Read the entire statement by the Jesuits here:

https://jesuits.ca/release-names-abuse/
<https://concernedlaycatholics.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89d147047a1afa176e016f353&id=afdddb4a4b&e=483ebf7e41>

*Note: This page discusses topics that may be distressing and awaken
memories of past traumatic experiences and abuse.*
Upcoming Webinar on Aging Issues from an Indigenous Viewpoint

Hamilton Aging in Community, co-sponsored by Concerned Lay Catholics, the
Diocese of Hamilton and Trinity Lutheran Church are presenting a webinar on
Saturday April 22nd

To register and receive the Zoom link, contact Ellen by email at
hamiltonagingcommunity at gmail.com
<hamiltonagingcommunity at gmail.com?subject=null&body=null> or call
905-648-0437
Rosemary Ganley was our March webinar presenter on the topic of: Can Women
Heal a Fractured Church?… and based on her life story, the answer is a
resounding yes!

Rosemary graciously joined us on her 86th birthday- the Feast of the
Annunciation. How symbolic for someone who has in her own ways, sought to
announce that Good News is possible because of a woman’s ‘Yes!’ Born in
northern Ontario with roots in poverty, her father was a lawyer and a
Catholic who married a Protestant who converted- but “didn’t put her weight
down.” Rosemary noted that growing up in the Catholic Church and receiving
a Catholic education, was for her a positive, nurturing experience. Her
father taught her from a young age the difference between being a taxpayer
and being a citizen. He subscribed to Hansard in the days before email and
the internet. Every week, via Canada Post, a huge envelope would arrive
with the weekly proceedings of the House of Commons. His example forged for
Rosemary an unbreakable connection between the life of faith and the life
of working for justice. Rosemary, along with her husband, felt called to
worked in Jamaica, a move that was motivated partly to escape the sadness
of having lost a child. When they returned to Canada, they formed a charity
called Jamaica Self-Help. After this, they spent 3 years in Dar Es Salaam
where she says she had her first real experience of the ‘global church.’ In
1995, she attended the United Nations Conference to mark the end of the UN
Decade of Women. Then, in the waning days of The Catholic New Times,
Canada’s other national Catholic newspaper, she served as Co-Editor with
Ted Schmidt from 2000-2006.

Rosemary reminded us that the bishops are not our primary audience, but
rather other lay people. Quoting Rosemary Radford Reuther, feminist
theologian, she advised us not to spend more than 20% of our time on church
reform. Spend the rest announcing the Good News!

Rosemary says she wakes up every morning and can’t decide whether to save
the world or savour the world!

It is very important, she told the audience, not to fall into permanent
dejection. Quoting Pope Francis, she encouraged us “Do Not Be Afraid.”
[image: Rosemary Ganley - Can Women Heal the Fractured Catholic Church?]
<https://concernedlaycatholics.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89d147047a1afa176e016f353&id=179dd4c5b0&e=483ebf7e41>

Canadian Lebanese woman pleads with Vatican authorities to intervene in
Marriage adjudication

Christina*, a Catholic single mother and a Canadian citizen of Lebanese
origin, has been subjected to an abuse of power by the Catholic Church for
20 years. Read on to learn about her story and

help her get justice.

In Lebanon, religious authorities, not the state decide on all marriage
issues, including alimony and custody. When Christina's husband left her,
she had no choice but to appeal to a bishop in Lebanon for her rightful
alimony. The bishop, however, had a conflict of interest (related to
Christina's husband) and illegally stopped enforcement. She appealed her
case to the marriage tribunals at the Vatican, hoping for an impartial
judgement. (At the same time, her ex-husband was also appealing to the
Vatican to have the marriage annulled so that he wouldn't have to pay
alimony.)

Below you will find a link to the full story and petition. We are hoping
that by signing this petition you can amplify her voice so that she will
finally be heard, and justice will be done. If you can forward it on to
your contacts and post to social media, that would be great too!

The organizers of the petition are hoping to gather as many signatures as
possible from around the globe and then present this petition to Vatican
authorities. Please take a moment to read Christina’s* story. (*We are
protecting the privacy and safety of this woman by not publishing her real
name, but when it is sent to the Vatican, it will be made clear who this
woman is.) If you know the actual name of this woman, it is very important
that you do not include it in any emails, or social media posts.

Please take a few minutes to read, sign and pass on the petition. This link
will take you to the petition website: https://chng.it/LWsfwnykMw
<https://concernedlaycatholics.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89d147047a1afa176e016f353&id=0fec23b24f&e=483ebf7e41>
You may receive one email from the host to confirm your signature. You can
unsubscribe from any further emails if needed. You also have the option of
not showing your name on the petition, and either way, it will never show
your email. Thanks!

(Source: Catholic Network for Women’s Equality)
Special Announcement: Concerned Lay Catholics receives charitable status!

With gratitude to God for guidance and perseverance, the Board and Planning
Group of CLC are pleased to announce that on March 10 we received news from
CRA that we have been approved for charitable status. This means we will be
able to provide charitable tax receipts for all donations received in 2023.

We understand for many people, being able to claim your donation on your
taxes is a critical consideration in your philanthropy. We are also aware
that many foundations are limited to funding only registered charities. We
sincerely hope this achievement will enable many more people to support the
work of CLC financially – in addition to your gifts of presence, prayers,
and talents.

CLC wishes specially to express its deepest appreciation to all our donors
who supported us with financial contributions before we were able to
provide the benefit of a tax receipt. Your generosity in the service of our
mission, made it possible for us to get to this point. Thank you!

Like the parable of the mustard seed, we promise to do our best to nurture
this precious gift so it becomes a large tree in which many faith-filled
laity can find shelter, refreshment and growth.
[image: Logo]

Our mailing address is:
Concerned Lay Catholics
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ON L8P 2T9
Canada

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*May you walk in joy as love calls us on.*
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*May you walk in joy as love calls us on.*
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