Salt + Light Blog

In a previous Catholic Focus, we looked at the little-known ministry of Canada’s military chaplains. While I learned much from preparing that program, particularly from Bishop Donald Thériault, the head of the Catholic military ordinariate, I don’t think I properly understood the dangers chaplains faced.

That awareness came with the news that U.S. Army chaplain Capt. Dale Goetz was killed in Afghanistan. He was among five Americans who died as their convoy hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near the Kandahar Province. Capt. Goetz was the first chaplain to be killed in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

“It was only a matter of time,” one Canadian chaplain mournfully told me on Friday. Chaplains routinely travel with the troops outside secure areas. Canada’s Operation ATHENA is also centered in the dangerous Kandahar Province, so the fallen chaplain could have just as easily been one of our own.

Thankfully, no Canadian chaplains have died since WWII. In that conflict, however, twelve were killed and more were wounded. According to Dr. Duff Crerar, who has extensively researched the history of military chaplaincy, four others were killed in WWI. Four more died of wounds or pneumonia in 1919, due to hard service or Spanish flu.

Aside from the physical risks, military chaplaincy takes a psychological toll. Earlier this year, a survey of morale found that more than half of Canadian chaplains were at medium-to-high risk of anxiety or depressive disorders. Their risk is even higher than for other Forces members. Chaplains bring solace to the troops, but one wonders to whom the chaplains can turn for help.

As we lift up our servicemen and women in prayer, let us remember too the chaplains.

To learn more about our chaplains and meet Canada’s military bishop, watch our Catholic Focus episode online.

Share

Kris Dmytrenko

Martyrs’ Shrine is a popular destination for many faithful from different cultural backgrounds. On Saturday, it was the Irish who ventured out to Midland, Ontario for Mass and a day of prayer. It was for the annual Irish Peace Garden commemoration. It was ten years ago that the Peace Garden was erected at the Shrine. One of its founding members; Geraldine Sullivan was inspired by her brother who had been visiting from Ireland. She had taken him up to the Shrine where he saw how the many different cultures displayed their nationality and religious identity in various structures and places throughout the grounds. He asked why Irish Canadians didn’t have something to commemorate their Catholic devotion and Irish identity. In response to her brother’s question, Geraldine got together with two other members of the local Irish community, Eamonn Dorgan and Hugo Straney and they brought the project to fruition.

I came upon the event in my research for my Catholic Focus on the Northern Ireland Conflict. It was a perfect coincidence that it coincided with the filming for the episode. I spent a wonderful day of filming and meeting Irish Canadians at the Irish Peace Garden. It was a moving and significant ceremony that celebrated the Irish culture and their history in Canada. Speakers talked about their Irish heritage and the importance of praying for peace and their loved ones who have passed. They continue to pray for peace in Ireland and that there isn’t a return to violence. They also pray for other places throughout the world where political and religious conflicts still persist.

Bishop Peter Hundt gave a blessing in the Peace Garden before presiding over Mass with those gathered. Bishop Hunt is the vicar general and regional bishop of the northern and eastern pastoral regions for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

The strong Catholic faith of the Irish people has left such a great impression on me. I have met many individuals of exemplary faith and conviction both here in Canada and in Ireland. The story of the Irish Catholics has always been an important one to tell and I am honored to be able to be doing that. If you visit Martyrs’ Shrine, be sure to stop by the Irish Peace Garden. It’s a beautiful tribute to the legacy of the Irish in Canada. Keep an eye out for news on my Catholic Focus. I’ll be keeping you updated on its screening this fall.

Share

Alessia Domanico

In March, I went to the only place in North America where you can obtain a doctoral degree in Eastern Christian Studies – the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute.  So if you’ve ever asked yourself “Do I know enough about the Eastern Catholics who form part of my Catholic family?”, read the rest of this blog.

In my Catholic Focus episode The Light of the East, part 1, I explored the identity of the Eastern Catholic Church.  In part 2 of The Light of the East, I focus on the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute, an educational institute in Ottawa that spreads knowledge of the Christian East.

In this second part, Fr. Peter Galadza, who teaches at the Institute, gives me a tour and introduces me to many interesting students of different faith backgrounds.  I also learned about the faith journeys of three students:  Fr. Roman Rytsar, who brought his family from Ukraine to study at the Sheptytsky Institute; Olenka Galadza, wife of Fr. Peter Galadza, who has had seven generations of married Eastern Catholic priests in her family; and finally, Andrew Bennett.  Andrew Bennett was raised a Roman Catholic but now belongs to the Eastern Catholic Church.  He speaks very highly of both “lungs” of the Catholic Church, the East and the West, and of how his faith discovery led him closer to God.

Tune in tomorrow, May 26th, or Saturday, May 29th, at 7:00pm and 11:00pm ET for the Catholic Focus episode The Light of the East, part 2:  The Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute.

Share

Mary Rose Bacani

When our kids were younger, we received a CD from a friend in Alberta. Almost immediately this CD became the most-listened-to CD in our house. My kids wanted to listen to it every time we were in the car – not always great for the parents – however; when you have a CD titled “Mary leads me closer to Jesus” it’s not bad at all. This was the first of the Cat.Chat series. I must say, we never looked back. We now have all 6 CDs.

How can I describe Cat.Chat? It’s an audio series for kids. They include songs and also stories featuring Josh, Hannah and Papa, and of course, the protagonist, Moses, the talking cat.

The series was created by husband and wife team, Denise and Gerald Montpetit. The idea came out of the need for solid, Catholic resources for children. I can relate to them on this: it is so hard to find good, quality, Catholic music and DVDs for children. Denise and Gerald’s hope was to teach children the basics of the faith in a way that is fun and easy to understand. They most definitely achieved their goal.

The Montpetits now have five children of their own and I had the chance to meet them recently. I traveled to Woodstock, ON for my very first Cat.Chat Concert, featuring Gerald, as the Cat.Chat man, his four older children, Réanne (13), Dominic (11), Jerome (9) and Luc (6), and Moses, the talking cat. Denise does not go on stage but she runs the show off stage. It is truly a family affair. The show was so much fun, the songs so catchy (you’ll be singing them all the way home) and the depth of the message so clear, that I am still a bit in awe at the whole thing. The children at Holy Family Catholic School in Woodstock were enjoying themselves and singing along, I wished the concert had been at my own kids’ school.

After the concert I had the chance to tape a conversation with Gerald and to hang out a bit with the whole family. Not a perfect family (whose is?) but certainly one where every member is aware of their calling to be family, if that makes any sense. I don’t know how else to explain it. Even 18-month-old Vanessa seemed to enjoy the bustle of packing up the equipment into the trailer behind their RV.

If you want to find out more about Cat.Chat and about the Montpetits, be sure to tune in to Catholic Focus this Tuesday, May 18th at 7 and 11pm ET (8pm PT) to watch that conversation I had with the Cat.Chat man, Gerald Montpetit, you won’t be disappointed. In fact, I bet you’ll be going online to buy the CDs.

My favourite Cat.Chat is the first one: Mary Leads Me Closer to Jesus and my favourite song is “Pray for Me.” Believe it or not, listening to this CD helped me understand a bit better our special relationship with Mary and how she truly leads us to Jesus.  Cat.Chat also has some resource books full of fun activities that you can do with your children and an amazing Vacation Bible School package that I encourage you to bring to your Parish.

Of course, you can also bring one of the concerts to your school or Parish.. But if you have children ages 3-11 and want to get them a special gift to help them learn more about the Church and get closer to Jesus, go to www.catchat.ca or call 1-866-286-5433. I highly recommend them.

Share

Pedro Guevara-Mann

On April 19, 2005 when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope, the popular consensus was that this would be a papacy of continuity; he would ensure that his predecessor’s line of leadership and teaching would be safeguarded.

What most people didn’t take into consideration was that Cardinal Ratzinger is a very different personality than Cardinal Wojtyla. It is not to be forgotten that Wojtyla was a theatre actor while Ratzinger was a classical musician and academic. Though both Cardinals shared a firmness and clarity of faith, their different personalities would make for rather different papacies.

In a new episode of Catholic Focus, Alicia Ambrosio looks at the first five years of Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy. Philippa Hitchens of Vatican Radio shares what she’s noticed about Pope Benedict’s travels since 2005. Scott Hahn of the Franciscan University of Steubenville shares his insights into the Pope’s theology and writings. Mordechay Lewy, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, talks about the current state of Catholic-Jewish relations, and Fr. Mark Francis of the Pontifical Liturgy Institute talks about the liturgical changes this papacy has brought with it.

Tune in Wednesday May 4 at 7:00pm or 11pm ET, or Saturday, May 8th at the same times, for Catholic Focus: Five Years with Pope Benedict XVI.

-

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Share

Alicia Ambrosio

What is euthanasia really about?  Dignity?  Compassion?  Human rights?  Or is it something else altogether?

We need to find the answer because the euthanasia debate is heating up again!  In an interview with the newspaper Le Devoir a few days ago, Bloc-Québécois Member of Parliament Francine Lalonde explained that the Euthanasia bill C-384 will have its second hour of debate today (April 20th) in Ottawa and go to the second reading vote on Wednesday, April 21st.  This means that the vote on euthanasia in Canada is coming sooner than we expect.

Join me for Catholic Focus: Euthanizing Medicine, which explores the issue of euthanasia and the identity of the medical doctor.  Guests include Shannon Joseph, a young engineer and development officer from Ottawa who started a website forum for doctors against euthanasia; young medical students, caregivers, and doctors who share their insights into the issue; and Dr. Margaret Somerville, author/speaker/professor from McGill University in Montreal, who has been speaking and researching about euthanasia for over 30 years.

Tune in to Salt + Light Television, or watch us online, on Wednesday, April 21st and Saturday, April 24th, at 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm ET.

Share

Mary Rose Bacani

The euthanasia (or the “right to die with dignity”) issue has been rearing its head in Canada for the past 20 years. The issue has already gone, unsuccessfully, before the Supreme Court of Canada. Bill C-384, introduced by Bloc Québécois MP Francine Lalonde to the Parliament of Canada, is the latest attempt. Even the Quebec College of Physicians is calling for the legalization of euthanasia in Canada.

What does the euthanasia bill really state? How does its legalization impact the fields of medicine and law? Close to 150 doctors in Quebec felt strongly enough about the issue to present a brief before the Quebec College of Physicians last fall, stating that they believe euthanasia is not acceptable in any circumstance. Fifteen medical students — from Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, McGill University, Université Laval and the University of Ottawa — all wrote a powerful piece that was published in the National Post on November 18th, 2009. In it, they say:

The end of one’s life implies physical and psychological suffering. Medicine can ease the pain for the most part, but the overwhelming reality of physical deterioration remains. Do we lose ourselves when we lose our health? The human being is marked by a desire to be loved in spite of illness and misery. This need for an affirmation of intrinsic worth, despite vulnerability and dependence, cannot be satisfied by suicide, which is an expression of nihilism; as if at some point our humanity could have no value. We, future physicians, will be watchful never to intentionally kill those patients who will be entrusted to us. Rather we will be witnesses to their beauty.

Shannon Joseph is an engineer and Development Officer who has worked with World Youth Alliance, a group that promotes the dignity of the human person in international policy and in culture. In fact she was just returning to Ottawa from her time with them in New York when she heard about Bill C-384. She started a website called Canadians for Care as a response. (Read the blog on Shannon’s site entitled A message to my Canadian neighbors, written by a doctor from Oregon, where assisted suicide is a legal option – it’s a good one). After looking through her website and after conversations with her, I decided to work on a Catholic Focus episode that touches on the identity of the medical doctor and euthanasia. I met and interviewed some of the brave doctors and medical students mentioned above.

Dr. Margaret Somerville, Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics & Law at McGill University, shares with me her insights of 30 years of research on the subject of euthanasia. There are so many materials and websites on euthanasia out there, so where to start? If any of you are wondering the same thing, try these three: www.mercatornet.com, www.LifeIssues.net and the chapter on euthanasia in Dr. Somerville’s book The Ethical Canary.

In my Catholic Focus episode, you’ll hear not only from Shannon Joseph and Dr. Margaret Somerville, but also from those working in the field of medicine – medical students, caregivers and doctors. Join me on Wednesday, April 21st and Saturday, April 24th at 7 and 11 pm ET for the Catholic Focus episode “Euthanizing Medicine”.

Share

Mary Rose Bacani

Last week, Christopher West announced that he was taking a six-month sabbatical for personal and professional reasons. In a possible allusion to the debate over the popular author’s interpretation of John Paul II’s teaching, the Theology of the Body Institute stated that he will take time to “to reflect more deeply on fraternal and spiritual guidance he has received in order to continue developing his methodology and praxis.” He will also use his leave “to attend to family needs”. (Read the full text here.)

Unfortunately for Canadian fans of Christopher West, the sabbatical effectively cancels his upcoming speaking appearances in Toronto and Vancouver, which were scheduled to take place May 8th and 22nd, respectively. Couples for Christ, the sponsors of the Freedom to Love conferences, have not yet advertised new dates, though they will presumably occur sometime after September.

During West’s most recent appearance in Toronto, he granted an extensive interview to S+L for Catholic Focus. He addressed the criticism from some Catholic academics, including the concern that his teaching could encourage an unhealthy fixation on sexuality.

“‘Don’t talk about that, especially not in a Church!’ Well, why do we think that?,” West responds in the interview — filmed, appropriately, in a Toronto parish. “I don’t believe that silence is an option. The sexual revolution has compelled us to have this conversation.”

He also considered, in content not included in the original Catholic Focus episode, whether the distinction between contraception and natural family planning is analogous to the difference between euthanasia and natural death.

Posted above is S+L’s full, unedited interview with the fascinating, controversial Christopher West.

Share

Kris Dmytrenko

Christopher West left a jarring first impression when I listened to him in 2002. Gathered in a Vancouver living room, we were a dozen Catholic men watching one of his DVD presentations about John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Our group consisted of good friends, but we suddenly became a little uncomfortable in each other’s presence when he started mentioning certain parts of the male anatomy.

The awkwardness proved to be momentary, as just a half-hour into the video, we realized that four of our vehicles had been towed. Our men’s night ended with an expensive trip to the impound lot.

Eight years later, West is still attracting crowds of easily-embarrassed Catholics. I was again among them for his most recent conference in Toronto, organized by the God, Sex and the Meaning of Life Ministry. With his trademark humour, he called us out on our timidity and quickly put us at ease. West riveted the thousand-strong audience with his insightful, pull-no-punches presentation of the late pontiff’s teaching.

Prior to the conference, I interviewed the popular speaker and author for Catholic Focus, which premieres this Wednesday night at 7 & 11 pm ET (8 pm PT). In the above clip, I asked him whether he thought Catholics were ready for a candid exploration of faith and sexuality. He returned, as he so often does, to the prophetic example of one “great theologian”—John Paul II.

Share

Kris Dmytrenko

As I mentioned in my January 20th blog on the Open House of Fountain of Love and Life, I’m working on a Catholic Focus episode on this great Chinese programming ministry featured on Salt + Light Television.

In this episode, you’ll see clips on the history, impact, and joy-filled message behind the work that this team does.  Two members of the core team, Paul Yeung and Bonny Chan, pictured right with the spiritual director of FLL, Fr. Daniel Chui CSB, are the main guests, and the interview with them was filmed in their new office at the Open House.  It’s pretty exciting to see the growth of their ministry!

Watch for Catholic Focus: Fountain of Love and Life — Behind the Scenes, this Wednesday, February 24th at 7pm and 11pm ET, right after Perspectives, or catch the encore presentation Saturday, February 27th at the same times.

And for more information on the Fountain of Love and Life ministry, visit HERE.

Share

Mary Rose Bacani