Salt + Light Blog

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.

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Alessia Domanico

The disheveled man lurched along the trail, as if stumbling off the set of a George Romero movie. He wore just one hiking boot; the other ankle was swollen and purple. Half-naked—the wrong half—his bare legs were covered in deep cuts and two crimson, football-sized lesions. His wide eyes did not avert their gaze as he staggered toward me, his pale face expressionless. Alone in the forest with nowhere to turn, I had seconds to consider how I would greet this terrifying man.

Thankfully, I had received a few lessons in hospitality just a few weeks prior. For my summer vacation, I had signed up to live at Madonna House, a Catholic farm community in the rural village of Combermere, Ontario. Here, dozens of lay women and men have committed their lives to prayer and service to one another.

The foundress of Madonna House, Catherine Doherty, described it as “a house of hospitality.”

“It is a place where people are received, not on their education, not on how wonderful they are as painters, or whatever they have to do,” she said. “They are received simply as people. They are loved.”

Their legendary hospitality draws guests from around the world, each invited to participate in the life of the community, without cost, for as long as they please.

“When I encounter a stranger,” said one long-time Madonna House member, “I wish to greet them with the same joy that I would for an old friend at the airport.”

This enthusiastic receptivity is even sculpted in the image of their patron. Our Lady of Combermere runs “in haste” (Luke 1:39) to reunite with her cousin Elizabeth. She bounds with arms wide open, Madonna House teaches, with the same intense desire to embrace each of us, her “wounded children”.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux exhibited this same welcoming spirit in her response to interruption. In Interior Freedom, Fr. Jacques Philippe writes that some of the “Little Flower’s” responsibilities in the convent required great concentration, but she would often be pulled away to assist with other tasks. She learned to graciously receive her fellow sisters — almost as if she was choosing to be disrupted — as a means of embracing God’s will.

This brings me back to the forest.

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Kris Dmytrenko

A little boy once came across a sparrow laying on his back with his feet sticking up to the sky.  The boy looked at him and asked “Sparrow, why are you lying on his back on your back with your feet pointing up to the sky?”  The sparrow replied, because if the sky falls, I will use my feet to prevent it from falling on us.”  The boy replied “But you’re just one little bird, and the sky is so giant!”  The sparrow responded: “I know, but I’m just doing my part.”

I’m paraphrasing this story — one that was told to Archbishop Charles Chaput, of Denver, when he was at a conference on Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.   The Archbishop shared this story today during his homily at the profession Mass of the Sisters of Life, at the beautiful Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford, Connecticut. 

Salt + Light was on hand to film the first vows of 10 novices, and the perpetual vows of one sister — a native of Vancouver, Sister Antoniana Maria of the Trinity.

The point that Archbishop Chaput was making is that the Sisters making their profession are “doing their part.”  It may seem insignificant at times, it may not seem very glorious, but in each act they do, they live out their vows more fully; they bring Christ to others; they help build the culture of life. 

And this is the mission of the Sisters — to build a culture of life; to show the beauty and dignity of life.  This is part of their charism of life.  In fact, the Sisters take a fourth vow at their profession: to protect and enhance the sacredness of life. 

The founder of the Sisters, the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal John O’Connor, who passed away ten years ago, wrote:

It is my vision that the Culture of Death will be converted into a Culture of Life – not simply the life of the unborn infant, not simply the life threatened by euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, but the spiritual life of those created in the image and likeness of God. Ultimately, the salvation of the soul is infinitely more important than the salvation of the body. To bring about the conversion of souls, conversion of hearts – this is surely the charism, the apostolate of the Sisters of Life. (Vision Conference, July 31, 1998)

The work the Sisters of Life do is vitally important, and inspiring.  Salt + Light Television will be capturing their charism of life in a documentary, that you can watch for in the Spring of 2011. 

For more on the Sisters of Life, visit their website HERE.

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Matthew Harrison

Even before the G8 and G20 Summits began, the world’s religious leaders were under no illusions that they could greatly influence the politicians. Still, eighty faith leaders were gathered in Winnipeg for their own assembly. While they were confident they had something important to say, many had been through this before, and they kept their expectations modest.

“I have my doubts,” admitted Rev. Suzanne Membe Matale, regarding the faith leaders’ ability to influence the summits. The Zambian pastor knows how it works. Agendas for the G8 and G20 had long since been set and their declarations pre-drafted. While the hype had been escalating for several months, both summits lasted just three days combined—hardly enough time to address more than a few issues.

As expected, the G8 summit in Huntsville was highlighted by its maternal health agreement, while Toronto’s G20 focused on economic recovery. The faith leaders’ recommendations, expressed in “A Time for Inspired Leadership and Action”, were not rewarded with many firm commitments in either summit declaration. (The lengthy G8 and G20 Summit declarations can be read here and here, respectively.)

“If you are genuinely worried about the threat of climate change,” wrote John Ibbitson for the Globe and Mail, “this is a grim G8/G20 summit.”

“More aid for Africa was referred to,” commented Jeffrey Simpson for the same newspaper, “but since aid-givers have largely fallen short of previous commitments, not much was specific on that score either.”

Media analysis of the maternal health initiative was more positive.

“The total contribution – $7.3-billion over five years – is big enough to save many lives,” judged the Globe and Mail’s editorial. But Canada’s generous contribution to that fund will likely pull resources from other international aid commitments, since there is no corresponding increase to the overall foreign aid budget.

“Maternal health runs the risk of being the latest flavour-of-the-month of international summitry,” the Globe concluded.

If the faith leaders had no dramatic impact on the results of the G8/G20, they cannot be faulted for their effort, given that their’s was the most substantial lobbying effort directed at the summits. Together, the delegates represented millions of believers from their diverse religions. It could be there, in the leaders’ own churches, temples, mosques and synagogues, that the World Religions Summit finds its legacy.

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Kris Dmytrenko

A few weeks ago, my mixed feelings about multi-faith advocacy were brought to the surface.

Before I confess my misgivings, I must tell you that I’m especially indebted to people of other religions and denominations. When I was an agnostic high school student, a Bahá’í friend stoked my interest in God by inviting me to his religion’s “Fireside” gatherings. I was confirmed as a Catholic at 19, but then struggled to live out my faith in university. It was then that I stumbled upon a Pentecostal student convention, which introduced me to rich fellowship with evangelicals. They taught me passion and commitment.

Yet despite those positive experiences, and many more during my time in the Holy Land, I remained privately skeptical about the efficacy of interreligious coalitions.

On June 21st I arrived at the University of Winnipeg to cover the World Religions Summit. The event’s goal was to influence the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings. (Michèle Nuzzo-Naglieri detailed the aims of the summit on Headline Bistro.) I wondered, though, whether a multi-faith assembly could garner much more influence or publicity than, say, the pronouncement of a singular Catholic Archbishop, who already represents a sizable constituency. Moreover, how much common ground could possibly be shared by this collection of miters, turbans and vibrant robes, representing a broad spectrum of traditional to reformed ideologies? Could eighty leaders representing nine world religions manage to draft a strong statement?

If there was tension among the delegates, this was kept well hidden. Their spirit of fraternity would have provided an edifying witness for combative clerics elsewhere, or for atheists who maintain that religion only breeds conflict.

The closing debate on the final statement centered on minor points of expression, rather than content. As it was put to a vote, the moderator, Rev. Dr. James Christie from the Canadian Council of Churches, convinced delegates to accept a declaration that he described as good, if imperfect.

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Kris Dmytrenko

Pope John Paul II described them as the “strong right arm of the Church,” and many a priest would consider them backbone to parish activities.

More than just an “arm” or a “backbone” the Knights of Columbus are the largest organized “body,” so to speak, of lay Catholic men.  In fact, they’ve just cracked over 1.8 million members!

The Knights do a tremendous amount of work, all in the spirit of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism.  They participate in a wide range of activities: from taking care of parish gardens, to coat drives for kids, to distributing wheelchairs in earthquake devastated Haiti.

As Canadians, we should be proud to know how generous Canadian Knights are: at last year’s convention Supreme Knight Carl Anderson announced that of all the state jurisdictions, the Knights in Ontario donated the most amount of money to charity — $9.1 million.  Second place was Quebec with $8.5 million (Quebec had been in first for the last few years).  Per capita donations’ top spot went to Knights in British Columbia and Ontario was second place.

That of course, is the financial aspect, but the Knights are also incredibly generous in their time.  It was outlined in last year’s report that the Knights participated in over 68.7 million hours of volunteer service.  That was an increase of almost 88-thousand hours from the previous year.  Already this year, the Knights have announced that they have shattered that record.

Recognizing these impressive totals, and the fraternity that goes along with the Knights, they gather once a year, along with their families, to celebrate their faith and work.  This year’s gathering, the 128th Supreme Convention, comes from Washington, D.C., August 3rd to 5th.

Joining the over two thousand Knight delegates, priests and prelates, will be our own Fr. Thomas Rosica, Matthew Harrison, Sebastien Lacroix, Alicia Ambrosio and Rita Sawaya. Our extensive live coverage will bring you unmatched insight, analysis and testimonials and interviews from the convention floor.

Our coverage begins Tuesday, August 3rd at 9:00am ET.  We’ll be with you all day, bringing viewers the Opening Mass, the Business Session and the States Dinner.  In between these events we’ll broadcast Men of Faith, a historical documentary offering a fascinating look into how Knight activities intertwine with the political and social fabric of the 20th century; A People of Life, our documentary examining the work of the Knights in spreading a culture of life; and other features on the Knights work with the Special Olympics, their Ultrasound project, their work in Rome, and much more.  We’ll also broadcast Mass from Washington on Wednesday and Thursday mornings too.

Visit HERE for more broadcast details, and for more information on the Knights of Columbus visit their website HERE.

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Matthew Harrison

Earlier this week on the blog, Fr. Thomas Rosica shared his homily for the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. That message was preached in Rome at the Generalate of the Christian Brothers de la Salle, a religious order renowned for operating schools around the world. Notable among them is Bethlehem University.

S+L spent one month filming at this remarkable university, whose existence has been shaped at every turn by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As history has taught its students and educators, it’s an environment where anything can happen.

Beacon of Hope, the 14-minute video featured below, was first presented in Rome on Thursday evening to an audience that included Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Vatican Congregation of Eastern Churches; Cardinal John Foley, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem; Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Palestine; members of the General Curia of the Christian Brothers de la Salle; the Administration, Boards of Governors and Regents of Bethlehem University; and many distinguished guests and supporters of the sole Catholic University in Israel and Palestine. The video previews a future, full-length S+L documentary about Bethlehem University.

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Kris Dmytrenko

Did you know that the Roman Catacombs were not built to serve as secret churches? The Catacombs were truly just burial places. Just like today’s cemeteries which have chapels on-site, these early burial places also had built in chapels to perform the final blessing of a body before entombment. While Christians were persecuted at various times, they celebrated Mass in people’s homes, under the guise of a friendly gathering, and not in underground chapels.

Today the entrance to these early Christian burial sites are found in some of the most unexpected places. The Catacombs of St. Thecla, which I had the privilege of visiting Tuesday, are found in the basement of a building belonging to an Italian insurance company in a residential neighbourhood of Rome. No joking. Of course, the insurance company is a recent addition to the landscape.

The Catacombs of St. Thecla appear on pilgrimage maps as early as the seventh century. It’s believed there was a shrine to St. Thecla not far from today’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, in the place Thecla was believed to have been buried. However, today it is not certain if the St. Thecla referred to was the virgin saint referred to in ancient legends.

It was in the 19th century that the Catacombs were rediscovered by archeologists.

Fast forward to 2008 when the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology was attempting to restore a portion of the Catacombs. Most of the Catacombs are chambers with crypts all the way up the wall. It seems at some point there was a plague and large numbers of people needed to be buried all at once. Hence these mass crypt chambers that could then be sealed off. In one wing of the Catacombs, however, was a crypt that seemed to have housed only two bodies. It was this chamber that the Commission for Sacred Archeology wanted to restore. Generally a private crypt means a noble family, which means it was no doubt decorated. In fact, faints hints of frescoes were evident in this special crypt, referred to in archeological terms as a double cubiculum.

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Alicia Ambrosio

Alessia here, officially back in the Salt+Light Office!

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind adventure through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I am overwhelmed by how much I’ve been exposed to and had the opportunity to learn about  in such a relatively short amount of time. I tried to soak everything up from religious affairs, politics, Irish culture, economics, agriculture, North vs. South, and the list goes on. I am indebted to The Saint Patrick Centre for opening so many doors and windows for me during my time in Ireland. Dr. Tim Campbell, Director of the Saint Patrick Centre, was invaluable to the young ambassadors, providing us with his wealth of knowledge and experience concerning all things Northern Ireland. He filled in the gaps over issues he knew less about by arranging for us to meet an array of influential and diverse representatives of Northern Irish society, politics and culture. Now at the end of this I can say that I have come away with a deep appreciation for Northern Ireland. I was so fortunate to hear so many different perspectives on the land, its people and their different beliefs and principles. It all seems so surreal as I sit here at my desk recalling where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing for the past two weeks.

From a religion standpoint I was blessed to meet with several remarkable authorities on religion and the Catholic Church in Ireland who were able to enlighten me on its context there in today’s society. The majority of the population in Northern Ireland is Protestant, but the seat of the Catholic Church in Ireland is located in the North, in a beautiful place called Armagh. The Primate of Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady presides there. Another important fact for Catholics is that Saint Patrick began his ministry in the North. His ship docked there some 1500 years ago in Northern Ireland in Strangford Lough. The Young Ambassadors were fortunate enough to take not one but two boat trips through Strangford Lough. The first was on a modern sail boat, the second voyage on Strangford Lough was on a Viking Ship. The Viking Ship was a modeled replica of what the Vikings would have used to arrive in Ireland. I tried unsuccessfully to help rowing it, but with a total lack of any upper arm strength, the oar threatened to either hurl me across the boat or render the Ambassador next to me unconscious.

Last week I was in Dublin where I met with Michael Kelly, the Deputy Editor of the Irish Catholic, the largest Catholic newspaper in all of Ireland. We had a fantastic discussion about the Catholic Church in Ireland. Michael gave me a crash course in its history, his take on the current situation of the Church and some very interesting statistics. 60% of Irish Catholics attend Mass once a month and 46% attend Mass every week. These are statistics surpass those of many other countries and I was personally impressed to see these statistics come alive when I met with so many people that are grounded in their faith.

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Alessia Domanico

“Take your shoes off and leave them here. Proceed through this door. Leave your clothes, all your clothes in one of these shelves. Go through the shower. Wash well. On the other side you will find clean socks and coveralls. I’ll meet you on the other side.”

With those words Wally, our faithful cameraman and I were left. Our camera and tripod had to be wiped down.

Very strange feeling. What kind of facility was this?

It was like that movie Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo about the outbreak of a deadly airborne virus.

We were at Cronin Farms to do a segment on Migrant Workers. But don’t get me wrong. The workers are not kept in a sterile labour prison camp: the pigs are.

Mike and Amy Cronin are pork producers. They live in the northern part of the Diocese of London. Their operation involves the breeding and birthing of pigs for consumption. They run a bio-secure facility (hence the showering before entering) to protect the animals from infection.

The reason why were there is that Mike and Amy employ five Guatemalans who are in Canada because of the temporary workers’ program. Juan told us that about 80% of his salary goes back to Guatemala to his wife and 11 year old son. He is an engineer by trade, but had lost his job with the new government and had been struggling since. He came to Canada over a year ago.

In a way, these guys are not really temporary workers. They are not the traditional ones who come for six or so months to work in the fields during the planting and harvest seasons. They are here with a year-long visa, only returning home for three weeks while their visa is renewed. The nature of the work at the Cronin Farm is that there is work all year round.

I live very near the Holland Marsh, north of Toronto, and am familiar with many of the farms in that area that employ migrant workers. Many are forced to work under sub-standard conditions. Many receive poor training and therefore are more subject to injury. They are forced to work seven days a week. Sometimes they are not allowed to leave the farm. And they also live in sub-standard conditions.

What we saw at the Cronin Farm was admirable. Juan and his four work-mates live in a house (the old Cronin home). They each have their own room. They have satellite TV and two vehicles to use. They pitch in for their own meals, but often they are invited for a meal with Mike, Amy and their six children. But it’s not about what material possessions they have. It’s really about the relationship.

Juan shared with us at the dinner table that they are very grateful to Mike and Amy for their generosity. They don’t call them “boss” but “friends.” And that’s what we saw. A couple who recognised the dignity of all, who gave their employees only what they would have for themselves and their children. It was remarkable. Truly, they are friends. I was reminded of Jesus’ words to the disciples at the Last Supper: I no longer call you servants; I call you friends (John 15:15).

Keep your eyes on our Weekly Perspectives’ topics in the coming weeks, as we will be dealing with the issue of migrant/temporary workers. So stay tuned.

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Pedro Guevara-Mann