June 2021 Newsletter
In our first monthly newsletter we wanted to draw your attention to just a few of the items that have been catching our prayerful attention over the past month or so since we launched our new website on May 15.
Specifically:
The new system for reporting sexual misconduct or cover up
Synod on synodality
Church run residential institutions
The Role of the Laity in Healing the Church - Our Webinar with Sr. Nuala Kenny
Bishop Reporting System
There was an important announcement on May 6 out of the CCCB regarding a new system for reporting a bishop for sexual misconduct or for covering up sexual abuse.
Individuals can access the reporting system online (BishopReportingSystem.ca) or by calling toll-free 1-866-892-3737 from anywhere in Canada, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
Synod on Synodality
A major revision was announced affecting the proposed Synod on Synodality- originally scheduled for October 2022 – and now reimagined as a synodal process to stretch over 3 years.
Read more at: https://international.la-croix.com/news/signs-of-the-times/the-synodal-process-2021-2023/14358
https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/synods-on-synods/14422
The painful legacy of Canada’s church-run residential schools
Concerned Lay Catholics in Canada had already identified the abuse and on-going trauma suffered by residential school survivors as a critical issue for Canadian lay Catholics to understand. This is why we dedicated a page and numerous resources to the issue on our website:
https://concernedlaycatholics.ca/residential-school-survivors
We were shocked but not surprised to learn of the recovery of the so many children’s bodies on the sites of former church run residential schools due to the efforts of Indigenous communities themselves. CLC issued a statement calling for a full investigation into all residential school sites, so that we can understand how and why these children died, and so that their remains may be returned to their families and laid to rest with their ancestors as their families have always wanted. There are so many, many resources being brought forward.
These are a few- we will bring more in the coming months:
https://concernedlaycatholics.ca/residential-school-survivors
Statement by Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
https://hamiltondiocese.com/residential-schools/
https://en.archoc.ca/indigenous-peoples
Link to Archbishop Millers statement. https://rcav.org/first-nations
https://ourladyofguadalupecircle.ca/who-we-are/our-mission/
Father Paul Bringleson of Flin Flon Manitoba.
Sunday June 6, 2021 Mass for Residential School Victims in Kamloops and Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tspGMRgYMo8
The Role of the Laity in Healing the Church with Sr Nuala Kenny, SC, MD, OC
If you missed the webinar on May 15, you can still watch it by going to our website.