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It’s been a busy few weeks, so we’re taking this space to catch up on recent letters, including some farewells and welcomes for Archbishop Miller and Archbishop Smith. — Editor

 I congratulate Archbishop J. Michael Miller for his foresight and the initiatives he introduced to foster vocations in our Archdiocese.

As a past president of the Serra Club of Vancouver, I saw how his strategy of appointing young priests as vocation directors helped build strong, authentic relationships with youth. With Serra Club support, these directors visited schools and parishes, promoting a culture of vocations.

Fathers James Hughes and Mark Schwab stood out for their charisma and dedication. The founding of Redemptoris Mater Seminary and the St. John Vianney Fund further strengthened vocational growth, inviting seminarians from around the world.

What a legacy Archbishop Miller leaves after 18 years of pastoral leadership.

Cleto Dos Remedios
Vancouver

The parishioners of Pembroke, Ont., were blessed to have Archbishop Richard Smith — then Bishop Smith — as our shepherd. I understand what the people of Edmonton must feel in saying goodbye to a good bishop.

I now pray that Our Blessed Mother will wrap her arms around Archbishop Smith as he begins his new mission in Vancouver, leading her Son’s flock with strength and love.

Susan Dagenais
Pembroke

Catholics across the Archdiocese are invited to pray, fast, and witness to human dignity.

The first 40 Days for Life campaign in Vancouver began in 2010 through a collaboration of Catholic and pro-life leaders, including Betty Green, John Hof, and Cecilia Von Dehn, with support from the Archdiocese. 

Archbishop Miller’s 2010 letter encouraged us to be “ardent witnesses to the dignity of human life,” and Father Larry Lynn, our pro-life chaplain, continues to lead with compassion and clarity.

Today, all 77 parishes have been invited to participate. Whether by joining the vigil at 32nd and Willow, hosting Eucharistic adoration, or praying the Reverence for Life prayer, every effort unites us in responding to 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Could The B.C. Catholic help spark renewed interest in parishes that haven’t yet joined? This is the largest coordinated pro-life witness in the world — and well worth promoting.

Nancy Lim
Member, 40 Days for Life Coordinating Team
Vancouver

When the Archdiocese moved its central office from Robson Street, the homeless shelter remained on site for another seven years thanks to Archbishop Miller, who secured an agreement with the developer to keep the doors open until new accommodations were found.

That meant 100 to 120 homeless men had a warm bed every night and coffee in the morning. Yes, the freight elevator sometimes failed, the ceiling leaked, the washers broke, and staff worked through power outages by flashlight.

Do you struggle to handle criticism well? Do you get defensive even when you know there’s room to grow? 

Fr. Mike Schmitz discusses how to handle criticism, exploring three primary approaches: denial, acceptance, and gratitude. He emphasizes the importance of discerning what part of the criticism is true, acknowledging those truths, and discarding the falsehoods to avoid unnecessary self-condemnation.

In a message for Sea Sunday, Cardinal Michael Czerny acknowledged that while seafarers witness the “boundless beauty” of the seas, they also endure its “physical, spiritual, and social darkness.”

The Catholic Church observes Sea Sunday on the second Sunday of July each year, praying and advocating for seafarers and all who work at sea.

Ahead of this year’s observance, Cardinal Czerny, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, released a reflection on the often-overlooked labour of seafarers.

He began by highlighting the millions of workers in the maritime industry — from ship crews to dockworkers, coast guard personnel, and customs officers — whose “hidden efforts,” he wrote, bring many of our daily necessities to shore.

“Today as well as in the past,” he wrote, “seafaring can entail absence from home and land, for months and even years. Both the seafarers and their families may miss significant moments in the other’s life.”

In addition to long separations, many seafarers are “threatened by injustices, exploitation, and inequality,” the Cardinal said.

He also praised the Church’s seafarers’ ministry, which provides pastoral care and advocates for the rights of maritime workers. Known internationally as Stella Maris — Latin for “Star of the Sea,” an ancient title for the Blessed Virgin Mary — the ministry operates in hundreds of ports around the world.

This “ministry of the sea,” Czerny wrote, helps “bring the peripheral into the centre” by encountering maritime workers in person and in prayer, improving their material and spiritual conditions, defending their dignity and rights, and promoting stronger international cooperation.

In the second half of his message, Cardinal Czerny reflected on two episodes in Church history connected to the sea.

First, he recalled the Apostle Paul’s journey to Corinth — a major port city — where Paul found a large following but soon faced divisions within the new Christian community. Czerny said Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians offers encouragement today to “work for increased unity, not only among people who are different from each other, but also among people who are experiencing division and mutual tensions.”

He also noted how the sea has long served as a channel for evangelization. “The Church today,” he wrote, “can draw inspiration from the inhabitants of shoreside communities who were the first to hear the utterly new message of Christ from seafaring apostles and other missionaries.”

“We cannot,” Czerny concluded, “be open to life’s possibilities if we prefer the comforts of the familiar.”

In the Archdiocese of Vancouver, parishes are invited to include seafarers, as well as port chaplains and volunteers who support them, in the prayers of the faithful.

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued a two-page Note on Prayer for the Jubilee of Hope. The note, written by the bishops’ Commission for Doctrine, outlines characteristics and forms of Christian prayer, and concludes by sharing prayer resources, compiled by the bishops’ Ad hoc Committee for the Jubilee.

Published as part of the CCCB’s ongoing efforts to encourage spiritual renewal during the jubilee year, the document invites the faithful to rediscover the heart of Christian life through prayer. 

It offers a reflection on how prayer connects believers more deeply with God and one another, and emphasizes that prayer is rooted in trust and hope.

This resource forms part of a wider national initiative to encourage participation in the jubilee, proclaimed by Pope Francis for 2025.

A Note on Prayer

Prayer is a universal human activity. It can be found in every country, in every period of human history, at every age of life. It expresses the awareness of a relationship with a Being greater than oneself, distinct from oneself, present within oneself.

Christian prayer is clearly marked by faith in God who has made himself known, not only as the Creator of the universe, but as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The faithful pray to the Father through the Son in the Spirit.

We learn to pray, just as we learn to speak, walk or sing. The Gospel offers a profound insight into this. Impressed by Jesus’ prayer, the disciples ask him to teach them how to pray: he teaches them the “Our Father,” with its two poles: God and humanity. Several other Gospel passages show Jesus at prayer, in close contact with his Father (abba = dad), jubilant under the action of the Holy Spirit (Mt 11:25–27), in anguish before death (Lk 22:39–46), and confident on the Cross (Mt 27:46; Lk 23:46). The great prayer recounted in chapter 17 of Saint John’s Gospel reveals the heart of Christ.

Prayer is personal, that is, it expresses and enriches the faith of each person, unique and precious in God’s eyes. It is also communal, since it is lived in union with others, whether physically or spiritually present, those living in this world and those who have already entered into eternity. It is spiritual:

“The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” (Rom 8:26)

Prayer takes on different hues: adoration before God’s unfathomable mystery, thanksgiving for his countless and unceasing benefits, petition in the face of daily difficulties, intercession for our sisters and brothers in humanity. It can be vocal (out loud), mental (in the mind through meditation); the body participates (seated to listen; kneeling to adore and implore), eyes closed and recollected.

Pilgrims will once again take to trails, parks, and parish pathways this summer as two popular pilgrimage series invite Catholics to walk in prayer and fellowship.

Fraser Valley Camino | July 22–25

Now in its third year, the Fraser Valley Camino will lead pilgrims 83 km over four days, from St. Anthony’s Parish in Agassiz to St. James in Abbotsford. The route passes through St. Mary’s in Chilliwack, then Yarrow and Sumas, ending on the Feast of St. James the Greater.

Organized by St. James Parish and part of the Jubilee Year’s theme of “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Camino offers a chance to grow in faith through shared prayer, walking, and reflection. Pilgrims are welcome to walk the entire route or join for shorter segments.

Registration closes Monday, July 14. For details, visit beholdvancouver.org/events or contact the parish at 604-864-8800 or stjamesabbotsford@gmail.com.

Holy Family Caminos | July & August

In Whistler, Our Lady of the Mountains Parish is again offering its Holy Family Caminos — a series of walking pilgrimages with daily Mass and retreat-style reflection. Pilgrims must bring their own food and gear for the wilderness treks.

• August 17–22: St. Joseph’s, Squamish to Our Lady of the Mountains (96 km). A challenging six-day backpacking pilgrimage through remote terrain, with five nights of camping.
    Cost: $25 admin fee plus $18 group campsite fee.
• August 29–31: Mount Currie to Our Lady of the Mountains (50 km). A three-day route with two nights of camping.
    Cost: $25 admin fee.

Pilgrims will hike scenic trails and spend time in silence and community, with daily liturgy and reflection along the way.

To register or request packing lists and waiver forms, contact whistlercatholicchurch@telus.net.

Whistler Hiking Masses | July–August

The parish is also offering short outdoor Masses on local trails this summer. All start at 9 a.m. on Saturdays:

• July 12: Blueberry Trail (2 km)
• July 26: Train Wreck (2.6 km)
• August 9: Rainbow Falls (5 km)
• August 23: Loggers Lake (2 km)

Your voice matters! Join the conversation by submitting a Letter to the Editor here.  

My 6-year-old daughter and I recently started reading chapter books together. The experience of a narrative slowly unfolding mesmerizes her. The story, “Wildsmith,” by Liz Flanagan, pulls her in, capturing her interest and holding it tightly over the days it takes us to complete the book. Each night she begs for “just one more chapter” and scans the occasional illustration for hints at the upcoming plot. These encouraging signs of a lifelong reader warm the hearts of her bookworm parents. 

What a gift to journey into a story with someone experiencing it for the first time. What a blessing for the seasoned reader to wade into the narrative alongside someone completely unaware of the tried-and-true tropes and where the winding stream of plot will whisk them. 

The wonder, excitement, and sheer enjoyment of these first encounters with a story convey magic to the reader. Reading alongside my daughter reminds me of that time long ago when I first cracked open a beloved book; the first time I came across a lamppost in a snowy wood, or a hobbit snug in his hole until a knock sounded on the door. 

These moments of discovery linger with us as readers. They grant us a glimpse of something beyond our world and yet intrinsically connected to our own experience. We need to be reminded of these original moments of magic, of those times in our lives when the story was fresh and more powerful for it. 

My daughters remind me of this wonder of discovery in more than fiction. When we read stories from Scripture, their reactions are undiluted by familiarity. Each plot point is baffling and at times frustrating for them. Their flabbergasted interruptions of: “They put Mary in a stable? With animals? Why wouldn’t anyone give up their hotel room?!” are all valid questions. Their practical queries raise similarly astute concerns, “If God gave Adam and Eve clothes made from animal fur, which animals had to die? Or did God just make fur without the animals?” 

Their reactions make me think — why don’t we consider these things more deeply as adults? We should be outraged about the Son of God being born in squalor; we should ask what the fall meant for the animals. We too need to engage with Scripture as if it is our first time reading it, with the eyes and hearts of children, taking in every detail and asking the hard questions. 

Whether it’s desensitization after years of hearing the stories, or mere laziness, I often lack the vivacity of my children when reading Scripture. My oldest daughter cannot get enough of stories from the Bible.

The global success of Angel Studio’s The Chosen has demonstrated that audiences are hungry to see the stories of Scripture honored through excellent filmmaking. Amazon Studios has responded with an excellent offering of their own: House of David. 

House of David is a multi-season Biblical drama that depicts the unlikely rise of the young shepherd-boy David as he ascends to the throne of Israel and the correspondent demise of David’s predecessor, King Saul. The first season was released in Spring 2025 and it follows David throughout his teenage years as he journeys towards his climactic confrontation with the giant Goliath. It is a sweeping story that deftly follows a contingent of compelling characters as they journey through primitive warfare, tender romance, disconcerting prophecies and the intrigues of a kingdom that is torn between the call of God and the ambition of man. 

I found that House of David offers artistic excellence while also remaining steadfast in its recounting of Biblical truth. The show takes creative liberties, but they do so in a way that remains true to the overall truth of Scripture. This is not a secularized version of King David’s story: God is embedded and honored at the forefront of the entire show. The script manages to convey the deep, spiritual nature of the story without betraying the audience with corny sentimentality or preachy exposition. 

I was personally struck by one of the show’s central themes: the experience of receiving a calling from the Lord. God speaks intimately to many of the show’s lead characters and He calls them forth with challenging prophecies that often bewilder or surprise them. Along with the theme of calling, a theme of waiting upon the Lord runs throughout the show. David – along with other characters – clearly hears the call of God upon his life and he has the understandable urge to immediately act on what he has heard. But God is gentle and quiet in moments when thunder and action might have been expected. An anointing comes… and then a call to wait and trust. The mystery of God’s pacing weighs heavily on David. 

Multiple characters wrestle with a desire to do great things with their lives, to fulfill what they believe is the call upon their lives, to satiate a great longing within themselves, and they are met with the mutually confounding and consoling realization that their lives are not their own. Their desires and calling are of Divine origin and as such the fulfillment of desire and the realization of their calling is primarily the work of God, not the work of man. The show maintains an urgent pace while leading the audience through the tension of characters who are wrestling with their desire to move and their call to wait – and the consequences that unfold when man chooses to act in contradiction to the voice of God. 

In this episode of Way of the Heart, Jake & Brett are joined by long time friend, Peter White. Peter is a Registered Clinical Counselor that has known Jake professionally for years and watched Brett hoop during his prime basketball years. They discuss a wide variety of topics including the beauty and difficulties of marriage, how men and women respond differently to conflict, how conflict can lead to great things & the importance of good fathers. This is one of our deepest conversations yet and we hope that it speaks to your heart.

Key Points

• The beauty and difficulties of marriage.

• A discussion about how people, especially men, get married without an understanding of what it takes for a marriage to thrive.

• Trends in boy’s/men’s personal growth since the feminist movement

• Psychologically, men tend to have a fight or flight mentality. Women tend to have a tend and mend mentality. This dates back to the earliest humans. Men tend to fight alone. Women work together. 

• Conflict in marriage can be generative.

• The importance of fatherhood. Inviting our sons to something higher by letting them punch a little above their weight.

• The distorted desire to build an empire instead of serving your neighbor.

• How to drop the facade and get to more of your true self.

  References
  Peter’s Website
  Warren Farrell’s Website

Fr. Mike explains how being at home with our family is one of God’s favorite ways to make us holy—if we are honest about the areas where we need to grow in our relationships with family members. 

Fr. Mike has observed that college students often have a profound encounter with Jesus through their college’s Catholic community. They find that they are praying more, receiving the sacraments more, participating in more service opportunities, and so on. Then they get back home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or—in the most recent cases—a lockdown. They realize, in their interactions with their family that they’re not as holy as they thought they were. 

Why do we struggle to be loving toward those whom we claim to love the most? It’s harder to love family members sometimes because—Fr. Mike explains—you didn’t get to choose this group, and they can make demands on you. 

It’s easy to be generous when it’s on your own terms. Our relationships with our family can reveal the impatience and lack of generosity inside us—the unedited version of us. 

Be honest with God and admit that the things you thought you defeated are still somewhere inside you. Surrender these things to Jesus. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with your family. They love you. Ask family members where they want you to grow this week. 

Pursue holiness at home. Like St. Teresa of Calcutta said, find your own Calcutta.

My get-up-and-go has got up and went!

Is that statement merely a joke, or a declaration of fatigue—or a sign of something worse, perhaps even deadly? In this second in a series of a renewed look at the seven deadly sins (part one is HERE), we’ll be looking at the sin with the unfortunate name of “sloth.”

“Sloth” suggests a lack of industriousness, a lack of “busy-ness.” Unfortunately, overemphasizing that aspect of this sin can mask today’s more common and deadly forms. Let’s replace “sloth” with the Greek term “acedia” meaning “lack of care.” We’ll see why in a moment.

I’ve observed students in the library, with their laptops lit up, their screens cluttered with various social media programs, some streaming videos, a game running, and maybe, just maybe, something school related. At the same time, they’ve got some form of audio stuffed into their ears. Their eyes and hands are on their phones. Somewhere nearby, there may be a textbook or school-related notebook. They’re very active, but little is getting done. They will leave the library tired, but with no sense of satisfaction, and little or nothing accomplished. They say that they’re “multi-tasking”; I say that they’re “multi-slacking.” Why do I describe such frenetic people as slackers? 

They’ve spent an enormous amount of energy doing lots of little things very briefly; they’ve scattered themselves widely even while sitting in one place; they’ve attended to little, and invested themselves in even less. They’ve accomplished nothing and worse than nothing. The most likely end result of all that time and energy spent is that they’ve further entrenched in themselves an addiction to electronic stimuli, while wasting precious resources and failing in their duties.

They view this dynamic as acceptable because they see it as inevitable—they just don’t see any other way of proceeding, and they have a lack of care—acedia—for their duties as students. This dynamic is not unique to students; workers of every kind, and even vowed religious (who should certainly know better!) cultivate this restless and fruitless way of proceeding. What’s the spiritual import of all this?

Acedia, according to Aquinas, is a kind of sadness, “a species of sadness according to the world.” I describe it as an interior sulky whining and pouting because doing the right thing (including doing one’s duty) is often hard, often quite unglamorous, and, very often, not immediately fulfilling or stimulating. Typically understood, sloth is what prompts us to hit the snooze button repeatedly, or, worse, prompts us to refuse to get out of bed at all. But the restless, fidgety “multi-slacking” I described above is also acedia according to Aquinas, because one sets one’s energy on the trivial, rather than on the more demanding (and more rewarding) spiritual goods.