Author: admin

At the reception before Archbishop Richard Smith’s installation Mass, Monsignor Gregory Smith, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, offered the following prayer, invoking the intercession of three beloved saints:

Loving Lord, on this occasion of such great joy and hope, ordinary words seem inadequate. But your saints can inspire our prayer… 

With St. Francis of Assisi, we pray that you will make our new Archbishop an instrument of your peace: that he will continue with your help the work of reconciliation—in our homes and in our hearts, within the Church, in our friendships with other Christians and those of other faiths, with all men and women of good will, and in our precious relationships with Canada’s First Nations, 

With St. Augustine, we pray that Archbishop Smith will be given the heartfelt support of every member of this local Church, mindful that he carries out his ordained ministry as bishop within the Christian family to which he belongs through baptism. 

And with St. John Vianney, we pray that as he works, his labours will be blessed, that as he walks, God will bless his steps, and that if he suffers, God will bless his tears.  

May Archbishop Smith experience every day these words of the Cure of Ars, the patron saint of priests: “How great, how noble, how consoling it is to do everything and in the company and under the eyes of the good Lord.” 

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

The Principle and Foundation is not just a theological idea — it is an invitation to a life of clarity, peace, and freedom.

Every generation asks the same question in different ways: What is the purpose of life? Is it success, the pursuit of happiness, or the accumulation of wealth and comfort? St. Ignatius of Loyola, writing in the 16th century, offered a strikingly different answer — one that remains as challenging today as it was then.

For Ignatius, human life has a clear purpose: to know, love, and serve God. Everything else — our ambitions, relationships, even our struggles — must be seen in light of this ultimate goal.

This idea forms the foundation of his Spiritual Exercises, a work that has shaped Jesuit spirituality and the broader Church for centuries. At its core is the Principle and Foundation, a brief but radical statement that reorients how we see ourselves, the world, and God.

More than a theological premise, it is an invitation to freedom — freedom from attachment, from illusions of control, and from anything that keeps us from our true purpose.

What is the Principle and Foundation?

The Principle and Foundation is the starting point for Ignatian spirituality. It lays out the reason for human existence and the relationship between people and the world. Ignatius begins with a striking declaration:

“Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. All other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created.”

This statement is simple but profound. It means that our lives are not random, and we are not here merely to seek personal fulfillment. Our ultimate purpose is to know, love, and serve God. Everything else — our talents, possessions, relationships, even our struggles — should be understood in light of this purpose.

The call to radical freedom

This does not mean that Ignatius calls for a rejection of the world. What he aims for is rather a proper ordering of our relationship to it. He explains:

“From this it follows that man is to use these things to the extent that they help him to attain his end, and he must rid himself of them in so far as they prove a hindrance to him.”

This idea is the heart of Ignatian detachment, or holy indifference. It is not a call to apathy, but to radical freedom. We are not to be controlled by our desires for success, health, wealth, or pleasure — nor are we to be crushed by their absence.

This story was updated May 25.

Archbishop Richard Smith’s May 23 installation Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral was resplendent in pageantry, flawless in organization, and liturgically solemn, and with thunderous applause, the faithful who filled Holy Rosary Cathedral welcomed Vancouver’s new Archbishop.

In addition to the overflow crowd that had to be accommodated in Rosary Hall next door, the livestreamed Mass was viewed by more than 7,000 people online. 

Also attending were Canada’s Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic; Cardinal Gerald Lacroix, the Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada; Bishop William McGrattan, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; as well as bishops from across Canada, including many who were once priests for the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

The installation began with the Archbishop standing outside the cathedral doors and knocking three times with a gavel, symbolizing Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:20, “I stand at the door and knock.”

In his homily, Archbishop Smith said he was struck by two things: the traffic, and the monumental boundaries that define Vancouver, from the ocean and the mountains, or the American border to the south.

“I look forward to learning how these confines have come to shape the culture of the peoples they circumscribe,” he said.

The Archbishop said he can already see the spiritual world of Vancouver, without borders, that “exists in the very heart of this area.” Meditating on the multi-cultural reality of the city by quoting Peter in Acts 10, he said, “’God shows no partiality.’ The promise of salvation in Christ extends to all, without demarcation.”

The same universal mission of the Church that brought missionaries to British Columbia 200 years now compels the faithful to evangelize the city, he said. “We are blessed with the presence of peoples who represent a wide array of nations and cultures … we need simply to walk across the street, get on SkyTrain, or go to work to find ourselves in a vast missionary field.”

Archbishop Smith praised the “extensive and varied programs of faith and formation, creative communications, and missionary outreach” in parishes, Catholic institutions, and lay associations.

“There is a wonderful dynamism here, an enthusiasm for the Gospel, and I am eager to collaborate with all of you,” he said.

“Our world needs Jesus Christ!” said Archbishop Smith. “So, like Saint Paul, ‘we do not lose heart’ but move forward in hope. The message we announce is “Jesus Christ as Lord”, risen and alive, whose light reveals the truth of God and ourselves, and whose mercy alone has the power to overcome all sin and transform the world in view of its salvation.”

One of the first Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist to come to Vancouver 10 years ago is leaving, at the same time as the archbishop who invited her to the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Sister John Mary Sullivan was one of the first Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist to move to Vancouver in August 2015, alongside Sister Angela Marie Castellani, FSE. The community now has four sisters serving in Vancouver. 

Sister Sullivan’s departure marks a significant moment, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the congregation’s service in the Archdiocese. 

It also comes in the same year that Archbishop J. Michael Miller—who originally invited the order to the archdiocese—steps down from episcopal office. Archbishop Miller has been an outspoken supporter of women’s religious communities in Vancouver and leaves office having invited more than a dozen communities of women religious to the archdiocese.

Sister Sullivan is leaving one week to the day before Archbishop Richard Smith’s installation at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Archbishop Smith celebrated Mass with diocesan staff and offered a warm farewell to Sister Sullivan, who served as the Archdiocese’s associate director of ministries and outreach.

“[Sister,] we are thanking God today for how he has worked in your life in so many different ways,” said Archbishop Smith in his homily.

He said Sister Sullivan’s example should encourage others to ponder how God uses them. 

Despite life’s “ups and downs, the mistakes and successes, and the regrets and gratitudes,” God is preparing us to enter his kingdom, he said.

In addition to her work in the Ministries and Outreach Office, Sister Sullivan was a popular and sought-after speaker on topics ranging from faith and mental health, to vocations and discernment, as well as marriage and family. 

In an interview with The B.C. Catholic, Sister Sullivan said her time in Vancouver has been enriching and she is grateful for the many families she was privileged to meet.

“My final thought is just gratitude,” she said, “for the opportunity to encounter so many beautiful families and couples [and] gratitude for the team that I worked with.”

Sister Sullivan leaves for the Franciscan Life Center, a licensed outpatient mental health facility run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist near their motherhouse in Meriden, Connecticut. There she will be mentored into the role of director and provide clinical support to individuals, couples, and families.

Sister Sullivan said the highlight of her time in the Ministries and Outreach Office was last summer’s Family Camp, a culmination of years of planning and work by her team and the perfect capstone.

Rare is the occasion when a person chooses their own name.

In most cases we use the names our parents gave us. Mine puts me in the interesting position of having an intriguing name in Canada, but one that’s common and easy to pronounce in Poland. Its meaning (from the Latin agnus, meaning lamb), coupled with the fact that it is both unique and ordinary, has carried me through 30-some years with certain thoughts about what it says about me.

My husband and I have named three children. As I’ve pondered the meanings and significance of each one, I’ve thought of my hopes and prayers for each child and wondered how their names will influence their perceptions of themselves as they grow.

But every once in a while, we get to choose our own names. I recently learned how significant it can be for grandparents to choose what their grandchildren call them. Not everyone identifies with “grandma” or “grandpa.” Some prefer Oma and Opa, Nana and Papa, or Yaya, or Gramps, or Pops …

The names we choose are always in the context of relationship, providing clarity and flavour to what we call each other, and they say something about our identities and hopes.

The shift in name signifies that something bigger is happening. A new chapter is opening. New lines are being added to the web of our relationships.

The newly elected Holy Father has called himself Pope Leo XIV, signifying something about his identity, dreams, plans, and relationship with all of us. He explained that it marks a connection to Pope Leo XIII and a commitment to an emphasis on Catholic social teaching, justice, and human rights.

It may be surprising that there is no official rule about what a Pope’s name can be. It doesn’t have to be the name of a saint, for example. Pope Innocent I (401–417) just continued using his birth name. (He was later canonized, so all Innocents after him are named after a saint.)

The name choice is completely at the discretion of the Pope. The first Pontiff to choose a name change was Pope John II (532–535). Before he was elected, his name was Mercurius, a name inspired by the pagan deity Mercury – and presumably, he saw that as inappropriate for a Pope.

Not one Pope has dared to choose the name Peter II, out of reverence for St. Peter.

Intriguingly, the name change does date all the way back to Peter – though he did not choose it himself. Jesus told a fisherman named Simon, “you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church.”

Habemus Papam! We have a Pope — Pope Leo XIV! On this joyous occasion, Fr. Mike encourages us to welcome Pope Leo XIV with open hearts.

He reminds us that before forming opinions or drawing comparisons to past popes, we should first offer him the respect, trust, and prayers he deserves as our Holy Father.

Some folks maintain the notion that Jesus said we “have to love people” but “don’t have to like them”. Besides the fact that Jesus never said this… there are other reasons this false idea is holding you back from loving the way you were made to love.

Today, Fr. Mark-Mary dives deep into what it means to “like” someone and how we can show true, authentic love to everyone (and… in fact… that is our calling).

Over the years, I’ve worked for publishers who came from the business world, and for publishers who came up through the newsroom. The former got upset when advertisers got upset. The latter … they were pretty much always upset.

For the past three decades, though, all my publishers have been bishops. They didn’t seem to get upset. They just got determined.

I remember Archbishop Exner taking public stands that drew so much anger the Vancouver Police advised him to stay away from his office windows at night.

Archbishop Roussin had the courage to take on TELUS publicly when it considered entering the pornography market, and he did that while battling mental illness.

Then Archbishop Miller arrived, bearing the motto Veritati Servire—to serve the truth. It didn’t take long to see he also wasn’t one to shy away from what needed doing.

Shortly after he got here, I asked him to climb up to the roof of 150 Robson Street with a group of Catholic school students. I wanted a front-page photo of him, the kids, and a Canadian flag, with B.C. Place in the background to welcome the world to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

It was probably the last thing he wanted to do that day, but up he went, climbing the stairs and posing until we got the shot just right.

Over the years, he tackled the hard things. He confronted what needed confronting. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I’m also sure there were times he wished his newspaper would keep quiet. Or that some stories or letters had stayed unpublished. Delicate situations can get more awkward when mishandled in the media.

But he always listened when I asked for his ear. He understood the importance of readers knowing what was happening, and of giving them a space to share their thoughts.

There were certainly times when that openness made things messier. But he never stopped the paper from publishing news, opinions, or letters. He never put restrictions on the stories we reported or the views we printed. Although there was one time when an editorial crossed the line from political to personal, and he let me know it.

Still, he believed the newspaper was a place where the voices of the faithful could be heard. Not pushing the boundaries of faith, but the limits of comfort. People make noise when they’re uncomfortable. And the Church should be a place where that noise can be heard.

Pope Francis says people are messy. The world is messy. Newspapers are literally messy. But Archbishop Miller made space for the mess—for the voices in the pews.

He ordained permanent deacons, established a First Nations ministry, and opened the Archdiocese’s sexual abuse files.

As the universal Church looks twoard the papacy of Leo XIV, Vancouver Catholics celebrated their last Eucharist with Archbishop J. Michael Miller at Holy Rosary Cathedral on May 13.

Feelings were bittersweet and well summarized by Deacon Zak Santiago in a comment to The B.C. Catholic.

Deacon Santiago said that while the Mass was a celebration of Archbishop Miller’s 18-year legacy and his 50 years of priesthood, “there is a tender melancholy as we say farewell to someone who brought such new beginnings to our diocese.”

“I might be minorly biased,” the deacon said, “because he has been my immediate shepherd and ordained me, but I truly believe he is one of the greatest bishops we could have ever asked for. There are some bittersweet feelings, but also it is a celebration.”

Precious Blood Parish Parishioner Icelina Kroutil told The B.C. Catholic she will miss Archbishop Miller and remembers when he first arrived in Vancouver.

“I went to Our Lady of Sorrow for the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” she told The B.C. Catholic. “He gave the ultimate homily about the image of Guadalupe. I remember telling him ‘Father, I have been here for so many years. I am Mexican, and I have never heard such a beautiful homily. I will always keep him in my heart. I will pray for him. I will miss him dearly.”

On the other end of the spectrum, younger Catholics, some of whom have no strong memories of previous archbishops, reflected on their sense of the magnitude of Archbishop Miller’s presence in the local Church.

Rachel Wong, a parishioner at St. Matthew’s in Surrey, said what many young adults were feeling. “I feel like it’s the end of an era, because I really started to pay attention to my faith at a particular part of my life when Archbishop Miller was the face of the Church here in Vancouver.”

“When this is all I’ve ever known, it will be interesting to have that change. It’s a bit exciting, but also sad. It’s bittersweet [to see him go] because obviously he deserves the rest—it is long overdue for him.”

Annabella and Daniel Ma, members of the farewell Mass choir and founders of the local Sacred Music Sunday apostolate, said the Archbishop inspired them and always supported their musical ministry.

Both have memories of his episcopacy stretching back to childhood.

“He confirmed me in Grade 7!” said Annabella. “I don’t really remember the past bishop, so he’s always been ‘the Archbishop.’ I was getting emotional during the Mass.”

For over a year, The B.C. Catholic has been publishing a series of articles that examine more than a century of truth, healing, and reconciliation between the Archdiocese of Vancouver and Canada’s Indigenous peoples. The series has highlighted the complex history of that relationship, the Archdiocesan Synod’s First Nations recommendations, and progress made through dialogue and prayer. This week, the focus is Archbishop J. Michael Miller’s legacy of acknowledging the Church’s role in the residential school system and committing to ongoing healing and reconciliation.

First Nations Ministry

In 2009, Archbishop Miller announced the creation of the Archdiocese’s First Nations Ministry Office. Its mandate was to implement the Archbishop’s pastoral vision, oversee a strategic plan for First Nations ministry, and promote healing. Rennie Nahanee, a parishioner of St. Paul’s in North Vancouver, member of the Squamish Nation, and former Aboriginal liaison to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, was appointed coordinator.

At a June 2009 celebration marking the 125th anniversary of St. Paul’s Indian Catholic Church, Archbishop Miller echoed Pope Benedict XVI’s sorrow over the suffering caused by residential schools. “It is necessary for me, as Archbishop of Vancouver,” he said, “to acknowledge, regret, and repent for ways in which some members of the Church have failed to respect the cultural differences among us.”

Residential Schools and Structural Sin

In 2010, Msgr. Mark Hagemoen, Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services for the Archdiocese, and Sister Marie Zarowny provincial for the Sisters of Saint Ann in Western Canada represented the Archdiocese at a residential school awareness event hosted by the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. They pledged to dismantle discriminatory attitudes and foster conditions where First Nations have a rightful place and voice.

A year later, Archbishop Miller awarded Sister Zarowny an honorary doctorate, thanking her for challenging the Church to embrace its social teaching. With the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) coming to Vancouver, he said: “We must be especially alert to the great questions of reconciliation of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples and other Canadians.”

In 2013, the bishops of British Columbia and Yukon, including Archbishop Miller, issued a letter inviting Catholics to attend the Vancouver TRC event in September and expressed deep regret and apoligized for abuses that took place in residential schools.

At the TRC gathering on Sept.