In the footsteps of saints: Ontario student travels 2,500 kilometres to attend Vancouver’s Spirit Day
Most kids who go to Spirit Day get there by bus, but not Nguavase (Avase) Tsevende, who travelled all the way from Kenora, Ont., with her mother, Natasha, to take part in the annual conference.
Nguavase was born in Vancouver, but her family moved to her mom’s hometown of Kenora in 2016. It’s a small town of only 15,000 people, with the closest city being Winnipeg. It’s not exactly the middle of nowhere, but it’s close.
“Other than a Bible camp, there isn’t a large group of kids practising [their faith] in our town,” said Natasha. “I was excited to have my daughter be a part of [Spirit Day] and see that there are lots of young people who are active in their faith.”
She reached out to the organizers to see if they could attend. Then she said a prayer and managed to buy cheap plane tickets.
Apex Ministries, one of the annual headliners for the conference, was a major selling point for Natasha. Having worked in youth ministry herself, she hoped Apex’s approach would resonate with her daughter—and she was right.
“I think that she was really inspired by it,” said Natasha. When they returned home, Avase “immediately started to find the music and sing the songs. She was able to connect with the messaging that Apex had and loved how fun it was.”
Another highlight was the sense of community. None of their Vancouver friends attended the second day of the conference, but that didn’t matter. Students from Blessed Sacrament Elementary in Vancouver welcomed them warmly, especially after learning Avase, like them, was enrolled in a French immersion school.
The whole trip was a whirlwind—they arrived on Friday and flew out Sunday—but Natasha said, “It was an adventure; it was totally worth it.”
Reflecting on the importance of choosing saints for their upcoming confirmations, Archbishop J. Michael Miller told the 1,700 Grade 7 with some heavenly advice. “The saints are urging you on by their prayers and by the example they have left us.”
The annual event took place at Chandos Pattison Auditorium in Surrey on Nov. 16 and 17. Supported by more than 100 volunteers from across the Archdiocese of Vancouver, the event took place on two separate days to accommodate the large numbers.
The Archbishop pointed to the parallels with Pentecost for Jesus’ disciples. “Confirmation will be for you, dear young people, what that first Pentecost was: the descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the disciples.”
Canada not immune to Netherlands violence: Catholic, Jewish voices
Amsterdam today, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or Calgary tomorrow?
Jewish and Catholic voices in Canada are concerned that anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli soccer fans in the Netherlands on Nov. 7 could be replicated elsewhere, including Canada.
Richard Marceau, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) vice president and general counsel, and Father Deacon Andrew Bennett, faith communities director for Christian think tank Cardus, told The Catholic Register that Canada is vulnerable to the hatred seen in the riots in Amsterdam, which hospitalized five people and injured as many as 30 others. At least 71 individuals have been arrested.
“There are signs out there, and the people that I’ve been speaking to in the Catholic community who are trying to build ties of friendship and support with the Canadian Jewish community are very concerned by this coming to Canada,” said Marceau.
Father Deacon Bennett is one of the Catholic figures Marceau is referencing. Canada’s former ambassador for religious freedom established the Canadian Christian Declaration on Anti-Semitism on Sept. 23. The document has now been signed by more than 700 people, including religious leaders such as Archbishop J. Michael Miller.
Father Deacon Bennett told The Catholic Register, “we should be under no illusion” that Canada is immune to such violent riots, where Israeli soccer fans attending a game in Amsterdam were viciously attacked.
“If we look at the protests that have taken place, and I’ve been in the midst of some of these protests walking through Montreal or Toronto on various business trips,” said Father Deacon Bennett. “The vitriol, the very visceral anger and the hatred that is present in these protests is frightening.
“Our leaders have been weak in denouncing these and taking action,” he said. “We have to recognize that not all publicly expressed opinions are valid, and I’ve written recently about what seems to be the descent into moral relativism in this country where we can no longer detect good from evil or objective truth.”
Marceau, a former Bloc Quebecois MP, is grateful to Canadian Christians and Catholics for their solidarity and encouraged them to continue “speaking out about their values and the kind of society they want to live in.”
“It would shock many Catholics to know that to go into a synagogue, even on Shabbat, you have to go through rings of security,” said Marceau. “It’s unnoted. Can we in Canada truly talk about freedom of religion and conscience if you cannot in security and safety practice your religion, which is of course a very strong and important and central value for the Catholic Church?”
Echoing St. John Paul II’s 1987 comments about Jews being Christians’ “elder brothers in the faith,” Marceau emphasized that it is pivotal for the “elder brothers to be safe, respected and able to live true and free as Jews in Canada.”
Sculptor shares journey from nihilism to faith at Catholic college fundraiser
Michelangelo once described his artistic process by saying, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” World-renowned Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz made a similar observation in his keynote speech at this year’s Corpus Christi–St. Mark’s College fundraising breakfast.
“I look at this school, and it’s like a studio, and the clay is like the students,” he told the hundreds in attendance. “I see this beautiful environment that is so needed within our mainstream nihilistic culture,” he said. “These new creations, these new students coming up” are the Church’s best response “to fight the nihilism that is in our world today.”
Schmalz spoke about his transition from being a student steeped in the avant-garde of the modern art world to becoming the deeply Catholic artist who, in 2019, had the privilege of having one of his statues, Angels Unaware, installed at St. Peter’s Square in Rome—the first sculpture to be installed there in four centuries.
“If it wasn’t shocking, it wasn’t artwork,” he said about his early creations, reflecting on how he spent his late teens and early art school years copying the likes of Jackson Pollock. But he couldn’t sustain the effort.
Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz presents an example of cynical modern art during the Corpus Christi–St. Mark’s College fundraising breakfast.
He had become steeped in the very nihilism that Catholicism opposes. Over time, creating modern art became unsustainable and took its toll. Schmalz experienced what he describes as an “artistic meltdown.”
The modern art world was too far removed from the masters who had inspired him early in life: the Michelangelos, Da Vincis, and Berninis of the past.
The masters “had something that the art schools were not telling you,” he said. “In order to have great artwork, you needed great subject matter.”
“You needed a subject matter that had substance,” he continued. “I realized that form really is important to sculpture—that how it’s presented can really deepen one’s understanding of what’s going on behind the piece.”
He concluded that Catholic Christian art was all he wanted to devote himself to.
“Our faith is not an ornament; it requires participation and involvement,” he said. “The amount of work that can go into celebrating Christ and glorifying our eternal truths is infinite.”
In addition to his myriad works of art scattered around the globe, Schmalz’s Homeless Jesus statue can be seen outside the doors of Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver.
In his closing address, Corpus Christi–St. Mark’s College Chancellor, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, thanked attendees for supporting the school.
Churches glow red in honour of persecuted Christians
At Holy Rosary Cathedral, the lights in front of the rose window in the organ loft turned from blue to red.
Red light, illuminating St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto on the night of Nov. 20 stood in sharp contrast to the darkness of the city’s skyline.
Some 500 km to the east, the facade of Mary Queen of the World Cathedral and the dome of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, were also lit in red, as were other world-famous cathedrals including the Notre Dame Basilica in Paris.
In Ottawa, home to the embassies, high commissions and representative offices of 129 nations, the facade of the historic baronial-style mansion that serves as the embassy of Hungary, glowed red the same night.
Nov. 20 is marked as Red Wednesday, an annual event in which participating churches and secular institutions around the world light their buildings in red, the colour symbolizing blood and sacrifice, to raise a conspicuous red flag on Christian persecution around the world, an issue too often ignored by the international political elite.
St. Nicholas Parish in Langley held 24 hours of adoration to pray for persecuted Christians. (St. Nicholas Facebook)
Described as an international day of prayer, action and awareness about Christian persecution around the world, and launched in 2016 with the lighting up of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Red Wednesday is an initiative of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an international pontifical charity dedicated to supporting the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in need.
Red Wednesday, largely through the efforts of ACN’s UK office, has now grown exponentially into an annual international campaign.
“It’s a great way to remember those Christians who have lost their lives or are suffering for their faith,” Marie Claude Lalone, national director of ACN Canada, said. “Raising awareness is a good step, but it’s not enough. We need to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering.”
“This year, we need Red Wednesday more than ever,” Mario Bard, ACN Canada’s head of information, told The Catholic Register, citing the organization’s newly released report Persecuted and Forgotten. The report revealed that in more than 60 per cent of the 18 countries surveyed, human rights violations against Christians had increased since the last report that covered 2020-2022.
Bard said the focal point of violent attacks against Christians has shifted from the Middle East to Africa where Christians in such countries as Burkina Faso and Nigeria continue to bear the brunt of Islamic extremism, though it notes Christians in Iraq and Syria face constant pressures to leave their ancient homelands.
Couples find sacramental marriages ‘in God’s perfect timing’
Sometimes it just takes moving across the world to understand the value of a sacramental marriage. At least that’s what it took for Eddelyn and Mario John, two recent arrivals from the Philippines.
They were one of 19 couples whose marriages were sacramentally blessed at the Marriage Mass at St. Mary’s in Vancouver, one of three such events across the Archdiocese this year. In total 121 couples had their marriages convalidated this year, a remarkable increase from last years 42.
Eddelyn and Mario met almost two decades ago while Eddelyn was working at a farm supply store where Mario would come to purchase feed.
Things developed quickly, and the couple married after only three months of courting.
At the time, the couple embodied a certain cultural Catholicism. Mario’s family urged them to have a church wedding, but they declined.
“I always said we were good – it’s OK,” Eddelyn recalled. “As long as we always go to church every Sunday, it’s ok.”
Soon, they were pregnant, and their daughter was born before their first wedding anniversary.
Life continued apace, but something always felt like it could be better. They weren’t unhappy and had a good family life with their daughter. It wasn’t until they were apart that things clicked for Eddelyn and Mario.
In 2019, an opportunity arose for them to immigrate to Canada. One of Mario’s favourite uncles encouraged the couple to make the journey, but COVID delayed their plans, and he passed away before they made the move.
The pandemic delays complicated their applications. Eddelyn was finally accepted for a student visa last year. Because of delays with their daughter’s visa application, she made the trip alone, arriving in Canada in December 2023 to start her studies in business management.
At the first Canadian Mass she attended at St. Mary’s in Vancouver, someone announced that the Marriage Mass was coming up on Oct. 19 – the birthday of the beloved uncle who had passed away.
Eddelyn saw this as a sign, and she and Mario decided that if they could get their marriage sacramentally validated in Canada, they would.
“We want to be part of the seven sacraments of the Church,” said Mario.
As anyone dealing with Immigration Canada knows, getting the paperwork done can be a nightmare. Still, as fate would have it, everything was finalized in time for Mario to bring their daughter to Canada for the Marriage Mass.
Humility is nothing but truth
Pope Francis called humility “the base of Christian life.”
The Holy Father said, “This virtue is humility, the great antagonist of the most mortal of sins, namely pride.”
Pride and arrogance “swell the human heart, making us appear to be more than we are,” Francis said. Humility, however, “restores everything to its correct dimension: we are wonderful creatures, but we are limited, with qualities and flaws. From the beginning, the Bible reminds us that we are dust, and to dust we shall return (cf. Gen 3:19); indeed, ‘humble’ derives from humus, that is, earth. And yet delusions of omnipotence, which are so dangerous, often arise in the human heart, and this does us a great deal of harm.”
Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD, pointed out that “charity is the essence of Christian perfection,” and “humility is to charity what the foundation is to a building.”
There are two very beautiful definitions of humility: the first is “humility is nothing but truth,” and the second is “humility is thinking less about oneself.”
St. Vincent de Paul wrote, “The reason why God is so great a lover of humility is because He is the great lover of truth. Now humility is nothing but truth, while pride is nothing but lying.”
Jesus said, “Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29). Humility in words and deeds must flow from humility of the heart. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “An interior disposition to humility puts its seal upon the words, gestures, and acts by means of which that which is hidden within is manifested on the outside.”
There are two doctrinal truths that serve as the basis of humility: nothing and grace. We are created by God out of nothing. Father Gabriel wrote, “If we take away from ourselves what is of God, we will find that of ourselves we are nothing, or rather less than nothing, for nothingness is incapable of offending God, while we have this sad capability.”
St. Therese, the Little Flower, said, “The remembrance of my weakness is so constantly present to me that there is no room for vanity.”
In the supernatural order we need the grace of Jesus, who said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
Father Gabriel pointed out: “In order to perform even the tiniest supernatural act we need God’s help; we need actual grace which prevents us by its inspirations and accompanies us in the act until it is accomplished.”
St. Paul asked, “What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” (1 Cor 4:7).
Honouring Christ’s kingship: ‘Ruler of the kings of the earth’
Solemnity of Christ the King
First Reading: Dn 7:13-14
Second Reading: Rv 1:5-8
Gospel Reading: Jn 18:33b-37
The prophecy from Daniel in this Sunday’s First Reading is crucial to our recognition of Christ as King of the Universe, for Jesus used the term “Son of Man” to refer to himself about 80 times in the four Gospels.
The Church recognizes the “one who is Ancient of Days” as God the Father, and the “one like a son of man” as Christ who is God the Son made man for our salvation and who will come “with the clouds of heaven” to judge all “peoples, languages, and nations” at the end of the world.
Jesus himself said, just before he ascended to heaven, that “full authority” had been given to him “both in heaven and on earth.”
“Son of Man” is the title by which Jesus identified himself at his trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin. After his arrest, the council convened to try to frame a charge against him “so that they might put him to death.” Many “spoke against him falsely under oath, but their testimony did not agree,” for the authorities had had to arrest him hurriedly on hearing from Judas that he knew of their plot, and they had not had sufficient time to coach their witnesses.
The time before the Passover was growing short, and the Law of Moses did not allow the Jews to put anyone to death without the substantial agreement of two or more witnesses. So, in desperation, the high priest Caiaphas tried to force Jesus to incriminate himself.
“I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God,” he said. Jesus replied, “It is you who say it. But I tell you this: soon you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Evidently, Caiaphas recognized the implication, for he said, “He has blasphemed!” In other words, he realized that by quoting Daniel, Jesus was claiming to be God the Son, to whom God the Father had given “an everlasting dominion.”
By the Law of Moses, the penalty for blasphemy was death. Like other subjects of the Roman Empire, the Jews were allowed to administer their own laws, but they had to refer cases involving the death penalty to the Roman governor.
The Sanhedrin knew that the charge of blasphemy would not impress a Roman governor, for Romans believed that their emperors became “gods” themselves when they died.
Accordingly, the council changed its charge: “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and calling himself the Messiah, a king.”
Letters: photo could have used a scalpel
I was shocked to see the graphic photo showing doctors in surgery accompanying the story about Dr. Tim Kostamo who operated on Father James Hughes.
I am left wondering who the patient was in the photo and why such a moment was chosen for a photo.
I urge you to reconsider using such images in the future, respecting both the dignity of the patient and the sensitivities of your readership.
Lisa Marquis
Burnaby
(We cropped out the gory part of the Page 1 photo both online and in print. Unfortunately, when The Busy Catholic newsletter went out, it pulled the full image off our server without our realizing it. We also should have cropped the inside photo more. We regret that it happened. The photos were taken of Dr. Kostamo when he was on a medical mission to Ecuador and the patient is unidentified. – Editor)
I read Paul Schratz’s article about Kelsi Sheren “Returning from war to take on MAiD” and was shocked, so I went to listen to the interview with Jordan Peterson (whom I have the utmost respect for).
I always try to understand both sides of the issue, even when I can only agree with one side.
I found an article about an anesthesiologist rebutting the claims made by Kelsi Sheren. I am not claiming to support MAID, but if we are to be against it, the stand needs to be based on fact.
A fair presentation of facts should include both sides of the issue. I do not support MAID, but I am disappointed by what appears to be fear-mongering on the part of someone who may not have the knowledge base to ask the right questions for a proper presentation of the facts.
Greg Neufeldt
Saanichton
(The rebuttal comes from Dying With Dignity, and its “debunking” of Sheren’s information comes from Dr. Stefanie Green, Canada’s foremost euthanasia physician. The author does not name the anesthesiologist and puts a great deal of emphasis on Sheren’s not being a medical professional or drug specialist. Following her interview with Jordan Peterson, Sheren interviewed Dr. Joel Zivot, who has given expert testimony on the effects of euthanasia drugs and how they can cause an experience “akin to dying by waterboarding or drowning.” He corroborates Sheren’s account. Readers are invited to read all the arguments and draw their own conclusions. — Editor)
I was pleased to see the Oct. 28 article about obtaining a plenary indulgence between Nov. 1 and 8, but it was incomplete. Besides visiting a cemetery, we also have to perform three other actions:
- Mass and Communion
- Confession within a week with no attachment to even venial sin and
- Prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
The stage is set to implement synod’s conclusions
For those who were expecting surprises to come out of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, the only the only surprise was the Holy Father’s acceptance of the final document on the last day.
That sets the stage for the direct implementation of the assembly’s conclusions.
The proposals, which include expanded leadership roles for women and greater participation in decision-making, will be good news for many. Increasing awareness of women’s roles, as noted in Canon Law, will help us move forward, reducing obstacles that may hinder women from fully living out their “charisms, vocation, and roles” within the Church.
Here in Vancouver, we’re already ahead of the curve. Archbishop Miller has long supported the Synod’s initiatives, from establishing a Synod Committee in 2021 to encouraging Vancouver’s Catholic community to embrace Conversation in the Spirit.
I’m confident that we will continue to promote this style of leadership through ongoing education and practical applications.
Now, we look forward to hearing from the Archbishop as he returns from the Synod and to implement the proposals and recommendations as he sees fit.
It’s important to remember that this is a global document. Not all countries and continents may be ready for these changes or recommendations. Keeping the synodal spirit at the forefront will be a challenge, but it’s one we must embrace.
A powerful quote from the final document describes synodality as “a path of spiritual renewal and structural reform that enables the Church to be more participatory and missionary, so that it can walk with every man and woman, radiating the light of Christ.”
The document states that “the model of synodality is Mary, because she listens, prays, meditates, dialogues, accompanies, discerns, decides, and acts.”
For us here in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, under the patronage of Our Lady, her example can be our guide.
Your voice matters! Join the conversation by submitting a Letter to the Editor here.
School found silver lining in seismic upgrade shutdown: staff catechesis training
Anyone who knows a teacher is probably familiar with the complaint that they don’t have enough time to teach.
Imagine, then, the consternation caused when a school is closed for entire weeks so seismic upgrades can be made.
Ecole Saint-Sacrement (Blessed Sacrament Elementary) in Vancouver turned the disruption into a blessing during its latest round of upgrades. The school used the lost week of classroom teaching as an opportunity to do some faith development in the form of staff-wide Catechesis of the Good Shepherd certification.
CGS is a Montessori-inspired approach to catechesis for young children that focuses on student-led engagement with materials and stories, guided by thought-provoking questions from the instructor. Typical questions are “What do you see?” “I wonder how that works?” and “Why do you think that is?”
The training at the end of the summer led to a delayed start for students in September, which the school made up for by adding 25 minutes to each school day.
A school wouldn’t normally be able to have its entire staff take so much time off for professional development, and certainly not together, but it was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” principal Renie Sader Mykyte told The B.C. Catholic.
Blessed Sacrament’s teachers are now receiving their certification in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), and with the help of Louise Fillion, a CGS instructor from Manitoba, they are even completing the course in French.
“I always want to carve out time for faith formation,” said Mykyte, who believes that faith formation for teachers will “trickle down to the students and their families.”
CGS, at its core, is a very intentional and slow method for teaching the faith to children, and it’s an approach Mykyte appreciates, since the methodical pace lessened any temptation to hurry back to the newly upgraded building.
The CGS training has helped the staff remain mindful of their mission and responsibility to support the spiritual growth of their students, Mykyte said, and having the entire staff train together presented a unique opportunity for collaboration. “I can see the wheels turning, I can hear the conversations.”
Teachers are already discussing how to share resources and activities, particularly for the younger grades, which are closer to the target age group that CGS is designed for.
The seismic upgrade provided an additional benefit, allowing teachers a clean slate to reorganize their classrooms and at the same time giving teachers the opportunity to apply what they’d learned to the layout and atmosphere of their classrooms.