Category: BC Catholic

“I thirst.” Mother Teresa loved this phrase of Jesus from the cross so much that she had it inscribed in prominent places in her convent chapels.

This saying of Jesus — one of seven that he spoke from the cross despite his great suffering — has profound implications for the Church militant here on earth. For us, it’s go time. For those who love, when we hear Jesus say “I thirst,” we hear him say, “Bring me as many precious souls as possible. I yearn to be loved by the souls I have died to save!”

We in the West love to daydream about our retirement. We pine for it. We thirst for it. In affluent nations like ours, we believe that at a certain point we have “earned” a rest. But can one take a vacation from loving? Can we retire from serving Jesus with our lives?

We would do well as Christians to meditate often on the shortness of our lives here on earth. Like the Psalmist, we need to beseech the Lord for wisdom: “So teach us to number our days that we may gain wisdom of heart.” (Ps 90) And how few days we have to quench the thirst of Jesus! Tomorrow makes one less day.

It is so easy to become dizzy with indecision over how to serve Jesus. There are so many around us who do not believe. What do we do with our own families who have rejected the faith? Where do we start?

The starting point is very simple. We must attend to the thirsting Jesus in front of us.

As a parent, there is no shortage of opportunities to satisfy the thirst of a child — thirst for water, yes, but also thirst for attention, thirst for playtime, thirst for comfort. There is no shortage of people out there who thirst for a listening ear. There is no shortage of people who are difficult to love or who need help with daily living.

When we give to all of these little ones, we mystically and actually satisfy the thirst of Jesus. In attending to these little needy ones, we simultaneously attend to Jesus and also welcome little ones into the caring arms of Jesus, which look a lot like our arms, come to think of it.

Jesus yearned for consolation from the cross — consolation for all of the blasphemies and indifference that would follow even after his offering of his life for us. Will we ignore his cries from the cross and seek our own comfort and rest as our ultimate goal?

It is justice that we seek to open the eyes of those around us.

If an angel appeared to you and announced news that caught you off guard, how would you react? I wonder how I would respond.

The feast of the Annunciation is on March 25, nine months before Christmas, when the Church celebrates Mary’s vocation and the Incarnation. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was surprised and full of wonder. Mary did not need time to prepare her body, mind, and heart for receiving the Holy Spirit. Her whole life was spent in union with God, as she herself was born without original sin. She was ready. It was her faithful response to the angel’s message, her fiat, that began the work of redemption.

Dominican spiritual writer Father Luis de Granada said, “When God decided to create the first man, he first took care to create a fitting environment for him, which was the Garden of Eden. It makes sense, then, that when God made ready to send his Son, the Christ, he likewise prepared for him a worthy environment, namely, the body and soul of the Blessed Virgin.”

When my husband and I found out that I was pregnant, we were overjoyed. I can only imagine how Mary might have felt at the news that she would be carrying a child — especially since it wasn’t just any child, but the Son of God.

There was a mixture of feelings for me: fear, joy, and excitement as I began a new life. Becoming a family of three was a change that made me realize how important it was to prepare my body, mind, and heart for motherhood. Mary must have felt fearful because she was unwed, betrothed, and pregnant. At the same time, she must have felt joy to be chosen as the Mother of God.

It was with patience and prayer that I could trust in God’s plans for our family. Mary’s “yes” to God was a beacon of faith to me. In my pregnancy, I started to pray for my unborn child to be healthy and happy. I began to take more care of my physical, mental, and spiritual health as my unborn child needed the best environment to develop and grow.

I remember thinking that so many women have gone through this same journey. This thought made me feel connected to the whole of humanity, which made me excited to be a co-creator with the Master Creator.

“Without Christ, life has no meaning… it is only through Christ that we will come to comprehend our inner self and everything that matters most to us: the hidden value of pain and of work well-done, the authentic peace and joy which surpass natural feelings and life’s uncertainties, the delightful prospect of our supernatural reward in our eternal homeland.”

Perhaps today, more than even a month ago, we can see the reason for a call to go to our knees in prayer to repent on behalf of Canada, and to call out to the Lord to have mercy on our nation.

Initially, the impetus for this came from reflecting on the darkness of the rampant “culture of death” that has spread its tentacles across our nation—through unbridled, unrestricted abortion and physician-assisted suicide, and the coercive tactics used to pressure individuals to choose MAiD as a solution not only to health challenges but to an array of social challenges, from poverty to lack of appropriate housing and other issues that can be resolved if the choice is there for service agencies to advocate and come alongside those facing such situations to resolve them.

Now, with the loss of life at Tumbler Ridge, BC, we have added to the mix situations where individuals, feeling such a degree of isolation and alienation, turn on their own family and community, and on themselves, becoming agents of death in such a horrific, tragic fashion.

Scripture says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Ps. 33:12)

As a nation, Canada has turned away from the holiness of God, adopting and embracing attitudes and practices that grieve the heart of God. We as believers must be the ones to go to our knees and call out to God for forgiveness on behalf of this nation that we are citizens of, and to beg His mercy so that His favour might be restored to Canada and to us, so that we might all live “…peaceable lives” (1 Tim. 2:2) as citizens of this nation.

We began our call for 40 days of prayer and penance starting on Ash Wednesday to coincide with the season of Lent, based on Joel 2:12–13a, 14a:

Yet, even now, says the Lord, return to Me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
And return to the Lord, your God.
…
Perhaps He will again relent,
And leave behind Him a blessing.

Therefore let us pray:

Lord God, You who are merciful and just,
who have created us in your image and likeness,
and called us to live in holiness and righteousness,
we have sinned against you, as a Nation,
in acceding to the death-dealing of abortion
and euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide,
blatantly transgressing your Law
that we are not to commit murder.

Forgive us, Lord, and remove the stain
of the sin of shedding innocent blood
that has polluted the land
and seeded darkness and death into our cultural fabric.

Forgive us for the hardness of our hearts,
for harbouring antagonism, hostility, hatred and blame
towards those whose views differ from ours.

For Charles King and the students at Saint John Paul II Academy, the presence of the Shroud of Turin Exhibition is elevating their Lenten experience beyond ordinary fasting and sacrifice, deepening their reflection on the suffering Christ endured through his Passion.

The exhibit, making what could be its final appearance in Vancouver while organizers look for a permanent home, includes a life-sized replica of the Shroud of Turin, the ancient cloth imprinted with the image of a crucified man believed by many to be Jesus. It also includes replicas of items associated with Christ’s Passion, such as nails, a crown of thorns, and the spear that pierced his side.

During Lent, the exhibit is capturing students’ imagination about the meaning of Easter. “It’s really helped us to reflect on the Crucifixion,” King told The B.C. Catholic. “Just seeing the shroud and the crown of thorns and even the nail that Jesus may have been pierced with—it’s a really special invitation to reflect on [his Passion].” 

The exhibit has given King a reminder to pick up his own cross and follow Christ. “Everyone has to carry the cross, especially during Lent,” he said. “If Jesus carried such a heavy cross for us, then we should also follow him and offer up parts of our lives that are difficult.”

That the actual identity of the shroud is uncertain simply adds a valuable element of faith to the experience for King, who says “it’s fitting that there is some sort of ambiguity to the shroud, because after all he’s God and there’s supposed to be mystery there.”

For King, the shroud exhibit is the perfect Lenten feature during the school’s first year in its new building, which opened in September.

“The fact that the shroud is here for our first Lent at our new school is cool because it’s building this culture of strong Catholic faith,” he said.

In addition to the exhibit, students will hear from shroud expert Dr. Cheryl White, who has studied and spoken about the famed burial cloth for over 30 years.

The exhibit typically visits churches, and to have it in a school is a special gift, she said. “All day during your school day, it’s accessible!”

Speaking about the shroud with younger students only became a focus of her career in the past decade, and the experience has been rewarding. The shroud is “a unique intersection between faith and reason,” she said.

Speaking moments before hundreds of catechumens and candidates signed their names in the Book of the Elect in anticipation of baptism and Confirmation at Easter, Archbishop Richard Smith addressed the doubts some might feel as they prepare to become Catholic.

Speaking at the Rite of Election, held over two days to accommodate the historically high number of people seeking entrance and communion in the Church, the archbishop referenced the Gospel reading of Christ’s temptations in the desert, highlighting the devil’s role in raising doubts that may plague those coming into the Church.

“Here, the devil is seducing Jesus away from fidelity to the will of his Heavenly Father,” Archbishop Smith told those gathered at Holy Rosary Cathedral on Feb. 22. “These same temptations can beset those who are chosen to follow Jesus. We need to be aware of them and resist them with the help of God’s grace.”

Such temptations can’t be overcome by our will alone, he said. “Jesus alone is able to stand steadfast against the evil one, and he gives you—he gives us all—a share in his strength, so that we too, [in Christ], can also overcome [the devil].”

A day earlier, another Rite of Election was held at St. Matthew’s in Surrey, where, like the cathedral, the pews were filled with soon-to-be Catholics and their sponsors.

Archbishop Smith assured about 650 catechumens and nearly 120 candidates seeking Confirmation that becoming Catholic has “nothing to do with personal merits or worthiness,” and that the love of God makes them worthy.

“You’re chosen by God to follow his Son to eternal life. Today, God, through the Church, elects you to celebrate Easter sacraments so that through those sacraments, you’ll be united to Jesus and become a member of his Church.”

As new Catholics, they will also be “surrounded and supported by the Church,” he said. “We look forward with great anticipation to welcoming you among the community of disciples of Jesus Christ.”

The Archbishop also reflected on the meaning of the word election, saying it’s usually thought of as making a personal choice. “In this sacred moment, the Rite of Election highlights a reverse dynamic,” he said. “You’re not choosing, you are chosen—the one electing you is God.”

“God bases this choice not upon any merits you have for having considered and weighed what you propose to do, but solely on the basis of his wondrous love for you.”

I found your articles about the history of Catholic health care in Canada interesting. I have a personal connection to that history.

In 1929, my grandmother, Marie, worked with the Sisters of Service who operated a small hospital in Edson, Alberta. She worked in the laundry and it was gruelling. In the photo you can see her outside the hospital, and you can glimpse the conditions. 

I am thankful to the faithful women and men who built up health services in our country. 

Marianne Nederend
Ladner

The B.C. Catholic’s one-sided Venezuela coverage seems to be catering to local expats who support the Venezuelan opposition, without presenting a broader historical context.

At a Jan. 17 rally I listened to a history lesson delivered by a Venezuelan gentleman who describe life before Hugo Chavez. There was abject poverty, illiteracy, massive unemployment, and high infant mortality. After Chavez won in 1998, there was improvement in many sectors including literacy.

U.S. interference has wreaked havoc in Venezuela, causing uproar and leading to today’s disputes. Trump’s quotes in the article trying to justify the Jan. 3 actions show the extreme hegemony of the U.S. Much of the discontent and difficulties in Venezuela today stem from years of U.S. sanctions and other measures that have crippled Venezuela.

How many readers support the U.S. invading another country and kidnapping its elected leader? A  balanced article is desperately needed educate Canadians about America’s toxic foreign and domestic policy.

Penny Oyama
Burnaby

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The question “How is your Lent going?” is not one I would be apt to ask another person directly, but it is one I regularly ask myself.

I usually begin by looking at my life in terms of the pillars of Lent: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. I appreciate the opportunity Lent provides to remove distractions and “extras” from my life and get back to basics in my diet, in my relationship with God, and in my outward actions toward others.

After the Christmas season, my physical health benefits from removing chocolate and snacks from my days and increasing fish, legumes, and vegetables in my diet. Lent is not intended to be a weight-loss program, but fasting can help us develop reverence for our bodies by focusing more earnestly on healthy choices. Fasting also makes us appreciate the gift of food; as we hunger for physical satisfaction, we are reminded that our souls hunger and thirst for God in a way only he can fill.

Prayer leads us toward filling that hunger and thirst, for communicating with God is essential to our spiritual health. In Lent, we are reminded to increase our prayer habits in ways such as attending Mass more than once per week, visiting the Adoration chapel, praying the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross, or getting out of bed a few minutes earlier than usual to read Scripture, a prayerful reflection, or listen to a religious podcast. 

Lent is not a time to decide to make every possible change or to do everything at once, lest we fall flat on our faces before the first week is over. We must pace ourselves by creating attainable goals so that, ideally, once Lent is over, some of our practices remain as permanent habits. It is through these habits that we come to know God in a more intimate — ultimately life-saving — way.

Almsgiving may seem more difficult in our economy, especially since Lent falls during tax season; however, giving to others does not always need to be financial. For many, the money saved by not having extra foods during Lent can be set aside for charity. For others, donating food, clothing, or recyclable containers allows us to think outside ourselves. Even random acts of kindness or extra prayers for others — particularly those who challenge us, or even strangers — allow us to spread God’s love in the world. Knowing God through prayer and sacrificing from our own physical needs through fasting both lead us outward, in keeping with the pillar of almsgiving.

Are these Lenten pillars always easy? No. In fact, Chris Stefanick states, “Lent reminds us that love costs something.

Young Catholics discerning a career in medicine face not only long years of training, but also the challenge of navigating a health-care culture that often demands ideological conformity. On March 7, a panel of Catholic physicians hopes to help students face that reality with clarity, confidence, and faith.

A panel of Catholic medical professionals will meet at Holy Name Church in Vancouver to help young people considering medical careers better understand the beauty of medicine and answer their questions about navigating the necessary training and education.

The event is being moderated and organized by Vancouver family physician Dr. Christopher Ryan, who, with his wife, bioethicist Dr. Yuriko Ryan, is a parishioner at Corpus Christi in Vancouver.

He told The B.C. Catholic the event was inspired by post-Mass conversations with young people curious about working in medicine.

The enthusiasm of local health-care professionals to join the panel has impressed Ryan. He quickly had seven panellists and hopes to have more by the time of the event, representing nursing, pharmacy, and a range of medical specialties. 

“I don’t think that in my lifetime my faith or beliefs were threatened as they are now,” he said. “I think that this is a time to stand up.”

What gives him hope is seeing young people “who are taking their lives and their vocations seriously, standing up for what’s right, and being brave.”

The goal of the event is to help even more young people do just that. While the landscape of health-care training has become more ideological, Ryan believes there are more opportunities than ever for those considering medicine, and they’re all open to practising Catholics. He hopes the panel will help students navigate an increasingly progressive interview process.

He says the public imagination has stagnated on the value of doctors’ personal values, especially if they are religious, and many question the need for Catholic health care or Catholics in medicine. He considers such thinking shortsighted, noting the value of a physician who shares their patient’s perspective on religion and spirituality.

He values having a Christian doctor with whom he has “shared goals, beliefs, respect and understanding.” A Catholic doctor offers the “extra benefits of faith and belief in God and his grace,” bringing consolation that another doctor might struggle to provide.

“We know that God loves us and that there is a life thereafter,” Ryan said. “Having that confidence and maturity is a really great thing to share with [your patient].”

Ryan recalled a conversation with his wife, the other Dr.

Shelly remembers the first time she encountered Sancta Maria House. A small prayer card had blown through the air and landed on her boot. On one side was a picture of a happy-looking woman with the words “thank you God for hearing my prayer and answering it.” On the other side was a phone number.

Shelly, a survivor of domestic abuse, had spent years of her life with a man who didn’t love her, and even when she finally left him at 32, drug abuse was waiting in her next relationship.

“I didn’t know there was an ending to it,” she said. “I didn’t know there was a solution, and I certainly didn’t know there was a God.”

She felt “instant change” when she walked through the door of Sancta Maria House. “I felt something that I hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. I felt a belonging. I felt hope.”

Shelly is now a house parent at Sancta Maria House and she wants others to know there is help. “[My] humble prayer was ‘God help me to figure out why I’m doing this. Help me to stop. And help me to be able to help others.’”

Sancta Maria House is one of several beneficiaries of the Living Waters Fund, a grant program supported by the 2025 Archbishop’s Dinner to help ministries and organizations that help women find safety and healing from domestic abuse and drug use.

The fund supports safe refuge and long-term support for women fleeing abuse, outreach to women on the streets and those affected by sexual exploitation, assistance for single mothers building stable lives, and healing for women facing trauma and injustice. New applications will be accepted from March 1 to 31. 

Sancta Maria House

Since opening its doors on Valentine’s Day 1960, Sancta Maria House has been a quiet and persistent force for good in the Kitsilano neighbourhood, helping women battling substance abuse find their footing and reclaim their lives.

Through its structured, abstinence-based program, women find a nurturing, family-like setting. In addition to the costs of running the centre, donations help pay for activities and services offered to residents, including arts and crafts and faith studies.

Donations also help buffer women from financial strain while seeking stability, allowing them to stay while their applications for government aid are being processed.

Sancta Maria House has part of the life of St. Augustine’s Parish in Kitsilano, women encouraged to take part in parish life and rediscover a sense of belonging. Over its history, Sancta Maria House has helped more than 300 women, ensuring each resident hears a message of love and finds a path toward renewal.