A Pastoral Letter Regarding Bill-13
Category: The Bishop's Letters Published Date Written by Bishop Gerard Bergie
The Ontario Government, in an attempt to eliminate bullying from our schools has passed Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act. A controversial amendment to this Bill legislates Gay Straight Alliances (GSA) in our schools if requested by at least one student. The Bishops of Ontario and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association have vigorously opposed this amendment to the Bill. Some may ask, "Why should we be concerned about this title, after all, it is only words?" Words are very powerful because they represent concepts, ideas and even ideologies and this is certainly true with GSA's. The government and some other organizations would have us believe that this is a rather benign title that will help certain students feel accepted and welcomed. Promotional literature states that the GSA model was developed to provide a safe environment for homosexual students, to educate the school community, and to help form student activists. The problem is that what they teach and advocate is often not in harmony with the teachings of our Church. This is not acceptable in a Catholic school. Our Catholic Trustees have responded to the government's desire to combat bullying by creating "Respecting Differences". This is a strategy that is completely in line with the teachings of our Church and fulfills the basic requirements of Bill 13 regarding the issue of bullying. We simply wish to use "Respecting Differences" in our Catholic schools.
Lenten Letter 2012: Restless until they rest in you
Category: The Bishop's Letters Published Date Written by Bishop Bergie
Lent is a great remedy for restless hearts because it helps us to focus on our spiritual life. This is something that we can so easily neglect throughout the year as we respond to the many demands of life. During Lent we enter with Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days so that we can be renewed spiritually. The wilderness represents that sacred space where we can encounter God with few distractions. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, the traditional disciplines of Lent, we journey with Jesus and come to know and love him on a deeper level. We also experience the unconditional love that Jesus has for each one of us.
Last Updated on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Hits: 1118
Read more: Lenten Letter 2012: Restless until they rest in you
Thanksgiving Letter 2011
Category: The Bishop's Letters Published Date Written by Bishop Bergie
Thanksgiving is a time when we pause to give thanks to God for our many blessings.
As the first anniversary of my appointment as bishop of St. Catharines approaches, I too wish to pause and give thanks to almighty God. In my homily for the Mass of Installation I asked that you please pray that I will come to know and love our diocese. After 11 months I can honestly say that I now I have a greater understanding and a deeper love for all of you. This is due, in no small measure, to what I have seen and heard among you.
I have experienced a diocese blessed with natural beauty, diverse agriculture, vibrant cities and towns, abundant resources and wonderful people. The faith and goodness of so many parishioners and the dedication of the priests, deacons, and those in consecrated life, has been a source of inspiration.
The New Missal Starts Next Week
Category: The Bishop's Letters Published Date Written by Bishop Gerard Bergie
In 1909 Dom Lombert Beauduin (1873-1960) a Benedictine monk, gave a very important talk at a conference in Malines, Belgium. He stated that the liturgy is the primary way that the Church teaches. When beautifully celebrated, it speaks to the heart more powerfully than any catechism lesson or homily. He believed that it was so important for people to enter into the mystery of the liturgy, especially the celebration of the Eucharist. Therefore he recommended that bilingual missals (Latin/vernacular) be printed to assist the faithful to fully participate rather than to simply pray private devotions at Mass.
Originally the term liturgy was understood as a term for a service or work in the name of the people. In Christian tradition it means the participation in the work of God through public rather than private devotion.
New Bishop Named For St. Catharines
Category: The Bishop's Letters Published Date
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross 
I am most grateful to Almighty God and extremely honoured and humbled that our Holy Father has chosen me to be Bishop of St. Catharines Diocese. Throughout my life God has always been so good to me and today's announcement is another example of this fact. How fortunate I am to be chosen to be bishop of such a wonderful diocese. I have had the good fortune of serving in the Diocese of Hamilton for the past 26 years. Twenty-one years as a priest and five years as Auxiliary Bishop. During that time Bishop Anthony Tonnos, a native son of St. Catharines diocese, has been the Bishop and a great mentor to me. He often spoke of his home diocese with great pride and affection and because of this I feel I already know just how good St. Catharines diocese is, especially its clergy and laity.
Today the Church celebrates the feast in honour of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The cross is the greatest symbol of hope. In the gospel of today's Mass, taken from the gospel of St. John, we read “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” This scripture passage tells us that our hope is found in God's unconditional love which is expressed most perfectly in his Son's gift of self on the cross. As your new shepherd I must proclaim that hope which is rooted in God's great love for us. Together we share a joyful task as we embrace the cross and proclaim the Good News which brings salvation to the world.
I look forward to serving with you and deepening my knowledge and love of this diocese and its people. It is my sincere wish and prayer that I will be with you for many years and that together we will grow in holiness, faith and love for our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church. May St. Catherine of Alexandria, patroness of this great Diocese, pray for us all.
Last Updated on Friday, November 18, 2011
Hits: 570