Another sad day for Catholic education in Ontario

Toronto Catholic Trustees

The proposal to ban Gay/Straight Alliances in Catholic schools was rejected last night at the Toronto Catholic District School Board meeting by a vote of 7 to 4. It was another very sad day for Catholic education in the province of Ontario. There were in total twenty individuals and groups making presentations about the issue. Most of the speakers argued in favor of banning GSAs in separate schools. Thirteen presenters argued for the motion and seven against it. In the end, here's how the trustees voted:


Trustees voting to ban GSAs

Partizia Bottoni

John Del Grande

Garry Tanuan

Angela Kennedy

Trustees voting for GSAs

Peter Jakovcic

Ann Andrachuck

Sal Piccininni

Maria Rizzo

Jo-Ann Davis

Barbara Poplawski

Frank D'Amico (Absent)
Nancy Crawford


There were a number of speakers and trustees who argued that Ontario law now permits these student clubs and the Board needs to respect the law. However, Trustee Garry Tanuan  pointed out that his motion was an attempt to defend denominational rights and religious freedom. The Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy and Bill 13 "legally" force GSAs on Catholic schools. Tanuan argued that Catholic education is protected by the Canadian constitution and as a result Catholics have a right to implement school policies consistent with Catholic teaching. He was supported by Trustees Bottoni, Kennedy and Del Grande.

What was evident last night is that some trustees either don't know Catholic teaching or they have no interest in defending it. Trustee Piccininni said that those who oppose GSAs are "on the wrong side of history." It's outdated not to have GSAs. He went on to argue that the Board must be progressive and in dealing with these issues it "cannot wrap itself in the Bible." Trustee Rizzo said that there are "different kinds of Catholics" and in the Church "there's room for you and for me." For her, Jesus "was inclusive" and so she could not support the ban on GSAs.

  


In the end when the vote was taken, the the motion was voted down. The seven trustees that made this possible were essentially supporting what the Ontario Minister of Education has said about the issue, “It is our responsibility to ensure all students feel safe and welcomed at school. I know that Catholic values of tolerance and love make them natural allies in the fight against bullying. I hope the Board will continue to foster an accepting environment for all students.” In short, no school board can be exempted from having GSAs. Parents should ask: Where's the "inclusion and equitable" part in the policy and legislation if it rejects Chriatian teaching? if Catholic principals, students and teachers refuse to follow this law because of their religious beliefs will they now be committing a "crime"? 

If the motion was against Ontario law as some trustees argued, then it's "illegal" to fully live the Catholic faith in Catholic schools. In June 2012, the Ontario government passed Bill 13, known as the Accepting Schools Act, which "legally" allows students to set up GSAs if they want them in both Catholic and public schools. The anti-bullying legislation forces all schools to address the issue by allowing GSAs. 

The Catholic trustees could have mounted a legal challenge against Bill 13 using Canada’s constitution. But rather than make the government accountable for underminig Catholic doctrine they have chosen to appease them and follow the legislation. Last night's vote was just another example of this. If Catholic leaders thought that Catholic schools could use the "Respecting Difference" document put out by the Ontario Catholic Trustees' Association to deal with bullying, last night's vote made it clear that they cannot do so. The vote was essentially a rejection of any attempt to implement a Catholic approach to bullying, to human sexuality and the family. 

Given this outcome, Catholic parents need to ask themselves this question: do we really want Catholic schools to have a future in Ontario? If the answer is yes, then last night's vote shows just how much work needs to be done to defend Catholic education. It's a matter of living the faith and making the necessary sacrifices to pass it on to our children. The educational system in Ontario, including the Catholic schools, will not do this on their own. Trustees made it clear last night. Parents have the responsibility and the need to reclaim Catholic education for the sake of their children's well being and their souls.

"Called to be a Credible Witness"

Blessed Virgin Mary
and Child Jesus

On Saturday May 18, 1,300 people attended the annual Marian Day of Prayer held at Canada Christian College. The event was organized by the Ave Maria Centre of Peace. It was a day that began in prayer and ended with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. It was all to honour the Blessed Mother and to celebrate the Year Faith. The faithful had an opportunity to get closer to Christ. Participants could also gain a plenary indulgence by going to confession, listening to the three scheduled talks on the Catechism, attending Holy Mass, receiving communion and praying for the Pope's intentions. There were a dozen priests hearing confessions throughout the day. The theme for the conference was, "Called to be a Credible Witness' taken for from Pope Benedict XVI's Letter Porta Fidei. 

The day's program opened with the recitation of the joyful mysteries of the Rosary. This was followed by a talk given by Fr. Steven Szakaczki who is the Chaplain for the Usus Antiquior Extraordinary Form/Traditional Latin Mass. He was born in Hungary and raised in Toronto. Ordained an Oratorian priest in 1997; he has served at a number of diocesan parishes. Presently he's at St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Scarborough. He's a gifted preacher and gave an insightful catechesis on Part One of the Catechism: The Profession of Faith, and in particular: Death, Judgement, Heaven, Hell.

Fr. Paul Nicholson was the next speaker. He is a priest from the London, Ontario diocese. He is a member of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross (Opus Dei). He hosts a catechism series on ChurchMIlitant called “God First.” He's a humorous and dynamic speaker who is passionate about passing on the faith to those striving for holiness. His talk centered on Part Two of the Catechism: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery. He focused on the sacraments with special emphasis on the Holy Eucharist.

The afternoon started by praying the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Fr. Alphonse de Valk was the next speaker; he is a Basilian priest, former editor of The Interim and founder and editor of Catholic Insight magazine. His writings and actions have been a courageous witness and faithful defender of the Catholic Church and its teachings. He is someone with great insight on current affairs viewed through his priestly dedication to God and the Catholic Church. He's the author of Morality and Law in Canadian Politics: The Abortion Controversy. This book explains how Canada came to embrace the culture of death. He preached on Part Three of the Catechism: Life in Christ. He stressed the importance of the moral law, the human person and Christian marriage. He reminded the faithful that these moral precepts must be applied daily in order to live the Christian life.

The next part of the program was the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. This was followed by Dr. Gloria Polo's talk. She's a practicing dentist from Columbia who, in 1995, was struck by lightning that carbonized her body and internal organs. While in a coma, she experienced a sort of private judgement. She was shown how she violated each of the Ten Commandments and because of her mortal sins was condemned to eternal death. Jesus Christ gave her a second chance and instructed her to go out extensively and testify about her experience of heaven, hell, purgatory, sin and how we will all be judged. She has shared her testimony of faith with people all over the world with the approval of her diocese and her spiritual director. Her mission is the conversion of souls. You can read a summary of her remarkable testimony here.

With permission, here's part of Jackie Guerron's reaction to  Dr. Gloria's talk. Jackie did the live two and a half hours translation of the testimony. In her words, "The most striking thing for me, as I did the interpretation of her message to English, was the fact that our sins are actual horrid, evil demons that attach themselves to our soul. We are given a mature, pure soul at the moment of conception. It's as white as snow once we are baptized in the Living Waters. Then, when we sin, it's as if mud is poured into the water and it displaces the water and the dirt remains. We are actually signing a contract with Lucifer every time we sin. Our white soul becomes spotted by iniquity. When we repent and receive absolution form Jesus from a priest, Jesus tears the contract and reclaims us back. The demons/sins detach themselves from our soul as Jesus comes to us from the heart of our confessor. Therefore, our Eucharistic Jesus can enter in to justify us before the Father so that the Father can come into our bodies with the Holy Spirit. We are the temples of the Holy Trinity." Amen!

We are certain that all those who participated in this Marian Day of  Prayer want to thank the Ave Maria Centre of Peace and their volunteers for making this wonderful faith-filled event a success.

THERE ONCE WAS HOPE IN CANADA: WE MUST RE-CAPTURE IT

The History of Canada's Culture of Death

To better understand the present situation that we face in Canada on abortion and the legislated culture of death that has swept the nation over the last 44 years, we need to look at the past. A legalzed culture of death began with the Omnibus Bill C-150 which passed on May 14, 1969. What a sad day for Canada. The vote was 149 to 55. Over the last four decades, that bill has brought many unwanted and unwelcome changes to the values and atmosphere of our nation.  Why? Because the issues were neither properly debated nor explained to Canadians but hidden from public scrutiny in the 126 page document. What changes you ask: things like the decriminalization of homosexuality, the legalization of abortion and contraception and the regulation of lotteries.

The bill also known as the Criminal Law Amendment Act was described by the Minister of Justice John Turner as "the most important and all-embracing reform of the criminal and penal law ever attempted at one time in this country." The Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau supported the bill and commented to the press that "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation," for "what's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code." History has shown that both of these political leaders were completely wrong. 

Today we cannot get the state out of our bedrooms. In addition, our children's classrooms and our private lives are being invaded because the government  wants us to accept its definition of the meaning of a person, of the family, of human sexuality and of marriage. The bill did bring reform, but the changes have unleashed much evil and immorality with it. How else does a reasonable person explain that since the bill became law Canada has legally killed about 4,000,000 babies? How can we accept the fact that the cost of every death is fully paid for by our taxes through the Canada Health Act? And further, the doctors and other "health care" workers that do the killing, have been trained, educated and paid for by taxpayers' dollars.

It 's worth looking back to those terrible days and to realize with amazement that all fourteen members of the Ralliement Creditiste Party from Quebec stood up against the proposed legislation. In fact, they were not afraid to quote from Church writings, including the popes and bishops to strongly argue to defeat the bill. Let's review some of what they said during the debates in the House of Commons. Modern day Quebec, and the rest of Canada, would do well to ask itself this soul-searching question: what has happened to that national spirit of defending the truth, morality and the family? (Note: The information for this section comes from Fr. Alphonse de Valk's book, Morality and Law in Canadian Politics: The Abortion Controversy , Pages 115-19)

We begin with Bernand Dumont who objected to changing the law on abortion. Here's how he put it, "Mr. Speaker, my 4 year old child accompanied us when we went to visit relatives during the Christmas holidays of 1968-69 and getting close to his aunt asked her: 'Auntie, may I hear your baby move?' How happy he was when he told us: 'Mother, the baby moved!' When a four year old child is able to detect the presence of life in the womb of a woman who is five months pregnant, one wonders why they try to make us believe in this house that the presence of life in a child only appears in the ninth month of pregnancy or at birth. No, Mr. Speaker, we cannot as Christians accept that theory." Not much has changed in 44 years as this deception in Canada continues to be advocated and protected by legislation. To defend his position Dumont used the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Bible, papal writings and the Canadian Bishops' Pastoral Letter.

Romuald Rodrigue made his case by saying that all human rights depend on the right to life. He went on to note the irony in Canada that "shortly after abolishing the death penalty ... we want to pass legislation which will destroy life instead of protecting it." Adrien Lambert rejected the mistaken idea that human life only begins when a baby is born. As a father of twelve children he was convinced that "human life is ... of exceptional value" and "the greatest wealth of our country." He added that God's wisdom had given us the necessary resources to satisfy our needs. Leonel Beaudoin predicted that "to legalize therapeutic abortion on the grounds of physical and mental health would alter the moral standards of an entire nation" which could "lead a country to its downfall and its death."

Henri Latulippe took the position that all freedoms are based on the respect for life. He declared that "the modern state was an enemy of man" because it considered the human person "a material, a thing, a number, a file and nothing more." He stated that "apart from being  pernicious, the provisions in this bill dealing with homosexuality and abortion will lead the nation to its destruction." Referring to the encyclical Humane Vitae, he cautioned his fellow politicians that they "must not allow 'a degradation of the moral tenets of a nation through legal processes ...  through practices which are contrary to natural and divine law."

Gilbert Rondeau reminded everyone by quoting from Fr. Paguin's book, Morale et Medecin, that " the murder of an innocent person is always a murder and it is the more hateful that the person is defenceless." After citing Church precepts that from its early history to the present, condemned abortion, he asked, "Shall we now obey Caesar or ... God?" Andre Fortin agreed on updating the Criminal Code, but stated that the proposed legislation on abortion could "only warp the scales of values." The term therapeutic abortion he said "constitutes a formal contradiction." Instead he argued for "legislation which is humane, and promotes freedom and security for individuals." 

In addition, the leader of the Creditiste party,  Real Caouette described the entire bill as "a general abortion." He said that lotteries would become "the abortion of the financial system," the acceptance of homosexuality "is in some way the abortion of marriage between a man and a woman," and parole "is the abortion of justice. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill on abortion." Charles Gauthier said that unlike the leader of the New Democratic Party he did not believe that this legislation would improve society. He argued it's not, "progress to follow the downward path of a materialistic and atheistic minority. Whether they admit it or no when passing this legislation on abortion, the Government legalizes murder."

What a contrast these debates are from what is currently happening in the House of Commons. Sadly, the battle was lost in 1969, but the Creditiste can be proud of the fact that they did not compromise on the truth. They were not afraid to engage in an honest and open debate. Compare this to the position of our present Prime Minister Stephen Harper who won't even let members of his party bring up the issue of abortion. Recently Conservative MP Mark Warawa's Motion 408 to end female gendercide in Canada was stopped from making it to the House of Commons' agenda, let alone allowing the MPs to seriously discuss it. Ending female gendercide was the focus of this year's National March for Life.
 
There was also Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth's Motion 312, proposing to open the question on the definition of human life. It was soundly defeated. The Prime Minister voted against the motion. Presently, Canada has no law whatsoever on abortion mainly because the majority of politicians refuse to open a truthful conversation on life. This is why it's so important to re-consider what the 14 member Creditistes did during the debates against the Omnibus Bill: they made sensible and moral arguments to defend life and morality. This spirit of hope and faith must  be re-captured today in order to bring back a culture of life.

We conclude with what the Conservative MP Dinsdale had to say about the proposed legislation just days before it moved to the third and final reading to become law, "What we are embracing is the Playboy philosophy." And then he quoted Dante who "at another time of darkness" wrote "the hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintained their neutrality." 

God willing, we hope that the spirit of the Creditistes will once again be revived in this poor country, rich in everything but currently bankrupt in real human and Christian values.     

Using the modern means of communication as a force to build the Common Good

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit the St. Mary of the Visitation Parish website. We feel that the church should be a real place, a place that is warm and relevant to the lives of real people in normal everyday situations. So many of the visitors to our website are searching for answers to some of life's most challenging questions. It is our desire that search will lead to the discovery of the incredible and unconditional love of God; found in the Sacramental Life of the Church. We pray that you have experienced this incredible truth in your own life."

"Our Family of Faith is made up of people just like you, and it is a place with something for everyone, regardless of the stage in life. The purpose of this website is to help answer any questions you might have about what God is doing at St. Mary of the Visitation Parish and to find some of the answers to questions you might have about the God we serve and love. Please take the time to go to each area of the website and discover why it is evident that God truly has smiled on our family. When you are in the area, it would be an honour to have you join us."


This is the welcoming message by Father F. Freitas, who is the pastor of St. Mary of the Visitation, in Cambridge, Ontario. Doesn't this warm invitation make you feel you want to know more about the Church, about God and the faith? This is how the early disciples must have felt in being part of the early Church. We're not experts on the technical stuff which may define what makes for a good parish website, but we do believe that this introductory statement has a great potential to encourage both visitors and parishioners to want to be part of the parish, part of the Church and to know more about the Christian life.


So as we celebrate the 47th World Communications Day, we believe that what Fr. Freitas has done is exactly what the Church is proposing: to effectively use the Internet to evangelize and try to build the Common Good. Here's what Pope Benedict XVI says in part for this the 2013 World Communications Day, "The ability to employ the new languages is required, not just to keep up with the times, but precisely in order to enable the infinite richness of the Gospel to find forms of expression capable of reaching the minds and hearts of all. In the digital environment the written word is often accompanied by images and sounds. Effective communication, as in the parables of Jesus, must involve the imagination and the affectivity of those we wish to invite to an encounter with the mystery of God’s love. Besides, we know that Christian tradition has always been rich in signs and symbols: I think for example of the Cross, icons, images of the Virgin Mary, Christmas cribs, stained-glass windows and pictures in our churches. A significant part of mankind’s artistic heritage has been created by artists and musicians who sought to express the truths of the faith."

Fr. Freitas has used the "new language" of cyberspace, namely the parish website, to announce the message of the Gospel. Imagine the good that could come in looking at ways of using the Internet to evangelize in our parishes, our places of work and our public spaces. A pastor that decides to blog, for example, can reach so many people beyond his parish boundaries. A diocese that plans to have all its parishes develop a website can bring the presence of the Word in this new public square, the "cyber-square." Just take a look at what has been done with the YOUCAT website, the title stands for Youth Catechism. It's goal is to explain and promote the book, based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, to young people. The hope is that website will help young people to better understand the Gospel and live it. In addition, the appropriate use of social networks can be a way to bring people together and help transmit the faith. Pope Benedict XVI has urged us all to use the new means of communication to help us be "Fishers of men." He challenges the baptized to utilize all the modern communication methods to evangelize and thus open the door to truth and faith to the entire world. 

Lastly, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that, "When we are present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known the love of God to the furthest ends of the earth." Social media is no exception because it presents us with another opportunity for doing so!

Canada's March for Life 2013: a little step closer to a culture of life

National March for Life

Canada got a little closer to a culture of life with its National March for Life held on May 9th, in Ottawa. About 20,000 people gathered on Parliament Hill for the event. Those in attendance first heard several speakers and then participated in the walk for life along the streets of Canada's capitol. Being there, one sensed that this issue is becoming stronger by the year. It was wonderful to see so many young people from schools across the country, numerous priests representing their parishes and 22 Conservative MPs as well as two Senators. Alissa Golob, the coordinator of the pro-life rally with the non-profit organization Campaign Life Coalition was encouraged with the turnout, but disappointed in that our Prime Minister Stephen Harper refuses to even agree to discuss the issue. Shame on the Prime Minister and all the other federal parties and MPs who just want this issue to quietly go away. But the killing of the unborn is no less a crime against humanity and God because we choose not to deal with it. Silence is not an option.

The increasing numbers each year at annual March for Life is evidence that the question of abortion will not disappear. Sooner or later this life issue will need to addressed. The 20,000 or so marchers told the government this truth! They want a conversation on abortion and about the definition of when life begins to start immediately. On the same day that the March for life is held in Ottawa, they were similar marches held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Fredericton and Halifax. St. John's will have it on May 16th.

Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, remarking about the large crowd shared this observation, "The Canadian news media cannot ignore you. Soon the government will not be able to ignore you.” Archbishop Gerald Lacroix, Primate of Canada and Archbishop of Quebec City, remarked that the national event was "to tell the whole of Canada and our people here we have elected to serve the great people of Canada that we want life to be respected, we want life to be celebrated.” He asked those present to join him on May 19, in Quebec City, for The Springtime March  to fight the provincial government's plan to pass legislation to approve euthanasia and assisted-suicide.

Other countries in the West and the rest of the world should not look to Canada for leadership on the most important issue the world currently faces: abortion. Without life there are no other rights. It's a battle to build a culture of life and love against one of death and materialism. The reader may recall that Canada passed same-sex marriage legislation in 2005. This "marriage of words" was forced on the majority by the politics of correctness and the acceptance of a "false" diversity. Sadly, other countries like Britain and France have recently followed this misguided socially constructed arrangement.

Canada has had no law on abortion whatsoever since 1988. A baby in Canada can be killed right up to the moment of birth and many have destroyed this innocent life even after the baby was born. Since 1969, when the door to abortion was legally opened, we have killed close to 4,000,000 children. All paid by the taxpayers through the Canada Health Act. Now Quebec wants to pass legislation to approve euthanasia and assisted-suicide. And of course they want the government to pay for it. The government should not be in the business of killing period, least of all its unborn or the ill or older citizens. A government will never be good and moral until it rejects a culture of death. The on-going financial crisis that the working class is experiencing in the West is nothing like the coming demographic crisis if we continue on this road to kill our own future citizens. Currently all western countries have a reproductive rate way below replacement. At some point, Canada and especially Quebec will no longer be able to hide this truth with the number of immigrants that come to Canada.

Speaking at the rally was MP Mark Warawa from Langley who wanted to open the issue of sex-selected abortion in the House of commons, the killing of unborn girls, but was stopped from doing so by his own party. Also present was Conservative MP Spephen Woodworth whose Motion 408 to study the idea of when life begins was defeated. He told the crowd, “You are beautiful. Abortion is killing Canada’s future.” And MP Stella Ambler together with her husband and son said, it's "a great day for the pro-life movement."

When future generations look back at this time, let's make sure they can say that they inherited a stable economy and a strong nation because Canada came around to seeing the importance of not just immigration, but more so of once again embracing the culture of life and love.

Here's a list of the Senators and MPs who attended the March:

Senator Tobias Enverga Ontario
Cons MP Guy Lauzon,Stormont Dundas and South Glengarry
Cons MP Rod Bruinooge, Winnipeg
Cons MP Harold Albrecht, Kitchener Conestoga
Cons MP Kyle Seeback, Brampton West
Cons MP David Anderson, Cypress Hills – Grasslands
Cons MP Wlad Lizon, Mississauga East- Cooksville
Cons MP Bev Shipley, Lambton Kent Middlesex
Cons MP Rob Anders, Calgary West
Cons MP Jeff Watson, Essex
Cons MP Mark Warawa,Langley
Sen Norm Doyle, NFL Labrador
Cons MP Dean del Mastro, Peterborough
Cons MP Maurice Vellacott, Saskatoon Wanuskewin
Cons MP Leon Benoit Vagreville- Wainwright
Cons MP Stella Ambler, Mississauga South
Cons MP Kevin Sorensen, Crowfoot
Cons MP Royal Galipeau, Ottawa Orleans
Cons MP Lawrence Toet, Elmwood Transcona
Cons MP Stephen Woodworth, Kitchener Centre
Cons MP James Lunney, Nanaimo- Alberny
Cons MP Kelly Block, Saskatoon- Rosetown-Biggar
Cons MP Dave Van Kesteren, Chatham-Kent-Essex
Cons MP Brad Trost, Saskatoon-Humboldt

Toronto Catholic Trustees: one last chance to push back Equity Education

On May 23, when the Toronto Catholic District School Trustees meet, they will have perhaps the last opportunity to defend Catholic education and fully implement the Respecting Difference guidelines. The Respecting Difference resource was issued, on January 25, 2012, by the Ontario Catholic Schools Trustees' Association and backed by Ontario bishops in response to the Liberal government 's overly sexualized curriculum proposals. On May 23 then, there is a motion proposed by trustees John Del Grande and Garry Tanuan to ban Gay/Straight Alliances,( GSA), in Catholic schools and adopt a Catholic response in dealing with bullying.

The motion reads as follows, "Therefore Be It Resolved: That the Toronto Catholic District School Board schools shall have no Gay/Straight Alliance, GSA, clubs or similar and that anti-bullying clubs and activities must adhere to the framework outlined in 'Respecting Difference.' And be it further resolved that the relevant section of the School Board's Equity and Inclusion, (EIE), Policy shall be amended to reflect that 'Respecting Difference' shall govern the operations of school anti-bullying clubs."

Defending Catholic Schools

If we want to defend Catholic teaching in schools, parents must take a stand now. Parents and everyone who cares about Catholic education need to speak up and let the trustees know that we support the Catholic motion and expect them to vote yes so that schools can fully adopt the "Respecting Difference" document.

We here share with our readers the e-mail message that we sent to our trustee and all the other trustees:

Dear Trustee Piccininni,

On May 23, the trustees will consider and vote on the motion that the TCDSB will have no GSA clubs and that all anti-bullying clubs and related initiatives will follow the guidelines set out in the "Respecting Difference" document. The motion is also supported by Denominational Rights, by our Cardinal Thomas Collins and the teachings of the Church.  Further, the Board's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy will be implemented in accordance with the guidelines outlined in "Respecting Difference." As you will recall, the Trustees have already unanimously passed a motion, the vote was 8-2, on March 12, 2012, endorsing the use of the "Respecting Difference" approach in Catholic schools in dealing with anti-bullying. So the present motion is not new but a reminder that there's now a need for policies and procedures to put this in action. 

This important issue should not be left to Board administrators, principals and others who have not been elected. This is your responsibility. We are writing as parents and 

Catholic supporters to urge you and all the other trustees to support this motion.

Thank you,

Lou Iacobelli

Ward 3

After letting the trustees know where you stand, it's also important to attend the meeting on May 23 to support the motion. The meeting will held at the Catholic Education Centre, located at 80 Sheppard Avenue East, North York, Ontario, M2N 6E8. It starts at 7:00pm. The Board telephone number is 416-222-8282. Please tell other parents who may not be aware of this important motion and vote.

Moral and Legal Reasons to Back the Motion

1. Governments make mistakes. The Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy and Bill 13 are prime examples of this. It is the government who broke Canada's Constitutional law by passing this legislation. Even in the public boards parents are trying to defend their rights. An example of this is Dr. Steve Touroukis who has been forced to take the Hamilton- Wentworth District School Board to court in a effort to maintain the parental right to direct his children's moral education.

2. Catholics have denominational rights and the Equity Policy and Bill 13 violate section 93 of the Canadian Constitution. This Constitutional protection is a solid legal reason why Catholic schools need not implement GSA or related activities that contradict Catholic teaching.

3. Trustees are responsible to protect Catholic education. GSAs promote, celebrate and encourage homosexual activity which contradicts the teaching of Catholic doctrine.

4.Trustees should not force teachers and administrators to follow Bill 13 that undermines Catholic teaching. The Board must protect its employees' conscience rights and defend Catholic teaching.

5. Catholic schools should be teaching young people about chastity and the Catholic view of marriage as the sacramental union between a man and a woman.  GSAs, instead, promote the acceptance and promotion of homosexuality, sexual experimentation, and a disrespectful view of the human person.

6. One year ago, on May 2, 2012, the Toronto Catholic District School Board passed a motion to approve the "Respecting Difference" model for dealing with anti-bullying strategies. The document, backed by the Church and the trustees, just needs to be implemented.

7. Cardinal Thomas Collins has pointed out that the Church's solution to anti-bullying clubs has been ignored. GSA is not just a name but entails a certain meaning that undermines the faith.

8. The Toronto Catholic District School Board has the legal and moral responsibility to make sure that what is taught in schools is fully Catholic.

9. Catholics should not be intimidated by the suggestion that the Board may lose its autonomy and funding if it challenges the government. Compromise is not an option.

10. Lastly, trustees must be made aware of the fact that parents will not back down. We are prepared to live and defend the Catholic faith to the end. The motion is also supported by groups such as Parents As First Educators. 

The Time to Act Is Now

We conclude with a brief quote from the prophetic encyclical Divini Illius Magistri, On Christian Education, by Pope Pius XI. It was published in 1929 but is just as relevant in our current spiritual battle in schools,  'Another very grave danger is that naturalism which nowadays invades the field of education in that most delicate matter of purity of morals. Far too common is the error of those who with dangerous assurance and under an ugly term propagate a so-called sex-education, falsely imagining they can forearm youths against the dangers of sensuality by means purely natural, such as a foolhardy initiation and precautionary instruction for all indiscriminately, even in public; and, worse still, by exposing them at an early age to the occasions, in order to accustom them, so it is argued, and as it were to harden them against such dangers." (65)

And so on the matter of faith education, "... it is the duty of parents to make every effort to prevent any invasion of their rights in this matter, and to make absolutely sure that the education of their children remain under their own control in keeping with their Christian duty, and above all to refuse to send them to those schools in which there is danger of imbibing the deadly poison of impiety."(35)

The time has come to defend Catholic education and Catholics have both the legal and the moral right to do so. The Church teaches this parental right and responsibility. On May 23, make sure your trustee votes yes to the proposed motion. Do it for the sake of your children, for the faith and for God.

Catholic leadership in action

Fr. John Hollowell is the chaplain at Cardinal Ritter High School, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He recently made a public statement against President Obama's new health care policy. The new legislation would force employers to pay for employee benefits which include abortion, sterilization and contraception. This is in total contradiction with the teaching of the Catholic Church. It's also an attack on religious freedom in America. And this faith battle is being fought in the entire West. The American Department of Health and Human Services wants workers to have coverage for abortion inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception. The legislation is known as the HHS mandate. Many Christian groups are fighting this move and a number of law suits have already been filed. These "health" benefits already exist in many Western countries including Canada. We do hope you watch the video because it clearly explains the flaws in the proposed legislation: it's an infringement on religious freedom and the freedom of conscience.

Fr. Hollowell himself produced the video in order to specifically respond to Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood of America. She has publicly said that all Americans "Have a say" on the question of "reproductive rights." Planned Parenthood is the world's largest supporter and promoter of abortion. Reproductive rights is too often just a euphemism for abortion, the choice to kill the unborn, and making sure the state continues to pay for it. She completely backs the HHS mandate. So, Fr. Hollowell takes up Richards' invitation and asks her and everyone else who cares to listen to consider the Christian view and embrace the culture of life. He repeats throughout the video "I have a say." This is a priest who is not afraid to respond to those who are Christophobic and anti-life. We should all be grateful that he has brought the truth to the public square.

In Canada, many Christian beliefs have essentially been made unlawful in Catholic schools, state institutions and the public square. Most citizens are just not aware of it yet. But the moral damage was done in Ontario with the passage of Bill 13 and Bill 33. Religious freedom may simply become the "freedom" to the one hour Sunday worship and not much more. Thank you Fr. Hollowell for giving the students and staff at your school an example of how to defend Catholic education and true religious liberty. By extension, the entire Catholic family the world over can benefit from your efforts to re-evangelize the West. We support and pray for your initiative in using the Internet to push back the moral madness to totally secularize our Christian culture. Christ is the perfect role model for defending and promoting a culture of love and life. Thank you Fr. Hollowell!

 

Happy 200th Birthday Frederic Ozaman!

Frederic Ozanam 1813-2013

Do you have a St. Vincent de Paul Society in your Parish? Have you donated to the Bundle Sundays to collect clothing and other items to help others? Perhaps you have thought about knowing more about the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Everyday in some parish in the Archdiocese of Toronto and in the world, someone is receiving help from a Christian known as a "Vincentian." The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international lay apostolate whose main goal is helping the poor and to try to live the Christian life.

On April 23rd, 1813, Frederic Ozanam the man who started this wonderful charitable work was born. By birth, he had all the comforts of his age. However, he had a strong calling to help the poor and the marginalized. There were those that told him that he could achieve much more in life than simply helping those in need. Instead, Ozanam chose to live his faith not merely in words alone but coupled with action. Today the Society of St. Vincent de Paul can be found in groups, called conferences, all over the world. Those that told Ozanam that he would be wasting his time in aiding the needy because future governments would solve the problems of poverty are dead and long forgotten. But that young university student who went on to begin the organization to help its volunteers grow in holiness by helping the needy is remembered today by many of the faithful and the Church. And if it be God's will, he will soon be canonized.

Who was this soon to be saint? Frederic Ozanam was born at Milan in 1813. In 1832, he began studying law at the Sorbonne. He was only twenty years-old when he decided with six other student friends, to start a “Conference of Charity." These conferences would later be called St. Vincent de Paul because Vincent had lived his life in service to the poor and these young men wished to do the same. It was Sr. Rosalie Rendu, a sister of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who assisted and helped the group make contact with the poor. From this humble beginning, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul came into being. In 1839, Ozanam had completed two doctorates, one in law and the other in literature. He was a professor at the Sorbonne of Foreign Literature. When he died on September 8, 1853 he was just 40 years old. In 1997, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

In his homily, here's part of what John Paul II said about him: "He observed the real situation of the poor and sought to be more and more effective in helping them in their human development. He understood that charity must lead to efforts to remedy injustice. Charity and justice go together. He had the clear-sighted courage to seek a front-line social and political commitment in a troubled time in the life of his country, for no society can accept indigence as if it were a simple fatality without damaging its honour. So it is that we can see in him a precursor of the social doctrine of the Church which Pope Leo XIII would develop some years later in the Encyclical Rerum Novarum." It's truly amazing what one life can accomplish when we let God's grace guide our lives. Ozanam recognized that a university education alone without God and love of neighbour is not enough to live a good Christian life. He has left all of us a great example of true charity in action. Happy birthday Frederic Ozanam!

Ozanam often reminded his companions that the most important mission of the apostolate was the sanctification of souls and not material assistance. He lived and wanted others to live the parable of the Good Samaritan. He knew that his neighbour was anyone in need. For the Year of Faith, why not think about the possibility of starting a St. Vincent de Paul group in your parish or volunteering if you already have one? Blessed Frederic Ozanam, pray for us! 

Googling to know how to help save our souls

Google searches: more than meets the eye

One of the ways to find out what many people are thinking about and doing is to look at what they search for with their computers, tablets and cell phones. Googling a subject is an example of this. In the industry, it's known as the Google Adwords Keyword Tool, GAKT. By tracking this activity, web developers and researchers can learn about consumer behaviour and try to reach a larger group to sell more products and services. We all know the expression: business is business. But GAKT is also a way of finding out what's on the agenda in people's lives. In a Business Insider article by Alan Dunn, "Top Google Searches - What do People Search for?," he reports the following findings:

At the top of the list of searches are these words: sex, porn, free porn and porno pretty. In one month alone, these account for 22,820,000 searches. The author, to put this figure in some perspective, points out that the nearly 23,000,000 searches is equivalent to the total populations of nine of the largest American cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. It means that nearly every person in the United States, that's 315,000,000, searches one of these words every month. We have no reason to believe that the total is any different in Canada. Just imagine how high this number is when multiplied for the entire world. Dunn concludes that sex is very popular with people and so it must be a good thing. He says this because sex sells products and services. But we don't agree that it's a good thing. Aren't these searches mainly done we must assume for sexual pleasure and exploitation? How can this be a good thing? This kind of activity ends up turning people into commodities. It may be of use for a profit driven business model, but it's a horrible model to build a better society and for the moral good of the individual citizen and families.

Offences against chastity include fornication, prostitution, pornography, homosexual acts, masturbation and rape. As a sin against the Seventh Commandment, here's what the Catechism teaches about pornography,"Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials." (2354) In another entry, we looked at the moral dangers when society begins to approve pornography through its regulations and broadcasting policies.

The next most searched words are related to online games: addicting games, games, cool math games, free online games, dress up games, primary games, online games, free games, car games and cooking games. So, another area that is searched on average 18,000,000 times a month are games. On the question of gambling and games of chance the Church has this instruction, "Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. the passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant. (2413) This is why we have argued that Toronto, now considering opening a casino, has no need of these games of chance. We need to realize, especially parents, that even video games are often not so harmless for the spiritual wellness of our children.

You may be wondering about other keywords and here they are: mortgage calculator, mortgage, foreclosure, coupons, obesity, Internet speed test, how to lose weight, Obama, bankruptcy, marriage, divorce, defense attorneys, DUI lawyers, holidays, sports, products, names and many more categories. And this is only for Google. Nothing is mentioned about the other search engines like Yahoo and Bing.

As we have said, the article can be used to reach new customers for marketing purposes. However, we have tried to show that such information can also used to gauge what people are thinking and doing. Counsellors, teachers and parents can use googling information to help save young souls. From the evidence, pornography, games of chance and other games are on the minds of many people. And because these behaviours are morally harmful, we need to avoid them. In addition, there are emotional, psychological and financial problems these activities can bring to the individual, their families and to society. Consider these findings as analogous to a thermometer measuring the temperature of the human body, and the results are revealing: society has a pretty high immoral fever.

Parents should especially use this knowledge to protect their children from being exploited in cyberspace. Today's parents need to carefully monitor how their children are using digital information. This is equally true for adults, otherwise there wouldn't be the millions of searches for pornography which essentially are an offence against chastity and a healthy and loving married relationship. Also, there's a grave risk to our moral lives and the very dignity of the human person in using the Internet for these degrading purposes. Children are in particular need of moral guidance to navigate the evil precipices that can too easily be found on the Internet. Adults must help children save their souls not lose them. Parents have the added responsibility to teach their children about chastity, charity, virtue, self-control, conjugal fidelity, love of God and human dignity. No google search or computer program alone can do this. 

Divini Illius Magistri or a sound guide to a Christian education

Pope Pius XI

Where does a parent go today to know what is a good Christian education for children? Not all parents can turn to homeschooling or private schools. The provincial funded schools, either the public or the Catholic schools can no longer be trusted to give students a sound Christian education. Many parishes have stopped offering programs to teach families the Catechism.

A great source of information to guide the faithful can be found in documents published by the church. Divini Illius Magistri an encyclical by Pope Pius XI, published December 31, 1929, on the theme of Christian Education of Youth is a prime example of this. This work can be used as a guide in directing the moral education of young people. According to the Pope, three institutions the family, civil society and the Church, should support Christian education. This supernatural and moral education should not be undermined by the secular education offered by state. But this exactly what we are experiencing in Ontario schools and all across Canada: a frontal attack by the provinces to reject and legally remove all Christian roots and beliefs from the schools. Divini Illius Magistri is a very prophetic document. Any parent reading this encyclical will better understand just how immoral the current state of education has become in Ontario and most of Canada.

In Ontario, the attack on Christian education has come with the Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy and Bill 13. In simple language, schools are being used to change the meaning of human sexuality, the family and traditional marriage. Here in brief is the moral challenge: Homosexuality is on par with heterosexuality, being male or female is equivalent to close to a dozen sexual orientations, same-sex marriage is no different than a marriage between a man and a woman or two women or two men or a number of other arrangements, are all to be considered as possible family structures when it comes to raising children. In case you haven't been paying attention, all this is now law in Ontario.

In contrast, the major goal of a Christian education is eternal salvation. All teaching teaching and learning must be guided by the Gospel and the Church. In 1929, Pope Pius XI's encyclical Divini Illius Magistri, known in English as On the Christian Education of Youth, puts it this way: "In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to attain the sublime end for which he was created, it is clear that there can be no true education which is not wholly directed to man's last end, and that in the present order of Providence, since God has revealed Himself to us in the Person of His Only Begotten Son, who alone is 'the way, the truth and the life,' there can be no ideally perfect education which is not Christian education." (7)     

This mission to educate children in the faith belongs to the Church, the family and society. In the past, this was generally true. But post-modern Canadian society has turned hostile towards the faith. The Church too no longer has the influence it had on the spiritual formation of families. So, the task of making sure children receive a Christian education rests mainly with the parents. In the words of the encyclical, "The wisdom of the Church in this matter is expressed with precision and clearness in the Codex of Canon Law, can. 1113: 'Parents are under a grave obligation to see to the religious and moral education of their children, as well as to their physical and civic training, as far as they can, and moreover to provide for their temporal well-being.'" (34)

Today this statement has become much more relevant then it was in 1929. The encyclical accurately anticipates our times: "Therefore it is the duty of parents to make every effort to prevent any invasion of their rights in this matter, and to make absolutely sure that the education of their children remain under their own control in keeping with their Christian duty, and above all to refuse to send them to those schools in which there is danger of imbibing the deadly poison of impiety."(35)

Modern education has not given us anything really new to feed either the intellect or the soul. If anything, the secular laws are in contradiction with Church teaching and Christian beliefs. Pope Pius XI says, "... So today we see, strange sight indeed, educators and philosophers who spend their lives in searching for a universal moral code of education, as if there existed no decalogue, no gospel law, no law even of nature stamped by God on the heart of man, promulgated by right reason, and codified in positive revelation by God Himself in the ten commandments. These innovators are wont to refer contemptuously to Christian education as "heteronomous," "passive", "obsolete," because founded upon the authority of God and His holy law." (62)

So instead of truly trying to free the child from "the effects of original sin" which can best be described as "weakness of will and disorderly inclinations, "modern education makes the young "the slave of his own blind pride." And this is not all, for ... "what is worse is the claim, not only vain but false, irreverent and dangerous, to submit to research, experiment and conclusions of a purely natural and profane order, those matters of education which belong to the supernatural order; as for example questions of priestly or religious vocation, and in general the secret workings of grace which indeed elevate the natural powers, but are infinitely superior to them, and may nowise be subjected to physical laws, for 'the Spirit breatheth where He will.'" (64)

Pope Pius XI then turns our attention to our current misguided approach sex-education, "Another very grave danger is that naturalism which nowadays invades the field of education in that most delicate matter of purity of morals. Far too common is the error of those who with dangerous assurance and under an ugly term propagate a so-called sex-education, falsely imagining they can forearm youths against the dangers of sensuality by means purely natural, such as a foolhardy initiation and precautionary instruction for all indiscriminately, even in public; and, worse still, by exposing them at an early age to the occasions, in order to accustom them, so it is argued, and as it were to harden them against such dangers." (65)

How can parents combat the modern moral errors when it comes to educating their children? Here's the answer, "In order to obtain perfect education, it is of the utmost importance to see that all those conditions which surround the child during the period of his formation, in other words that the combination of circumstances which we call environment, correspond exactly to the end proposed." (70) It's parents who must give their children a proper example by trying to live the Christian life themselves. Thus they need to be supported by the local parish and the Catholic schools. But should the last two institutions not be doing their part, there's a greater responsibility on the parents to evangelize and to make sure the children are instructed in the faith.

The state should also allow through its laws the freedom for a Christian education. In a pluralistic society like Canada, "...where there are different religious beliefs, it is impossible to provide for public instruction otherwise than by neutral or mixed schools. In such a case it becomes the duty of the State, indeed it is the easier and more reasonable method of procedure, to leave free scope to the initiative of the Church and the family, while giving them such assistance as justice demands. ... There the school legislation respects the rights of the family, and Catholics are free to follow their own system of teaching in schools that are entirely Catholic. Nor is distributive justice lost sight of, as is evidenced by the financial aid granted by the State to the several schools demanded by the families." (81)

The state in protecting the freedom of a true Christian education makes room for good and better citizens. A Christian accomplishes this because because it... "takes in the whole aggregate of human life, physical and spiritual, intellectual and moral, individual, domestic and social, not with a view of reducing it in any way, but in order to elevate, regulate and perfect it, in accordance with the example and teaching of Christ." (95)

The encyclical clearly exposes the central flaw of post-modern education which is the complete eradication of all Christian influences. The political push currently in Canada and the West is to undermine and even reject Christian education. We see this in the new laws which have changed the definition of human sexuality, the family and marriage. Parents should read Divini Illius Magistri because it unmasks the moral lies that have have been and are continuing to be perpetrated by governments on their citizens. Do you want a sound, reasonable and faith based education for your children? If your answer is yes, then read this document, a true blueprint for Christian education, and try to live its message.