Recent News

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - "The presentation of the audited Financial Statements for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg for the year ended December 31, 2019 has been delayed, in part, because of the COVID- 19 pandemic.  That being said, we are pleased to present the Statement of Financial Position and the Statement of Operations for 2019.  These statements were prepared by the accounting firm, Myers Norris and Penny (MNP) and recommended for acceptance by the Archdiocesan Finance Council" - Archbishop Richard Gagnon. View the 2019 Financial Report here.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - Upon election and presentation by their respective deaneries, the Archbishop is pleased to appoint the following deans (vicars forane):

1. Very Reverend Robert P. Polz, Central Winnipeg Deanery;
2. Very Reverend Patrick Neufeld, Parkland Deanery (reappointment);
3. Very Reverend Christopher R. Dubois, Westman Deanery.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - "As you have, no doubt heard, the Provincial Government is seeking to ease restrictions for faith-based gatherings.  The new guidelines state that site capacity will “be a maximum of 30% or 500 people, whichever is lower”.  The guidelines go on to state that physical distancing of at least two metres must be maintained. The guidelines also state that physical distancing between individuals, between households or between groups travelling to the event together will continue to be required. The restrictions related to singing in choirs will continue as well.

This change does not apply to social gatherings, weddings and funerals, or other organized gatherings or events.

Note:  Please look carefully at your church’s physical capacity to see if you are able to increase your numbers.  These Provincial Guidelines are to come into effect on July 25, 2020."

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The above is taken from a July 23, 2020 memorandum from Archbishop Gagnon.

St. Ignatius Church, Winnipeg - Starting in mid-October, St. Ignatius Parish will be offering a course in preparation for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) at the Easter Vigil in 2021. 

Province guidelines permitting, participants and their sponsors will meet with a team for weekly formation classes and fellowship.  If you are interested or have questions, please call Fr. Con at the parish offices (204-474-2351) or e.mail fr.mulvihill@stignatius.ca.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola is a systematic method of prayer and discernment to help us grow closer to the Lord.  The Education Centre of St. Ignatius Parish will once again offer the possibility to do the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life over the course of the coming academic year.   Province guidelines permitting, preparation classes begin early in October and the program will continue to May 2021.

If have questions or are interested, call Fr. Con at the parish offices (204-474-2351) or e.mail fr.mulvihill@stignatius.ca.

Archdiocese of Winnipeg - In this week's Friday Report, Archbishop Richard Gagnon reflects on Fratelli Tutti, gives clarifications on the Archdiocese of Winnipeg's COVID-19 protocols, and updates us on our local church's financial realities in light of the pandemic Click here to view the video.

The Archbishop - Archbishop Gagnon wrote a letter to Pastors, Parish Administrators, Development and Peace Parish Representatives, and to all Parishioners, encouraging support for Development and Peace-Caritas Canada during these trying times.

Here's an excerpt from the letter: "Pope Francis reminds us in Fratelli Tutti that we are indeed brothers and sisters as much as we are far away from each other as when we are close to one another. The Holy Father focuses on the human community as one which has been fractured and further aggravated by the pandemic, he states: No one can face life in isolation…we need a community that supports and helps us, in which we can help one another to keep looking ahead. As such, this year, Development and Peace has decided to launch a special COVID-19 campaign: Recovering Together in support of a just recovery." 

Click here for the letter from Archbishop Gagnon.

Click here for all of the promotional materials provided by D&P.

The Church in Canada - "The president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a post-plenary interview with Canadian Catholic News, said adjusting to the realities of the pandemic have been difficult for parishioners and clergy, but it has shown how important a personal connection with God and the Church is in the lives of many Canadians." Read more of the Catholic Register article.

St. Paul's College - "Over the past week we have been working hard to produce our Opening Academic Awards and Exercises video. It is just over 30 minutes and features an invocation and blessing of the Student Council by Fr. Colin Peterson, the recognition of all the award recipients introduced by our faculty, and brief remarks by the Rector, the Dean of Studies, the Archbishop and Chancellor of St. Paul’s College, the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, and the new University of Manitoba President, Dr. Michael Benarroch." - Dr. Christopher Adams, Rector, and Dr. Dilantha Fernando, Dean of Studies, St. Paul's College. Click here to view the video.

June Dutka (SPC'64)

St. Paul's College - The Board of Directors of St. Paul’s College Foundation Inc. and the Board of Governors for St. Paul’s College are pleased to announce the creation of the June Dutka (SPC’64) Ignatian Leadership Endowment Fund. The Fund, which was created in June 2020, recognizes the contribution of June Dutka’s legacy to St. Paul’s College, the University of Manitoba, as well as to celebrate the combined influence that the Jesuits, Ignatian teachings, and the Ukrainian Catholic Church had on her during her formative years as a student at St. Paul’s College. Click here for the article from the University of Manitoba news.

In the Community - An open letter to all Canadians from Religious Leaders in Canada who oppose Bill C-7, "An Act to amend the Criminal Code" (medical assistance in dying). Excerpt from the letter: "It perplexes our collective minds that we have come so far as a society yet, at the same time, have so seriously regressed in the manner that we treat the weak, the ill, and the marginalized." Click here to view We Can and Must Do Much Better.

In the Community - "With 19 institutions employing more than 8,000 people, and a budget of $597 million, Catholics are a major part of health-care delivery in Manitoba. This week (Oct. 6-12), Catholics are invited to celebrate the way they contribute at the second annual National Catholic Health Care Week. 'It’s a week to promote the fact we have been here for a long time, with an unwavering commitment to serve all, especially the most vulnerable,' said Julie Turenne-Maynard, executive director of the Catholic Health Association of Manitoba." Read more of John Longhurst's article in the Winnipeg Free Press.

In the Community - "We are pleased to announce that after months of work, a new ministry initiative, “We Are Neighbours”, has started taking root. The Tri-Diocesan Prison Ministry Committee was established in 2013 with representatives from the Archdioceses of Saint Boniface and Winnipeg, as well as the Ukrainian Archeparchy. Over the last few years, the mandate of this group has evolved to focus primarily on accompanying and assisting prisoners as they complete their time of incarceration and begin reintegration with their family and within society." Please click here for the rest of the joint letter from Archbishop Richard Gagnon, Archbishop Albert LeGatt, and Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak, OSBM.

In the Community - The Deacons of Manitoba have recently published a newsletter aimed at connecting the diaconate community, as well as inviting a free of exchange of ideas with the rest of our Archdiocesan communities. To reach out to the Deacons, please contact Deacon Jim Frater (jrfrater@mymts.net) or Deacon Michael Cordova (michaelmartincordova@yahoo.com). Click here to view the newsletter.

The Church in Canada - In view of Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (2018), the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops is developing a pastoral letter addressed to young people. The pastoral letter will seek to reflect and respond to the hopes, joys, and fears that young people experience in society and in the Church today. In order to prepare the letter, it is important to engage in a conversation with young people and youth ministers from across the country to gather their input. This will allow the Bishops to assure young people, in a pastoral letter, that Christ lives and is with them, that they are valued, and that they have reason to hope. 

To establish a process for reaching out to young people, the Office for Evangelization and Catechesis has assembled a working group which includes representatives from the Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network (CCYMN), the Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF), and the National Coordinator for the Canadian Delegation to World Youth Day. 

 Beginning in October 2020, a series of virtual conversations will be coordinated through the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis and facilitated by members of the Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network. All Dioceses/Eparchies are asked to invite two representatives to participate from each of the following age groups 12-15, 16-19, 20-25. A session will be held for each age category to ensure a broad perspective and qualitative feedback from the representative age groups.  There will be sessions for both French and English sectors.

Directors for Youth Ministry and Diocesan/Eparchial representatives are invited to facilitate, in consultation with their local Bishop, the selection of the youth participants and join in the conversation as well. 

Attached, please find a poster with all of the information regarding the purpose of the conversations, the dates, and the registration form.  Once the registrations have been completed, a facilitator from the CCYMN will contact you with specific information for the sessions themselves. An announcement about this event has been sent to Diocesan/Eparchial Bishops. 

For more information on the initiative please contact Mrs. Marg Shea-Lawrence, Director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis at m.shea-lawrence@cccb.ca. Click here for the poster.

Universal Church - COVID-19 has created many difficulties for all of us, yet our Christian commitment to those in need continues even during these times of the pandemic. Throughout the year, there are a number of important National Collections that are taken up to assist the poor and disadvantaged. It was impossible to schedule these collections as we normally do, so below is a listing of these important National Collections for consideration of parishioners of the Archdiocese. If you have parish envelopes, please consider a donation to these worthy causes if you have not already contributed. For those without the Sunday donation envelopes, please consider how you may help further this good work as well. All donations go to your parish and will be designated to the particular need in each case. The following is a listing of these collections:

1) Development and Peace: In normal times the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace takes up a Share Lent Collection for its work in the developing world assisting local projects and works related to justice among the oppressed. Canadians have been very supportive of this work of the Church and are encouraged to continue to do so. This year’s theme is: Recovering Together. Please have a look at their Web Site: www.devp.org

2) Pontifical Holy Land Collection: Pope Francis has asked that the faithful continue to support this collection which normally is taken up on Good Friday. The Christian presence in the Holy Land goes back to New Testament times but has been undergoing great difficulty for decades and many people have left due to persecution, discrimination and financial hardship.

3) World Mission Sunday: This National Collection covers the missionary work of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Society of Peter the Apostle, the Holy Childhood Association, and Missionary Union of Clergy and Religious. This collection goes to the needs of the poorest dioceses in the world such as: formation of catechists, vocations, health care, support of churches and parish facilities where there is a lack, transport of pastoral workers etc. The theme for this year is: “Here I am, send me”.

4) The Needs of the Church in Canada: This National Collection is designated to assist the poorer dioceses in Canada in the north. These local churches have small populations and huge territories. They are not able to survive on their own without the help of Catholic Missions in Canada and through the Needs of the Church in Canada collection.

5) The Pope’s Pastoral Works: This collection, commonly called Peter’s Pence, goes towards the Pope’s outreach throughout the world for natural disasters, humanitarian crisis and assistance to the poorest of the poor.