Virtual Archbishop’s Dinner draws record numbers

This story was updated Nov. 3.

The first virtual Archbishop’s Dinner went off without a hitch Oct. 29, with more than 2,200 households registering, double the number who typically attend the annual fundraiser at local hotels.

The livestreamed event, which is available online, opened on a light note with an introduction by emcee Clay Imoo and a segment with Imoo and Archbishop J. Michael Miller playing a round of Gibberish, the popular game involving sounding out nonsensical phrases.

In his annual state of the archdiocese address, Archbishop Miller reviewed highlights of the past year and provided a look ahead at plans for the future, including enhanced lay formation programs, the beneficiary of this year’s dinner.

Archbishop Miller began by praising the local church’s “imaginative and creative response” to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time ever, pastors and parish staff found themselves setting up drive-thru confessionals, drive-thru adoration, and livestreamed Masses. Schools quickly responded to a need for online learning.

“The Church in Vancouver never became disheartened that it would be unable to cope with the pandemic, even though sacramental life and pastoral care had to be curtailed. Instead, what erupted in our parishes was an outburst of innovative activity, activity rooted in our conviction that Jesus is alive and with us.”

He said faith formation programs also successfully made the transition from in-person to online – he listed Into the Deep, ENDOW, and Catholic Faith in Plain English – engaging more than 2,500 viewers.

Other pandemic-related initiatives of the year include the launch of All Were Filled, a pilot project that has offered more than 5,000 free meals to people struggling to make ends meet, and the launch of the Crisis Response Fund (under Project Advance) to help charities struggling financially.

The archdiocese has also expanded existing projects including the new ministry for divorced and separated Catholics and the revamped marriage preparation program, which launched in 2019.

In the last year, seven men have joined the seminary, three young women have been accepted into religious communities, and nine men in the permanent diaconate program are preparing for ordination in the spring. Raffaele Salvino was ordained a deacon Oct. 23 and Deacon Richard Conlin is to be ordained a priest Dec. 11.

He also announced that the Catholic Charities Men’s Hostel, which has been waiting to move out of the old warehouse on 150 Robson Street for years, is getting ready to call the former nurses’ residence at St. Paul’s Hospital its new home next month.

Amid “so many bright spots” in the local Church, Archbishop Miller said there are also some dark places that are cause for continued concern. One is the clerical sexual abuse crisis, about which the archdiocese’s Case Review Committee released in a report in November of 2019.

In his speech, the archbishop echoed his apology and plea for forgiveness from victim/survivors of abuse. Then, he listed a few of the ways the archdiocese has responded to the committee’s 31 recommendations from 2019.

The archdiocese has entered an agreement with an independent, non-denominational counselling agency to offer support and a confidential phone line to victim/survivors, and hired two independent investigators to review historical cases of abuse and look into any new cases that come forward.

Archbishop Miller also hosted the archdiocese’s first-ever liturgy for healing for victim/survivors of sexual abuse by priests on All Survivors’ Day Nov. 3.

The virtual event closed with a promotion for one of the major lay formation initiatives the archdiocese is launching, The Search—Vancouver Edition, a video partnership between the archdiocese and the Augustine Institute.

The online series runs seven consecutive Thursdays starting Nov. 5. Viewers are invited to come together online each week to watch an episode, followed by a hosted panel discussion featuring local and international speakers. Archbishop Miller will be part of the panel for the final episode.

The Search is one of many initiatives benefiting from the proceeds of the dinner, which Archbishop Miller said will support spiritual and personal formation for lay people.

“We have an enormous reservoir of lay people with generous hearts who willingly put their energy, time and skills at the service of the Gospel,” he said. But to do this, many need “a robust formation in Christian spirituality, theology, and pastoral ministry.”

He said funds raised will benefit “new and expanding partnerships” with organizations including Catholic Christian Outreach, the Augustine Institute, Divine Renovation, Amazing Parish, REVIVE Parishes, and Evangelium.

He also hinted at the possibility of collaborating with St. Mark’s College to launch an Institute of Lay Formation.

In a testimonial, St. Michael the Archangel parishioner Kris Hermkens shared his story on how parish ministry and prayer helped save his life, while leading him closer to Christ.

Those who tuned in to the virtual event were asked to make donations, which thanks to sponsors will be matched until Thursday, Nov. 5, up to $200,000.