Father Deacon Andrew Bennett in his Oct. 18 article, “The hard truth about reconciliation” broaches the thorny question of whether the Catholic Church has apologized and then tells us further that all bishops throughout the world are united in communion with one another under the Pope as the successor of St. Peter.
This is precisely what the author does not understand. Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a full and formal apology on behalf of Canadians for the 132 federally sponsored residential schools across the country. He also recognized that the absence of an apology had been an impediment to healing and reconciliation.
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney offered a formal apology for the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a formal apology to Italian Canadians for their internment.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in an apology to an Israeli audience, said the mass murder of six million Jews brought indescribable sorrow and suffering to the Jewish people. Many commented that the apology could greatly damage her political career. But isn’t that the hallmark of great leadership, leading her people the right way regardless of political consequences? Merkel’s speech was full of statements that we would expect from a religious leader.
Popes have not offered a similar apology, only regrets. But according to Father Deacon Bennett, an apology was heard and accepted by then-Assembly of First Nations national Chief Phil Fontaine and a delegation of Indigenous leaders.
So what is truth? That was the question posed by Pilate to a brutally battered, bruised and abused Christ. The answer to Father Deacon Bennett’s question is that offers of regret are just that and not a formal apology.
One wonders why the author, along with Father Raymond de Souza (“Raising money isn’t the only issue,” Nov. 1) do not seem to understand or want to understand that if there had been an apology, why would these same Indigenous people be travelling to Rome next month to persuade Pope Francis to come to Canada with the fervent hope that he would offer a formal apology?
Leslie Michael
Maple Ridge
Dying With Dignity Canada is supportive of efforts to increase access and the supply of palliative care services across Canada.
It’s important to note however that data from Health Canada’s last annual MAiD report shows that 83 per cent of those who had an assisted death in 2020 received palliative care, and of the MAiD patients who did not receive palliative care, 88 per cent had access to it.
MAiD is not an alternative to palliative care, it’s one of a range of end-of-life options.
Sarah Dobec
Dying with Dignity
Toronto
(Euthanasia is not an alternative to palliative care but rather deteriorates it and deprioritizes it; witness the Delta Hospice situation. Alex Schadenberg at the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition reports that euthanasia proponents encourage those seeking assisted suicide to enroll in palliative care, which distorts the data on who is accessing palliative care and who is not – Editor.)
Thank you for all the letter writers in The B.C. Catholic’s Oct. 25 issue: John O’Leary, Thelma Siglos, Jonathan Deuling, Chase Conell, and Dean Clark. All of you have provided great insights.
Thank you, B.C. Catholic for publishing these letters. Praying that God shows us the truth about COVID and residential schools.
Bozena Szucs
Burnaby
Well, the Pope has met with “good” Catholics Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden. It seems everything is nice and cozy between these pro-abortion Catholics with the Pope posing with these two smiling and Joe Biden telling reporters that the Pope said to him that he was a good Catholic and should keep on receiving Communion.
This is scandalous and the Pope should come out publicly and correct this statement if he did not say this to Biden. If the Pope doesn’t clarify what was said between him and the president, he is causing confusion and division within the Church.
Michael Battle
Vancouver
I am always wondering what might come up in Life in the Schratz Lane. “Dancing with Caesar” in the Oct. 18 issue was enough of a headline for me to get comfortable with my morning coffee.
The “dance” images were superb. Thinking about Church and State as “awkward dancing partners” when the State chose the First Nations communities to be first in line for the “you know what” after ‘seniors. How “awkward’ was that” In fact, it was practically genocidal.
The incredible image of Bonnie Henry and Adrian Dix being given “manoeuvring room” – Henry on the dance floor in her pink Fluevog shoes. The word “ungainly,” from the old German word ungeinliche, meaning perilous, is the perfect word to describe the entire shambles. Not going well. Unbalanced for sure.
The “carrot and stick” should wake someone up. And “Caesar is clearly overstepping his bounds” would make a good caption for a poster.
“The arbitrary nature of restrictions” really nailed it. So keep a No Trespassing notice at your door for the “centurions.”
Alvina Schick
Vancouver
