Recent News and Events - January 2021

Answering the Call to Priesthood:
Episode 4
In the final episode of this season's 'Answering the Call to Priesthood', Father King discusses the Transitional Diaconate with Deacon Patrick Ohl.

FOR THE COMMON GOOD
On the Pandemic Sacrifices
A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Douglas Crosby, OMI - "My dear friends, The decision to close our churches and suspend public celebrations of the Mass has been a painful one for our clergy, religious, and all the lay faithful in the Diocese. While the sadness of our inability to gather to celebrate the Eucharist is profound, some of the responses to this closure - in addition to falling short of the demands of charity - betray a fundamental lack of understanding not only of why this great sacrifice is being made, but also whose example we follow in so doing..."

Statement on the Use of COVID-19 Vaccines
In response to questions regarding various vaccines which are being made available to arrest the spread of the COVID-19 Virus, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith provided an important statement on the vaccines, in particular, those vaccines which, in the course of their production, employed cell lines drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century.

Chancery Office and Bishop Farrell Library Closure: February 12, 2021
Following the Province-wide Shutdown announced by the Government of Ontario to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and to protect the health and safety of our Diocesan community, the Chancery Office staff will be working remotely until February 12, 2021.

Pope's January Prayer Intention: At the service of Human fraternity
In this new year that begins, the Holy Father proposes a new challenge to us: to be more fraternal. Let us pray that the Lord may give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters of other religions and not fight each other, and praying for one another, open ourselves to all.

A Message of Hope from His Excellency, Bishop Crosby
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1:5) Suffering, sickness, loss and death can make the world seem like a very dark place. Perhaps no other year in memory has seemed so dark as the year we are (most happily!) leaving behind us. Yet even in times of profound darkness, we cannot forget that there is light.