The Sheepcat

Two Funerals and a Wedding

Yesterday we held the funeral for my uncle Roly, who was full of energy until the last of his 86 years. A few days earlier, Miss Blanche and I attended the funeral for someone else in our circle. (And, had we been able to bilocate, we might have tried to get to a third funeral, for a friend's father.) So it's been a heavy time. We ask for your prayers for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, and for all of us who are in mourning.

Roly was an avid sailor throughout his adult life, so the readings and hymns had a nautical theme. "They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep..." (Psalm 107:23-30). "And [Jesus] awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!'" (Mark 4:35-41). At a family gathering last night, my mother recalled that when her brother was about 7, this gospel passage was to have been read by another child, who didn't show up in time, so he was asked to fill in at the last minute. Little Roly read with remarkable poise, only he pronounced the unfamiliar word as "rebucked."

Miss Blanche and I are way behind schedule with our wedding preparations, what with my move to the apartment that will be our shared home, and a bad cold, and this and that. We're trying to rein in our anxiety about the big day. Funerals, sad as they are, have helped remind us of the long view. So did last Wednesday's celebration of the 70th anniversary of the ordination of Monsignor Vincent Foy, a steadfast proponent of the culture of life and the foremost critic of the Canadian bishops' 1968 Winnipeg Statement. Through his experience as a parish priest and as the former head of Toronto's archdiocesan marriage tribunal, Msgr Foy has seen over and over again how contraception contributes to the breakdown of marriages. We wish all couples could hear what we learned about contraception during our marriage prep classes.

Last Wednesday was also the 65th anniversary of the ordination of Fr John Harvey, the founder of Courage--and the feast day of the Ugandan martyrs, who are Courage's patron saints. Msgr Foy is apparently a big fan of Fr Harvey, and we're fans of both.

Such are my scattered thoughts at the moment.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone! Christ is risen, he is risen indeed, alleluia!

The Easter Vigil at St Vincent de Paul Church was glorious. Please pray that it might bear good fruit in the hearts of all who attended, especially those who are not in full communion with the Catholic Church.

I've been off-line for several days, taking a much-needed sabbatical from the computer. Next year I'll see if I can queue up something to get published automatically in my virtual absence.

Debate with Minister from MCC Windsor

Is homosexual practice "contrary to the gospel and inconsistent with a Christian lifestyle"? On Sunday, July 27, I'll be debating that question at Lakeshore-St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Windsor. My opponent will be Rev. Martha Daniels from Metropolitan Community Church Windsor.

The debate, to be held at both the 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services, is part of a discussion series LSA is hosting called The Elephant in the Room, on current topics that Christians need to know how to deal with.

If you're in the area, please come. The church is located just off of Hwy. 22 (E.C. Row Expressway) between Manning and West Pike Creek Rd (directions here). It's a little over 10 miles from Detroit.

And wherever you are, please pray for all of us who are involved in the event.

Award to Abortionist Morgentaler Must Be Revoked

Canada's most notorious abortionist, Dr Henry Morgentaler, has been awarded the Order of Canada. This is a national disgrace of the first magnitude. David Ahenakew was rightly stripped of his Order of Canada for uttering vile anti-Semitic remarks, but he hasn't killed anyone. Morgentaler has killed many thousands of unborn children and is proud of having done so.

In a strong and timely response, Archbishop Collins has declared that the award must be revoked. He has asked that all parishes include this prayer in this coming Sunday's Prayer of the Faithful:

That the scourge of abortion be lifted from our land, that those who promote it may be brought to a change of heart, that all who are tempted to abortion may be lovingly helped to protect the precious gift of life, and that all who have experienced an abortion may be comforted with the healing gift of love.

I wrote to the Governor General before the story was confirmed. Protests must continue until the award is overturned.

If you're Canadian, please write to the Governor General and the Prime Minister and your MP and everyone on the committee responsible for this outrage. LifeSiteNews has contact information. I suspect that letters from the United States would just get the authorities' backs up even more, but wherever you are, please pray.

St Gianna Beretta Molla, pray for us.

Update: Canadian Physicians for Life has also responded. The Catholic Civil Rights League has both statements and I'm guessing may add others as they become available.

Update: Archbishop Collins calls for prayers for conversion such as turned the heart of Dr Bernard Nathanson. Meanwhile several online polls ask whether Morgentaler should be honoured. The Facebook group to oppose the award is growing fast.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and numerous Members of Parliament have spoken out against the award.