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Last Updated: Friday - 09/24/2010

Week of October 11, 1999

Canadian and Foreign News Highlights

Church seeks ways to renew Europe:

Christianity can bring hope to Europe, but only if Christians find new ways to proclaim the Gospel message, said members of the Synod of Bishops for Europe. Opening the work of the Oct. 1-23 synod, Spanish Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela said "The secularization of Christian life within the Church" has led to a drop in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, a decline in Mass attendance and a rise in doctrinal dissent. Pope John Paul, celebrating the synod's opening Mass, told synod members "Do not give in to discouragement."

Women named patrons of Europe:

Pope John Paul proclaimed three women patron saints of Europe: St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Edith Stein. The pope said he wanted to show that the Church increasingly recognizes "the dignity and specific gifts of women" and their role in history. The women join three men - Sts. Benedict, Cyril and Methodius - as patrons of Europe.

Canada urged to match U.S. on debt:

Canada is no longer in the lead when it comes to debt relief for the poorest countries of the world, says John Dillon of the Ecumenical Coalition for Economic Justice (ECEJ). Canada was the first country to offer to write-off 100 per cent of bilateral debt of the 25 least-developed nations of the 41 countries potentially eligible to qualify as Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). "Now, President Clinton has said the U.S. will offer 100 per cent remission of bilateral debts, apparently for all 41 HIPC countries that meet the eligibility requirements of at least three years and perhaps more of structural adjustment," Dillon said Oct. 4.

Parents take sex ed program to court:

Parents opposed to implementing the Fully Alive family life education program in North Battleford and district Catholic schools have taken their case to court. The two families launching the suit are backed by a group which vigorously campaigned against Fully Alive last April, saying the program's sexuality information is not age appropriate, is divorced from Catholic moral teaching, and robs parents of the freedom to decide when to introduce sexuality information to their children.

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