Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

God left out of Canada's national day of mourning

OTTAWA — Some people are wondering why God was shut out of the national day of mourning on Parliament Hill for victims of the terrorist tragedy in the United States.

About 100,000 people including Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and U. S. Ambassador Paul Celucci took part in the outdoor service Sept. 14, described by Chretien as a way to "show the solidarity that we feel toward our American friends and the families of the victims.''

No prayers were recited, no mention of God was made, and while the leaders of the major denominational and faith groups, including Catholic Archbishop Marcel Gervais, sat in front row seats during the half-hour ceremony, none was asked to lead in a simple prayer or give a short reflection.

"I am so embarrassed by our pathetic, spiritually void leadership," said local talk-show host John Counsell, who is also a Pentecostal minister.

The majority of the 31 callers he received hours after the memorial service expressed disappointment that no public prayers were recited.

A Heritage Department official told the Ottawa Citizen that because there are many religions in Canada it was thought best to allow people to pray on their own rather than having one specific faith being the one to pray.

The department organized the memorial service.

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