Development and Peace,  On Saturday, May 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm ET, there will be a National Zoom Webinar to provide you with all the national content for the Regional Assemblies. Register at  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkcOqgrzgiGdTspW6Y2-15EKEyrdbtwroe   Simultaneous translation will be provided for the National Webinar and content will be presented in an equitable balance of both official languages. A link to the draft agenda will be provided in the confirmation email you will receive after you register. This will be a first for Development and Peace – Caritas Canada to proceed in this way, i.e. to be united across the country for a national gathering, and we appreciate your collaboration in making this webinar happen.   A recording will be made available to participants to the Regional Assemblies who were not able to attend the May 15 National Webinar. If you have any technical questions about the National Webinar, please direct them to Luke Stocking, Acting Director of Public Engagement, lstocking@devp.org.

Following the National Webinar, we will hold our Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Assembly on Thursday, May 20 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm NT virtually via ZOOM.  Please register at zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvf-6oqzIiGtY9FSuM35YF9zJhru2ELmUK

For technical questions regarding the registration information for our Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Assembly, please direct them to Patricia Walsh Warren, Animator for Newfoundland and Labrador,
pwalsh@devp.org. 

St. John’s Diocesan Council Meeting – Thursday, May 13, 6:00 – 7:00 pm.  Amongst other topics will be the nomination of delegates for the Regional Assembly.  Please register at  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuc-mppzMsE9z6MHiHjYyUEjz9WjTSfQ3X

We thank you for your continued support during this transition year and we look forward to providing you with good information and opportunities for good dialogue with our membership during this 2021 Regional Assembly season.

The Mass of Chrism is one of the most solemn and important diocesan celebrations of the liturgical year.  The Mass is a celebration of the institution of the ministerial priesthood and is a sign of the unity and communion of the Priests with their Bishop.  The Mass takes its name from the blessing of the Holy Oils used in the sacraments throughout the year, which are then given to the priests to take back to their parishes.

Usually, the Chrism Mass is celebrated near the end of Lent, just before the celebration of the Sacred Triduum, and people from all the parishes of the Archdiocese are invited to attend.  This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Chrism Mass was postponed.

In consultation with the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council, the 2021 Chrism Mass is now scheduled to be celebrated at the Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Wednesday, May 19^th at 11:00 a.m.

People wishing to attend the celebration are asked to please register by phone at 709-754-2170 or by email at basilica@rcsj.org.  People may also participate virtually and spiritually either via live stream on the Basilica Heritage Foundation website (www.thebasilica.net) or the Basilica Parish website (www.thebasilica.church) or by viewing the celebration when it is posted on the Archdiocese’s website (www.rcsj.org).

There are still some spaces remaining for our masses this weekend (Saturday at 4 PM, Sunday at 1015 AM, and Sunday at 7 PM). To register for a mass please call the parish office today at 754-1195.

Dear Monsignors and Fathers:

Yesterday, the Chief Medical Officer of Health announced that as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday March 27^th all of the province would move to Alert Level 2.  Please find attached with this Memo in pdf format a copy of the Public Advisory of March 24, 2021.

According to this Advisory, “formal gatherings” are limited to no more than 50 people.  In addition, the Chief Medical Officer requested that masks be worn by congregants through out public worship services (except when receiving Communion, and lectors, cantors and the celebrant when ministering).  Further information is found in the June 25, 2020 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s Covid-19 Parish Church and Pastoral Ministry Guidelines while operating under Alert Level 2.

With the above in mind and having consulted and received the advice of the COVID-19 Sub-committee of the Presbyteral Council, I ask that as 12:01 a.m. Saturday March 27^th and until further notice, the parishes of the Archdiocese please adhere to the following instructions:

Diocesan and Parish Adminstrative Offices:

1. Diocesan and parish staff that can work from home are encouraged to do so.
2. As much as possible, parish meetings should be held online.
3. All in person meetings must comply with present COVID-19 safety protocols.

Archdiocesan Churches:

1. Churches may be opened for private devotion and/or public worship provided that:
2. No more than 50 people are present including the officiant;
3. All present COVID-19 safety protocols are followed including social distancing, facemask wearing, COVID self-assessment and contact tracing registration.

2021 Chrism Mass

Given our present situation and that in Canada the CCCB has left it to Ordinaries to decide whether to transfer the date of the Chrism Mass, we are presently planning to celebrate the 2021 Mass of Chrism at the Basilica on Monday May 17^th at 7:00 p.m.  Further details on this celebration and other social and spiritual events that may take place in conjunction with the Chrism Mass will be provided at a later date.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Peter Hundt

Dear People of the Archdiocese of St. John’s:

Recently, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed our Archdiocese’s application for Leave to Appeal. This makes final the judgement of the Appeal Court of Newfoundland and Labrador that the Archdiocese of St. John’s is vicariously liable for the abuse at the Mount Cashel Orphanage in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. We must now move to address these claims to the best of our ability, and in justice to the victims.

The resolution of these claims will have significant implications for the parishes and parishioners of our Archdiocese. Therefore, we are presently working with financial and other advisers to discern how best to move forward in addressing them. Further communications will be sent to the parishes as more information becomes available.

There will be changes and sacrifices required of all of us as we move through this process. I cannot promise that the road ahead will be an easy one, but certainly, the practice and celebration of our Catholic faith will continue.  I hope that this resolution process will bring with it healing for the victims, their loved ones, and the entire community of faith, and closure to a dark chapter in the history of our Archdiocese.

As we move forward with this process, I ask that you please join with me in praying for God’s guidance, healing for the victims, and understanding, compassion and patience for us all.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Peter Hundt

Archbishop of St. John’s.