New Canadian Archbishop - Man of Action

[Gerry_Hunter]

The Vatican Information Service today reported that the Holy Father:

" - Appointed Bishop Richard William Smith of Pembroke, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Edmonton (area 81,151, population 1,439,572, Catholics 353,545, priests 175, permanent deacons 1, religious 449), Canada. The archbishop-elect was born in Halifax, Canada in 1959, he was ordained a priest in 1987, and consecrated a bishop in 2002."

Lifesite News, reported in 2005 that Bishop Smith banned the notoriously heterodox Catholic New Times from his diocese. This is a young Bishop (not yet 50), who is clearly not afraid to act for the Faith. Having him receive the Pallium is altogether a good sign!

Blessings,

Gerry

 

[vern_humphrey]

Now we need to find a morally-acceptable way of cloning him and a few other bishops of his ilk, and we will rescue the Church.

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

Don’t know about the cloning part, but perhaps it’s not necessary. I must admit I was waiting to see if Bishop Fred Henry in Calgary would get the Pallium. He’s been an uncompromising defender of the Faith, and it would have, to my mind, sent a very good signal to elevate him to the dignity of Archbishop. But Bishop Smith has also been an active defender, and he is about 18 years younger than Bishop Henry.

All in all, I feel quite good about this part of Canada. With Archbishop Roussin in Vancouver, there are active Bishops in British Columbia, and Alberta is certainly solid with Archbishop Smith and Bishop Henry. The less-than-stellar defenders have pretty much faded away, or are in the process of doing so, as the years have passed.

Still, I must admit that I do not have the same degree of patience as our Holy Mother the Church exhibits.

Blessings,

Gerry

 

[vern_humphrey]

I sincerely hope you’re right. Here in the Diocese of Little Rock (Arkansas) we have no bishop currently. Let’s hope the Holy Father sends us a** real** bishop.

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

I’ll keep that intention in my prayers.

One thing that has been noted about Pope Benedict. He, apparently, takes a much more hands-on approach to Episcopal appointments than did Pope JP II. I suggest that we can take that to be an indication that he sees that area as one of particular import during this time. That would be another good sign.

Blessings,

Gerry

 

[vern_humphrey]

Thank you and God bless.

 

[davidc2]

I sincerely hope you’re right. Here in the Diocese of Little Rock (Arkansas) we have no bishop currently. Let’s hope the Holy Father sends us a** real** bishop.

Given that Birmingham, AL has been without a bishop for 1 year and a week longer than ya’ll - it may be a while.

 

[Shoshana]

We also have a very orthodox bishop in Toronto…tom Collins! Excellent in Scripture…I heard him many years back at a Rallye conference…thank you Lord!

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

We also have a very orthodox bishop in Toronto…tom Collins! Excellent in Scripture…I heard him many years back at a Rallye conference…thank you Lord!

Yes, Archbishop Smith replaces him in Edmonton.

I must confess I get somewhat perturbed by the rate at which the Church sometimes does things. But there’s no reason she should conform to the imperative for speed that the modern world seems to impose. She moves for the long term, but I am, I must admit, pleased when that happens with minimum delay.

Our Archbishop Emeritus, Abp. Exner, had his resignation accepted almost immediately when he turned 75. That was rather unexpected, but because of his age, if Abp. Roussin, who succeeded him, was to have a decently length of term, he had to be appointed without delay. All kinds of things can come into play, it seems, and we get to know very few of them. Still, it’s really not our business, I guess.

Anyway, the ranks of the faithful and active among Bishops is increasing, and those less so are decreasing in number. And that’s all good.

Blessings,

Gerry

 

[Catholic29]

Thank the maker these JP-II priests are now coming into the shepherd’s seats, lets hope things haven’t regressed in Canada too far for the Church to hold together. But with recent laws passed, and with how deeply entrenched dissent, moral-relativism and secularism are up there, I have my doubts…

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

Thank the maker these JP-II priests are now coming into the shepherd’s seats, lets hope things haven’t regressed in Canada too far for the Church to hold together. But with recent laws passed, and with how deeply entrenched dissent, moral-relativism and secularism are up there, I have my doubts…

I don’t know about the doubts, but yes, the work is certainly cut out.

I think all of Western civilization is at the point where our Lord’s exhortation to the apostles is certainly again very timely. Were they of the world, the world would love them. They’re not, so it doesn’t. The distinction between the Church and the world has been blurred of late, with the phenomenon of “cultural Catholics” and “cultural Christians” in general. The Church is not the organ, extension, or expression of any culture in any age, and the way Western culture has gone, the differences between the Church and the culture are becoming much less blurred. That’s a good, if painful and challanging thing.

I don’t know how the culture is going to fare in the long run, but I don’t fear for the Church. Moral relativism and secularism, evil though they are, contrast to the intrinsic goodness the Church provides, and the dissidents are, quite frankly, a spent force, slipping steadily (if still somewhat annoyingly) into irrelevance.

The challange of the age is dismaying, but the presence of faithful priests and bishops to answer it, and their being given the authority to do so, is most hopeful.

Blessings,

Gerry

 

[Strider]

To all of my Canuck friends,
You deserve all the good, faithful bishops you can get.
We could use a few more, too.

 

[Gerry_Hunter]

To all of my Canuck friends,
You deserve all the good, faithful bishops you can get.
We could use a few more, too.

And may we both, and all the Church, see many of them. They’re becoming less and less rare.

 

[Shoshana]

And may we both, and all the Church, see many of them. They’re becoming less and less rare.

Amen!

 

[Morning_Star15]

We also have a very orthodox bishop in Toronto…tom Collins! Excellent in Scripture…I heard him many years back at a Rallye conference…thank you Lord!

Yes, he’s great! I attended the Ordinandi Dinner held this year in the Archdiocese of Toronto in honour of the men about to be ordained as priests from St. Augustine’s Seminary, and at this dinner Archbishop Collins was stressing the importance of people actively discerning their vocation. He was so adamant about us seeking guidance on this issue that he even announced his phone number (twice) to call him if we needed help in this regard. It was very encouraging to see him make himself so available and supportive when it comes to vocational discernment. God bless him!

 

[Shoshana]

Yes, he’s great! I attended the Ordinandi Dinner held this year in the Archdiocese of Toronto in honour of the men about to be ordained as priests from St. Augustine’s Seminary, and at this dinner Archbishop Collins was stressing the importance of people actively discerning their vocation. He was so adamant about us seeking guidance on this issue that he even announced his phone number (twice) to call him if we needed help in this regard. It was very encouraging to see him make himself so available and supportive when it comes to vocational discernment. God bless him!

Yhat is almost unbelievable that he would give his number…may the Lord bless him abundantly! It has been awhile that I had gone to a ‘Lift Jesus Higher’ rallye…and because of him, I felt on fire so much that I bought the book he recommended Consuming Fire’…I was so awed with the whole experience!. That was about 15 years ago or so…

 

[Morning_Star15]

Yhat is almost unbelievable that he would give his number…may the Lord bless him abundantly! It has been awhile that I had gone to a ‘Lift Jesus Higher’ rallye…and because of him, I felt on fire so much that I bought the book he recommended Consuming Fire’…I was so awed with the whole experience!. That was about 15 years ago or so…

Well, I found out later that it wasn’t his private line (you would have to speak to his secretary first), but still, he’s willing to personally speak to people about vocational discernment, when he has such a big Archdiocese to run - what dedication!

 

[Ani_Ibi]

We also have a very orthodox bishop in Toronto…tom Collins! Excellent in Scripture…I heard him many years back at a Rallye conference…thank you Lord!

My priest told him that folks are tickled that he is named after a drink, so the Archbishop would like to be known from here on in as Thomas Collins. It’s the truth.

And Vern: we are going to include Little Rock in the Archdiocese of Toronto so that you will not be abandonned. Just remember to say ‘eh’ and you’ll be fine.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

…He was so adamant about us seeking guidance on this issue that he even announced his phone number (twice) to call him if we needed help in this regard. It was very encouraging to see him make himself so available and supportive when it comes to vocational discernment. God bless him!

The priests at St Mike’s really like him. He moved into the fourth floor of the priests residence rather than have his own house. The second Mass he gave after his installation was a Mass for the people. He wants to know the people. He actually answered a letter I sent! I almost fell out of my chair when I received it!

I am hoping that Bishop Henry gets a promotion. He has defended the Church fearlessly. God bless him. Then again there are a lot of lesser known priests and bishops in the outlying areas who may come up. Bishop Prendergast went to Ottawa to replace Bishop Gervais.

 

[vern_humphrey]

My priest told him that folks are tickled that he is named after a drink, so the Archbishop would like to be known from here on in as Thomas Collins. It’s the truth.

And Vern: we are going to include Little Rock in the Archdiocese of Toronto so that you will not be abandonned. Just remember to say ‘eh’ and you’ll be fine.

Now stop that! My wife is already after me to get hearing aids.