Readers Speak Out: June 30, 2019

Conscience rights

A recent column by Charles Lewis highlighted the desire for legislative protection for health care workers in the area of conscience rights in our province. It is an important issue that deserves our attention and that of our provincial legislators. However, I believe that the column unfairly targeted then provincial Minister of Transportation Jeff Yurek (currently Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks).

In advocating for conscience rights, I have met with political representatives from many different parties to discuss the issue and advocate for such protection. During his time in opposition, Mr. Yurek, sponsored a private members’ bill to strengthen conscience rights. He has been a long-standing advocate on this issue and deserves our gratitude for his significant efforts to protect medical professionals. 

Given his portfolio at the time (transportation), it is understandable that he was not the minister directly responsible for this issue. Minister Yurek has indicated that his position has not changed and I have every reason to believe that he will advocate for conscience rights with his colleagues. 

We won’t always agree with our elected officials, but when criticism is necessary, we must always be fair. In this case, I believe that The Catholic Register fell short of that standard. We will continue to respectfully engage with our elected representatives to find a path forward to provide conscience protection for all. 

Cardinal Thomas Collins,

Archbishop of Toronto 

Time to forgive

As a business ethicist, I understand there needs to be consequences for mistakes or lapses in judgment. That said, as a Christian I also understand ethical or moral failures are not a basis for definitive condemnation or exclusion.

In the case of Fr. Thomas Rosica CSB, he has now paid the price for his mistakes, resigning from his various board responsibilities, and now also leaving Salt and Light, which he served for 16 years as CEO. As he has before, Fr. Rosica has asked for forgiveness. 

As a Church we need to recover the spiritual art of acknowledging wrongs without eschewing forgiveness — of particularly holding our priests and bishops (and Pope) accountable for mistakes, without forgetting or denying the decency and goodness we receive so abundantly from their priestly service. 

John Dalla Costa,

Sansepolcro, Italy

Unhappy Knight

Re: Changing of the guard (June 2):

Having been a loyal member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus (Patriotic Degree) for over 20 years, I am dismayed.

We have a great history of service to our Church, country and community. We always stood out in our Honour Guards, dressed in our capes and chapeaus — and we were proud.

So now, we are commanded to wear a uniform as a soldier or legionnaire or cadet, which we are not. I believe dressing as military, which we are not, is an embarrassment to our military as well.

James F Mahoney,

Guelph, Ont.

In praise of CWL

Re: Moms ministry inspires and empowers (May 12):

Anna-Lisa Athaide is commended for participating in the Catholic Moms Group ministry. My comments are in reference to, “Although her parish has a Catholic Women’s League, she didn’t feel like she belonged with the older women that ran the group.”

When I joined the CWL, I was a young working mom with three children. Over the years my CWL sisters have been very supportive and I have indeed made friendships that have lasted 37 years. 

I have always felt that being a CWL member is an extension of my faith and has allowed me to grow spiritually as well as personally. Our CWL council provides much to the parish, local community, Canada and globally. 

The CWL is in the process of strategically planning for the next five years. While I am an “older” woman now, I embrace any young woman who joins the League.

Faith Anderson, 

Winnipeg, Man.