Regional news

 — Dec. 31, 200131 déc. 2001

Quebec

The Emmaüs Centre of Spirituality of the Eastern Churches concluded
the celebrations of its 30th anniversary with the inauguration of its new offices,
September 16, at 3774 Queen Mary Rd: Montreal, Quebec, H3V 1H6, tel.: (514)
276-2144. The solemn Mass at 10:30 a.m. was followed by the blessing of the offices and a
buffet lunch. The Emmaüs Centre is at the service of anyone who wants an introduction to
eastern spirituality: through hesychastic meditation, the Prayer of the Heart, icons and
liturgies of the Eastern Churches.

Christian-Jewish Dialogue in Montreal organized a Millennium Conference on The
Heavenly Jerusalem: Identity and the Culture of Dialogue, November 4-5 at
Concordia University in Montreal. Presentations by invited scholars and experts such as
Dr. Marc Saperstein, Rabbi Pauline Bede, Rev. Dr. Donald Posterski, Dr. Victor Goldbloom,
Dr. Alain Gignac, Rabbi Howard Joseph and others were followed by small group dialogues
among participants and presenters. The event was sponsored by Concordia and McGill
universities, l’Université de Montréal, the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, Christian
Direction and Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom.

After working two years among the indigenous people of Guatemala, Faye Wakeling
(the former director of St. Columba House) and Pierre Goldberger (the former
principal of United Theological College) spoke on “Struggle and Hope: Perspective
from Guatemala”, October 14 at St. John’s United Church in Pointe Claire. The
event was sponsored jointly by St. John’s United Church (697-6459) and St. Edward the
Confessor Roman Catholic Church (426-4523).

A week on restorative justice: “Giving Voice to our Hope” held at the
University of Quebec in Montreal November 18-25, was organised by the chaplaincy
and student life services of the University, the Church Council on Justice and Corrections
of Quebec together with some 20 other non-profit organizations. The program of activities
included a display of paintings and artwork created by prisoners, kiosks of organizations
involved in restorative justice, testimonials and talks by ex-prisoners and others.

Atlantic

Interfaith community members shared key ideas from their faith
traditions at an evening on the theme: “Visions of a Virtuous Society”
held at Mount St. Vincent University on October 18. The event was sponsored by the Halifax
branch of the Brama Kumaris World Spiritual University, a non-governmental organization
with has over 5000 centers in 78 countries working at all levels of society for positive
change.

An ecumenical coalition is working to improve relations between white and
Native fisherman on the Atlantic coast of Canada. Established in 1995 with the
participation of the Anglican, Catholic and United Churches and the Quakers, the
Coalition’s aim is to enable the churches of the region to reflect on the climate between
whites and Natives, to suggest concrete avenues of reconciliation between the two groups
and to diminish the intolerance towards Natives in general. Fishing, in this area, is
almost the sole means of livelihood and the survival of entire communities depends on it.
Acts of violence are on the rise during the fishing season; lobster traps and fishing
boats are damaged. The Coalition has organised a second observer group and has set up a
Reconstruction Fund to help injured parties to buy or rebuild damaged, lost or stolen
lobster pots. A “Reach Out To Neighbours” program was created to aid
Congregations near Native communities to improve relations with them.

In conjunction with its Annual General meeting in Prince Edward Island, the
Church Council on Justice and Corrections, and the Conflict Resolution
Co-operative of PEI Ltd. co-hosted a public forum that focused on the role of
churches in achieving a healing justice. The Church Council on Justice and Corrections is
a national, bilingual organization established in 1974 by the Canadian Council of Churches
and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Conflict Resolution Co-operative of
PEI Ltd is a volunteer networking organization which promotes the use of non-violent
conflict resolution at all levels of society.

Posted: Dec. 31, 2001 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=25
Categories: CCE • In this article: Centre Canadien d’œcuménisme Transmis : 31 déc. 2001 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=25
Catégorie : CCE • Dans cet article : Centre Canadien d’œcuménisme