The bishops of Canada are offering resources for the Year of Consecrated Life, which begins with tonight’s vigil in Rome.
Pope Francis announced in November 2013 the Church will have a special year of 14 months dedicated to the consecrated life, extending throughout all of 2015. To mark its beginning, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life released a letter to consecrated men and women entitled «Rejoice». Dioceses and religious communities in Canada and throughout the world are organizing events and initiatives as part of the year, in addition to the international celebrations and meetings which will be held in Rome.
The Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) has posted on the home page of its Website a new section entitled «Year of Consecrated Life». The first news posted is the Message from the Most Reverend Luigi Bonazzi, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, to the consecrated men and women of the country.
In the new section of the CRC Website there will be news, videos, a bibliography, and reports on religious life. The video message of the current Executive Director of the CRC, Father Yvon Pomerleau, O.P., is available, as well as the video message of Sister Rita Larivée, S.S.A., President of the CRC. Both discussed the importance of celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life and present the principal activities which are planned by the CRC.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has also created a special section in the home page of its Website to offer news on the work of the joint committee and to provide links to the websites of the Holy See, the CRC and religious communities in Canada, as well as to help publicize diocesan celebrations from across Canada. Among those are pastoral letters by the Most Reverend Anthony Mancini, Archbishop of Halifax-Yarmouth and CCCB Co-Treasurer, and the Most Reverend Dorylas Moreau, Bishop of Rouyn-Noranda, for the opening of the Year of Consecrated Life.
Link to the letter of the Congregation
Link to the letter of the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada
Link to the letter by Archbishop Anthony Mancini
Link to the letter by Bishop Dorylas Moreau (in French only)
