News

Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador … The Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador, the Most Reverend Peter J. Hundt, responded today to the guilty plea entered in provincial court by Rev. George Smith, a retired priest of the former Diocese of St. George’s, on charges of sexual misconduct.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has reached a milestone of one hundred years. Founded in 1912, it consists of six communities on the Port au Port Peninsula: West Bay, Black Duck Brook, Winterhouse, Lourdes, Three Rock Cove, and Mainland.

There was a full octave (eight days) of celebrations in the parish.

$9,260.00 Raised for West African Relief

St. Stephen’s Parish in Stephenville recently sent the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace a cheque for $9,260.00, the proceeds of a special parish collection in aid of those suffering from the food shortage and drought in the Sahel region of West Africa. Congratulations to all those who so generously contributed this special assistance.

Due to health issues, Father Don Leonard retired from his ministry as Chaplain of Institutions as of July 2nd.

Mrs. Denise Rumboldt has been appointed as Assistant Director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis as of July 3, 2012.

Rev. Msgr. Jim Robertson ended his appointment as Chancellor of Temporal Affairs as of June 30, 2012.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2277, states: “Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.”

A recent decision by the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled that the law prohibiting assisted suicide is unconstitutional. and the judge gave the Canadian Parliament one year in which to draft legislation allowing euthanasia and assisted suicide. However, the Government of Canada has decided to appeal all aspects of the British Columbia Supreme Court decision.

This year the Sahel region of West Africa is confronting a catastrophic hunger crisis. An estimated 15.6 million people are facing food insecurity and more than a million children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

The Holy Father has appealed to the international community to respond and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace has initiated an emergency campaign in Canada. For more information on the crisis and/or to make a donation go online to:

http://www.devp.org/en/emergencies/west-africa

On June 24, 2012 Father Hanh Van Tran will end his time in Pastoral Ministry in our Diocese and will prepare to begin his new assignment as Parish Priest of the Vietnamese Community of Hamilton, Ontario.

We are very grateful to Father Hanh for the dedicated and loving pastoral ministry that he has given in our Diocese. We offer prayers of gratitude for the service given and prayers for God’s blessings upon him in his new assignment.