+Guy Desrochers, C.Ss.R.,

Bishop of Pembroke

Pastoral Letter
January 10, 2021

Due to the ongoing challenge of the COVID19 pandemic, the Government of Ontario has announced a
"Stay at Home" order beginning

January 14, 2021 @ 12:01 a.m.

This announcement was made by the Government of Ontario
on January 12, 2021 @ 1:00 PM.

PLEASE NOTE

Screenshot of above

With complete adherence to the requirements stated above, we will continue our celebration of Weekday Mass with 9 persons present with the priest.  During this interval, Father Steve will offer Mass from Tuesday - Friday with 9 additional persons present.  Pre-registration is required by anyone wishing to attend.  If you would like to be included in a roster of those attending, please send an email to Fr. Steve at frsfballard@protonmail.com 

You will receive an email confirming your registration.  

Under no circumstances are spontaneous arrivals permitted. The door will be opened at 9:50 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. the door will be locked.  All are strongly advised to be punctual.   

NON-NEGOTIABLE RULES FOR THE NINE PERSONS
ATTENDING WEEKDAY MASS

1) Social distancing must be adhered to at all times

2) A mask must be worn throughout
one's presence in the church,  no exceptions!

3) The door will be opened at 9:50 a.m.

4) When nine registrants have arrived, the door will be locked

5) At the end of Mass, all must depart immediately

Do not attend if you have a fever, a cough or chills. Remain at home and contact your doctor's office or the Renfrew County Health Unit.  

We are most grateful for your charitable response
during this unusual time!  We are endeavouring to be creative and diligent in our response during the pandemic.
 

With respect to the observance of the Lord's day (Sunday): in some parishes multiple Sunday masses are being offered on the weekend.  This is permissible, however the maximum attendance is 9 persons + the priest. Naturally, even if multiple masses were offered for Sunday, the vast majority of parishioners would be unable to attend.  

We do not have the 'wifi' capability in the church to broadcast the Mass live. The stone exterior of the church blocks signal strength from elsewhere.

Other parishes are offering holy communion in the parking lot, as parishioners wait in their cars. We have determined that this would be complicated to organize and there are concerns about the 'communion fast' being observed and other practical matters.

There are a few options for you:
 

(1) We encourage you to check out the online "Daily Mass" on television, Cardinal Thomas Collins' live YouTube Mass from the Archdiocese of Toronto or google "online Sunday Mass". There are a great many sites that are hosting online Sunday Eucharist.  You may also use the Sunday scripture readings as a part of your Sunday prayer.

We introduce Grow+Grow, content designed to help parishioners understand what it means to be an evangelizing disciple of Christ. Using the Sunday Scriptures as the basis for reflection, Grow+Go offers insight into how we can all more fully GROW as disciples and then GO evangelize, fulfilling Christ's Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) The concept behind the weekly series is to make ​discipleship and evangelization simple, concrete and relatable.​

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Baptism of the Lord

The Epiphany of the Lord 

Feast of the Holy Family 

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent 
 

IMPORTANT NOTICE 

First Communion / Sacrament of Confirmation
 

Following discussions with our Parish Catechetical Team
we have decided to delay our plans for catechetical instruction for First Reconciliation, First Communion (Eucharist) &
the Sacrament of Confirmation, until the Fall of 2021.

Registration for these Sacraments continues now and through the next number of months.  We can only accept registration from families of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.  For further information or to raise any questions, please contact: Deacon Dan @ 613-687-4764 ext. 2 or email him: olsreleducation@gmail.com

The changing circumstances during this pandemic, requires us to be flexible and to make adjustments as we plan for our parish programs.  
 

BEYOND CRITICISM AND ANGER – THE INVITATION TO A DEEPER EMPATHY

FR. RON ROLHEISER, O.M.I.

Bitterness and anger, no matter how justified, are not a good place to stay. Both Jesus and what’s noble inside of us invite us to move beyond anger and indignation.Beyond anger, beyond indignation, and beyond justified criticism of all that’s dishonest and unjust, lies an invitation to a deeper empathy. This invitation doesn’t ask us to be stop being prophetic in the face of what’s wrong, but it asks us to be prophetic in a deeper way. A prophet, as Daniel Berrigan so often said, makes a vow of love not of alienation.

But that’s not easy to do. In the face of injustice, dishonesty, and willful blindness, all of our natural instincts militate against empathy. We should feel anger and indignation in the face of what’s wrong. It’s understandable too that we might also feel some hateful, judgmental, thoughts towards those whom we deem responsible. But that’s a beginning but it’s not where we’re meant to stay. We’re called to move towards something deeper, namely, an empathy which previously we did not access.

At the truly bitter moments of our lives, when we’re feeling overwhelmed by feelings of misunderstanding, slight, injustice, and rightful indignation and we’re staring across at those whom we deem responsible, anger and hatred will naturally arise within us. It’s okay to dwell with them for a time, but after a time we need to move on.

The challenge then is to ask ourselves: How do I love now, given all this hatred? What does love call me to now in this bitter situation? Where can I now find a common thread that can keep me in family with those at whom I’m angry? How do I reach through, reach through the space that now leaves me separated by my own justified feelings of anger? And, perhaps most important of all: “From where can I now find the strength to not give into hatred and self-serving indignation?

While not denying what’s wrong, nor denying the need to be prophetic in the face of all that’s wrong, empathy still calls us to a post-anger, a post-indignation, and a post-hatred. Jesus modelled that for us and today it’s singularly the most needed thing in our society, our churches, and our families.

WEEKLY ONLINE BULLETIN:  for the Diocese of Pembroke is posted by the Chancery Office every week!  Please visit pembrokediocese.com and scroll down to the electronic bulletin, in order to keep up with all the news and events of the diocese.


CATHOLIC MARRIAGE PREPARATION: The Catholic Engaged Encounter Weekend is best experienced as an in-person weekend.  Since we are on various COVID restrictions, the CEE Weekend is not possible, so please consider attending one of the virtual CEE Weekends listed on the website. For further information and registration please visit: www.ceeeast.org. Any couple contemplating marriage should first speak to a priest or deacon to ensure one’s freedom to marry in the Roman Catholic Church. The usual 6-12 month planning notice is required before any other arrangements are made and they must understand the way in which the Liturgy of the Sacrament of Marriage differs from a wedding that takes place on a beach, private home or another secular location.

WEEKDAY MASS BOOKS: since the Word Among Us now contains the readings for all masses, along with the parts of the Mass, we will transition to the exclusive use of the Word Among Us whenever the parish subscription to the Living with Christ expires.  It does not make sense to pay for both subscriptions, since we often discard unused quantities. The Word Among Us will be available as it is now.  As indicated previously, parishioners who wish to have the Living with Christ booklet, can order their own personal copy by visiting: www.en.novalis.ca. Subscribers can have the monthly book delivered directly to their home!  As indicated previously, there are a few very good apps available for your smartphone or your computer, which provide all the mass readings free of charge.

RISE - IS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVEMENT OF MEN: In its first year, RISE has transformed thousands of men’s lives all around the world. Parishes and groups have used the RISE 30-Day Challenge to cast a wide-net to all the men of the parish and bring them together into a common mission like never before. What is it? RISE is a powerful 30-Day Challenge for men by Chris Stefanick. It is 30 days of videos and challenges done individually online, and with additional group meeting options using a Planning Guide. Each man is encouraged to do RISE with a "brother." This is a critical component to the challenge as it builds accountability and friendship based on a common mission.What does it cost? The investment for each man is about $1/day. $32 gives them lifetime access to the challenge and membership in a community of thousands of men around the world.

Does it work? Yes! There have been over 12,000 comments from men already. Lives are being transformed in ways never  thought possible.  It's easy to run a RISE Challenge! Go to https://coaching.reallifecatholic.com/RISE_parish_promo for more information.


GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR FAITH: fall & winter climate provides us with the perfect opportunity to look for a new way to 'broaden our horizons' and learn more about our faith! The perfect choice: participate in a free online course, rooted in our Roman Catholic faith! After you register online, its easy! You can learn at your own pace, repeat lessons as many times as you want and deepen your knowledge of the faith and grow in your relationship with God.

Some of what you can explore and choose from the St. Paul Center:

GOD'S COVENANT PLAN

What is the Bible, where does it come from and what is its purpose? How are Catholics supposed to read the Bible and what story does it have to tell? These are the questions we take up in this “big picture” survey course.

Following an introduction to Catholic teaching about divine revelation and Bible, we jump right in and begin reading. We start with the creation story and Noah’s ark, and trace the history of salvation as it unfolds in the series of covenants that God makes with His chosen people - from Abraham and the twelve tribes of Israel to Moses and finally to King David. We see how this history reaches its climax and fulfillment in Jesus and the Church. The aim is to give you a solid outline and overview of the story that the Bible tells, from Genesis to Jesus.
 

For further information and to register visit here
 

THE LAMB'S SUPPER: THE BIBLE AND THE MASS

In this course we explore the intimate and inseparable relationship between the Bible and the Mass. Following an overview of the Eucharist in the New Testament, we look at the deep roots of the Mass in the biblical history of sacrifice - a history that culminates with the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist.

Besides the Old and New Testament readings we hear each Sunday, what does the Bible have to do with the Mass? Everything. In fact, one could argue that without the Bible there would be no Mass, and without the Mass there would be no Bible.

The Bible was made for the Liturgy and the Liturgy is where the Bible was meant to be proclaimed, expounded, interpreted and “heard.” That’s why, from the Sign of the Cross and the priest’s greeting: “The Lord be with you,” the Mass is one long biblical prayer - a tapestry woven from a fabric of biblical passages, phrases, and allusions. This is no accident. In the Mass, the story of salvation told in the Bible continues - is made real and present - in our lives.

We’ll study how the great events of salvation history are re-read and re-lived in the “today” of the Church’s Liturgy of the Word. Using the Book of Revelation, we’ll see how, in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are lifted up to a real participation with the angels and saints in the heavenly liturgy.

Finally, we‘ll look at how in the Mass we renew our covenant with God - the new covenant made in the blood of Jesus which makes us children of God and heirs of the divine promises found in the Bible.
 

For further information and to register visit here
 

HOLY QUEEN: THE MOTHER OF GOD
IN THE WORD OF GOD

The Mother of Jesus is mentioned only about a dozen times in the New Testament. So why is Mary so important to Catholic faith and devotion?

As we’ll see in this in-depth study, Mary is a key gateway into salvation history. The Bible portrays Mary as the all-holy one who gave the Word flesh, the Mother of God, and the spiritual mother of all who live by faith in her Son.

We begin by learning how to read the Old Testament the way Jesus taught the Apostles to read it - as containing “types” that foreshadow and prepare His coming in the New Testament. Ranging widely through the Old Testament, we’ll explore the essential biblical “types” of Mary. We’ll see how she is depicted as the new Eve, the new Ark of the Covenant, and the new Queen Mother of the Kingdom of God. We’ll see how at critical junctures in salvation history, the figure of Mary is foreshadowed and anticipated.

We also explore the biblical basis for key Catholic doctrines and dogmas regarding Mary - her Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity and Assumption into heaven.

For further information and to register visit here

We will all spend lots of time indoors! Let's take advantage of the opportunity!

A Letter of Reference (Character Reference): The Parish Priest can only write a Letter of Reference attesting to an individual’s character if he knows the individual concerned. Obviously, if a priest meets a person for the first time, he is not able to write anything since he does not know the person concerned.  Character reference letters are often easy to write when a parish priest has known someone for a considerable period – perhaps even years.  No priest (or any person for that matter) is obliged to ever write such a letter.  Various entities, including employers and other charities often follow-up with the priest by telephone for further information. A priest will never engage in ‘creative writing’ (lying) for someone who is not known to them.  Finally, it is also considered bad manners to use anyone’s name on an application form without first asking their permission.

A Pastoral Letter of Reference: on a scale of letters that may be requested, this is perhaps the most serious and one that is never to be taken lightly.  A Correctional Institution (Prison), High School, Trauma Centre, Hospice, Hospital searching for a Catholic Chaplain all seek Pastoral Letters of Reference for Roman Catholic candidates so that the individual hired is the best choice in serving the Catholic population (people) entrusted to their care.  Why is the letter important? It is important because the parish priest is being asked to attest to the fact that the candidate is: a practicing Roman Catholic, who takes seriously the obligation / invitation to worship with our Eucharistic Community and who has demonstrated their seriousness and maturity by growing in their faith, becoming a more prayerful and holy person, and by becoming involved in the life of the parish.  The priority is not in securing a lucrative paycheck.  The priority is in serving the Roman Catholic people entrusted to their care. They are entitled to that. What does this mean? A person must be registered in a parish, attending Sunday Mass regularly with the community, supporting the parish and sharing one’s gifts.  How can one share their gifts? By volunteering for ministry as a Reader, Greeter, Collector, Assistant in the Sacramental Preparation Programs, Vacation Bible School, C.W.L., Knights of Columbus etc.

With respect to a candidate for a teaching position in the Catholic School Board or one seeking potential promotion within the board, the expectation is no different and is as serious.  As the Ottawa Catholic School Board mentions in their writing: “The Catholic School Boards (and with them, Catholic parents and Catholics in general) expect from its teachers that they be Catholic Christians in more than a formal sense”. Visible expressions of faith within the parish community are never underestimated or discounted as mere formalities.  Instead they reflect an inner spiritual commitment, maturity and choice.  It should be obvious that any individual contemplating a career choice or vocation explore all the elements of the Academic Program before them, but also carefully review the Application Process in the field that they are contemplating.  If a student is away from home where they are studying, they would be well advised to become rooted in a local parish community, become involved, meet with this priest over the course of the years so that he can at some point write a Pastoral Letter of Reference if one is needed and if he is able to do so.  Obviously, a student that is hardly home at all cannot expect a local parish priest to know anything about them, let alone attest to their commitment to Christ and the Church. As the Halton Catholic District School Board material indicates to the priest: “Do you believe this applicant would influence and strengthen the spiritual growth of children within the Catholic Community”. The Wellington Catholic District School Board, Muskoka Catholic District School Board, the Diocese of Hamilton, Archdiocese of Toronto among many others all have similar questions in their resource materials for Pastoral Letters of Reference.  The decision to live a life of faith is a very personal one that is always respected.  However, employment that involves the Catholic community is no longer just a personal matter, but one that  involves the community where one hopes to serve. If a teacher places no value on a life of faith in our Parish Community, how likely are they to pass on its importance to the children in their classroom? 

All individuals concerned should ask questions first and review the above carefully.  The time to consider these matters is not on the day that you need a letter – but many months if not years before! Once again, no priest is obligated to write any letter, especially if the candidate has not demonstrated a strong commitment to the faith and to the life of the parish.  In a perfect world, any and all newly hired Catholic teachers would have a probationary period of hiring of no less than 1-5 years.  This would allow the entire Catholic Community the opportunity to assess the commitment of faith of the person hired.  Once again, no person is compelled to live a life of faith in any church.  If the expectations of the Catholic Church & School Community are seen to be too stringent, perhaps an individual should apply to the Public Board.  And so in summary here are the important points:

1) If you wish to register your name as a potential candidate for a Pastoral Letter of Reference from Father Steve in the years to come (note the word years, not days!), please speak to Father Steve or send him an email.  

2) Your candidacy for such a letter will be reviewed annually. No Pastoral Letter of Reference will be written for one who is not registered for one through this process and for one who has not had a proven record of worshipping, attending and supporting our parish over a minimum of one to two years.

3) Any candidate seeking a Pastoral Letter of Reference will have a sit down interview to establish a basic knowledge of the faith.

4) If a Pastoral Letter is provided, and the individual is not a supporting member of our parish, a monetary donation of $100 is to be made to Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Petawawa.

CanadaHelps.org account:

or
to participate in our
Automatic Sunday Giving (Electronic Funds Transfer) program, a registration form is available here

All donations will be credited for Income Tax as usual. We routinely check the donations received from this service and carefully record the offerings. We sincerely thank those who have already contributed and invite all to do the same during this unusual period.  Thank you!

 RECEIPTS FOR CHARITABLE GIVING
 

Soon we will print the receipts reflecting donations received in 2020.  In order to prepare to receive yours, please place a self-addressed stamped envelope in the rectory mailbox (Priest's House) or in the mailbox outside the main door of the Parish Centre.  Rest assured, when the receipts are printed, within the next week or two, your receipt will be mailed out immediately.

Alternatively, we would be happy to mail your receipt at anytime, with or without a supplied envelope, if you would simply like to call or send an email.

Call Ann Marie
 at 613-687-4764 ext. 1
or send her an email: olsparishoffice@gmail.com. 

As always we are very grateful for your kindness and financial support!

Note on the morality of the use of some
anti-Covid-19 vaccines
 

The question of the use of vaccines, in general, is often at the center of persistent debate in public opinion. In recent months, this Congregation has received several requests for an opinion on the use of some vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, developed using cell lines in the research and production process. which come from fabrics obtained from two abortions that took place in the last century. At the same time, there have been different pronouncements in the mass media of Bishops, Catholic Associations and Experts, diversified and sometimes contradictory, which have also raised doubts about the morality of the use of these vaccines.

On this subject there is already an important pronouncement of the Pontifical Academy for Life, entitled "Moral reflections on vaccines prepared from cells from aborted human fetuses" (June 5, 2005). Therefore, this Congregation expressed itself on the matter with the Instruction Dignitas Personae (8 September 2008) (cf. nn. 34 and 35). In 2017, the Pontifical Academy for Life returned to the theme with a Note. These documents already offer some general guiding criteria.

Since the first vaccines against Covid-19 are already available for distribution in various countries and their administration, this Congregation wants to offer some indications for clarification on the matter. It is not intended to judge the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, although ethically relevant and necessary, whose evaluation is the responsibility of biomedical researchers and drug agencies, but only to reflect on the moral aspect of the use of those vaccines against Covid. -19 which were developed with cell lines from tissues obtained from two non-spontaneously aborted fetuses.

1. As the Instruction Dignitas Personae states , in cases of using cells from aborted fetuses to create cell lines for use in scientific research, "there are differentiated responsibilities" [1] of cooperation in evil. For example, “in companies that use cell lines of illicit origin, the responsibility of those who decide the direction of production is not the same as those who have no power of decision”. [2]

2. In this sense, when ethically unexceptionable vaccines against Covid-19 are not available (for example in countries where vaccines are not made available to doctors and patients without ethical problems, or where their distribution is more difficult due to of particular storage and transport conditions, or when various types of vaccines are distributed in the same country but, by the health authorities, citizens are not allowed to choose the vaccine to be inoculated) it is morally acceptable to use anti-Covid vaccines- 19 who used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and manufacturing process .

3. The fundamental reason for considering the use of these vaccines morally legitimate is that the type of co-operation in evil ( material passive co-operation ) of procured abortion from which the same cell lines originate, by those who use the resulting vaccines , is remote . The moral duty to avoid such passive material cooperation is not binding if there is a serious danger, such as the otherwise irrepressible spread of a serious pathogen: [3] in this case, the pandemic spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing Covid-19. it is therefore to be considered that in this case all the vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used with the certainty that the use of such vaccines does not mean formal cooperation in the abortion from which the cells with which the vaccines were produced derive. However, it should be emphasized that the morally lawful use of these types of vaccines, due to the particular conditions that make it so, cannot in itself constitute a legitimation, even indirectly, of the practice of abortion, and presupposes the opposition to this practice by part of those who use it.

4. Indeed, the lawful use of such vaccines does not and must not in any way imply a moral approval of the use of cell lines originating from aborted fetuses. [4] Therefore, both pharmaceutical companies and government health agencies are asked to produce, approve, distribute and offer ethically acceptable vaccines that do not create problems of conscience , neither to health professionals, nor to the vaccinators themselves.

5. At the same time, it is evident to the practical reason that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary. In any case, from the ethical point of view, the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect one's health, but also on that of pursuing the common good.Well that, in the absence of other means to stop or even just to prevent the epidemic, can recommend vaccination, especially to protect the weakest and most exposed. Those who, however, for reasons of conscience, refuse vaccines produced with cell lines originating from aborted fetuses, must strive to avoid, by other prophylactic means and suitable behaviors, becoming vehicles for the transmission of the infectious agent. In particular, they must avoid all health risks for those who cannot be vaccinated for clinical or other reasons and who are the most vulnerable.

6. Finally, there is also a moral imperative for the pharmaceutical industry, governments and international organizations to ensure that vaccines, effective and safe from a health point of view, as well as ethically acceptable, are also accessible to the most poor and in an inexpensive way for them . The lack of access to vaccines, otherwise, would become another reason for discrimination and injustice that condemns poor countries to continue living in health, economic and social poverty. [5]
 

The Supreme Pontiff Francis, in the Audience granted on 17 December 2020 to the undersigned Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, examined this Note and approved its publication.

Given in Rome, at the headquarters of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on 21 December 2020, liturgical memorial of St. Peter Canisius.

^[1] Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction Dignitas Personae (8 December 2008), n. 35; AAS (100), 884.

^[2] Ibid, 885

^[3] See Pontifical Academy for Life, Moral reflections on vaccines prepared from cells from aborted human fetuses , June 5, 2005.

^[4] Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction. Dignitas personae , n. 35: “When the offense is endorsed by the laws that regulate the health and scientific system, it is necessary to distance oneself from the unfair aspects of this system, in order not to give the impression of a certain tolerance or tacit acceptance of gravely unfair actions. In fact, this would contribute to increasing indifference, if not the favor with which these actions are seen in some medical and political circles ”.

^[5] See Francesco, Address to volunteers and friends of Banco Farmaceutico , 19 September 2020.

[01591-EN.01] [Original text: Italian]
 

Our parish be offers a
Monthly Holy Hour with
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

NEXT HOLY HOUR:
 

T.B.A. 

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
THE 10:00 A.M. MASS

Come and join us in this very special time of prayer, when we spend time with
Our Lord.

Due to the ongoing circumstances surrounding the COVID19 pandemic, we have had to adjust the manner in which the Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated in our parishes.  This includes the need for appropriate social distancing, privacy, but also our adherence to the protections afforded by the Code of Conduct for all in the Diocese of Pembroke.  As parishioners know, the sacrament was regularly celebrated in our Reconciliation room before both of our weekend masses before the pandemic. Because it is a very confined space, it cannot be used at this time.

The sacrament will be celebrated two Wednesday mornings a month (during Parish Office hours) from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in the Parish Centre, by appointment only. A face covering is required, as is the use of hand sanitizer.  The sacrament is celebrated face to face. We have been offering these opportunities since re-opening in June 2020. The clergy cannot have private 'one on one' sessions, when no one else is present in the building, after hours.
 

NEXT CELEBRATION DATE:

T.B.A.
 

Please email Fr. Steve at frsfballard@gmail.com to indicate that you wish to set up a time.  If you are feeling unwell, please do not attend, take your temperature at home and contact your doctor or the hospital.

Note: the email address indicated above is not monitored every hour of every day, but is checked frequently. Often some unexpected ministry concerns arise that need an immediate response - this is part of our life as a parish. Rest assured, you will be contacted by Fr. Steve as soon as possible! 

Why is an appointment time needed?

We are attempting to do our part not to have groups of people gathering in clusters, if it can be avoided. We are all online checking email etc. everyday. Taking 30 seconds to zip off a quick note to Fr Steve is not too difficult! Your email will be replied to within 24 hours or sooner!

Secondly, if no one comes each week (with no appointment times being set), that is a great deal of time that can be put to use in the parish. During this unusual time, we appreciate your understanding!

Diocese of Pembroke - Decree on the Code of Pastoral Conduct for all Priests, Deacons, Seminarians,
Employees & Volunteers
Final Decree - February 1, 2019

Specific application of the policy at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Petawawa

CODE OF PASTORAL CONDUCT: this decree is applicable to priests, deacons, seminarians, employees and volunteers engaged in ministries and services in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pembroke. It’s intent is to assist all in upholding Christian values and conduct as they minister to, or work with the People of God. This final document is effective February 1, 2019 and has been distributed among our parish staff and will be disseminated among all those engaged in volunteer ministry in the parish. In order that we may be in complete compliance with the letter and spirit of the ‘Code of Pastoral Conduct’, the following is important to note:

Effective Immediately: