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NEWS AND UPDATES:
Papal Visit to Canada - Program confirmed
We are pleased to announce that the Vatican has released additional details regarding the Papal Visit to Canada, July 24-29, 2022 (Vatican Press release 23.06.2022). Drawing on the theme, “Walking Together”, the Holy Father’s journey of reconciliation, healing and hope includes visits to a former residential school, Indigenous pilgrimage sites, two public Masses and a mix of private and public events. There will be tickets available (free) for a limited number of events, all of which will be broadcast and accessible via livestream. All Catholic faithful in Canada are encouraged to participate as fully as they can whether they attend the events in-person, or through prayer, fasting, and online viewing. Volunteer opportunities are also available at the events and virtually. For ticket information, to volunteer, donate or learn more, visit www.papalvisit.ca. You can also read the Catholic Bishops’ news release welcoming this announcement from the Vatican. We are grateful to God for this visit from Our Holy Father. Please continue to pray for the health of Pope Francis and for all those engaged in the ongoing healing and reconciliation journey. 
Our Lady of the Cape Pilgraim Statue Tour
August 26 to September 16, 2022 Most Rev. Héctor Vila is pleased to announce the visit of Our Lady of the Cape to the Diocese of Whitehorse. This three-week pilgrim statue tour will take place at the end of the summer from August 26th to September 16th , 2022. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Consecration of Canada to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. These Marian tours are happening this year in various dioceses across Canada to provide opportunities to venerate Canada’s National Madonna and to promote the on-going consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The last time the statue visited our diocese was in 1953. Once again, we are blessed to have this occasion for renewal, healing and unity within our diocese through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Some events will begin in mid-August with public screenings of the film Bridge of Roses: The Story of Our Lady of the Cape in each parish and mission. This will be followed by activities in individual communities throughout our diocese, in the Catholic schools in Whitehorse, and other locations. Check the Diocese of Whitehorse website, and church websites and bulletin announcements for details as the date approaches. Additional information about this Marian Devotion can be found on the visitationproject.org website. Pastoral Letter from Most Rev. Héctor Vila
On the occasion of National Indigenous Day, June 21, 2022 Please click here or on the image below to download the pastoral letter. 
Changes at Maryhouse in Whitehorse
We have recently been informed of upcoming changes with staffing at Maryhouse in Whitehorse. Beth will be leaving in mid-July to assist with a Madonna house in the United States for about three months, then she will relocate to Combermere, ON. At the end of July, Kathleen Labrie, who previously served at St. Jude Catholic Mission in Carmacks, will be moving back to Yukon to manage Maryhouse. In mid-August, Dawn will be moving back to Combermere, ON. A farewell party will be organized for them in the next couple weeks. Details about the event will be available through Sacred Heart Parish. We are very grateful to God for the presence of Madonna House Apostolate members in our diocese. We thank Dawn and Beth for their work here and wish them many blessings in their new ministry. We welcome Kathleen and assure her of our on-going support. Please keep them all in your prayers. Rosary for the Family - Update
Regrettably, the organizers of the National Rosary for the family had technical difficulties with the live event this past Sunday. In spite of the technical difficulties, many people still participated through YouTube, and we have received positive feedback about it. We hope this Family Rosary may still provide an opportunity to gather together as families in prayer, in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving, as we enter into the 10th World Meeting of Families that is to begin this week. The rosary video has been published on the CCCB YouTube channel which you can find here: https://youtu.be/8pjBZCYSTmA or simply watch below. The CCCB offers its sincere apologies and wish many blessings upon you and your families. 
Rosary for the Family
The “Rosary for the Family” live virtual event will take place on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19, 2022, at 12:00pm Yukon/Pacific Time (3:00 p.m. EDT). With participation from various families from around the country, this is an opportunity to join together in prayer with other faith families. Everyone is welcome! Register your family at the following link: https://cccb-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R5OXeN5DRSuTDN6quptG4w For more information, visit the CCCB website. 
St. Mary's Renovation Project in Dawson City
We are pleased to announce that from July 1st to July 14th, 2022, we will be welcoming about fifteen volunteers from Toronto who will be traveling to our diocese to do renovation work at St. Mary’s Parish in Dawson City, Yukon. They will be working with local volunteers to do improvements on both the rectory and the church. We are most grateful to God for this help which will make our buildings more energy efficient and comfortable for people. In order to provide nourishing meals for these volunteers, we are accepting donations of meat to help reduce the grocery bill. If you are able to help in this way, please contact the chancery at 867-667-2052 or executiveassistant@whitehorsediocese.ca by June 29th, 2022. If you prefer to contribute financially, donations can be made to St. Mary’s Parish (tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more). Many thanks. And we invite anyone traveling to Dawson City this summer to visit St. Mary’s Parish to see the progress of the project. 
Pope Francis' Visit to Canada: Walking Together
We are most grateful that the Holy Father has accepted the invitation from the Conference of Canadian Bishops (CCCB) to come to Canada so as to continue on the path of reconciliation and healing with Canadian Indigenous Peoples. His Holiness has announced that he will be in Canada from July 24th to July 29th, 2022. In view of Pope Francis’ age and health condition, he will be focusing his visit on three Canadian locations: Edmonton, Alberta, Iqualuit, Nunavut and Québec City, Québec. More information about the Walking Together towards Reconciliation and Healing visit can be found on the Papal Visit to Canada website (www.papalvisit.ca) and on the CCCB website. I invite you to keep the Holy Father in your prayers as well as to continue praying for reconciliation and healing in Canada. 'For a Synodal Church' Webinar Series
Registration is now open for this webinar series. The deadline to register is May 16, 2022. There is no cost. This three-part series will explore the Church’s call to synodality and its themes. The webinars will be geared towards clergy, consecrated persons, lay ministers, directors, coordinators of evangelization and catechesis, and Catholic educators; however, anyone is welcome to join.
The Light of Life video series
The Light of Life series of short reflections on the Sunday Liturgy of the Word readings with Fr. Bartek and Fr. Antonello is on-going. You can view the videos on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Whitehorse youtube page which are posted every Saturday. 
Catholic School Council Elections
Congratulations to the Catholic School Council members who were acclaimed in this elections period. We thank you for your service to Catholic Education and looking forward to working with you for the next two years. May God bless you and guide you.
CMIC Tastes of Heaven Event
Please join Catholic Missions In Canada (CMIC) online on Thursday April 28, 2022 at 8:00 pm (EDT) from the comfort of your home to experience the Tastes of Heaven Virtual Wine Tasting Gala. Catholic Missions In Canada exists to advance and sustain the Catholic Faith in remote mission communities across Canada. This event is a fundraiser to raise awareness and support for our Canadian home missions. You will have an opportunity to visit Canadian home missions virtually through in-depth interviews, video, and stories. Follow along with the winemaker from Waupoos Estates Winery in Prince Edward County, ON as she leads an exquisite wine tasting and chocolate pairing. Wine packages, which include 2 wines, chocolates for pairing and surprise ingredients for a tasty meal are available through CMIC (these must be ordered by April 1, 2022). Learn more/register: https://cmic.info/event/tastes-of-heaven/ 
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis
On April 1st, at the end of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada visit to Rome, Pope Francis addressed representatives, and delivered a heartfelt apology. We hope this is a step towards reconciliation between Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the Catholic Church, and that it will bring Indigenous Peoples closer to healing. Please click here to download a copy of Pope Francis' address from the Vatican website. To watch a recording of the meeting of the Indigenous delegates with Pope Francis on April 1st, click here. Indigenous Delegation to Rome
We invite you to pray for the delegation that will travel to Rome from March 28 – April 1, 2022 to meet with Pope Francis. Following ongoing dialogue with the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and other Indigenous leaders, a group of residential school survivors, Elders, knowledge keepers and young people will share their experiences directly with the Holy Father. The delegation,organized by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, represents a significant moment in the ongoing journey of healing and reconciliation while also serving as an important foundation for the future visit of the Holy Father to Canada, announced in late October 2021. To access coverage of the visit throughout the week, visit Salt & LightCatholic Media Foundation at: www.slmedia.org. For more information on the delegation and related activity, please visit: www.cccb.ca We invite you to pray this 'Prayer for Healing and Reconciliation' by Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle.
All covid restrictions lifted in the diocese
As of March 18, 2022, all Yukon government restrictions in our churches, including proof of vaccination and mask mandates, have been lifted. (News release: #22-107) As of April 8, 2022, all BC government restrictions in our churches, including proof of vaccination and mask mandates, have been lifted. (www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions) 
Fundraising for having the NET Team here in our Diocese is on-going. You may support their ministry financially by donating at Sacred Heart Parish.
Consecration Mass for Russia & Ukraine
Pope Francis has invited all Bishops to participate in the consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, March 25th. Bishop Vila will be celebrating a consecration Mass in his chapel that evening. A Mass, concelebrated by Fr. Slawek and Fr. Leo, will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 7pm whereby the Act of Consecration will be read aloud. Everyone is invited to participate. You are also welcome to view the Pope's Consecration Mass online: CELEBRATION OF PENANCE AND THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY by POPE FRANCISLIVE on EWTN from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome| Friday, March 25 at 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) or 9am Pacific. Replay on Saturday, March 26 at 12:00 am (ET) Viewers can access EWTN through cable tv; through our free EWTN app; online at www.ewtn.com/tv/watch-live or on any streaming device like ROKU, Amazon Fire, Apple TV and YouTube. 
Novena Prayer for Peace in Ukraine
On Friday, 25 March 2022, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary during the Celebration of Penance that he will preside over at 5:00 pm (Rome time), in St Peter’s Basilica. You are all invited to join in a Novena for Peace leading up to this day of consecration beginning on Thursday, March 17, 2022. For more information and for a copy of the prayer, please read the CCCB News Release. Novena prayer for peace in Ukraine
God of реасе and justice, we pray for the реорlе of Ukraine today. We pray for реaсе and the laying down of weapons. We pray for аll those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war or реасе, for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions. Above аll, we pray for аll your precious children, at-risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Реасе. Update on government restrictions for Masses
YUKON CHURCHES: The Yukon government issued a new ministerial order on March 3, 2022 (2022-M021) whereby there are no longer any capacity restrictions, and proof of vaccination is not required. Masks are to be worn indoors by those 5 years of age +. NORTHERN BC CHURCHES: As per the BC Provincial Health Order of February 16, 2022, our churches will operate as follows: capacity is limited to 50% , proof of vaccinations is not required, and masks are to be worn by anyone born in 2017 or earlier (5 years +). Both governments continue to recommend physical distancing, good hand hygiene, and staying home if you experience symptoms. - - - - - - - - In light of the new government orders and restrictions, Bishop Vila is reinstating the Sunday Holy Mass Obligation. Also, the Sunday Mass will not be recorded for online viewing. If you have any questions, please contact your local Catholic church. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for your prayers . 
Donations to the people of Ukraine
If you would like to make a donation to support the people of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada have recommended that any monies be donated through the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) website. This is an entity which has been working directly in Ukraine for a good number of years therefore monetary help will arrive faster. When making a donation, please indicate which country you want to donate on the dropdown menu. Let us continue to pray and fast throughout this lent season for an end to this conflict between Ukraine and Russia. 
Prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine
His Holiness Pope Francis has announced March 2nd, 2022 (Ash Wednesday) as a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine. Bishop Vila encourages us to unite in prayer for this intention and to also spend some time in Adoration if it is available in your area. 
Human Trafficking in Canada
February 8th is the Feast Day of St. Josephine Bakhita and also an International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking. As Catholics, we should be aware of the reality of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in our own community amongst the most marginalized, especially our women, youth, and children. Canada's “Protection of Communities Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA - 2014)” is currently under review in parliament. For more information on the progress of this bill and what you can do to ensure it stays in place in Canada, visit defendignity.ca. You can also visit our new Human Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation webpage for more resources by clicking here. 
Rome Delegation
The Indigenous Delegation to Rome to meet with Pope Francis has been rescheduled to take place at the end of march and early April of this year. For more information, please visit the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops webpage at cccb.ca. 
Indigenous Healing and Reconciliation Initiatives
Bishop Vila would like to announce the beginning of our diocese’s commitment to the five-year fundraising campaign for indigenous initiatives beginning November 28, 2021. This follows the Canadian Bishop’s commitment towards a $30M nationwide collection in support of residential school survivors, their families, and their committees. Donations can be made through the Chancery or through the Canada Helps donation button on the Diocesan website. For more information, please refer to Bishop Vila's letter and the other supporting documents below. Bishop Vila's letter to the Faithful re. fundraising for indigenous initiatives (Nov 14, 2021) Canadian Bishops Announce $30M National Financial Pledge to Support Healing and Reconciliation Initiatives (Sep 27, 2021) Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of this Land (Sep 24, 2021) 
New Synod 2021 2023 diocesan webpage
Our webpage for the Diocesan phase of the Synod on synodality has been launched. All materials for leading or participating in group discussions are available here, as well as information for individuals who want to submit a personal reflection. The deadline for submissions is the end of day on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Please contact your local parish or mission, or the diocesan office for more information. Click here to read Bishop Hector Vila's letter to parishioners of the Diocese of Whitehorse. “Synodality is the way of being the Church today according to the will of God, in a dynamic of discerning and listening together to the voice of the Holy Spirit.” - Pope Francis
Horizons of Hope: A Toolkit for Catholic Parishes on Palliative Care The launch of this new CCCB resource on palliative care will take place with a webinar on November 15, 2021 in English and on November 16, 2021 in French.
Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of this Land
The Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week from September 20th to 24th, took the opportunity to affirm and acknowledge to the Indigenous Peoples the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools.
They have released this Statement of Apology to the Indigenous Peoples of this Land (September 24, 2021). We invite you to take the time to read and reflect upon it. We also ask that you keep our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and our Bishops, in your prayers as the process of reconciliation and healing continues. |
ONLINE DONATIONS NOW AVAILABLE The Diocese of Whitehorse is now accepting online donations via our partner Canada Helps, which is equipped to issue instantaneous tax receipts. Your generosity enables us to serve our communities, care for those in need and accomplish the mission entrusted to us by the Lord. Click on the button above to donate online. |
