Christmas - A Unique Point In Time and Place
History happens in two ways. Large sweeps of activities gather up and move masses of people and nations. But individuals count. The great leaders such as Churchill certainly, but also the small unknown individuals who witness events and inexorably influence them.
The Incarnation is exactly the central pivotal of all human history. As has been stated multiple times, the birth of yet one more child in a small almost irrelevant backwater in Palestine must have been seen as not worth a shrug. That was completely obvious and monumentally wrong because that Child was the Christ and His value was beyond price.
But all things start in a tiny way. Christianity has been completely clear that each person, each soul is of paramount importance. Each person has his or her role in the history of salvation. Here trying to capture even a small slice of human activity is almost impossible for a single person. It is only at the Final Judgement that we will be able to grasp the awe inspiring full majestic story of salvation.
The work of being faithful and working to bring about the Kingdom of Christ is accomplished by individuals like yourself. The work of Priests For Life Canada is made possible because of your generosity and support.
As you can read in other pages of this newsletter, it has been a busy year.
You funded meetings in Ottawa recognizing that the Priests For Life Canada has a role in the National March For Life. The Board only meets in person once a year depending on Zoom for other meetings. It also allowed our President, Father Tom Lynch, to meet with other individuals in that city at other times. As well, Father Tom gave a lecture to a group of young adults as real change makers.
It allowed our office to hire a Seminarian Intern, Mischa Taillon, to help with research and outreach and to assist with the growth of hopefully pro-life trained priests in the long run.
Our supporters’ donations meant Father Tom could do presentations on Pastoral Responses to Mercy Killing and Euthanasia to the priests of the London Diocese on their Study Days in October, and to also be part of the team with the new leadership of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, doing a wider day long workshop for the Diocese of Peterborough Clergy Study Days in early November. Parish presentations have also been given to packed rooms along with special Sunday preaching in various dioceses.
A great deal of time has been taken up with Bedside Consultations - these are people who call Fr. Tom with usually urgent crises. Time must be taken when these people call, to hear them out, be careful about the facts of the case and give sage counsel. Sometimes this is done before a mercy killing or abortion, but tragically sometimes it is done following deaths, too. Consolation and prayer are essential.
We realize that constant research and updating is essential and so we are embarking on a collaboration with the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute to develop a handbook to get it into the hands of priests, deacons, and bishops to deal with the so-called MAiD requests practically and pastorally. This will take time and resources, and we return to you our donors to make it a reality.
Priests For Life Canada is working hard to reach out to global priests both individually and in linguistic and ethnic groupings as these men serve our Canadian Church so faithfully, to help with their inculturation and role in pro-life leadership. It is a big country so your donations will help make this a reality.
And the trips to the Canadian seminaries are essential to meet and encourage our young men to speak up and be brave in their future (and current) priestly work.
And I could not finish without thanking you for just keeping our organization going! We run a very stripped-down organization, but you keep the internet, phone bills, and salaries possible so that the battle to build our Civilization of Life and Love can continue. Each donation and each of you individually are those Living Stones in this eternal project.
May you know all the Blessings of the Christ Child this Christmas and always.
Fr. Tom Lynch (PFLC National President)