On Thursday, June 11, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his government would “eliminate” the office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). The CORE was mandated to investigate human rights abuses linked to Canadian mining, oil and gas, and garment companies operating outside Canada. It...
The Canadian government has just reintroduced long-awaited First Nations drinking water legislation, tabling Bill C-37 in the House of Commons in June. The proposed First Nations Clean Water Act replaces Bill C-61, landmark legislation that was co-developed with First Nations but ultimately died when Parliament was prorogued in early 2025. The...
DOWNLOAD ORCIE OFFERINGS HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ LE BULLETIN BCRÉI ICI Dear friends, I’m glad to share the Summer 2026 edition of ORCIE Offerings, a reflection of the many ways Religious Congregations are showing up for justice across Canada. This issue highlights the culmination of the Turn Debt Into Hope campaign,...
Ottawa – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has established the Service for Migrant and Refugee Ministry (Human Mobility), a new national initiative that will strengthen the Catholic Church’s pastoral response to migrants, refugees, and other people affected by human mobility across Canada. The CCCB is seeking...
From the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, historian Bernardo Groschopp reflects on how climate change, shifting wildlife and political borders are reshaping Indigenous communities – and why their environmental knowledge matters. “They really have a perfect relationship with the environment,” says Bernardo Groschopp as he sits...
Build Canada Strong has become the Liberal Party’s de facto tag line, and with their newly earned majority in the House, the federal government has leveraged patriotic messaging to further their economic and political agendas. But who exactly will benefit from this supposedly “stronger” Canada, and who might...
House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development released a highly critical major report urging a revised strategy on Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan. It is currently at a critical juncture, with the federal government projecting that emissions will fall roughly 28% below 2005...
Pictured left: National Family and Survivors Circle President Hilda Anderson-Pyrz (right) called on the federal government to provide long-term sustained funding for Indigenous women's organizations at a news conference in Ottawa on Wednesday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Native Women's Association of Canada president says sunsetting programs...
Help Us Reach 500 Signatures by May 17! Please sign and share the parliamentary petition initiated by the CNCA calling on the Government of Canada to immediately appoint a new Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) and strengthen the office's investigative powers and independence. We currently have...
• Roughly 45 million more people could be pushed into acute hunger this year if conflict persists • Global numbers of food-insecure people could reach levels last seen at start of Ukraine war • Import reliant countries in Africa and Asia face the steepest potential rise in hunger risk ROME, Italy...
Picture left: The Uraricoera River is pictured in a file photo during a Brazilian government operation against illegal gold mining on Indigenous land in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. (CNS/Reuters\Bruno Kelly) Even without intent, the church's financial resources can be tied to mining projects that pollute...
DOWNLOAD ORCIE OFFERINGS HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ LE BULLETIN BCRÉI ICI Dear friends, I’m happy to share the Spring 2026 edition of ORCIE Offerings, which highlights ORCIE’s collective work across Canada and internationally. In this issue, you’ll find updates and invitations to advocacy campaigns, news of our policy work, international...
Three recent reports provide the gory details about massive and growing wealth inequality in Canada Canada has become outrageously unequal, and three recent reports provide the gory details. Last September, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) updated its estimates of “the top tail of the family wealth distribution in Canada,”...
Catholic leaders from North and Latin America affirm solidarity with migrants. From February 15–17, eleven Catholic bishops from the United States, Canada, and Latin America gathered in Tampa, Florida, for a meeting described as a time of “prayer, dialogue, and pastoral discernment.” They addressed pressing pastoral...
In Canada, over 5.8 million people—including 1.4 million children—experience food insecurity, unable to access enough nutritious food to maintain their health. This isn’t about making poor choices. When families face impossible decisions between paying rent and buying groceries, when the nearest grocery store is an hour away by bus, or...
Pictured left: Participants in an Indigenous Clean Energy program visit a solar-powered greenhouse in Lennox Island First Nation on P.E.I. (Submitted by Indigenous Clean Energy) Report suggests Canada has moved further away from its climate targets since 2023 Indigenous-owned or co-owned renewable energy projects have a role...
From going without electricity to relying on food banks, Canada’s seniors are struggling to age with dignity. Data shows that 1 in 5 live at the poverty line, with rent and housing eating up their meagre incomes. As well, 81% of seniors say they want...
Pictured left: A new study suggests snowpack in the Rocky Mountains is declining over the long term as the planet warms. (Credit: Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) This year's record low snowpack in the west is a preview of things to come A record-breaking snow drought in the western...
DOWNLOAD ORCIE OFFERINGS HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ LE BULLETIN BCRÉI ICI Dear friends, As we close 2025 and enter this Christmas season, we at ORCIE give thanks for the gift of community and the hope that binds us together. In Christ’s light, we are reminded that care for people and...
Pictured left: The carcass of a donkey lies on the dried-up ground near the town of Kargi, Kenya, Oct. 9, 2021. (CNS/Reuters/Baz Ratner) The last of the evening light is fading over this arid northern county when Maria Lokito bends down to check the small plastic rain...
DOWNLOAD ORCIE OFFERINGS HERE TÉLÉCHARGEZ LE BULLETIN BCRÉI ICI Dear friends, We’re delighted to share the Fall 2025 edition of the ORCIE Offerings—a vibrant snapshot of our collective journey toward ecological justice, both in Canada and globally. This season’s newsletter takes you behind the scenes of our upcoming delegation...
The General Service for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (GS-JPIC) holds its annual assembly from November 3-7, 2025, at the OMI General House in Rome. This important gathering continues the implementation of the mandate from the last General Chapter, with particular attention to the Church’s...
Pictured left: Fishermen work on Lake Victoria, whose rising waters frequently displace residents and damage property in western Kenya. (GSR photo/Doreen Ajiambo) On a warm afternoon along the banks of a narrow river that feeds into Lake Victoria, residents of this small village in western Kenya...
We, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), as a Religious Congregation of Pontifical Right, are honored to express our full support for the “Religious Life for Climate Justice: Turning Hope into Action Campaign” in preparation for COP30. We also endorse the commitment of all members...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) distributes an electronic newsletter titled “ORCIE Offerings” periodically throughout the year. If you would like to receive “ORCIE Offerings”, please fill out this form. ORCIE-BCRÉI (google.com) Here is the latest edition of “ORCIE Offerings” – Summer 2025 – ENGLISH / FRANÇAIS...
It has often been remarked that, in the days before the 2013 Conclave that elected him as pope, Jorge Bergoglio told the Cardinals that, “The church is called to come out of herself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographically, but also the...
Le 18 juin 2015, le pape François publiait l’encyclique Laudato si’ sur la « sauvegarde de la maison commune », une longue lettre dans laquelle il appelait « toute la famille humaine » à s’unir dans la « recherche d’un développement durable et intégral ». Dix ans après...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) distributes an electronic newsletter titled "ORCIE Offerings" periodically throughout the year. If you would like to receive "ORCIE Offerings", please fill out this form. ORCIE-BCRÉI (google.com) Here is the latest edition of "ORCIE Offerings" - April 2025...
Pope Francis, who died on April 21 in Rome at the age of 88, had a special love for creation and urged the faithful to take care of the environment throughout his pontificate. In May 2015, he published Laudato Si’, an encyclical focusing on care for the...
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the ORCIE virtual home, born on March 13, 2025! You can visit it here: https://orcie.org/ Nous sommes ravis de vous annoncer le lancement de la site virtuelle du BCREI, née le 13 mars 2025 ! Vous pouvez le visiter...
Opening the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome at the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 2024, Pope Francis launched the Jubilee Year 2025. The symbolic gesture indicated that this pope wants Jubilee commemorations to move beyond prayer in our churches – he’s calling us to step...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) distributes an electronic newsletter titled "ORCIE Offerings" periodically throughout the year. If you would like to receive "ORCIE Offerings", please fill out this form. ORCIE-BCRÉI (google.com) Here is the latest edition of "ORCIE Offerings" - December 2024 -...
Before concluding an incredible year, we would like to go back over the most significant and unforgettable moments that we have experienced in 2024. [caption id="attachment_18948" align="aligncenter" width="700"] LSM chapter members celebrating together[/caption] 1. Leading around the world The partners and grassroots leaders we serve are making a...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) distributes an electronic newsletter titled "ORCIE Offerings" periodically throughout the year. If you would like to receive "ORCIE Offerings", please fill out this form. ORCIE-BCRÉI (google.com) Here is the latest edition of "ORCIE Offerings" - October 2024 -...
The international umbrella platform of Catholic social justice organizations is among the several faith-based organizations to attend the upcoming UN summit on climate change in Baku, Azerbaijan, which will also feature the second edition of the "Faith Pavilion" to strengthen the role of religious in...
We invite you to pray for meaningful change at the upcoming at COP 29. This short film is based on Pope Francis' 2023 document "Laudate Deum" An Apostolic Exhortation to All People of Good Will on The Climate Crisis". This 20-minute film uses dramatic images and...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) is pleased to provide an update on the recent virtual meeting with Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, which took place on August 28, 2024. The discussion, involving ORCIE, KAIROS, and Citizens for...
DOWNLOAD PDF HERE ...
The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) distributes an electronic newsletter titled "ORCIE Offerings" periodically throughout the year. If you would like to receive "ORCIE Offerings", please fill out this form. ORCIE-BCRÉI (google.com) Here is the latest edition of "ORCIE Offerings" - Summer 2024...
We are pleased to present a review by Joe Gunn, Executive Director of Le Centre Oblat: A Voice for Justice, on the insightful and thought-provoking book "Faith as Protest: Answering the Call to Mend the World." Published by Novalis and compiled and edited by Karen...
Pictured left: A Zambian child stands outside his home in the village of Ndombi. Crippling drought in Zambia has devastated agricultural production and caused extensive crop failure, leading to a food crisis that is mirrored across Africa and elsewhere in the tropics. (CNS/CRS/Michael Stulman) Millions of...
We invite you to participate in a month-long challenge inspired by the Laudato Si' Goals. This reflective journey bridges two key events: Laudato Si' Week 2024, themed "Seeds of Hope," and the Season of Creation 2024, under the banner "To Hope and Act with Creation." Share your stories,...
Dr. Iyad Abu Moghli, director and founder of the UN's Faith for Earth Coalition, speaks to Vatican News about desertification, drought resilience, and the impact of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si. Land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience are the main themes of this World...
“Placing a price on pollution.” A “carbon levy” where 80% of Canadians receive (sometimes invisible) “rebates.” Seven provinces asking that the scheduled increase not take place on April 1. Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition (which once supported a carbon tax) are now promising to “Axe the Tax!” In the midst...
Give it up for the Earth! is a national faith-in-action campaign that raises awareness about the climate crisis and mobilizes people across Canada to reduce personal and household greenhouse gas emissions, engage in acts of solidarity, and collect signatures as a demonstration of support for...
The OIP is an Investment Trust, established by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, it provides faith consistent investment management of the long-term financial assets of the Oblate Congregation and of Roman Catholic related organizations, ministries, religious orders and dioceses located throughout the world. The...
On World Day of Social Justice, the CIDSE Secretary General reminds us that every decision we take and every new policy that is implemented have an impact on the lives and livelihoods of others, and that the crises we face today are interconnected. Social Justice means...
Pictured left: Residents of a riverside community carry food and containers of drinking water from an aid distribution due to the ongoing drought in Careiro da Varzea, Amazonas state, Brazil, Oct. 24, 2023. Earth last year shattered global annual heat records, numerous scientific bodies reported...
End extreme poverty. Fight inequality and injustice. Fix climate change. Whoa. The Sustainable Development Goals are important, world-changing objectives that will require cooperation among governments, international organizations and world leaders. It seems impossible that the average person can make an impact. Should you just give up? No! Change starts...
There is no question that Canadians are concerned about climate change. Droughts have been severe in Western regions, while floods and severe storms rocked Eastern provinces. Our country endured the worst forest fire season ever, where 6,669 fires destroyed 18.5 hectares – an area larger...
Pope Francis and other religious leaders sign a joint document in which they call on politcians, governments, and businesses to accelerate the transition of energy inclusively to heal our planet. [vc_video link='https://youtu.be/7JdpxjBORkE'] The declaration signed by various religious leaders during COP28 has commitment and hope as its...
Pictured left: Pope Francis listens during an ecumenical prayer vigil before the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sept. 30, 2023, a few days before the release of his apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum on Oct. 4 (CNS/Vatican Media) It's...
What causes you to register concern? What are the necessary conditions to propel you to action? People of faith purport to be motivated by altruistic instincts, where a concern for the other initiates action. This truly is a shared value of faith. The teaching of Jesus...
Last week's release of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, “Laudate Deum” has been received by The Ecclesial Networks Alliance for Integral Ecology (ENA) “as a most positive encouragement for ENA’s mandate and ministry,” said ENA Convenor, Father Rigobert Minani Bihuzo. The Ecclesial Networks Alliance for Integral Ecology...
Ask a North American adult if they remember what they were doing on “9/11” and you will likely hear them refer to the year 2001. The shock of passenger jets flying into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and...
From 2 to 4 July at the Vatican’s San Calisto Palace, representatives from the Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania and Europe reflected on the identity, vocation and mission of the “Ecclesial Networks Alliance for Integral Ecology” (ENA). Joe Gunn, staff of Le Centre Oblat in Ottawa,...
Pictured left: The rainbow sheen of an oil spill is visible in the Huayuri creek in Peru, which lies within Block 192, a plot of land in the country's Amazon rainforest. (Photography by Patrick Murayari) In 2018, Ottawa announced a new watchdog to probe alleged abuses...
When was the last time you heard your congregation break out in spontaneous applause after a Sunday sermon? It last happened in my church, after parishioners quite unexpectedly responded to a moving reflection on ecological justice. The message was delivered by Sunita De Souza, a teenager! Of...
During the season of Advent, we celebrate the arrival of that new life which changed the world forever. But Christians don’t just wait impatiently, hovering like children anxious to tear open gifts on Christmas morn. An adult faith moves us to prepare the way of...
Twenty religious congregations have joined together to lobby Ottawa politicians on climate change and social justice. Since September, the Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology has been quietly meeting with MPs and Senators of all parties, making the case for thoughtful, planned changes to the...
Whenever we consider the major problems facing the world today – global pandemics, famine in Africa, war in Ukraine, the climate emergency and ecological destruction – we can easily be overwhelmed. Our feelings of helplessness militate against making change happen. But a newly published book by...
Project still faces opposition from Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs Pictured left: Sixteen First Nations have signed an agreement to buy a 10 per cent equity stake in the Coastal GasLink pipeline. They include the Salteau First Nation and Cheslatta Carrier Nation represented by elected chiefs Justin Napoleon,...
Report says costs of climate change impacts have been rising in Canada since 1983 Pictured left: Thick smoke fills the air and nearly blocks out the sun as a property destroyed by wildfire is seen in Monte Lake, B.C., in August 2021. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) Global...
ROME — Pope Francis on Feb. 6 blasted the throwing of plastic in the sea as "criminal" and pleaded for a renewed commitment to caring for the environment. "It kills biodiversity, it kills the Earth, it kills everything," said the pope. Francis' rebuke of littering came during an...
Catholics from all over the world were disappointed with the agreement reached, which they considered insufficient. But at the same time they are hopeful about a society committed to the battle against the climate crisis. 17 November 2021 – The United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference ended a...
“The poor you will always have with you” (Mk 14:7) 1. “The poor you will always have with you” (Mk 14:7). Jesus spoke these words at a meal in Bethany, in the home of a certain Simon, known as the leper, a few days before Passover. As the Evangelist...
Pictured left: Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican secretary for relations with states, speaks at the meeting, "Faith and Science: Towards COP26," with Pope Francis and other religious leaders in the Hall of Benedictions at the Vatican Oct. 4, 2021. The following day, Archbishop Gallagher told a...
Expect more heat waves, fires and floods events in future Pictured left: Smoke billows from a wildfire near Osoyoos, BC, on July 20, 2021. A new United Nations report on the impact of global warming caused by human activity was released Monday. More intense wildfires are...
OTTAWA -- There have been false starts and bitter disappointments before, but Catholic and other faith organizations now see a light at the end of the tunnel in achieving a key aspect of reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples. They expect the Senate will join with the House...
On June 4th, 185 community and non-governmental organizations from around the world urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Ministers of Global Affairs Canada (Marc Garneau, Mary Ng, and Karina Gould), and other Canadian officials to investigate and take action on the plans of Canadian company...
Environmental organizations Climate Action Network-Réseau Action Climat (CAN-Rac), Ecojustice, Équiterre, David Suzuki Foundation (DSF) and West Coast Environmental Law Association (WCELA) urge the House of Commons and Senate to move swiftly to pass the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12) before the summer recess. For...
A letter signed by 36 Catholic religious congregations was sent to Senators on Thursday, May 21, 2021, in support of early passage of Bill C-15. Please note two Oblate provincials, as well as the Centre Oblat, signed. DOWNLOAD PDF HERE...
Pictured left: Kim Mckay-McNabb counsels family members of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Saskatchewan. Kim McKay-McNabb and others will discuss racism, MMIWG and action plan for change at We Rise Conference Behind every headline of a missing or murdered Indigenous woman is a grieving...
The industry has backed polluters for decades. Now, amid growing pressure, Wall Street says it's going green Wildfires burned nearly 10.4m acres across the US last year. The most costly thunderstorm in US history caused $7.5bn in damage across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. As...
How twenty-five acres of Ontario farmland have become a new front in the battle for Indigenous self-governance In an empty loft off Highway 6, along a stretch of country road that connects Six Nations of the Grand River with the nearby town of Caledonia, eight people...
For the Love of Creation‘s faith-in-action campaign mobilizes people across Canada to reduce household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and demonstrate support for increased federal climate action. The campaign runs February 17 (Ash Wednesday) to October 4, 2021 (the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and the end of the Season...
Canadian faith communities are mobilizing to play their part in this national responsibility More than 30 members of the churches participated in a Zoom briefing with federal Justice Minister David Lametti on Jan. 29, posing questions including whether the proposed legislation will become a high-enough priority...
On January 21, along with another dozen national church leaders, Ken Thorson of OMI Lacombe Canada and Luc Tardif of Notre Dame du Cap signed a letter in appreciation of the federal government’s tabling of Bill C-15 (legislation to implement the UN Declaration on the...
In reflections written during lockdown, the pontiff adds his weight to a growing group of people seeking a return to community-minded values Not long into these reflections on the lessons of a traumatic year, Pope Francis offers a line from his favourite poet, Friedrich Hölderlin: “Where the danger...
Sign this petition in support of Pope Francis' message for a just response on COVID and the Climate Emergency. SIGN THE PETITION ...
More than 140 senior Church leaders from around the world have signed a letter urging the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to cancel debts for developing countries fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The letter – signed by cardinals, archbishops and heads of religious congregations from...
Dear campaigner, We have been living in extraordinary times these last few months and we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. Normally at this time of year, you would be receiving a kit about our upcoming Education and Action campaign. This year, due to COVID-19,...
We are called as people of faith to love and care for creation; Canadian churches and faith-based organizations have united under the banner "For the Love of Creation"; The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives and exacerbated existing vulnerabilities; Respecting...
BP's plan to reduce oil production is seismic because of what it says about the decade past and the decade to come, the authors write. Last week, one of the world’s seven fossil fuel supermajors — British Petroleum, whose legacy dates back to the early days...
Pictured left: Gerry Kisoun was one of the last special constables in the North, and served 20 years as a regular officer. He said RCMP officers need not be northerners, but must become part of the community. (Kate Kyle/CBC) Since the RCMP's earliest days, it has...
On June 25th, the Galilee Centre in Arnprior held a webinar on ''Catholic Principles for a Just Recovery.'' The basis of the discussion was a brief prepared by Joe Gunn and Sister Sue Wilson, Director of the Office of Systemic Justice for the Federation of...
To celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada on 21 June 2020, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle sent a letter encouraging the Federal Government to reclaim the cooperative moment of breakthrough in the negotiations with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs experienced over the weekend of...
On the fifth anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si’, US congregations of Dominican Sisters announced the launching of a strategic investment initiative in collaboration with Morgan Stanley to address climate change, especially as it affects marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by global warming. The Sisters...
OTTAWA – More than 150 Catholic and other religious organizations, environmental, social justice and labour groups across the country have joined together to pledge support for six “Principles for a Just Recovery” that they hope will influence what a post-COVID-19 Canada looks like. “Recovery efforts must...
OTTAWA—Canadians are not accustomed to Googling the websites of their various houses of worship for scintillatingly brilliant advice on how to design vibrant economies. That might be as useful as asking the current denizen of the White House for clues on hairstyling. But if faith communities...
As I watched the news one night, a story reminded me of a pattern I see in my work at the Office for Systemic Justice (Canadian Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph). The story was about the missile attack on Flight 752 in Iran. The attack had widespread...
This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and 5th anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Both anniversaries present an occasion to invite Catholics to take climate action by uniting in a call for a just...
In Celebration of Laudato Si' Week Join us for a FREE Webinar #LiveLaudatoSi Canada Learning Webinar: Women of Faith EcoLeaders Celebrates 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si' “I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone...
Canadian churches and faith-based organizations have a long history of work in ecological conservation, environmental activism, and advocacy for climate justice. To mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we are coming together on a journey of reflection, dialogue, discernment, advocacy, and action on the...
Unceded Algonquin Territory [Ottawa, ON]: March 23, 2020 — CPJ was disappointed to hear that the federal government of Canada has reached a reciprocal arrangement with the US to return irregular migrants who attempt to cross anywhere at the Canada-U.S. border. In his Mandate letter, Minister...
Let us join Pope Francis and the Church in asking the Lord “for the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation for those whom the Lord has called to Himself.”[1] Several Canadian religious communities reached out to express their solidarity,...
A Message to Youth from Religious Communities in Canada Dear members of the JPIC networks, Dear community leaders, In the fall of 2019, the JPIC Atlantic network of the CRC decided upon a common action: to express a message of gratitude and encouragement to Canadian youth for their...
Development and Peace — Caritas Canada is disappointed by the failure of world leaders to heed the calls of citizens and scientists at the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Madrid from December 2...
Cardinal Pedro Barreto SJ, of Huancayo, Peru and co-president of the October 2019 Synod on the Amazon: New Paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology, recounts the meaning and novelty of this impressive event. This talk was given on November 12, 2019 at...
On November 12, 2019, the Centre Oblat and Development and Peace – Caritas Canada organized a symposium with St. Paul University entitled, “The Synod on the Amazon – Canada and Latin America Working Together.” The keynote speaker was Cardinal Pedro Barreto SJ, Archbishop of Huancayo,...
Paulo Paulino Guajajara's death is the latest act of violence against Brazil's Indigenous people: activist Pictured left: Paulo Paulino Guajajara, an Indigenous land protector in Brazil, was killed after being ambushed by illegal loggers in the Amazon. (Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters) An Indigenous land defender who protected the Amazon...
As part of Development and Peace - Caritas Canada's 'For our Common Home' campaign, Canadians from across Canada and partners express themselves on the importance of nature and its protection, the role of Indigenous peoples in protecting our land and water, and their wishes for...
Pictured left: Mr. Alphonse Mongulu Boyoha, member of RIAO-RDC, during the most recent meeting with the panel of the international complaint mechanism in Lokutu at the end of August. Community leaders and traditional chiefs in areas affected by the plantations of Canadian company PHC-Feronia in the...
After a decade of mobilizing for the creation of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), and waiting another 15 months for the position to be filled, Canadians were finally able to hear from ombudsperson Sheri Meyerhoffer on Tuesday, September 10th, 2019, at an event organized by new Centre Oblat – A Voice for Justice and St. Paul’s University in Ottawa. A University of Saskatchewan law...
When Pope Francis announced on October 15, 2017 a new Special Synod for the Pan-Amazon Region, the whole process of listening and dialogue with the Amazonian peoples of nine countries (Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana) found a push that...
MANAUS, Brazil -- On the third finger of his left hand Oblate Fr. Robert Valicourt wears a black, wooden ring made from the pit of a tacumã palm tree, a plant native to the Amazon. Such rings are common among Catholic missionaries living and working in northern...
PRESS RELEASE (to see PDF version click here) Saskatoon, SK & Toronto, ON, 19 September 2019 -- As Christians worldwide celebrate the Season of Creation, and pray for care and renewal of our natural environment, the Catholic community in Canada is mobilizing to protect the planet...
(Ottawa) In the final days of the Trudeau government it quietly published a revision of the mandate of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) – once again failing to address the main concerns raised by MiningWatch Canada and many other civil society members. The original...
Cette déclaration est également disponible en français. Cliquez ici CANADA-WIDE, Sept. 1, 2019 /CNW/ - On this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, leaders of Canada's 64 Congregations of Catholic Sisters are calling on the country's politicians to respond to the climate emergency declared...
Pictured left: A glacier lagoon is seen in southern Iceland in July 2017. (CNS/Thomson Reuters Foundation/Thin Lei Win) Sunday marked the start of the annual ecumenical "Season of Creation" observance, which lasts from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. It...
Most Canadian citizens have access to enough clean water to cook, clean, bathe and drink, however, in Indigenous communities throughout Canada, there is a lack of accessible clean water. Part of the reason for this is because large corporations like Nestlé have been given permission by...
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Some of the world’s major oil producers pledged Friday to support “economically meaningful” carbon pricing regimes after a personal appeal from Pope Francis to avoid “perpetrating a brutal act of injustice” against the poor and future generations. The companies, including ExxonMobil, BP,...
On May 24, the Centre Oblat helped organize a gesture of solidarity with the global School Strike for Climate movement, which has been endorsed by Pope Francis. At St. Paul University in Ottawa, a crowd gathered outside the main entrance to hear music performed by students...
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A "fallacious" economic model that exploits the earth's resources while disregarding the rights and cultures of indigenous people has left the planet in a precarious condition and requires a change of heart that places the common good before financial gain, Pope...
An Intersectional Approach to Refugee Policy & Advocacy [caption id="attachment_8791" align="alignleft" width="232"] Click on image to download The Most Vulnerable (PDF)[/caption] Policy-making and advocacy have always gone hand in hand. They exist together in a cycle where governments are meant to develop policies based on the needs...
On Earth Day 2019, Christian leaders from across Canada have come together to issue a call to climate action. Their collective message is clear: the global climate crisis has reached a critical stage and requires an urgent moral and spiritual response. Created by the Canadian Council...
Canadian mining companies operating in Mexico should be on notice that the sector is going to face increased scrutiny on its environmental practices and treatment of Indigenous people, according to the country’s new ambassador to Ottawa. “President [Andres Manuel] Lopez Obrador has been very public about...
TVO has made available podcasts of the documentary: "The Shadow of Gold" which explores the human and ecological costs of Gold Mining. Click on links below for parts 1 and 2: The Shadow of Gold - Part 1 The Shadow of Gold - Part 2...
Cowessess First Nation, located 140 kilometres east of Regina commissioned their latest renewable energy project in October 2018. Ready to show the immense power of two forms of renewable energy combined, solar and wind, the community has established an innovative project that has the potential...
Even radical climate change action won't save glaciers, endangering 2 billion people Pictured left: Melting ice on Khumbu glacier in the Everest-Khumbu region. Himalayan glaciers are a water source for 250 millions people. Photograph: Alex Treadway/ICIMOD At least a third of the huge ice fields in Asia’s...
This month's panelists discuss human trafficking, its causes and its cures. These sisters and their congregations are educating villages, governments, and even the United Nations about trafficking and its impacts, and they are doing something about it themselves. They wrote in response to the following question: Trafficking...
Vatican City, Jan 17, 2019 / 04:00 pm (CNA).- The Vatican said yesterday that the most significant cost associated with human trafficking is the exploitation and degradation of its victims. With a new online guide, the Vatican seeks to combat the “ugly business” of human trafficking,...
Minister of International Trade announces long-overdue human rights Ombudsperson (Toronto, ON) – KAIROS and its overseas partners are greatly encouraged by the Honourable Minister of International Trade’s announcement today regarding the creation of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise, billed as the first of its...
Pictured left: Adnan Amin, director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Photo by Zack Embree Canada has become a member of a key intergovernmental agency that promotes the adoption of solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has...
Last week, negotiators from 197 countries have come together in Poland for U.N. climate talks at COP24, which may be the world’s last chance to ensure that we respond to the global climate crisis. There are two key goals for these talks: to keep global...
Pictured left: This 2010 photograph shows the U.N. Human Rights Council Chamber in Geneva, Switzerland. The original Commission on Human Rights was renamed Human Rights Council in 2006. (United Nations) On its 70th anniversary today, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is being celebrated as a...
KAIROS is truly honoured to have hosted ten partners at the inaugural Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security global partners gathering in Toronto and Ottawa, November 19 – 27. The gathering highlighted the critical role that women’s grassroots organizations play in international peace building.The...
Since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted in 1948, the growing global economy has created new challenges. With operations that can span several different countries, large multinational corporations, such as mining and extraction companies, can act with impunity, without state oversight or the...
As thousands of people met, planned, discussed and took part in happy hours in San Francisco on Sept. 12 at the beginning of the Global Climate Action Summit, I sat in the vaulted sanctuary of Grace Episcopal Cathedral with hundreds of people for two and...
(Toronto) The communities of Neskantaga and Eabametoong continue to stand together while pointing to the way forward in the north, and on the Ring of Fire. These two First Nations, united by a shared history, are committing to advance their interests through a political alliance to...
CPJ (Citizens for Public Justice) released Poverty Trends 2018, their annual report on poverty in Canada, a day ahead of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It reports that a staggering 5.8 million people in Canada (or 16.8%) live in poverty. The report uses...
In the aftermath of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate published a 2016 report indicating that the transition to sustainable energy would require around $90 trillion of global infrastructural investment over 15 years.Speaking the same year...
New research digs into how links between economic development, technology, politics, and decision-making affect actions people are willing to take against climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released a new report that calls for urgent action on climate change, including an immediate...
CCCB on Tuesday, October 9th has released a Statement on the Right to Safe Drinking Water by the Commission for Justice and Peace. The Statement examines from the perspective of Scripture and Catholic Social Doctrine the right to water, the problem of its privatization for...
On behalf of Fr. Alfred Grzempa, OMI, Provincial Assumption Province Fr. Luc Tardif, OMI, Provincial Notre-Dame-du-Cap Province, Fr. Ken Forster, OMI, Provincial OMI Lacombe Canada Province, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Gunn as Executive Director of “Centre Oblat - A Voice...
Fr. Ken Forster, OMI, received the New York Times article (below) from Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI. The article describes a recent Vatican conference where the Pope speaks with Oil and Gas Executives about "global energy transition" To read the address of Pope Francis to the Oil...
Here is the JPIC presentation, presented by Bro. Leonardo Rego, OMI at the 2018 Convocation. ...
Water is the entry point for those on the justice-peace journey, Sr. Maura McGrath says. "Water is life, it's sacred, so it's got to be our way into making any moves in terms of equality and human rights," said the Congregation of Notre Dame sister from...
October 11th - Catholic Higher Education: Engaging the Future In my presentation, I will speak about my own reading of the invitation of St. Eugene for his followers to impact the world for good and finally speak to the role of institutions of higher learning, drawn...
In this episode, NCR Bertelsen intern Shireen Korkzan and playwright Patty McCarty discuss McCarty's play "This Other Love," about the life of Dorothy Day. Later, Tom Roberts and Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister discuss the state of American politics and the role of the media. Show Notes Patty's...
The world's only operating zebra rock mine has decided to stop production at its biggest deposit, opting to protect the site for future generations. For the past eight years, Kimberley Stone Company has been operating a boutique mine near the Western Australia–Northern Territory border, producing significant...
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe recently won a major legal victory in federal court which may have the power to force the shutdown of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration failed to conduct an adequate...
For the first time in history, a treaty to ban nuclear weapons is on the negotiating table at the United Nations. A solid majority of governments is set to close a gaping hole in international law. The new treaty may well be ready by July...
(Ottawa/Oakland/Tatamagouche/Toronto/Washington D.C.) An investor alert released today warns that historic developments in the lawsuit against Tahoe Resources in Canada is just one indicator of serious risks surrounding its Escobal silver mine in Guatemala. On Thursday, June 8th, the Supreme Court of Canada denied Tahoe Resources...