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  Press Release and Letter

By Douglas Crosby and Margaret McLaughlin
St. George’s Diocese [Newfoundland, Canada]
September 8, 2005

St. George's Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross Originating from the Office of the Bishop St. George's Diocese Newfoundland and Labrador

CORNER BROOK, NL, Sept. 12 /CNW/ - The Most Rev. Douglas Crosby, OMI, Bishop of St. George's Diocese, announced today that the coming pastoral year in St. George's will be dedicated to the Holy Cross. The Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross, from September 14, 2005 to June 29, 2006, will be a time of prayer and reconciliation for the parishioners and priests of St. George's who have taken on the pain and suffering of victims of sexual abuse. The text of Bishop Crosby's letter announcing the Holy Year is attached.

ADORAMUS TE, CHRISTE

We adore you, O Christ

A pastoral letter from Bishop Douglas Crosby, OMI to the parishioners of St. George's Diocese, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, at the beginning of the pastoral year announcing the Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross, beginning on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, September 14, 2005, and continuing through the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, June 29, 2006

Birth of Mary

September 8, 2005

Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi,

quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

My dear friends, The settlement agreement We begin a new pastoral year this weekend, a time that is always filled with energy, hope and enthusiasm. As you may have already heard in the media, during the summer months the court approved a settlement agreement between victims of sexual abuse and our diocese. We have 30 months to fulfill the terms of the agreement, and we made our first payment of almost two million dollars on July 22nd - funds from parish and diocesan savings and investments. The terms of the agreement are demanding and it will be a major challenge for us to fulfill them, but we are committed to this effort because we believe it is a healing opportunity for all who have suffered from these sad events.

I am pleased to announce that Father Jim Robertson has generously accepted my invitation to serve as Coordinator of the Settlement Process. I am grateful for his enthusiastic support and competent assistance. At the same time, he will serve as Associate Pastor for the Cathedral Parish, maintaining a pastoral ministry which is very important to him.

The settlement agreement is a legal document and outlines the details of the undertaking. Of course, our financial obligations are a very important component of the agreement; but because we are people of faith, we turn to Jesus Christ, asking him to be our guiding light in what has been a dark and sad time in our history.

The Cross of Jesus Christ When we turn to Jesus Christ, we find ourselves at the foot of the Cross - the Cross which at first glance is a place of suffering, death, darkness and hopelessness. For believers, however, the Cross is also the source of healing, life, light and hope. "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom," says one of the criminals crucified beside him. "Indeed, I promise you, Jesus replied, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42-43). When we pray the Stations of the Cross, we proclaim that the Holy Cross is the means by which Jesus "redeemed the world". We have not chosen this cross, indeed we never choose our crosses; but we can be sure that the crosses we bear, whatever they may be, become our way to salvation - because we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross For this reason, my dear friends, I am pleased to announce that the coming pastoral year in the Diocese of St. George's will be dedicated to the Holy Cross. The Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross will begin on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14, 2005, and continue through the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul on June 29, 2006. At all times and seasons, but especially during this holy year, we bring our sin and suffering, our sorrow and pain to the foot of the Cross, and we pray that Jesus will transform it to become for us healing, hope, light and life.

Some pastoral suggestions As the symbol and focal point of this special pastoral year, each parish is invited to raise a large wooden Cross in a significant place in the parish church. Prayers can be said at the foot of this Cross for the healing of the victims and, indeed, for all who have suffered and continue to suffer abuse wherever, whenever and however. We plan to provide a prayer that can be prayed together to conclude the prayers of intention during our Sunday Masses throughout the year.

Parish priests, pastoral ministers, directors of parish life, parish committees and groups are invited to find ways and means to make the Holy Cross a special focus during the coming year - to deepen our understanding of the importance of the Cross of Jesus Christ in our lives and as the primary source of healing. Pastoral events, catechetical sessions, and liturgical celebrations should include a special focus on the Holy Cross and promote veneration of it. The Stations of the Cross might be a privileged form of communal prayer throughout the year.

Documentation to assist parish leaders will be provided at the upcoming pastoral meeting at the Diocesan Centre. Throughout the year we will provide opportunities for theological and spiritual growth, welcoming speakers who will stimulate our minds and hearts, deepening our faith.

Additionally, every parish is encouraged to plan a parish mission during the course of this pastoral year - an occasion to reflect on the Cross of Jesus Christ. If necessary, we will help you find mission preachers willing to respond to invitations to serve.

As part of this special year, the diocese will sponsor a healing pilgrimage to Lourdes. Those who choose to be part of such a pilgrimage will pray not only for their own intentions and healing, but they will be charged with the responsibility to pray specially for the healing of the victims and, indeed, for healing throughout our diocese.

We will strike a diocesan committee to assure that our child protection guidelines and the sexual abuse policy are brought in line with the best advice we can get and with recommendations that will come from a study being completed by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on its earlier document From Pain to Hope. We must be confident that we are doing our best to assure that nothing like this can happen again in our diocese.

Finally, we hope to develop a quiet place for healing prayer in the Cathedral. While the desire to have a memorial for those who have suffered abuse in our diocese is our motivation for this project, the prayer centre will be a place where anyone who has suffered in any way will be able to come to pray for healing and freedom.

Financial appeal The media attention given to our settlement agreement has been the occasion for the outpouring of generosity from across the country. The diocese has received financial gifts from individuals of $50.00, $1,000.00, $5,000.00, and $10,000.00. Recently, one business man from southern Ontario pledged $100,000.00 to help us meet our commitments! All have promised prayers for us, and especially for the healing of those who have suffered most. While I do not want this pastoral letter to become an appeal for financial support, I do want to invite parishioners who are able and who wish to assist the diocese financially to do so. Consider making a contribution of $1,000.00 if you can; more if you are able. Any amount of generosity will help us fulfill our obligations.

The parishes in our diocese have given very generously, in fact they have given all they can give from their financial resources. We cannot and will not ask the parishes to do more. Please remember that parishes depend totally on the generosity of parishioners to be able to provide the pastoral services they do. Whether or not you choose to help the diocese directly, I implore you to increase your Sunday offering if you can, or to make a special financial gift to your parish at this particularly challenging time.

Conclusion My dear friends, the Diocesan Year of the Holy Cross is a unique occasion of grace and blessing for our diocese and for every parishioner. May it be the occasion for healing, transformation and deepening of faith for each and for all! Praised be Jesus Christ and Mary Immaculate!

"It is sooth that sin is cause of all this pain,
But all shall be well and all shall be well and
all manner of things shall be well."
Julian of Norwich, 15th century

+ Douglas Crosby, OMI
Bishop of St. George's and of
Labrador City-Schefferville.

For further information: Margaret McLaughlin, (519) 439-0646, CELL:
(519) 494-3709