2010-02-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ensuring that Share Lent 2010 is directed to appropriate partners

In light of the scandal occurring at Development and Peace, Canadian Catholics have a right to know whether their bishop will direct the 2010 Share Lent collection to partners in developing countries that respect Catholic teaching.

This site is dedicated to providing Catholics with that information. Updates will be posted regularly.

List of bishops ensuring proper use of the 2010 Share Lent collection

TORONTO

In July 2009, Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto made the following statement:

"I would suggest two principles that should
govern the way in which Development and Peace operates in funding projects in
foreign lands:

1) It is not enough to examine the suitability of individual projects. The organizations that operate the projects must also be in harmony with the principles of our Catholic faith. If they are not, then there are plenty of other worthy projects that are operated by organizations which we can in good conscience support, and funding should go to them.

2) We must always act in concert with the local bishops who are responsible for the Church in distant lands. This is required by natural courtesy, and also by the way the Church is structured. The bishops on the scene are also the ones who can verify that organizations in their country are appropriate partners, and are not in any way supporting anything contrary to our faith. Projects which we fund need to be in some way approved by the local bishop or the bishops' conference."

In February 2010, the Archdiocese re-affirmed this commitment.
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PEMBROKE

In February 2010, Bishop Michael Mulhall of Pembroke, announced that he was following the lead of Archbishop Thomas Collins of the Archdiocese of Toronto in placing restrictions on the disbursement of diocesan funds to Development and Peace. In a letter to his diocese, the Bishop says (emphasis ours):

"In Lent of 2009, as many of you will recall, information became available which raised questions regarding the work of certain partners of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace in the area of abortion advocacy. Following a visit to Mexico by a delegation of the Bishops of Canada, these questions were addressed at length during their Plenary Meeting in October 2009. In light of the Encyclical Letter Caritas in veritate of Pope Benedict XVI and the fact that forty years had passed since the formation of Development and Peace, a broad study of the status and goals of Development and Peace was
considered to be timely.
...
"A change will be made for the 2010 Collection. Until such time as the work of evaluation mentioned above has been completed, a Development Collection will be undertaken in the parishes. A portion will given to Development and Peace for emergency relief work, a portion will make up the Holy Land Collection and the remainder will be used for Missionary projects identified by the Diocese.

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PETERBOROUGH

On December 10, 2009, the Diocese of Peterborough, which is headed by Bishop Nicola De Angelis, issued a statement outlining a new approach to the 2010 Share Lent collection. Catholics will be provided with a special envelope allowing them to choose whether their donations are directed to Development and Peace or to another charity that will be chosen by the Diocese.

"While we wait for the report of the Permanent Council, the Bishop has consulted, across the diocese and beyond, and has determined to offer the faithful an option in their Lenten offering, beginning in 2010, by way of a special envelope."

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Check back regularly for updates.

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Caritas in Veritate