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Are you a “pay, pray, obey” Catholic?
I am. Why? Because I am free to be, and I choose to.
I exist, and I have a voice.
Whose parish is it, if not the parishioners?
Whose money is it?
Who serves whom?
Suppress my voice, and you suppress me.
Suppress me, and you hear me anew.
In conscience I contribute to the Universal Church, but I choose which pocket receives my penny.
Do you trust the current Pastor/Finance Council in St. Martin of Tours Parish to allocate our money
wisely? Hmmm! Have you been to parishes in Northern Canada? I have! Some are the poorest
on the planet. A $200,000 (+) extension to accommodate a third washroom would raise eyebrows in
a parish where the church has no washroom at all. So why should I not allocate my money to
wherever I choose? If money is the only voice that is heard, then let it be heard where it is most
welcome, where it is most needed, where it is most appreciated. There are Catholic parishes and
communities desperate for funds all over the world. There are local Catholic charities chronically
short of funds.
“Put your money where your mouth (heart) is!”
Many of you are looking for alternate charities to support with your Sunday contributions. Until
this impasse is resolved by the intervention of Bishop Boissonneau and the establishment of an
elected, representative, Parish Council, promised in his June 23, 2004 letter, we suggest the
following charities, which would benefit greatly from your generosity.
1. Catholic Missions of Canada, 201-1155 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4T 1W2
2. St. Vincent de Paul Society, 240 Church St., Toronto, Ont. M5B 1Z2
3. Birthright Mississauga, 307-2600 Edenhurst, Mississauga, Ont. L5A 3Z8
4. Canadian Food for Children, 40 King George Rd. Toronto, Ont. M8X 1L3
5. Ian Anderson House, 430 Winston Churchill Blvd. Oakville, Ont. L6J 7X2
Tax receipts are issued by all of the above Charities.
St John Sparks
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In his letter dated 23rd June, the bishop stated “Now is the time for St. Martin of Tours
parish to cease suffering from the lack of charity, the presence of conflict and the formation of
factions that offend the Body of Christ which you are. We must allow Jesus to be our Shepherd
and Head and follow His way. Prayer and reconciliation is the way of the Lord.” We ARE praying.
We have been praying all along. We have also attempted reconciliation, but our pleas were met
with shut doors, stonewalling, and other forms of refusal. “Now is the time…………” When is
“now”? More than a month has elapsed since the publication of this letter. Many of the good
people of the parish met on the 14th July and overwhelmingly endorsed the bishop’s promise that “a
Parish Council will soon be established to represent all members of the parish community and to
provide a forum for advice and counsel”. This was but one of many opportunities to effect a
reconciliation, and once again, it was thwarted by the absence of official parish representation.
All people of goodwill in St. Martin of Tours, regardless of their views on current conflicts,
desire a restoration of peace and the re-establishment of full communion to those hurt. We all
want a happy, united parish. We had it before. A number of people have attempted to engage the
pastor in the process of reconciliation over the past 125 days, and he has refused them all. We are
now entering the fifth month and we are still being presented with promises and excuses, but no
sincere action.
Email:bishop.boissonneau@rogers.com Fax: 416 207-4984.
His Eminence, Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic, Fax: 416 934-3452.
For more information, contact:
Anna Jushkevich 905 279-7822 Tony Cucci 905 276-3728
Pat DeAngelis 416 809-1819 Yvonne Zirnhelt 905 897-3452
Lucy Pires 905 273-6093 Dunstan Bazely 905 275-3946
Aisling Egan 416 671-4710
