By Hilary White
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, October 16, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The fashion in the Canadian Catholic Church establishment for leftist peace activism and tacit approval of abortion-supporting politicians has guided many diocesan “social justice” offices since the 1960’s. It continues today with the Archdiocese of Winnipeg’s invitation to homosexual activist James Loney and NDP Member of Parliament, Bill Blaikie to speak at their Social Justice Conference on October 26th and 27th.
The unrepentant, active homosexual Loney made his fame by being captured and held hostage by Islamic militants while on a “peace mission” in Iraq. He was subsequently rescued by a multinational force and brought home to Canada amid wide media acclaim.
Because of his public stand in support of homosexual sex, the diocese of Hamilton, Ontario pulled funding from an interdenominational conference featuring Loney as a speaker. Most Rev. Gerard Bergie, auxiliary bishop of the Hamilton diocese said, “We have a general policy that we don’t sponsor events where a person has publicly disagreed with key teachings of our Catholic faith”.
Bill Blaikie, as a Member of Parliament for the New Democrats, belongs to a party that holds unrestricted access to abortion as a “human right” for women. Blaikie voted against maintaining the traditional definition of marriage and voted with his party to add the term “sexual orientation” to the list of groups included in the hate crimes laws, a move that many Christian groups warned was a direct attack on freedom of expression for people of faith.
Local Catholics have complained about the choice of speakers to the Winnipeg archdiocese and to Sr. Johanna Jonker, the event’s organiser. Copies of the letters have also been sent to Archbishop Luigi Ventura, the Pope’s representative in Canada.
Maria Slykerman, the head of Campaign Life Coalition in Manitoba has told LifeSiteNews.com that if no answer is forthcoming from the diocese, the event will be picketed.
Slykerman wrote to the archdiocese that the conference’s plan to omit discussion of abortion as a social justice issue is “unfortunate”. “What makes this omission even more glaring,” she said, “is the fact that a man like Mr. Blaikie, who has a political record of opposing our attempts to establish a culture of life in our country, will be given a platform at this Catholic conference”.
To express concerns to the Archbishop of Winnipeg, Most Rev. V. James Weisgerber
Email –
or write
Catholic Centre
1495 Pembina Highway
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 2C6
Phone: 204-452-2227
Chancery Fax: 204-475-4409
Pastoral Centre Fax: 204-453-8236
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Hamilton Bishop Avoids Scandal, Won’t Fund Event With Homosexual Activist Speaker Loney
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/oct/06103004.html