Please find attached a memo from Bishop Gary about recent updates to BC’s mask mandate. To summarize: masks are now required for all activities inside church buildings, including worship services, for all people born in 2012 or earlier (ages 9 and up).

The Bishops of Canada, as a tangible expression of their commitment to walk with the Indigenous Peoples of this land along the pathway of hope, are making a nation-wide collective financial commitment to support healing and reconciliation initiatives for residential school survivors, their families, and their communities.

A new statutory holiday announced by the federal government in June, was created in response to one of the 94 Calls to Action released in 2015. The chosen date of Sept. 30th coincides with Orange Shirt Day, and is an opportunity to promote awareness about the residential school system and its continuing legacy, as well as an opportunity for us to move forward together in a spirit of hope. In addition to the stat holiday, #everychildmatters - a movement centered around Orange Shirt Day - is growing into Truth and Reconciliation Week for 2021. From Sept. 27th to Oct.1st, a full week of educational programming - including videos created by Indigenous storytellers, and conversations with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and survivors - along with artistic and cultural performances, will be shared online. Registration is FREE to the general public; please click on the title for more information.

Towards an even wider “We”: Dreaming as one human family. Click the title for Pope Francis' prayer. https://migrants-refugees.va/world-day-of-migrants-refugees/

by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria is seeking an Administrative Assistant to act on behalf of the Judicial Vicar and the Marriage Tribunal in a confidential and professional manner. Click the title for the full job description.

Message from the Chancery: Mask mandate, proof of vaccination and worship services

September 1st marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, an annual ecumenical celebration of prayer and action for our common home. During the Season, which runs til the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4th, Christians around the world are called to renew their relationship with the Creator and with creation through celebration, conversion and commitment. There is an attachment story about Abraham's Tent, and why it was chosen as the Logo, "A home for all", posted below in June 2021.

On Sunday, August 15, 2021, over 200 people from Indigenous and Catholic communities gathered in the church hall at Our Lady of the Rosary for an evening of truth, reconciliation, healing, and affirming the path of friendship. Ha-Shilth-Sa, Canada's oldest First Nations newspaper, wrote an article about the gathering which you can read by clicking the title. There is more about this story also on the diocesan website here: https://www.rcdvictoria.org/special-announcements/truth-reconciliation-healing-and-affirming-the-path-of-friendship