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Responding to Bishop Frederick Henry’s criticism of its support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Calgary’s Catholic local has decided to put its Lenten project on hold for this year.
As reported previously in the ATA News (February 24), Calgary’s Roman Catholic bishop has been highly critical of Calgary Separate Local No. 55’s long-standing support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which organizes and funds grassroots campaigns to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and ameliorate the effects of the pandemic in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Bishop Henry expressed concern that the foundation has been critical of Catholic Church policy and that it has adopted positions on issues relating to human sexuality, particularly the distribution of condoms and the promotion of abstinence, that run contrary to Church teachings.
The bishop’s criticism and call for the local to sever its relationship with the foundation generated considerable controversy within the local. At a meeting of the local’s Council of School Representatives, it was decided that while the local would not proceed with a Lenten project to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, it would not discontinue its relationship with the charity, at least at this time.
As there was insufficient time to organize an alternative project, the local will not undertake a specific activity for Lent this year. David Cracknell, president of Calgary Catholic local, indicates that while this potentially divisive matter has been temporarily dealt with, the teachers of his local still need to investigate options and set directions for future Lenten projects.
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