To mark the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Catholic Organization for
Development and Peace – Caritas Canada in 2017, His Exc. Mgr. Douglas
Crosby, O.M.I., Bishop of Hamilton and President of the Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has issued a Pastoral Letter,
sent to Fides, entitled "Toward the Future, United in Faith and Trust".In the introduction Mgr. Crosby extends "deepest gratitude" along with encouragement, for this organization. He then asks the Bishops "to continue to support the vision, mission and mandate given by our predecessors in 1967: to assist the poor and the oppressed people of the world in their struggle for justice and to educate us in Canada about the problems of underdevelopment".
He also appeals "to clergy, consecrated persons and laity" to work closely with and support Development and Peace/Caritas Canada.
The organization was founded in 1967 by the Bishops in response to Pope Paul VI's Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio. In this acclaimed Encyclical, Blessed Paul VI described the integral development of peoples as the new word for peace.
The 50th anniversary celebrations are already underway and will be held in each diocese and eparchy across Canada.
The Development and Peace jubilee will be a key part of the 2017 Plenary Assembly of the Canadian Catholic Bishops.