Dear friends in Christ,

In the gospel of John’s telling of the resurrection, Mary Magdalen didn’t recognize the risen Jesus at first. She thought he was the gardener. Why a gardener? A little earlier in the story, right after Jesus died on the cross, two of his friends took his body to be buried in a tomb in a garden. But they didn’t have far to go, because John’s gospel tells us that the garden was in the place where Jesus was crucified. There was a garden in Golgotha—a garden in the place of the skull.

Imagine a dark and dreary hill soaked with the aftermath of countless unspeakable acts of violence like those committed against Jesus, and in the midst of it a garden—probably small, but green, maybe even colourful and lush, certainly abundant enough to justify having a gardener tending it.

That garden at Golgotha likely went unnoticed by most people. But perhaps over a very long time, the garden slowly reclaimed bits of the place of the skull. At other times it probably lost ground. Maybe most of the time its deeply rooted life was simply able to hold the mortifying effects of the rest of Golgotha at bay.

That might be all we’ll be able to do in these days we’ve been given: tend with hope our little gardens of life in the midst of the death and darkness that surround us, not ignoring or turning our backs on the world or others, but seeking to transform our modest patch of the world—our household, our community, our church—into a small plot of God’s kingdom on earth.

For some of us that may mean literally growing a garden, maybe even learning to grow our own food again. It will also mean growing in other ways. The late Quebec theologian Gregory Baum talked about our Christian calling in times such as these as being socially engaged, building networks of resistance, creating communities of friendship and service, and promoting a counter-culture of social solidarity.

And not on a grand, society-changing scale, but rather at the level of one person, one household, one community, one church, one garden at a time. And the deeper our roots in a place, the better we’ll be able to hold the forces of death and destruction and darkness at bay, and maybe even reclaim some ground and give it the chance for new life.

There was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified. And it was in that garden, surrounded on every side by death, that death was defeated—but in such a quiet and understated way that hardly anyone noticed. Our efforts at pushing back against death will also likely seem slow, small, and unremarkable, but they too can still bring forth life.

• The wine is to be offered in a metal chalice, with the person administering the chalice using a purificator to wipe the brim after each person drinks from it, and then rotating the chalice a quarter-turn before the next person receives the wine. Scientific research demonstrates that by following this age-old method, the risk of transmitting a virus by a shared chalice is extremely low. To date there is no documented evidence of disease transmission through the common cup.
  
  
• Intinction (communicants dipping the bread into the chalice) is highly unhygienic and is prohibited. Communicants who are uncomfortable with receiving wine from the common cup can be assured that the fullness of the sacrament of holy communion can be received in each of the elements of bread or wine, and so may receive communion in the form of the bready only. Similarly, someone who is gluten intolerant may also receive holy communion in the form of the wine only.

Dear friends in Christ,

The images and stories coming out of Ukraine and the surrounding region over these past two weeks are heartbreaking, as more than two million people—mainly women and children—flee the death and destruction of another senseless war.

Many people here have been looking for concrete ways to help. Quebec’s immigration department has designated 14 cities in the province as priority places of settlement for any Ukrainian refugees who may arrive here in the coming weeks. Thirteen of those cities—Québec, Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Laval, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Granby, Victoriaville, Joliette, Saint-Hyacinthe, Drummondville, Saint-Jérôme, and Rimouski—are within the boundaries of the Anglican dioceses of Montreal and Quebec. If you live in or near one of those cities, we would encourage you to reach out to municipal leaders to find out how you can help, either as an individual or a congregation.

These are the very early days of a humanitarian crisis that is likely to endure months, if not years. The specific needs of people fleeing the war may not be known for some time, and offering a place to live is not the only way to help. There are other ways to give expression to Jesus’ exhortation to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:35), including helping provide food, furniture, and friendship.

It is possible that only a small number of Ukrainian refugees will find their way to our part of the world. Resettlement to a third country, such as Canada, is not the preferred first response to a refugee crisis. The hope is always that those fleeing for their lives will be able to soon return home in safety. It may be some time before we have a clearer idea of how we might be able to assist any Ukrainian refugees who may be arriving in Quebec.

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine has struck a particular chord for many of us. But it is important to remember than even before the war there began two weeks ago, there were already more than 80 million people in every part of the world forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of conflict, persecution, human rights violations, and violence.

One immediate way to help Ukrainians fleeing their homeland is through donating to the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (pwrdf.org), which is working with its partners in the region to provision refugee camps and see to the immediate needs of those fleeing Ukraine, as well as internally displaced people. Almsgiving is a traditional Lenten discipline, and this is one timely way you can help those in desperate need.

We invite you to envelop your financial donations and other offers of help in prayer. Pray for an end to the war and for a just and lasting peace. Pray for the hardened hearts of those who started this war to be turned to reconciliation. Pray for those working publicly, or hidden from view, for an end this conflict. Pray for the innocent victims of this war, and all who will bear scars for years to come. Pray for those who have died. Pray that each of us, in our own way, might become channels of God’s peace.

In Christ, the Prince of Peace,

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers
Bishop of Quebec

The Rt. Rev. Mary Irwin-Gibson
Bishop of Montreal

Dear faithful people of the Diocese of Quebec,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can all be forgiven for feeling a bit these days like the Israelites during their 40-year-long trek through the wilderness. Although our pandemic perambulation has only endured 24 months, it feels a lot longer, and it’s often hard to tell if we’re getting any closer to the promised land of life after COVID-19.

However, we do seem to be collectively moving into a state of learning to live with the coronavirus, and returning to some of our former routines while still exercising caution, especially for the sake of the more vulnerable among us. In the life and work of our churches, that means gathering once again for annual vestry meetings, which are now permitted under public health guidelines.

Because this will be the first annual vestry meeting that most of our congregations will be having for in two years, annual vestries are asked to approve verified financial statements for 2019 (if not already approved in 2020), for 2020 and 2021. Even if these are minimal and somewhat incomplete, they are nevertheless essential for the diocese’s overall financial recordkeeping. Annual vestry meetings should take place, and completed annual congregational reports (which can be downloaded at quebec.anglican.ca/resources) be submitted to Church House, no later than April 15.

Although it is not my intention to convene our diocesan Synod in the coming year, each congregation is nevertheless requested to choose at their annual vestry least one layperson who will be prepared to attend Synod. In the unlikely event that Synod is convened this year, those individuals will join a pool of other nominees in their deanery from which Synod delegates will be subsequently elected. Synod Secretary Stephen Kohner explains the process (which was used for the first time before the 2019 diocesan Synod) in detail in the attached letter, and the necessary forms to be completed at the annual vestry meeting are also included.

Congregations who did not have a lay member attend the 2019 Synod are also reminded that their annual vestry meeting should also designate a layperson to represent their congregation on their respective deanery council.

It would also be helpful if you could inform Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau (msgaudreau@quebec.anglican.ca) if there are plans to replace the heating systems in any of your church buildings in the near future. As of 2024, the Quebec government will forbid the installation of heating systems powered by fossil fuels, such as oil furnaces. If we know of any upcoming replacements of heating systems, we may be able to assist congregations with applications for grants to help purchase buying new, non-fossil-fuel equipment.

The pandemic has been a time of trial in so many ways. I would therefore invite you to spend some time during your annual vestry meeting not simply trying to pick up where you left off. Yes, approve financial statements, choose people to serve in various roles, and discuss infrastructure. But please also consider some of these questions in the light of the experience of the past two years:

• What has COVID-19 taught your congregation about being the church? What insights have you gained? What challenges have you faced?

• How does your congregation see its ministry developing post-COVID? What short- and long-term future do you see for your congregation?

• What dreams might your congregation be dreaming about your ministry in your community? What are your greatest fears? Your greatest hopes?

And discuss these questions with the trust and confidence in God’s future, embodied in this beloved prayer:

O God, you have called your servants
to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.
Give us faith to go forward with good courage, not knowing where we go,
but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers
Bishop of Quebec

The Quebec government recently presented a timeline for the gradual relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in various sectors of society, including places of worship. Below is how that timeline applies to the churches of the Diocese of Quebec. The government has cautioned that it could modify this schedule with relatively little notice, depending on how the epidemiological situation develops.

AS OF FEBRUARY 21:

ATTENDANCE: Attendance for all services (including funerals and weddings) is restricted to 50% of a church building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people. Masks must be worn, a distance of one metre maintained between households, and hand sanitizer made available. Vaccination passports are no longer required.

FUNERALS: If next of kin receive condolences in the church prior to a funeral, no more than 50 people should be present in the church at one time. During the funeral, attendance is restricted to 50% of the building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people, not including clergy, musicians, assistants, and funeral home personnel.

SINGING: Congregations may continue to sing if masked. Choirs remain permitted, so long as the members of the choir wear procedural masks while singing and they remain two metres apart from each other and the congregation. However, if all members of the choir voluntarily choose to present their vaccination passports, the distance can be reduced to one metre and masks can be removed while singing.

COFFEE HOUR: Coffee hours and fellowship time after services may resume, so long as masks are worn when not eating or drinking.

VESTRY MEETINGS: In-person annual vestry meetings may take place. Attendance is restricted to 50% of the room’s maximum capacity. Masks must be worn and physical distancing (one metre) observed.

HALL RENTALS: Hall rentals may resume. A maximum of 50 people is permitted, and verification of the vaccination passport is required.

AS OF FEBRUARY 28:

ATTENDANCE: Churches may return to full capacity, with no limits on attendance and no vaccination passport requirement. Masks must continue to be worn and physical distancing (one metre) observed.

AS OF MARCH 14:

HALL RENTALS: Hall rentals may continue, with the number of people permitted raised to the building’s usual maximum capacity if vaccination passports are required. Without vaccination passports, a maximum of 20 people may attend an activity. This should be made clear those renting a hall, since it will be their responsibility to ensure that the vaccination passport provisions are respected.

It is possible that some of these measures—particularly the application of vaccination passports to hall rentals—will be further relaxed by the provincial government in the coming days. If so, an updated memo will be issued. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca).

TO: Clergy, wardens, and lay readers
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

Last week the Quebec government announced that places of worship may reopen to in-person services as of February 7, under the following conditions, and until further notice:

INDOOR SERVICES: Attendance is restricted to 50% of a church building’s capacity, up to a maximum of 250 people. Masks must be worn at all times, a distance of one metre maintained between households, and hand sanitizer made available. Those attending services must have their vaccination passports verified at the door using the Quebec government’s VaxiCode Verif application, which is freely available for download at the Apple Store or Google Play. According to the government’s guidelines, paid staff (including musicians), volunteers required to assist with the service, and individuals who are homeless are not required to present a vaccination passport. A further exception has been made for funerals, which is detailed below. When possible, efforts should be made to provide access to the sacraments to unvaccinated individuals outside of church buildings.

FUNERALS & WEDDINGS: Funerals may proceed as outlined above. However, a funeral may be held without requiring vaccination passports if attendance is limited to 50 people (not including clergy, volunteers, and funeral home personnel), masks are worn and physical distancing observed. Weddings are subject to the same restrictions as for indoor services, including presentation of the vaccination passport.

SINGING: Congregations may sing if masked. Choirs are permitted, so long as the members of the choir wear procedural masks while singing and they remain two metres apart from each other and the congregation.

OUTDOOR SERVICES: Worship services (including funerals and weddings) may be held outdoors, so long as all participants remain at least one metre apart. Wearing masks is strongly encouraged. A maximum of 250 is permitted. Vaccination passports are not required.

COFFEE HOUR: In-person coffee hours and other fellowship gatherings after service are not permitted.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Sunday school and other forms of Christian education can take place in person if participants wear masks, remain one metre apart, and (if over the age of 13) present a vaccination passport. The room used for any such gathering can only be used to 50% of its capacity.

HALL RENTALS: The rental of church halls is not permitted, including for receptions following funerals or weddings. An exception has been made for groups falling under the government’s “community organizations” category, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, soup kitchens, and food banks.

ANNUAL VESTRY MEETINGS: Public gatherings such as meetings are still not permitted under public health guidelines. It is therefore recommended that annual vestry meetings be delayed until the government’s restrictions on public gatherings are further relaxed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or with Archdeacon Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca).

Some elucidations have been received from Quebec’s public health authorities concerning the provincial government’s announcement on December 30 concerning COVID-19 restrictions for places of worship. Below is a summary of how they apply to churches in the Diocese of Quebec.

INDOOR SERVICES: In-person worship services held inside church buildings remain suspended until further notice. However, a small number of people is permitted inside a church building for the purposes of broadcasting or recording a liturgy, including a soloist but not a choir. Some exceptions have also been made for funerals, which are outlined below.

OUTDOOR SERVICES: Worship services may be held outdoors, so long as all participants are wearing masks and remain at least one metre apart. A maximum of 250 is permitted.

FUNERALS: If held indoors, a maximum of 25 people may attend a funeral, not including clergy, volunteers, or funeral home personnel. If next of kin are receiving condolences before the funeral, a maximum of 25 people is permitted in the church building at any given time. Vaccination passports are not required, but masks must be worn at all times and physical distancing observed. If held outdoors, a maximum of 250 may attend a funeral, but masks must be worn and a distance of at least one metre must be maintained between those attending.

WEDDINGS: Weddings should be postponed until indoor worship services may resume.

CURFEW: Emergency pastoral visits by licensed clergy and lay readers are permitted during curfew, so long as the individual making the emergency visit carries authorization that can be shown to law enforcement officers. If you require such a letter, please contact me directly at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca.

ONLINE HOME PRAYERS: Home Prayers will continue to be offered on the diocesan Facebook page (@AnglicanQuebec) and over the telephone, returning during this lockdown period to 10:30 a.m. EST on Sundays.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

In response to the continued sharp rise of COVID-19 cases in Quebec, the provincial government has mandated a number of new restrictions. Below is a summary of the new public health guidelines with respect to churches in the Diocese of Quebec.

IN-PERSON SERVICES: As of 5:00 p.m. EST, in-person worship services (including outdoor services) are suspended until further notice. Some exceptions have been made for funerals and weddings, which are outlined below.

FUNERALS: If held indoors, a maximum of 25 people may attend a funeral, not including clergy, volunteers, or funeral home personnel. If next of kin are receiving condolences before the funeral, a maximum of 25 people is permitted in the church building at any given time. Vaccination passports are not required, but masks must be worn at all times and physical distancing observed. If held outdoors, a maximum of 250 may attend a funeral, but masks must be worn and a distance of at least one metre must be maintained between those attending.

WEDDINGS: Weddings may only be held outdoors, with a maximum of 250 people in attendance. Masks should be work and physical distancing respected. A reception may follow the wedding, but it must also be held outdoors and a maximum of 50 people may attend.

CURFEW: Emergency pastoral visits by licensed clergy and lay readers are permitted during curfew, so long as the individual making the emergency visit carries authorization that can be shown to law enforcement officers. If you require such a letter, please contact me directly at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca.

ONLINE HOME PRAYERS: Home Prayers will continue to be offered on the diocesan Facebook page (@AnglicanQuebec) and over the telephone, returning during this lockdown period to 10:30 a.m. EST on Sundays.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

With the recent, rapid, and significant rise in COVID-19 cases in Quebec—and the virulency of the new Omicron variant—the provincial government has instituted new preventative measures that come into effect on December 20, and remain in effect until further notice. Some of these new guidelines directly affect places of worship. Below is a summary of the new and continuing public health guidelines with respect to churches.

VACCINATION PASSPORT: Everyone wishing to attend a service will need to present proof that they are adequately vaccinated or exempt from vaccination. This means that at least one person in each church will need to remain at the entrance of the church and use a smartphone or tablet to verify individuals’ government-issued QR codes using the VaxiCode Verif application, which is freely available for download in the Apple Store or Google Play. Individuals between the ages of 14 and 75 need to provide photo identification matching the name on their vaccination passport.

ATTENDANCE: The number of people permitted to attend a service (other than funerals and weddings) is restricted to 50% of the building’s usual capacity, to a maximum of 250 people. However, there are currently no church buildings in the diocese with a half-capacity of 250 people, and so the key figure for each congregation to calculate is what constitutes 50% of the worship space’s capacity. (Separate attendance guidelines for funerals and weddings are below.)

PHYSICAL DISTANCING: Individuals from different households should maintain a distance of at least one metre, including when seated.

MASKS: Masks must be worn by everyone at all times, except when receiving the eucharist. Readers, preachers, and presiders may also remove their masks while speaking, so long as they are at least two metres from the congregation.

SINGING: Hymns may be sung by the congregation if they wear masks while singing. Choirs and soloists may sing unmasked if the members are two metres apart from one another and at least two metres away from the congregation.

HOLY COMMUNION: The eucharist will continue to be distributed in one kind (i.e. bread only). To reduce movement about the church, and when practical, the presider should bring communion to people at their seats.

COFFEE/FELLOWSHIP HOUR: It is recommended that such gatherings after a service be suspended until the overall situation improves. However, if such gatherings do take place, a maximum of 10 people may participate. As before, food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

HALL RENTALS: With the exception of receptions following funerals or weddings, a maximum of 10 people (or the occupants of three different residences) are permitted to rent a hall for a private function. For receptions following a funeral or wedding, a maximum of 25 people may attend. Food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

FUNERALS & WEDDINGS: When a maximum of 25 people wish to attend a funeral or wedding, vaccination passports are not required. If more than 25 people are expected to attend a funeral or wedding, vaccination passports are required, and the maximum attendance rises to 50% of the building’s capacity. If condolences are received in the church building before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people should be in the building at any given time.

•

These added restrictions are unwelcome, I know, particularly as many of us are making final preparations for Christmas services. These new protocols, and the spike in COVID-19 cases that has prompted them, may cause some congregations to re-evaluate the prudence of holding in-person services in the coming days and weeks. As has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic, the Diocese of Quebec will continue to offer opportunities to pray and worship online and over the telephone.

I will not mask my significant unease with the Quebec government’s imposition of vaccination passports on places of worship, a decision made without any consultation of religious groups in the province. Our churches seek to be places of welcome for all people, turning away no one. Having the state require worshippers to present government documentation before being admitted to a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple is problematic. This is even more so when the government imposing this measure has already passed a law restricting certain kinds of religious expression in the public square. It will also be a logistical challenge in many of our small communities.

At the same time, I am conscious that we remain in the grip of a global pandemic—one that continues to put many lives at risk, and one whose end will only likely come when enough of us are adequately vaccinated. I therefore ask that this requirement be respected in our churches, in the hope that it will be temporary and contribute to the common good of our local communities and beyond.

I also again encourage everyone to get fully vaccinated and to get the recommended booster shot when it becomes available to you—not simply to fulfil a government requirement or to protect yourself, but as an act of love to those around you.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

Quebec’s public health authorities have recently made some adjustments to COVID-19 protocols for places of worship, which I’d like to bring to your attention.

MASKS: It is now required that masks be worn by everyone in church, even while seated. This return to a previous practice is in response to the arrival of autumn and more activities moving indoors, bringing with it the potential for a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. Choir members may continue to sing without masks so long as they are at least two metres from each other and from the congregation. Presiders, readers, and intercessors may also speak without masks so long as they too are at least two metres from each other and the congregation.

REGISTERS: It is no longer required to keep a register of those attending services for the purposes of contact tracing. This also applies to weddings and funerals.

Other COVID-19 protocols that remain in place for places of worship are:

• Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people is permitted to attend a service. This includes funerals and weddings. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of one metre.
• If a church building is used for a viewing prior to a funeral, a maximum of 50 people is permitted at any given time.
• Congregational singing is permitted if masks are worn.
• Receptions held following funerals or weddings are limited to 25 people, and food and beverages may only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.
• Fellowship time after services is permitted, but food and beverages must be served in the same manner as for receptions.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

A glimpse of the Kamloops Residential School Memorial held in Robson Square, Vancouver, on May 30, 2021. Photo: Gotovan/flickr

Editor’s warning: The following article contains a frank discussion of abuse and deaths within Canada’s residential school system. It is an upsetting read but, I think, a good, important read. I hope you agree.

By Matthew Townsend

The Most Rev. Mark MacDonald, national Indigenous archbishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, has spent his career among Christians who, like himself, identify as Indigenous or have Indigenous heritage. The scope of his work – providing leadership for the self-determining Indigenous church and pastoral support for Canada’s Inidgenous bishops, priests, and congregations, in addition to his role as North American president of the World Council of Churches – beggars the imagination even in normal times.

But these are not normal times.

The use of ground-penetrating radar to discover the unmarked graves of thousands of children at former residential school sites has brought intense pain to the surface in Indigenous communities, and it has shaken many Canadians’ understanding of their country. And because these children were Indigenous and because they were living subjects in a church-run social experiment seeking to “kill the Indian in the child,” two central pillars of MacDonald’s life are interwoven into this story. He is an Indigenous person whose family survived the schools, and he is a leader in one of the organizations that explicitly sought to erase children’s cultural identities and sent many of those children to forgotten graves.

Archbishop MacDonald spoke with Gazette editor Matthew Townsend in August about the discovery of the graves and what comes next. The following conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

The discovery of the 215 graves in Kamloops – and now the number is in the thousands, with the additions of graves discovered at other schools – what has that meant for the self-determining Indigenous church? What has that meant for you as the national Indigenous archbishop?

It’s manifold, it has a number of different facets. If I only had one facet to call upon – if I only had one thing to say – I would say that the voice of these children is a voice of resurrection. God has allowed them to speak in a way that their voice will be heard above all voices in this matter. In the final analysis, their voices will eclipse all of the brutality that was held against them. The empty power that was wielded against them is suddenly revealed for what it was: its evil, its emptiness, its cruelty, its barbarity. Suddenly, the children are revealed to be the sheep. And the amazing thing is that we have to say that those that hurt them, and the system that hurt them, were wolves in sheep’s clothing.

I think the voice of these brutalized children cries out to say something that is astonishing and must be heard. If I only had one thing to say, that would probably be it.

But, I have more to say.

It’s going to be an extraordinary thing for the churches to absorb, understand, incorporate all of this.

For Indigenous people in the church, it’s a difficult time. Right now, the astonishing thing is that Indigenous people – our elders and our leaders in the Indigenous church – the vast majority of them are residential school survivors, or children of residential school survivors, or rarely, grandchildren. They know the horrors of this up close and personal.

I got this really nasty, awful letter from somebody talking about the church. I wrote back and mentioned that I was the grandson of somebody in the residential schools. And that made what they said a little different, I think. Indigenous Christians, many of whom were victims and survivors of the schools, are paying a price. They have differentiated themselves from the colonial institution. They have taken pains to differentiate themselves from the practices and policies that led to the schools. They’ve promoted a program that led to things like the apologies. But still, they are called traitors by Indigenous people, and are lectured, with fingers wagging at them, from white people.

Turning to non-Indigenous people, I heard some spectacular sermons on Aboriginal Day from non-Indigenous people. I was so moved by them that I followed some of these people on Facebook. On the following week, or two weeks later, there was nothing. So, I had to ask myself: In Germany, did they have a Holocaust Sunday, where they said, “Oh gee, we were nasty to the Jews. Too bad. Next Sunday, we’ll have the rummage sale.” It was surreal for me. That was rough.

But I also began to see, when I would talk with non-Indigenous people, that they were absorbing a realization about the country that they love and have prided themselves on – “Ah, we’re not the U.S., we don’t have any skeletons in our closet and we didn’t have slavery” – here they were realizing that this was the residue of genocide. You could see it on their faces when I would talk to them. I hadn’t really thought about it much, but I said, “You know, all these children were baptized.” I could see on their faces – it was like I had thrown cold water on their faces. So, there was this kind of realization that even baptism hadn’t made the children human enough to get put in a church register. Or to be treated humanely. Or to stop this awfulness.

So, it wasn’t just cruelty. And all of the pretty sermons they had ever made about baptism suddenly were falsified. All of the things they said about the change that happens in baptism – it didn’t ring true anymore.

That’s the hard part. The hopeful part is that if people can face this – if they can incorporate this into their lives and into their hearts – it will mean salvation.

You mentioned genocide. As we know, this is a term that people in the church have sometimes struggled with. Do you think that switch has now flipped for people? That in that way, maybe the children’s voices are being heard sufficiently that there’s a sense, even for reluctant people, that it looks like genocide?

Yes. I think so. I think that all of the sudden, and when you bring in U.S. history, you’re witnessing the residue of genocide. It’s like finding the gas chambers.

I was going to say the gas canisters. That’s what came to mind.

Right. So, I find more and more people are showing a willingness to use that term.

You talk about the voices of the children being heard. What do you think that they have to say to us?

First of all, it is a word of revelation, an unveiling of the reality of what happened. And the reality of what that institution was. Again, I would describe it as wolves in sheep’s clothing. In Luke 10, Jesus says, “Behold, I’m sending you out as sheep among wolves.” I think sheep don’t show up with Mountie escorts.

The word is “an unveiling” – but there is hopefully kindness in it. It’s not a hateful word. This is who you were. It’s calling us to be something. I always used to preach, I’d say to Canadian Anglicans, “Your identity is the North. Why are you trying to imitate England all the time? We are arguably one of the most northern churches in the world.” Now the children are calling us to have a different identity – this is for the Anglican church, as the Indigenous church is a little bit different – to be the church that did this awful thing and found new life in repentance.

There’s so many examples of individuals – Moses the Black, John Newton, Bill W., all these people in Christian history, people who incorporated their moral downfall into their identity and through that became not only lifegiving to themselves but to so many thousands of others. I think that’s really what the children are saying to us. “Your identity was death. Now, let repentance make your identity life.”

The phrase that appears on tee shirts and online profiles is that “Every child matters.” One of the interesting questions I’ve seen raised is, “Now we’re trying to hear the voice of the children who were killed or murdered in the residential school system. What about the voices of Indigenous children who are alive now? How should Anglicans hear the voices of children who are with us now, including in our own diocese?

I was in a Jewish-Christian dialogue when I was at seminary. (Adam [of the Book of Genesis] was just a year ahead of me, so it was a long time ago.) It still rings in my ears, this Orthodox Jew said, “We understand repentance as someone turning away from something sinful and evil. We understand you’re sorry; we can see that. But we don’t see that you have turned away from what you did.”

This is the heart of your question, and this is at the heart of what I would say to Justin Trudeau in this election. I see he’s a really sorry guy, but where is the rest of it? It’s pretty dismal. He gets really defensive about it – I’ve been in conversations on Zoom with him and a bunch of other folks. But the reality is we’re seeing sadness, but we’re not seeing repentance. That’s really critical.

It’s part of the Canadian character to say you’re sorry for something, but it’s not necessarily part of the Canadian character to stop doing something that is harmful. Those are different things.

That’s right. That is right.

For Anglicans in Quebec who are reading this interview, how can they get involved? How can this become something in front of us, that’s long-lasting and actually produces reconciliation and repentance?

I would say that this is something that is critical to the identity of the whole church.

The relationship between Quebec and Indigenous people is an uneven one, and there are really inflamed, ongoing issues in Quebec with Indigenous people. Even though the Diocese of Quebec has one Indigenous community, they have one of the most beautiful, spectacular opportunities for partnership. It’s just so powerful, and all of that could morph into advocacy – education. French colonialism was different from British colonialism, and it has little twists and turns that are important. All of these things should be understood. It’s something to understand and to know and to live. It’s a part of relationship.

So, the aspect of partnership for Indigenous people is making relatives. That’s what treaty means in Indigenous context. It’s what we would understand as the baptismal covenant. It’s a similar kind of process. The Diocese of Quebec has an opportunity to live that out on so many levels. It really has a great opportunity. It might not look like that on the surface, but there are some really inflamed issues between Indigenous people and Quebec. There’s a lot going on there. A place where there is a long-term partnership and a place that understands covenant, that’s really important.

One last thing. We tried to get the archbishop of Canterbury to understand this: Often times, the church was a signatory on treaties. But even when the church was not a signatory, a lot of Indigenous legal experts say our ancestors would never have signed the treaty without the church’s involvement.

The church was a broker?

Yes, that is true, but there was another aspect to it. Indigenous people saw the covenant-making that is a part of treaties as a spiritual process. When they saw the church, they said, “Ah, this is something we understand. This is a spiritual reciprocity. This is relative making. So, the church is here? Okay, we understand this, we can go along with it.”

What these Indigenous legal experts have said is, our ancestors would never have signed these things without the church’s presence. Not because they trusted the churches any more, but because of the spiritual element. “They got their spiritual people there, we got our spiritual people. OK, we understand what’s going on now.

“We’re doing a spiritual thing here? OK, we understand it.”

TO: Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

There have been a number of recent enquiries about COVID-19 protocols with respect to funerals, so I thought it might be helpful to offer a reminder of the measures we’ve been asked to put in place by public health authorities:

ATTENDANCE: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a funeral. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres if the congregation will be singing. The distance reduces to one metre if the congregation will not be singing. For the receiving of condolences before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people, wearing masks, are permitted in the building at any given time. However, this number may be lower in smaller buildings so as to allow physical distancing.

SINGING: Hymns may be sung by the congregation if they wear masks while singing and individuals from different households are seated two metres apart. Choirs may sing unmasked if the members are two metres apart from one another and at least two metres away from the congregation.

MASKS: Masks must be worn by everyone while moving about in the church building. Individuals may remove their masks once seated in the congregation, unless they are singing. Readers and presiders may remove their masks while speaking, so long as they are at least two metres from the congregation.

REGISTER: A record of everyone attending the funeral, including contact information, must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing.

RECEPTIONS: Receptions may have a maximum of 25 people attend if held indoors, and a maximum of 50 people if held outdoors. Food and beverages can only be shared if they are served to individuals at their seat and/or they are prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

After choirs, I’m happy to report that it’s now the turn of congregations to have pandemic-related restrictions on singing relaxed by public health authorities.

Effective immediately, congregational singing may resume under the following conditions:

• Individuals from different households must be seated at least two metres apart;
• Individuals in the congregation must wear masks while singing.

Choirs are also permitted to sing under the following conditions:

• Masks are not required, but each singer must maintain a minimum distance of two metres from other people or be separated by a physical barrier (a full partition);
• After each service, the floor of the work area of each singer must be cleaned.

If desired, more than one individual may again read lessons or offer the prayers of intercession during a liturgy. However, it is still recommended that different individuals avoid using the same lectern and/or microphone.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

As the COVID-19 situation in Quebec continues to improve, public health officials have relaxed the restriction on choir singing in places of worship. That means that effective immediately, church choirs are able to resume singing under the following conditions:

• Masks are not required, but each singer must maintain a minimum distance of 2 metres from other people or be separated by a physical barrier (a full partition);
• After each service, the floor of the work area of each singer must be cleaned.

For the moment, these protocols apply only to choirs. Congregational singing remains prohibited, but the easing of these restrictions on choral music is an encouraging sign.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

TO:  Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM:  Bishop Bruce Myers

The Quebec government has made a further revision to the COVID-19 protocols with respect to funerals or weddings being held in green zones. These are in effect as of June 28.

FUNERALS: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a funeral. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres. While seated they may remove their masks. For the receiving of condolences before a funeral, a maximum of 50 people, wearing masks, are permitted at any given time.

WEDDINGS: Depending on the size of the church building, a maximum of 250 people are permitted to attend a wedding. In smaller buildings the maximum number will be the number of people from different households who can be seated while maintaining a distance of two metres. While seated they may remove their masks.

As with regular church services, congregational and choir singing at funerals and weddings remains prohibited. However, soloists or duets are permitted, so long as they remain physically distanced from each other and the congregation.

As of this week, all of the Diocese of Quebec finds itself in either a yellow or green zone, with the whole of the province on track to move to green by month’s end. This means some modifications in the Quebec government’s COVID-19 guidelines for places of worship. In both yellow and green zones, the following protocols apply:

• For regular worship services, maximum attendance is 250 people or 50% of the building’s normal capacity, whichever number is smaller.
• Individuals from different households must maintain a distance of two metres.
• Masks must be worn, but can be removed once individuals are seated, so long as speaking is kept to a minimum.
• Congregational singing and choral music remain prohibited, but one or two cantors may sing so long as they are at least two metres from each other and from the congregation.
• If the eucharist is to be celebrated and/or distributed, only the bread is to be offered to members of the congregation, and the celebrant (wearing a mask) should bring communion to each individual at their place.
• Coffee and other beverages may be served after services, but serving oneself from a common urn, pot, or pitcher is not permitted. Rather a designated server must pour and otherwise prepare each beverage. Similarly, food can only be shared if it is served to individuals at their seat and/or it is prepared in a self-contained box or wrapper ahead of time. The maximum number of people permitted to participate in a post-service coffee hour are 25 if indoors, 50 if outdoors.
• Outdoor services are permitted, to a maximum of 250 participants, so long as physical distancing and the other protocols related to places of worship are respected. If an enclosure like a tent is used, the maximum number of participants is 50.
• Congregational meetings, such as vestry meetings, may take place, so long as physical distancing is respected, masks are worn except when speaking, and no snacks are provided.
• Funerals and weddings may have a maximum of 50 people in attendance, and a record of those in attendance must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing. In the case of funerals, condolences may be received in the church before the funeral, but no more than 50 people may be in the church building at any given time.

I remain grateful for your patience in respecting these guidelines, which I know must at times seem onerous. However, it’s in part our collective vigilance in keeping these protocols that has helped bring us to a point where we can soon look forward to the lifting of all of these restrictions.

In the meantime, as always, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton if you have any questions or concerns.

TO: Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

In the coming days, most regions of the province of Quebec will no longer be designated as COVID-19 red zones. This is a credit to the individual and collective efforts of many people—including the clergy and faithful of our diocese. Please accept my thanks for doing your part to get us to this point, difficult and challenging as it has been.

We also need to recognize that we have not fully emerged from this pandemic, neither in Quebec nor (especially) globally. Therefore we need to remain vigilant and continue to respect public health guidelines so that this positive trend might continue.

To that end, here is a reminder of the maximum number of people currently permitted to gather in church buildings in different zone colours, according to public health guidelines. Please note that for the moment there continue to be different limits on the number of people permitted for a regular Sunday service and for funerals and weddings:

It is important to remember that because of the relatively small size of many of our church buildings, the true maximum number of people permitted for any service will be 50% of the usual capacity of the worship space, always allowing two metres between individuals from different households.

Other sanitary measures—such as hand sanitizing, no congregational or choir singing, and communion with bread only—remain in effect until further notice.

In-person pastoral visiting may take place, also subject to public health guidelines in each region. The best way to stay current with these regulations is to visit quebec.ca/coronavirus.

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or Archdeacon Edward Simonton.

Dear friends,

Perhaps more than usual, this Easter feels like resurrection. After what amounts to a year-long season of Lent, we are finally starting to emerge from the darkness and death of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccinations are rolling out. Restrictions are loosening. Many of us are—unlike last year—able to gather in our church buildings to celebrate God in Christ’s decisive victory of light and life. Things are starting to return to normal. But should they?

In the early days of COVID-19, Sonya Renee Taylor wrote this poem:

We will not go back to normal. Normal never was.            
Our pre-corona existence was not normal            
other than we normalized greed, 
inequity, exhaustion, depletion,
extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, 
hoarding, hate and lack.
We should not long to return, my friends.
We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment.
One that fits all of humanity and nature.

The opportunity before us is to stitch a new garment, not simply to patch up the holes revealed or made bigger by the pandemic. Crafting a whole new garment takes longer and is harder work than a patching job, but the result is lasting. Perhaps Jesus was placing a similar kind of challenge before his hearers when he said, “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.”           

 Jesus didn’t come preaching a piecemeal approach to making the world a slightly less miserable place to live out our days. He came proclaiming an utterly transformed kingdom of justice and peace—one that renounces the litany of normalized ills Taylor describes in her poem and instead embraces their opposites: generosity, equity, rest, stewardship, restoration, community, clarity, peace, sharing, love and abundance.

 “Unprecedented” is perhaps the most overused word of the pandemic. But the consequences of COVID-19 are indeed providing us with an unprecedented—and rapidly fleeting—opportunity as individuals, households, communities, churches, societies, and a global family to stitch a new garment of the kind that Jesus envisions: “one that fits all of humanity and nature.” Or we can just try and patch things up in hopes of restoring a normal that never was, and risk worse tears in our collective fabric in the future.

• Those from different households attending worship services must be seated at least two metres apart from each other. In smaller church buildings, this will mean that the maximum permitted capacity will be far lower than 250.
  
  
• For funerals and weddings, the maximum number of people permitted to attend is 25 in red and orange zones and 50 in yellow and green zones. This number does not include clergy, readers, musicians, funeral home staff and any others assisting with the service. In smaller church buildings these numbers may be smaller so as to respect the two-metres rule. The names and contact details of those attending must be kept for the purposes of contact tracing. Families may receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, but no food or beverages may be served afterward.
  
  
• Other previous protocols remain in place. For example, masks must be worn by members of the congregation throughout the service (procedural masks are mandatory in red and orange zones) and are only to be briefly removed for receiving communion, which is to be brought to individuals in their pews. Congregational and choral singing remains prohibited, although one or two cantors distanced from the congregation may sing during the service.

TO:  Clergy, wardens, lay readers, and lay pastoral visitors
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

Next week the whole of the Diocese of Quebec will fall within the provincial government’s orange alert level for COVID-19. Some regions of the diocese have already been in orange zones for several weeks. In either case, at the request of public health authorities, revised protocols for places of worship in orange zones come into effect on March 8.

With respect to Sunday services:

• Churches in an orange zone may receive a maximum of 100 people (or 50% of the building’s capacity, whichever number is smaller). This number does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians.
• Masks should be worn throughout the service and only removed for receiving communion, and if a presider, reader, or soloist is speaking or singing from a place adequately distant from the congregation. Public health authorities are specifically requesting that, if possible, procedural masks be worn.
• Hand sanitizer should be amply available and those from different households should remain two metres apart.
• A record of who attends each service should be kept, along with their contact information, should contact tracing be necessary.
• If the eucharist is celebrated, the presider should bring communion to individuals at their seats, rather than individuals coming forward to receive, so as to reduce moving about the church building. More detailed protocols about the administration of the eucharist are attached to this memo.

With respect to funerals:

• Even for churches in an orange zone, the maximum attendance for a funeral currently remains 25. This number does not include clergy, funeral home workers, or others assisting with the service.
• Procedural masks should be worn throughout the service and individuals from different households should maintain a distance of two metres from each other.
• The names and contact details of everyone who attends a funeral must be recorded for the purposes of contact tracing.
• Food and beverages must not be served after the funeral service.
• Families of the deceased may also receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, so long as these same guidelines are observed.

As has been the case since our diocese’s churches began reopening to in-person worship last September, the choice to offer in-person services under these conditions is left up to each local corporation, ideally in consultation with members of the congregation.

Other guidelines concerning pastoral visiting, hall rentals, and travel between regions—outlined in my previous memo of February 4—remain in effect.

While we can be grateful for this opportunity to receive more people into our church buildings for Sunday worship, we must also continue to be vigilant in our care for one another. Public health officials remain anxious about the potential spread of new COVID-19 variants, and so our return to our usual patterns continues to be measured and gradual.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with either myself or Archdeacon Edward Simonton. Stay safe and well, and be assured of my prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

CELEBRATIONS OF THE EUCHARIST

• Those who normally prepare the bread and wine for the eucharist, such as altar guilds, should do so at least 24 hours before the service. Only wafer bread may be used.
• Only the presiding priest will be present at the altar and will alone distribute holy communion.
• The presiding priest will sanitize their hands immediately prior to the prayer over the gifts, immediately prior to the distribution of holy communion, and again immediately following the distribution of holy communion. Therefore a separate hand sanitizer should be available to the presider.
• After moving into place for the prayer over the gifts and the eucharistic prayer, the presiding priest may remove their mask. The mask must be replaced before the distribution of holy communion.
• Both bread and wine will be consecrated by the presiding priest. They will consecrate a priest’s host and a small amount of wine in the chalice, which they alone will both consume in their entirety before proceeding to the distribution of communion to the congregation.
• At the preparation of the gifts, individual wafers for members of the congregation will be placed on the corporal in a covered ciborium or on a paten covered with a purificator (or other suitable cloth).
• The eucharistic prayer is to be said, not sung.
• Only consecrated wafers of bread will be offered to the congregation. Communion “in one kind” is recognized as a full participation in the eucharist, and is a temporary measure until the normative Anglican practice of sharing the common cup can be safely restored.
• Communicants remain in their seats to receive in the following manner:
  • After the presiding priest issues the invitation to communion from the altar, they say, “The body of Christ,” to which the congregation responds, “Amen.” After sanitizing their hands the presiding priest, wearing a mask, takes the consecrated wafers individually to each communicant at their seat. Those wishing to receive communion should stand in their place with their hands outstretched.
  • The masked presiding priest will silently place the wafer of bread into the communicant’s outstretched hand, making every effort to avoid physical contact. If the presider inadvertently touches a communicant, they will pause, place the wafers on the altar, sanitize their hands again, and resume the distribution of communion.
  • If an individual wishes to receive a blessing instead of communion, they should indicate this by crossing their arms over their chest. The priest will bless them without physical contact.
• When holy communion is being distributed from the reserved sacrament, the same protocols apply as for a full celebration of the eucharist. Therefore only consecrated wafers of bread will be distributed, and they should remain in the tabernacle or aumbry until the prayer normally said before their distribution is offered by the presiding deacon or lay reader.

Dear faithful people of the Diocese of Quebec, 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! 

There’s an old cliché that says, “The only thing certain in life is uncertainty.” True or not, I think it’s at least safe to say that the only thing certain in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is uncertainty—uncertainty about when vaccines will be widely available, about when restrictions will be relaxed, about when we can return to some form of our pre-pandemic lives, including in our churches. 

That’s the reason this annual vestry letter is coming to you a little later than usual this year. My colleagues and I in the diocesan leadership have—in the midst of the uncertainty and frequently changing guidelines concerning COVID-19—been attempting to determine how best to address the matter of congregational annual vestry meetings, which would normally take place between now and April 15. 

As I write this letter, most indoor gatherings in the province are prohibited, and this would include an annual vestry meeting, whether it’s held in a church, hall, or individual’s home. While many church activities have moved online during the pandemic, many of our members do not have the means to participate in, for example, an annual vestry meeting convened on Zoom. 

I am therefore advising that congregations delay holding their annual vestry meetings until this autumn. Doing so will greatly increase the chances of holding an in-person annual vestry meeting, assuming the COVID-19 situation—including the vaccination program—improves. More specific direction about this will be offered later in the year, in the light of ongoing developments respecting the pandemic. 

I realize that for some congregations this will mean going nearly two years between annual vestry meetings, and asking volunteers like churchwardens to remain in office for a while longer. But, as we’ve been reminded repeatedly in the past year, these are unprecedented times, including for our church’s worship and governance. My hope is that we will be able to return to a more usual pattern for our life and work—including for annual vestries—in 2022.

In recognition of the unprecedented challenges many of our congregations are facing because of the pandemic, the Diocesan Executive Council has authorized measures aimed at easing some of the financial strain caused by COVID-19. Therefore, this year every congregation will see their Fair Share contributions reduced. The amount of this reduction will be applied equitably, varying from congregation to congregation based on how much of its revenue is generated from investments. 

Congregations with significant investment income will receive a smaller Fair Share reduction than congregations with little or none, since the proceeds from investments in 2020 were relatively stable. However, every congregation in the diocese will have a credit applied to their 2021 Fair Share assessment. I hope this will ease at least some of the financial burden the pandemic has imposed on many of our local congregations, and help see us all through to the other side of this challenging time. 

Offering this temporary financial relief to the congregations of the diocese means that the revenue of the Synod—whose budget supports, among other things, the ministry of the bishop and administrative and programmatic support for the diocese as a whole—will drop by approximately 50% in 2021. This means that Synod’s budget for this year, which in its original form was balanced, will instead post a significant deficit. 

We are certainly not the only organization facing such a shortfall as a result of the pandemic, and Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau and Treasurer Mike Boden have made major efforts in mitigating the economic effects of COVID-19 for our congregations and for the diocese as a whole, and we can be grateful for their leadership. 

As Christians, we don’t really believe that cliché about uncertainty being the only certain thing in life. Rather, even (or especially) in uncertain times such as this, we echo the words of the apostle Paul: “For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers
Bishop of Quebec

The Quebec government has announced further revisions to its COVID-19 restrictions, some of which relate to places of worship. These new restrictions are in effect as of February 8 and may be revised as soon as February 22.

SUNDAY SERVICES – Churches in a red zone are restricted to no more than 10 people attending a Sunday service. This number does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians. Churches in an orange zone are restricted to no more than 25 people attending a Sunday service. This number also does not include clergy, lay readers, or musicians. The other provisions outlined in the Protocols for the Reopening of Church Buildings to Public Worship document issued last August (and available at quebec.anglican.ca) must also be respected.

FUNERALS – Funerals may still take place in church buildings, but with a maximum of 25 people in the congregation, whether the church is in a red zone or an orange zone. This number does not include clergy, funeral home workers, or others assisting with the service. Masks should be worn throughout the service and individuals from different households should maintain a distance of two metres from each other. The names and contact details of everyone who attends a funeral must be recorded for the purposes of contact tracing. Food and beverages must not be served after the funeral service. Families of the deceased may also receive condolences at the church before the funeral service, so long as these same guidelines are observed.

As has been the case since our diocese’s churches began reopening to in-person worship last September, the choice to offer in-person services under these conditions is left up to each local corporation, ideally in consultation with members of the congregation.

PASTORAL VISITING – Most in-person pastoral visiting—whether at a hospital, care home, or an individual’s residence—remains prohibited during this lockdown period. The government has, however, made two important exceptions: 1) A one-on-one pastoral visit may take place in a church building, so long as the usual precautions (i.e. hand sanitizing, physical distancing, mask wearing) are observed; 2) A dying individual may receive a pastoral visit at their home. If necessary, such a visit may take place during curfew hours, and a letter of authorization to show authorities is available from the Synod Office. In other cases, you are encouraged to use other means, such as the internet and telephone, to keep in touch with the members of your community during this new and intensified period of physical isolation.

HALL RENTALS – The rental of parish halls and other such spaces remains prohibited during this lockdown period, unless the organization renting the space falls under one of the categories for which the provincial government has made an exception, such as community organizations.

TRAVEL BETWEEN REGIONS – Travelling between regions of Quebec—particularly from a red zone to an orange zone—continues to be discouraged. For this reason I will continue to delay any in-person pastoral visits to the congregations of the diocese until the overall situation in the province improves further.

I share your fatigue at these restrictions, and like you I long for our collective emergence from this pandemic. However, as our public health leaders have reminded us, it’s by respecting these restrictions that we will arrive at the pandemic’s end more quickly and with less loss of life. As a church, we continue to do our part in the collective effort of sacrifice for the sake of protecting others, and in so doing we are following Jesus’ call to love our neighbours.

As ever, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to be in touch with either myself or Archdeacon Edward Simonton. Stay safe and well, and be assured of my prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

The Honorable François Bonnardel

Minister of Transportation Minister of Transportation
700, boulevard René-Lévesque Est, 29e étage
Québec, QC G1R 5H1 Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5

Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5

Dear ministers:

It was with dismay that we have read media accounts suggesting that Keolis Canada, the parent company of Orléans Express, is considering cancelling all bus service east of Rimouski as early as February 7 of this year.

Such a suspension of service will only further isolate the people of the Gaspé, who have increasingly been deprived of the transportation links available to many other Quebecers and Canadians. Via Rail suspended its passenger service to this region in 2013. Air Canada eliminated Gaspé as a destination in 2020. The cancellation of the bus service provided by Orléans Express in 2021 would mean that the final affordable means of collective transportation available to the people of the Gaspé will vanish. It is also the primary means by which many Gaspésians travel to Rimouski for specialized medical treatment.

We understand the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, further cutting off this region from the rest of the province and country will only further stymie the growth and flourishing of the Gaspé and its people, even as the region experiences a modest but promising growth in its population.

As representatives of institutions deeply rooted in and committed to the Gaspé, we implore you to take whatever measures at your disposal to address this urgent situation.

Sincerely yours,

cc: The Hon. Christian Dubé, Quebec Minister of Health and Social Services
Mrs. Méganne Perry Mélançon, Member of the National Assembly for Gaspé
The Hon. Diane Lebouthillier, Member of Parliament for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

• OUTDOOR GATHERINGS – Public health authorities have currently authorized outdoor gatherings of 10 or fewer people from no more than three different households, with the two-meter distancing rule being respected. Clergy and congregations may wish to take advantage of this provision to have such small outdoor gatherings for pastoral care, teaching, and/or fellowship. The current limitations on the size of such gatherings may make outdoor worship services impractical, but those limits may increase according to the directives of public health authorities. Any outdoor worship should be a service of the word rather than a celebration of holy communion.
  
  
• ONLINE SERVICES – Weekly worship services, Bible studies, fellowship and discipleship groups will continue to be provided (likely in a slightly reduced form) during the summer, via the internet.
  
  
• FUNERALS – Funerals and interments may take place, but only at the graveside, and respecting the public health authorities’ guidelines on outdoor gatherings. If the deceased’s family so desires, a more fulsome liturgy, such as a requiem or memorial service, can still take place at a later date. Communities without access to a mortuary may continue to use their church buildings as a temporary resting place for an individual’s remains prior to burial.
  
  
• BAPTISMS – Since baptisms normally take place within the context of a worshipping community’s main service, they should be delayed until a usual pattern of worship resumes. In the case of an emergency, any Christian can baptize the individual and a celebration and recognition of the baptism can take place at church at a later date.
  
  
• WEDDINGS – Couples seeking marriage in the church should consider postponing their wedding until our return to our church buildings. If a couple nevertheless wishes to proceed, a dispensation for an outdoor wedding can be granted, provided that the stipulations of public health authorities regarding outdoor gatherings are respected.
  
  
• HALL RENTALS – The use of parish halls/basements by church groups or short-term renters continues to be suspended until further notice.

1. ONLINE – Visit https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/church-society-of-the-diocese-of-quebec/ and use a credit card to donate to your local congregation, or the diocese directly, or both. To donate to a specific congregation, use the pull-down menu labelled “APPLY YOUR DONATION TO A SPECIFIC FUND SET UP BY THIS CHARITY” to find the name of the local church you wish to support.
   
   
2. CONTACT YOUR CONGREGATION’S TREASURER – You can mail to or drop off a cheque to your local congregation’s treasurer. If you’re not sure who that is, you can contact Church House (info@quebec.anglican.ca or 418 692 3858) and we can probably tell you. You can also mail a cheque directly to the diocesan office: 31 rue des Jardins, Québec, QC G1R 4L6.
   
   
3. ORGANIZE A COMMUNITY COLLECTION – In the current circumstances, going door to door to collect offerings is not advisable. However, members of the community can be invited to drop off their donations at an appointed time and place outdoors (perhaps the front door of the church), with two people designated by the parish corporation present to receive the donations.

As I write, in France we enter our 19th day of “confinement,” the term used here.

It is Palm Sunday. I tried to find a church that would be open for private worship for just two people. But the one near us, and therefore within the range of travel permitted, is inside the grounds and behind the walls and ramparts of Chateau Montréal, a classified historic, semi-public site and therefore closed. We shall celebrate here, outside, with pine branches rather than palms, birdsong as our music, the forest creatures our shy parishioners.

Palm Sunday. A pivotal time, when joy and tragedy, life and death stand side by side, bleeding into one another.

The woods slope to meadows, tell-tale signs of ancient water-courses, then roll up to ridges where Atlantic pines pierce the heavens. I am not confined to an apartment or a house or even the 2-km permitted to walk oneself or one’s dog. I can walk as far as I am able without running into anyone. What a blessing, to be confined with silence, solitude, and the land. All of which nurture me.

As I walk, I am surrounded by clouds of witnesses. They are not noisy. Their presence is soft like summer rain. My family. My parishioners. Friends and colleagues. The clouds of witnesses do not sift through the living and the dead. All are there. And of course, the central presence is Jesus.

How can you be confined when Jesus walks the path with you?

A couple of months ago I received an email announcing that “N… is in the presence of Jesus.” I could not figure out the message. Only after reading it three times did I understand that this was a death notice. I know we will live with Jesus following the demise of our physical selves. But are we not already and always in the presence of Jesus? Even in confinement. Especially in those times and places where the world aches.

Joy and tragedy, bleeding into one another. The woodland paths produce almost daily a fresh species of wildflowers. The fruit trees, wild and cultivated, are luminous with blossoms. One—I call her Angel—reaches wide her arms when I greet her every morning. Life burgeoning, while the numbers of COVID-19 deaths and infections also burgeon. Outside, life. Inside, copies of Le Monde left by our neighbour, graphs and charts mapping death, the only growth to be found in the obituary columns.

Another witness has recently joined the walk. His is a heavy presence with which I struggle. Bernard Mandeville, a Dutch-Anglo medical doctor, philosopher, political economist and a writer, mainly of a satirical bent. He lived from 1670 to 1733, managing frequently to offend polite society with his pamphlets and books. He pushed himself beyond the pale with his publication of The Fable of the Bees. Simply put, Mandeville did not believe humans to be altruistic or benevolent. A cynic, he saw evidence everywhere of hypocrisy and self-deception. The supposed virtues were not useful, in fact, probably harmful, he wrote, as behaviours thereby motivated fell far from the intended targets of alleviation of misery and promotion of the good. Mandeville argued that the best way to improve society was to model and implement systems that acknowledged the vices and engage directly with those vices by appealing to self-interest. To Mandeville, self-interest is the way to get things done. You want a better society, forget the soft touch of virtue—go for the hard edge of self-interest.

Mandeville emerged out of shadows where I had left him after debates with friends in Ireland 40 years ago, and strode along the trail with the firm step of a man confident his time has come.

Has it? Could Mandeville be right? Or at least partly?

The world is in turmoil. Yet beneath the concrete of lonely deaths and exhausted care-givers, surprising shoots and blossoms are pushing through. How can this be?

The air pollution rate over the world is visibly shrinking as satellite images from space make clear.

In Paris and environs, noise levels have fallen by 50% to 80% (from 5 to 7 decibels) during the day and by 90% (9 decibels) at night.

Wildlife are walking into abnormally empty, quiet city streets in many parts of the world.

The soaring jobless rate in every country is pushing into public discourse the critical need for guaranteed annual income policies in a way no election ever has. Traditional capitalism becomes hourly harder to defend when the gap between the haves and have-nots is exposed in ever starker terms.

Individuals and governments did not decide to cut fossil fuel production, yet oil has dropped to less than $20/barrel.

During this tragedy, it is likely more advances are being made toward the Kyoto Accord targets for reduction of greenhouse gases than have been achieved in years of international consultations and agreements.

Creation needs these startling, shocking changes. But we (and I certainly include myself, air travel being among my many sins) have never accepted the level of change required, nor the rapidity of the transition. We have never taken responsibility to make the sacrifices required for the salvation of our maimed planet. These changes pushing through the crust of apathy and greed, are, Mandeville would say, resulting from desperate self-interest. Interest in life. Interest in being alive and staying alive. We might be saved in spite of ourselves. And at huge human cost.

I say to Mandeville, during our walks, “You never make room for God. You persist in seeing everything through a single lens. Yes, most of us are motivated primarily by self-interest. But God is not. Read Romans 8, Bernard. And read John Donne. I know he was before your time. No matter. Read it. And the ‘Golden Rule’, to love your neighbour as yourself, a version of that commandment exists in faith traditions the world over and in labour movements (an injury to one is an injury to all). Read current material. How about The Secret Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben? We are all connected. We are all community members. Even in confinement. Especially in confinement.” Mandeville takes out his pipe. I say he should not be smoking in the forest. He goes his own way. We will probably run into one another again.

Already, when most countries have not yet hit the peak of COVID-19, policymakers are being pushed to think about the “sortie.” What are they thinking of doing? Some governments are opening online discussions to receive input from their citizens. Will anyone be reading them?

This “crash” should have all of us shaking in our boots. What will we do? Try to hit reset? That won’t work. The status quo has been shattered.

These are pivotal times. Tragedy and joy bleeding into one another.

The choices we make now and in the coming months and years are likely to affect us as individuals and in our collectivity more than any decisions made since the time of World War II.

Will we, as Christians, “hope for what we do not see,” firm in our knowledge that “all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Will our faith be strong enough? Will we have enough courage? Enough spirit-filled vision?

Will we hoard and divert shipments of masks or will we love our neighbour as ourselves?

In the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Uprising in Ireland and World War I, William Butler Yeats wrote in 1920 “The Second Coming.” He concludes his poem about the tumultuous, disorderly times, when “the centre will not hold,” by asking: “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”

We are the rough beast. We are the waiting cradle. We are people of faith and hope.

What will be born out of our confinement?

TO: Holders of marriage licenses in the diocese
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers

As usual, a number of weddings have been planned for the approaching summer. What is unusual, of course, are the complications created for weddings and other typically large gatherings by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because it remains unclear how long social distancing directives will remain in place, what their degree might be, and in which regions of Quebec they might apply, my recommendation is that any weddings currently scheduled for this summer be postponed until such time as social distancing measures are relaxed by civil authorities.

If an upcoming wedding is postponed but has already been published with the Quebec Registrar of Civil Status, that office will need to be informed as soon as possible of the change. They can be reached at 877 644-4545 or by email at etatcivil@dec.gouv.qc.ca.

If it is pastorally appropriate that a wedding take place on a date already arranged this summer, it may still be celebrated, but only in the presence of the presider, the couple, and two witnesses, each maintaining the physical distances indicated by public health authorities. In such an instance one of the witnesses could record the ceremony for the benefit of those unable to attend in person. Please inform me if a couple wishes to proceed in this manner.

Whether a wedding is delayed or not, marriage preparation with couples can and should proceed, either by telephone or videoconferencing.

These guidelines will be revisited as the situation evolves, guided as always by the advice of public health authorities, care for the common good, and out of a particular concern for the most vulnerable in our midst. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch with me or with Vicar General Edward Simonton (esimonton@quebec.anglican.ca or 819 679-9957).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

TO:                  Parish corporations and treasurers
FROM:             Bishop Bruce Myers

Across Quebec we are preparing to enter our fourth week of self-isolation, and churches all across our diocese will be closed for a fourth consecutive Sunday.

These collective efforts have so far been successful in helping stifle the spread of COVID-19 and in saving lives. I am deeply grateful for the way that Quebec’s Anglicans have answered the call to take the difficult but necessary measures required to combat this pandemic.

These measures have also had a significant and widespread economic impact, with many businesses temporarily closing and thousands of people being laid off, having their wages reduced or their livelihoods imperiled.

The church is not immune to the economic effects of the pandemic. For their financial health and sustainability, the congregations of our diocese depend primarily on two sources of revenue: the generous contributions of parishioners and income generated from investments. The financial landscape has changed, and I know that many of our congregations—some of which were already financially fragile—are concerned about the future.

Diocesan Treasurer Michael Boden, Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau, and Vicar General Edward Simonton have been tirelessly monitoring and evaluating the financial impacts on our church since this pandemic began, and together we have been attempting to discern the best financial path forward for our church in an unprecedented situation that is changing almost daily.

Our goal is to do everything we can to keep our congregations—and the diocese as a whole—financially viable during this challenging time, and to safeguard the livelihoods of our clergy and lay employees who rely on a stipend or wages from our church. They have all been finding creative and meaningful ways to fulfill their vocations and serve the church in this extraordinary set of circumstances.

To that end, we are taking the following approaches concerning finances:

1. DIOCESAN POOLED FUNDS – Many congregations have entrusted their financial investments with the diocesan Pooled Funds, which are managed by the Church Society of the Diocese of Quebec. First-quarter distribution cheques will be issued in the coming days. The massive turbulence of the financial markets will necessarily be reflected in the amounts that will be received. Congregations receiving first-quarter distributions are strongly encouraged to make a priority of using those funds to support their pastor and pay any stipend and benefits invoices. Fulfilling our payroll obligations in the coming weeks will be one of our key financial challenges. Congregations without stipend obligations are encouraged to reinvest their first-quarter distributions with the Pooled Funds to contribute to our collective portfolio’s long-term sustainability. Because of the extreme volatility of the overall economic situation, and uncertainty about how long this pandemic will last, Pooled Funds distributions will need to be assessed on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Although distribution policies may change in the short term, the Pooled Funds remain a sound investment in the long term.

2. STIPENDS AND BENEFITS – A week ago the federal government announced a temporary 75 per cent wage subsidy aimed at helping qualified businesses and non-profit organizations avoid laying off their personnel during the pandemic. The diocese and its churches are eligible for this important short-term financial support, which will temporarily relieve many congregations of a significant financial burden at a critical time. This will mean that congregations with stipend agreements in place will still be responsible for providing 25 per cent of what they would normally contribute to their pastor’s stipend and benefits package. If any congregation has concerns about its capacity to fulfill its financial obligations during this time, please do not hesitate to contact Director General Marie-Sol Gaudreau (msgaudreau@quebec.anglican.ca or 418 692 3858) to discuss what alternative arrangements might be made.

3. OFFERINGS – Even though our congregations aren’t meeting for worship in person during this time—which means offering envelopes aren’t getting filled or collections taken up—we are still able to receive donations in other ways. Those who are still able to make a financial contribution to their congregation at this time can mail a donation to their church’s treasurer. You are also invited to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Church Society as a way of supporting the life and work of the wider Diocese of Quebec during this especially challenging time. You can do so by mailing a cheque to the address above or donate online by visiting CanadaHelps.org and finding the “Church Society of the Diocese of Quebec.” You can also make an online contribution to any congregation of the diocese in the same way; just indicate the name of the specific church you’d like to support and the funds will be credited to them.

God promises that we will be provided with everything we need, if we stay focused on God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness. With God’s help—and with our trust in God’s providence—our church will emerge on the other side of this time of trial, giving expression to God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness all along the way.

TO: Clergy, wardens, and lay readers
FROM: Bishop Bruce Myers
DATE: Friday 27 March 2020

Last Friday guidelines were issued for the conduct of funerals in the Diocese of Quebec, aimed at respecting the health authorities’ directives concerning COVID-19. In light of the rapidly changing situation on the ground, I am offering some updated directives.

That government decree prohibits practically all indoor and outdoor gatherings. As a result, no funeral services may be held in church buildings. Where cremation is not an option and a burial cannot be delayed, a brief graveside service may take place in the presence of a presider and no more than 10 other people, each respecting the two-meter personal distance recommended by health authorities.

Even though funeral homes remain in operation, because of the high risk of transmission, clergy and lay readers of the diocese may not preside at funerals in funeral homes at this time. It is worth noting that 44 new cases of COVID-19 this week have been traced to individuals who all recently attended funerals at the same funeral home in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

These provisions, as well as the overall suspension of public liturgies and all other physical church-related gatherings, remain in effect until further notice. Like all of these efforts, they are aimed at protecting public health and especially the most vulnerable among us.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 418 692 3858 or at bmyers@quebec.anglican.ca. Be assured of my continued prayers and support during this challenging time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

FROM:   Bishop Bruce Myers

DATE:  Friday 20 March 2020

RE:  Church life during the COVID-19 pandemic 

It has been exactly one week since all public liturgies and other church-related gatherings across the Diocese of Quebec were suspended, until further notice, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to thank all of you for how quickly and compliantly each of your communities responded to this directive, which is part of a wider collective effort for the common good and especially those most vulnerable to this disease.

It seems likely that some form of this disruption in our common lives as congregations and as a diocese will continue for some time to come, and so I’d like to offer some further guidance about how we journey together through this time of trial.

All public liturgies and church gatherings remain suspended, including public funerals. Other temporary options are available.

During this suspension of public worship, I am inviting the Anglicans of our diocese to join me in a different form of prayer on Sunday mornings: a webcast of prayers from my home in Quebec City starting at 10:30 a.m. EDT. Details on how to access these services are available on the Anglican Diocese of Quebec Facebook page and on the diocesan website (www.quebec.anglican.ca), where you’ll find other resources to help you pray at home. Please widely circulate this invitation to worship as a diocesan family in a new and different way. We are exploring ways to expand our fellowship options, including ways to reach people without internet access.

The suspension of public worship services also includes pastoral liturgies, such as funerals. Earlier this week, Quebec’s director of public health specifically identified funerals as high-risk gatherings for transmitting the COVID-19 virus. Until this passes, clergy and lay readers are instructed to refrain from presiding at funerals in church buildings or funeral homes. Three other options are possible at this time: 1) If possible (for example, if the remains of the departed have been cremated), delay the funeral until the suspension of public liturgical services is lifted; 2) Conduct a form of the entire funeral liturgy at the graveside, with a small enough number of people that respects public health authorities’ most up-to-date instructions (www.quebec.ca/coronavirus); or 3) Hold a small private gathering of family members and close friends at the home of the deceased, with prayers for the dead being offered by the family, followed immediately by the committal of the body in the cemetery led by a priest, deacon, or lay reader. When things return to normal, a fuller requiem or memorial service could be held at the church, at which the wider community could gather as usual.

I recognize that the death of a loved one is difficult enough without the additional complications created by this pandemic. However, these measures are in place so that we might avoid the exponential wave of deaths and funerals that we have witnessed in other parts of the world as a result of COVID-19.

Please be reminded that all other public church gatherings such as study groups, annual vestry meetings, and social events are also suspended until further notice. Concerts and other gatherings that involve outside groups using church property must also be put on hold.

Because of the way COVID-19 spreads, great caution is required in providing pastoral care. Consider team approaches to staying in touch by phone or email, and collaborative ways to meet material needs.

Among the many challenges posed by this pandemic is how to provide pastoral care to our members when many are in self-imposed quarantine or are in hospitals or long-term care facilities where visiting has been prohibited.

Congregations with up-to-date membership lists should use these as a way of checking in with people by telephone or email, while also exercising discretion in how widely individuals’ private contact information is distributed. Clergy, lay readers, wardens, and lay pastoral visitors could, for example, divide up a congregational membership list and reach out to everyone relatively quickly.

Because so many different groups of people are now homebound because of COVID-19, it is worth asking the individuals you contact whether—in addition to spiritual or companionship needs—they have any essential material needs, such as food or toiletries. Consider whether your congregation can be mobilized to assist with these, or see if you can partner with other community organizations to help.

Church House is closed, but we are answering incoming voicemails and emails. Please be patient with us as we cope with this unusual time.

Church House, the administrative office of the diocese located in Quebec City, is effectively closed until further notice. Our small but diligent staff is working mostly from home, which means it may take longer than usual to respond to messages and enquiries. You may call 418 692 3858 and leave a message on voicemail or email general enquiries to info@quebec.anglican.ca. Someone will respond as soon as we are able. Thank you for your patience.

Be attentive to your own physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

For many of us, respecting the directive to physically distance ourselves from others without overly isolating ourselves socially can be a challenge. Even as you reach out to others, I’d invite you to also be attentive to caring for yourself. This can be especially important for those of us who are in self-imposed isolation. Consider things like structuring your consumption of news, finding ways of remaining physically active, and eating and sleeping as well as you can. As leaders in our communities we are called to model good behaviour for the people we serve, and to stay as healthy as possible so that we might continue to serve.

These are unusual and unsettling times, but they are not unprecedented. A century ago our churches were closed for several weeks during the 1918 influenza pandemic, and we emerged intact on the other side of that. However, I would invite us to view this as not simply a crisis to endure or a challenging time to get through. Instead let it be an opportunity for us to renew our purpose as a church in this time and place. Let us be the attentive ears and helping hands of the body of Christ in our communities. In the face of darkness, fear, and death, we can be small but luminous beacons of resurrection and hope.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

[ Download a PDF of this letter ]

Dear friends,

As we have all been experiencing, the situation regarding COVID-19 is changing by the day. The government of Quebec has put in place a series of aggressive measures aimed at slowing the pace of virus’ spread. These include cancelling indoor gatherings of more than 250 people.

Although Anglican churches in our diocese rarely see such numbers, it nevertheless seems prudent to take whatever measures we can to assist in the collective effort to slow the advance of COVID-19. This seems especially wise given that many of our faithful are over the age of 65, one of the groups most at risk of contracting the disease.

Therefore, effective immediately and until further notice, all public liturgical celebrations in the Diocese of Quebec are suspended. This includes regular Sunday services and any midweek liturgies. Other church-related gatherings—such as educational groups, annual vestry meetings, Anglican Church Women or guild get-togethers—should also suspend meeting in person during this time. I would also encourage parish corporations to find ways for outside groups using church facilities like parish halls to temporarily make other arrangements.

These measures are being taken out of an abundance of caution and in the interests of the common good, particularly those whose age or health makes them more vulnerable during this pandemic.

One of the ways the catechism in the Book of Common Prayer describes the church is as “the family of God.” Even though, temporarily, we will not gather as the church in our usual buildings, we nevertheless all remain members of God’s family. We remain the church. I therefore invite you to find other ways to stay connected with your sisters and brothers in Christ during this pandemic. Social distancing need not lead to social isolation.

Even as we pray separately, our prayers join those of all the faithful and the whole communion of saints across time and space. Look in the days ahead for some resources to aid in your prayers during this unusual time, and for further updates. In the meantime, I offer you my prayers and this:

The Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers OGS
Bishop of Quebec

[ Download a PDF of this letter ]

Dear friends in the Dioceses of Quebec and Montreal,

On March 11 the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On that same day the first case of coronavirus was diagnosed within the boundaries of the Diocese of Quebec.

Out of an abundance of caution and a particular desire to protect those most vulnerable to the spread of this virus, the following liturgical measures are to be implemented in all congregations of the Diocese of Quebec and the Diocese of Montreal, effective immediately and until further notice:

1. The sharing of the common cup is to be suspended at celebrations of the eucharist. The presiding priest is to consecrate both the bread and the wine, consume in both kinds, but administer only the consecrated bread to the congregation. Similarly, when holy communion is distributed from the reserved sacrament, only the bread will be offered. Although cherished Anglican practice is that all communicants normally receive both the bread and wine at the eucharist, the church also teaches that we still fully participate in holy communion in receiving “in one kind.” Small, individual communion cups are not to be used as an alternative to the common cup during this time.
2. Avoid physical contact during the exchange of the peace and the offertory. Normally during the liturgy members of the congregation are invited to exchange a sign of Christ’s peace, which typically takes the form of a handshake or an embrace. For now, please exchange a simple bow instead and continue to bid one another Christ’s peace verbally. Similarly, the offering should be taken up in such a way that avoids multiple people touching the collection plate

Please also continue to follow the other hygienic recommendations provided in the diocesan statements distributed in February. These include ensuring that hand sanitizer is available in each church, presiders washing or sanitizing their hands before distributing communion, and staying home if you are ill.

Also be attentive to the advice of provincial and federal public health officials, particularly with respect to practices like social distancing. We would invite you to be especially mindful of any members of our communities—especially elderly ones—who may feel especially isolated and vulnerable during this time and might require assistance or even just a telephone call.

Finally, we bid your prayers for those afflicted by this disease, for caregivers, medical professionals, public health officials, and those researching a treatment and cure for COVID-19. Pray also for those whose livelihoods are threatened by the economic impact of this pandemic. May all that we say and do during this uncertain time be grounded in faith and hope in God’s providence, and be a reflection of Christ’s compassion and love.

• Reporting on the St Francis Regional Ministry's first combined Christmas service
  
• A reflection on communications from Matthew Townsend, editor
• Snapshots from Christmas in the Diocese of Quebec
• A theological reflection from Louisa Blair on "offensive hope"
• Diocesan Historian Meb Reisner Wright looks back—to the Forward Movement

Secretary of Synod provides an overview of the meeting, which will offer time for reflection on mission, ministry

By Matthew Townsend
Communications Missioner

Delegates to the Diocese of Quebec’s upcoming Synod, to be held Nov. 21-24 at the Monastère des Augustines in Quebec City, are set to experience a gathering that differs from past Synods in both membership and agenda. A number of honoured guests, including the newly elected primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, will greet the delegates, as well.

Synod is the diocese’s governance meeting held every few years to make policy decisions, elect leadership and gather members of the diocese around worship and prayer. This Synod—the 85th Ordinary Session of the Synod of the Diocese of Quebec—marks the first time the diocese will meet under revised guidelines approved in 2015, the last time the body gathered.

“At our last Synod, we voted to change the canon on how delegates are elected to Synod,” Canon Stephen Kohner, secretary of Synod, told the Gazette in an interview prior to the meeting. “We are a shrinking diocese, and it was felt that we could also look at reducing Synod for a variety of reasons, including financial ones.”

The view at the time, he said, was that a smaller Synod logically followed the diocese’s smaller population.

“The way of electing people who serve as delegates has changed significantly,” Kohner says. In the past, delegates were elected by each congregation in the diocese. All licensed clergy were invited to participate at Synod, as well.

For this Synod, delegates have been elected by each deanery in the diocese; 10 total clerics have been elected, representing the various deaneries and one region.

In a conversation with the Gazette in August, Bishop Bruce Myers said he is keeping an open mind to the revised synodical membership structure, adding that he views this as a trial run on something still evolving. Kohner agreed.

“Have there been growing pains? Absolutely,” Kohner said. “However, we want to give it a try. We want to see how this reduced-size Synod actually works—and if necessary, we’ll look at maybe changing our electoral process.”

Kohner said the election process has been “very smooth” and that it has worked. The “growing pains,” he explained, centred around concerns that large congregations might have disproportional representation within their deaneries. “It didn’t happen,” he said. “When we look at the delegates coming to Synod, there’s a really fair representation. It’s actually worked out.”

The secretary said he thinks the body of delegates offers a mix of newcomers and those with solid experience in church governance.

‘Where do we want to be?’

In addition to the new election process developed in 2015, Myers has brought a different vision to Synod, increasing emphasis on worship and storytelling—delegates to Synod will hear stories of mission and ministry from around the diocese.

Invited guests include the Most Rev. Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada; the Rt. Rev. Mary Irwin-Gibson, bishop of Montreal; Mgr Pierre Goudreault, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sainte-Anne-de-La-Pocatière; the Rev. Dr. Jesse Zink, principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College; and Mr. Robert Jordan, vice president, central and national accounts, Ecclesiastical Insurance. These guests, the secretary said, are expected to add to a mood of contemplation, reflection, and perspective of the wider church.

“I believe it’s going to be a breath of fresh air, just looking at the invited guests that are coming,” Kohner said. “They’re wonderful people who have a wealth of experience.”

The guests and delegates, he added, will “flesh out our orientations, our trepidations—but also, at the same time, help us consider, ‘Where do we want to be as a diocese? What directions do we want to take?’”

Part of what will allow for a reflective atmosphere, Kohner said, is a lighter legislative agenda than previous years. Only 11 canonical amendments were slated for discussion at Synod, he said, and he anticipated none of them to be particularly controversial. By contrast, past synods devoted more time to legislative discussion.

“When Bishop Bruce says he has a desire to ensure there is time for this reflection, prayer and fellowship, that’s being reflected in these proposed canonical amendments,” he noted.

Kohner said the move towards more pensive synodical gatherings began under the leadership of Bishop Dennis Drainville, who “challenged us to be the church” and to not view church buildings as monuments “but rather, to look at our communities. Bishop Bruce has taken that up, and he’s going to push it even further.”

“We’re making more room for pastoral matters.”

Four years since gathering

Kohner, who is from Montreal and works as a principal and teacher at a small English school in Baie-Comeau, was first elected to the secretary role in 1999. He told the Gazette that the diocese had not gathered in Synod over the last four years for a variety of reasons.

“One is Bishop Bruce wanted to ensure he had a full portrait of the diocese before calling a Synod—the time to meet with people, to examine the issues, to have a sense of where the diocese might want to be headed,” he said. “What are the priorities? What might the mission look like?”

This, he explained, has taken time to develop. “It’s a process, not an end product.”

The other reason is financial. “We simply have not had the necessary funds to call a Synod,” the secretary said. “They cost anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000, so that’s a huge chunk of the budget.”

He said the length of time since the last meeting served as encouragement to incorporate more pastoral and reflective discussion, acknowledging that the diocese’s constitution and canons would eventually need updating. “There are quite a few inconsistencies,” he said, noting that the DEC will form a subcommittee to explore resolutions to those problems.

“We felt that this Synod was not the time to go into the nitty gritty work of unpacking the constitution and canons to get them absolutely picture-perfect,” Kohner explained. Some of that work will be easy, but some “might take years. We’re talking about legislation that goes back to Queen Victoria. How do you change it? It’s very complex and could be very expensive.”

Thus, he said, this Synod would provide more of an opportunity for long-time members of the diocese and new arrivals to unite—and since the last meeting was held in 2015, a number of staff and clergy have never been to the Diocese of Quebec’s Synod.

“There’s been a lot of change, new people coming in,” he said. “For new clergy who have been here three years, we haven’t met them yet.

“This is a great opportunity. When you talk to people on the phone or communicate via email, it’s one thing—but face-to-face conversation is wonderful. It’s very empowering for people to connect with each other and see how much we have in common. And at the same time, to understand the regional differences.”

At the time this article was being written, the agenda for Synod was still being finalized. Kohner said in addition to legislative discussions and reflection on the life of the diocese, Synod would also include time for social events. “Those are always something people do look forward to, though one has to be careful how late one stays up at Synod. Bible study comes awfully early!”

Kohner said he was “ever hopeful” that the changes brought to this Synod, along with the fellowship and prayer in the meeting, would spark new ideas within the diocese. “It’s also a time for synergy. We’ve got a lot of wonderful people out there, and Synod is probably one of the few times, if the only time, when we can put all the energy and the ideas and the missions together in one place. That’s pretty exciting. That’s wonderful.”

The challenge, said Kohner, will be to ensure that the members of Synod feel empowered to return to their congregations, their deaneries and their communities with a “bold sense of mission and ministry.”

When Synod gathers on Nov. 21-24, it will consider two kinds of motions: those brought to the floor and canonical amendments that have been reviewed by the Diocesan Executive Council (D.E.C.).

Canon Stephen Kohner, secretary to Synod, said the 11 proposed canonical amendments had been received by the D.E.C. 60 days prior to Synod and have been forwarded to delegates. “When Synod convenes, there will be times in the schedule to deal with proposed canonical amendments,” he said.

Each resolution must be moved and seconded, with discussion to follow. After discussion, a yay-or-nay vote occurs. “There has to be a majority,” Kohner said. When the vote is tight and the result unclear, anyone can request a vote by orders, in which laity and clerics vote separately—though the result is still determined by simple majority of the whole. The purpose is to give a sense where each group stands and to “figure out how many votes are actually cast.”

In addition to proposed canonical amendments, delegates can write resolutions at Synod and forward to the resolutions committee formed to ensure motions neither conflict with diocese’s constitution and canons nor impact negatively on the diocese’s budget. “So there’s a team at Synod working quite diligently to come up with the proper wording.”

Once a motion of any kind is approved or defeated, Kohner explained, individual delegates are expected to respect the decision and move to the next legislative item.

As a technical point, the secretary said, the diocesan bishop must sign the “schedule of enactments”—the list of all motions that passed at Synod—before the gathering adjourns. This puts the passed motions into effect. The bishop, he says, is entitled to withhold assent from any motion on the list. The secretary said a decision to withhold assent would be quite unusual but noted the diocese’s constitution stipulates the possibility.

In addition to legislative matters, Synod will also vote on nominations. Nomination forms must be submitted to Kohner by 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 14; they then go to the Nominations Committee for review and creation of slates.

Kohner said Synod will consider nominations for the D.E.C., delegates to provincial synod, assistant secretary of Synod, registrar, and a lay member of the Cathedral Centenary Endowment Fund. Clergy will be voting for the Board of Triers.

Documents related to nominations, including the form and frequently asked questions, are available on the diocesan website. Kohner suggested delegates keep an eye on the website, as documents will be posted there as they become available.

For newcomers to Synod unfamiliar with any or all of these voting procedures, the bishop will hold an hour-long newcomers’ meeting before the official start of business so people can “get a sense of what to expect from Synod,” Kohner said. That review will cover, he said, “how motions work, how to vote, what happens if you want to make a resolution, and who to complain to when the coffee is cold.”

By the Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers OGS

Last month a few of us from the Diocese of Quebec had the wonderful opportunity to pay a short visit to the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Between 2009 and 2015 our two dioceses, along with the Diocese of Bujumbura in Burundi, were in an official companionship agreement bound by a covenant signed by the diocesan bishops of the day. Even though that formal relationship concluded a few years ago, the bonds of affection between our dioceses remain, and this was my first opportunity to visit our Scottish Anglican brothers and sisters. What I encountered was a diocesan family and a context ministry very much like our own in Quebec.

Moray, Ross and Caithness is—by British standards—a geographically vast diocese, covering the northern quarter of mainland Scotland (which itself would fit within the territory of the Diocese of Quebec nine times). The diocese’s nearly 40 congregations are strewn across the expansive Scottish Highlands, served by about 20 clergy, fewer than half of whom are full time, and most of whom serve multiple congregations. A typical church service would see between 10 and 20 people in the pews, in part because Anglicans are a tiny minority in Scotland, which though historically Christian is a rapidly secularizing society. Sound familiar?

Among my discoveries in Scotland was that what the Anglicans of Moray, Ross and Caithness may lack in numbers, they more than compensate for in terms of faithfulness—another similarity between our dioceses. The people who make up the body of Christ in our respective dioceses are extraordinarily committed and deeply faithful, even if their numbers are small.

In that same gospel reading, Jesus’ disciples pleaded with him to “increase our faith!” They did not say, “Increase our attendance!” We would of course welcome more people to join our churches. However, we also seek to cultivate the faith of those who already form a part of our local churches, and to live out that faith daily, however few in number they may be.

Jesus encourages us when he says that smallness does not limit our potential to do great things for the sake of God’s kingdom. And this is good news for Anglicans in places like Quebec and the Scottish Highlands. As Stephen Conway, a bishop in the Church of England, recently put it, “The church does not let its small attendance prevent it from being a light to the community and a place to which people turn for support and encouragement.”

As our own diocesan family in Quebec gathers for Synod later this month, we’ll hear stories about how some of our own small congregations across eastern and central Quebec have been places of support and encouragement in their communities. I hope that we in turn be encouraged as a diocese that the smallest of faithful efforts will be blessed by God and can bear fruit for God’s kingdom.

• Canon Stephen Kohner, secretary of Synod, offers an overview of the Diocese of Quebec's upcoming Synod, including format and structural changes.
• Bishop Bruce Myers reflects on a recent trip to Scotland—where a small church thrives in a large diocese.
• Louisa Blair considers the relationship of the physical world to the spiritual one.
• Cathedral Dean Christian Schreiner shares details of his carpentry-focused sabbatical.
• Diocesan Historian Meb Resiner Wright looks back to 1919's synodical gathering.
• Updates from the Deanery of St Francis, snapshots, and more.

By the Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers OGS

• The Rev. Cynthia Patterson writes about Archbishop Fred Hiltz's visit to the Parish of Gaspé, the parish's milestone anniversary, and its plans for the future.
  
• Matthew Townsend reports on Holy Trinity Cathedral's efforts to raise funds for improvements to the cathedral close and completion of organ restoration.
  
•  Katrina O'Neill, who visited  the Diocese of Quebec from the Scottish Episcopal Church as part of preparation for ordination, reflects on her time in our diocese.
  
• In "Voting by Faith," Bishop Bruce Myers offers thoughts on how to approach voting as a follower of Christ.
  
• Louisa Blair considers the nature of sin—and admitting our sin.
  
• Snapshots from around the diocese
• Gleanings: Loss felt after the first world war

Earlier this year, the Rev. Thomas Ntilivamunda was named bishop’s missioner, a role that tasks him with two different but related challenges in the diocese: forming an intercultural ministry for newcomers to Quebec and offering the diocese’s parishes counsel on missional outreach.

The intercultural ministry officially launched on July 7, with about a dozen worshippers joining Ntilivamunda. Hosted at All Saints’ Chapel (adjacent to the bishop’s residence) on Sundays at 3:30 p.m., the ministry, the priest says, was launched to serve newcomers not presently connected with a church in Quebec City. It also diversifies the diocese’s services, both in style and time, allowing people who work late on Saturday night to more easily attend church.

“It went well, with a few logistical challenges here and there, but we had a good service,” he says.

Ntilivamunda began the project by reaching out to five people he knew to be “same-minded about mission and evangelism”—people who appreciate the difficulty immigrants can face integrating into a place of worship in Quebec. Ntilivamunda knows the experience of immigrants firsthand. From Rwanda, the priest and his family came to Quebec as asylum seekers.

He, his wife Yaël, and their daughter Gemimah became Canadian citizens a few months ago.

After meeting, the group decided the ministry was worth a try. So far, the participants are, like Ntilivamunda, African—Burundians and Rwandans, he says. Thus, one of the ministry’s major purposes is to integrate “various aspects of the Anglican church from all over the world,” giving people who come “an opportunity to express their way of worship.”

This includes musical diversity, too. At the first gathering, a few people brought guitars. The internet, Ntilivamunda says, was also a helpful instrument—they put up a screen to project hymns.

“My philosophy is the people are the ones to determine the music they want. The important thing is to check the theology in the music, that is the role of a priest,” he explains. “But whether it is American music, African music, Jamaican, whatever, that is their culture—if they are there, we have to offer some opportunity for them to express themselves, to feel at home and sing in their regional mode.”

As the mission moves forward, the priest hopes to provide more translation and diversity of instruments. For now, he says, he is inviting people to pray for the intercultural ministry and is reaching out to others who have yet to find a church home.

The intercultural ministry isn’t Ntilivamunda’s only new venture—the priest, with support from Bishop Bruce Myers and Canon Theologian Jeffrey Metcalfe, is also offering consultation with parishes on how to expand their own missions.

While some congregations are involved in feeding ministries, Ntilivamunda says he hopes to help Anglicans consider new ways of “making human contact.” The priest thinks that the church’s survival and its commitment to mission are intertwined. “The church, at its beginning, is a missionary church,” he says. “When Jesus called the disciples, then he sent them out…. Mission is the backbone of the church. Without mission, the church does not stand.”

Part of this work, he says, involves looking at how the church can serve people outside of political systems which confine the church to buildings that only pull people inward and send financial assistance outward.

For Anglicans who want to have this discussion—and brainstorm ways to get involved in mission and evangelism—Ntilivamunda can be contacted at the diocesan office at (418) 692-3858.

By the Rt. Rev. Bruce Myers OGS

For one week in July, hundreds of people from across the country assembled in Vancouver for the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.

National church gatherings like the General Synod have been described as “part legislative assembly, part revival, part marketplace, and part family reunion”—and all of those aspects were in evidence during our long and jam-packed days together in Vancouver.

Some important milestones were reached. Our church offered a formal apology for spiritual harm inflicted on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples during the era of colonial expansion, particularly through the Indian residential school system. New structures were approved to help advance Indigenous self-determination within our church. We chose a fine new primate, Archbishop Linda Nicholls. Our commitment to the church’s unity was reaffirmed, particularly in our relationships with Lutherans and with the United Church of Canada. Important interreligious bonds were strengthened with Jews and Muslims.

The General Synod also continued its conversations about whether to change our church’s canon law on marriage to include same-sex couples. Although the proposal to approve same-sex marriage in our church received the support of more than 70 per cent of the members of the General Synod—including all of the members from the Diocese of Quebec—it failed to receive the required number of votes among the bishops, and so the motion was defeated.

This decision was heartbreaking for many people in our church, particularly the significant number of LGBTQ2S+ Christians who have been faithful members and leaders in every expression of the Anglican Church of Canada, including the Diocese of Quebec.

Following the General Synod’s decision, my fellow bishops and I offered a statement acknowledging that while we are not of one mind on the specific matter of same-sex marriage, we are nevertheless “walking together in a way which leaves room for individual dioceses and jurisdictions of our church to proceed with same-sex marriage according to their contexts and convictions, sometimes described as ‘local option.’”

The Diocese of Quebec will have an opportunity to discuss the implications of the General Synod’s deliberations about same-sex marriage when we gather for our own Synod in November. This won’t be the first time we’ve talked about these matters as a diocesan church. In 2007 the Quebec Diocesan Task Force on Human Sexuality held a wide consultation touching specifically on same-sex marriage, and in 2012 our diocesan Synod authorized the blessing of same-sex unions.

In the midst of these discussions, the General Synod overwhelmingly agreed on some important affirmations. One accepts that there currently exists “a diversity of understandings and teachings about marriage in the Anglican Church of Canada, and we affirm the prayerful integrity with which those understandings and teachings are held.” At the same time, we affirm “our commitment to presume good faith among those who hold diverse understandings and teachings, and hold dear their continued presence in this church.”

My prayer is that these affirmations might guide us in whatever conversations our diocesan Synod may have about same-sex marriage, such that we will treat one another “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

Bishop Bruce Myers is pleased to announce the appointment of four new gifted and committed individuals who will be contributing the ministries of communications and administration in the Diocese of Quebec.

Matthew Townsend, Missioner for Communications
As Missioner for Communications, Matthew Townsend will serve as editor of the Quebec Diocesan Gazette, manage the diocese’s web and social media presence, and support the diocesan leadership and congregations in sharing stories about their life and work. A journalism graduate of the University of South Florida, Matthew has worked in editorial, journalistic, and web development roles with a variety of organizations, including The Living Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, and the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. Currently based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he is also the editorial supervisor of the Anglican Journal and a member of St. Paul’s Church. Matthew can be contacted at communications@quebec.anglican.ca.

Jody Robinson, Archivist
The diocesan archives, based at Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, will be under the care of Judy Robinson. After earning a bachelor of arts degree at Bishop’s, she continued master-level studies in history at the Univeristé de Sherbrooke. She has also worked as the archivist for the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, an organization committed to the preservation of the heritage of the Eastern Townships. For more than a decade, Jody has worked with many heritage organizations on special projects as well as an archival consultant. Jody has also served on the board of directors for a variety of heritage and community organizations and is presently vice-president of the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network. Jody can be reached at jrobinson@quebec.anglican.ca.

Sean Otto, Registrar pro tempore
As diocesan Registrar, Sean Otto will be responsible for ensuring that all of the diocese’s official records—from land registers to parish registers—are properly completed, recorded, and stored. Currently registrar of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Quebec City, he previously served as assistant registrar of Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. Sean earned a doctorate in history and theology at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, and also holds degrees from Wycliffe College and Dalhousie University. He is a parishioner of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. As Registrar pro tempore, Sean’s appointment is initially on an interim basis until the diocesan Synod makes a permanent appointment in November. Sean can be contacted at sotto@quebec.anglican.ca.

Isabelle Morin, Executive Assistant
Day-to-day administration at the Synod Office in Quebec City will be overseen by Isabelle Morin, who will serve as Executive Assistant on a part-time basis. She has a degree in business administration from the Université du Québec à Montréal, and spent several years as an administrator in the hotel industry. More recently Isabelle has pursued a vocation as an interior designer. She can be contacted at imorin@quebec.anglican.ca.

The Secretary of Synod, Canon Stephen Kohner, has released the results of the elections determining the lay and clergy delegates to the 85^th Ordinary Session of the Synod of the Diocese of Quebec, which will be held 21-24 November 2019 at the Monastère des Augustines in Quebec City.
 

LAY DELEGATES (in alphabetical order):

DEANERY OF GASPÉ
Candace Atikens
Lynden Berchervaise
Bethany Fehr Paetkau
Janet Harvey
Sharon Howell
Margaret Ann Major
Rhonda Stewart

DEANERY OF THE NORTH SHORE
Dale Keats
Jody Lessard
Mary Spingle

DEANERY OF SAINT FRANCIS
Jane Bishop
Sam Borsman
Lorna Gordon
Linda Hoy
Marilyn Mastine
Spencer Nadeau (youth)
Donald Nixon
John Rassmussen
Ruth Sheeran

DOYENÉE DU SAINT-LAURENT
Jean Thivièrge
Samuel Sinayigaye

DEANERY OF QUEBEC
Louisa Blair
Anne Chapman
Samuel Croteau
Lucas Demers (youth)
Marie Garon
Andrew Reeve
Meb Reisneer Wright

(The Region of Kawawachikamach will select its two lay delegates in a separate process.)
 

CLERGY DELEGATES (in alphabetical order): 

The Rev. Jesse Dymond
The Rev. Canon Giuseppe Gagliano
The Rev. Francie Keats
The Rev. Canon Jeffrey Metcalfe
The Rev. Deacon Silas Nabinicaboo
The Rev. Joshua Paetkau
The Rev. Cynthia Patterson
The Very Rev. Christian Schreiner
The Ven. Dr. Edward Simonton
Le vén. Pierre Voyer