By Alison Bradish
Representatives from the Weyburn Deanery recently sat down with the Pope’s Ambassador to Canada, Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, and Archbishop Don Bolen to discuss what is going well and what is not for the faithful living in rural areas.
About 60 people took part in the informal gathering where various parishes presented stories of their successes, hopes, and challenges about sharing the Gospel in a rural setting.
Following the reception, Mass was celebrated with the Papal Nuncio at St. Vincent de Paul, where roughly two hundred people participated, among them five priests who serve the area. The Deanery includes the main parishes of Sedley, Montmartre, Radville, Weyburn, Wilcox, and surrounding communities.
In his homily, the Nuncio told parishioners Archbishop Bolen made it clear a visit to the Archdiocese would be incomplete without meeting the faithful from the smaller centres.
Archbishop Bonazzi acknowledged concerns he heard from the rural faithful, including sadness felt about some parishes no longer having a resident priest or regions where churches have been decommissioned.
“It is a painful time for many in rural Saskatchewan. Painful, but not without hope,” said Archbishop Bonazzi. He referenced the memories and example of former generations of the faithful who brought hope and new initiatives.
“What is important is our relationship with Christ and finding support from other believers,” he said, emphasizing the priority for the spiritual and pastoral care of the faithful.
Archbishop Bonazzi recognized the Filipino community in attendance, saying they bring newness of life to rural churches and the faithful thank God for them.
He continued to express the closeness of the Holy Father, saying as Nuncio he brought with him the blessings, encouragement, and affection of Pope Francis. “I’m sure he would be joyful to see all of you and your confidence and trust,” he said.
His homily centered on the Gospel of Luke 16:19-31, the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Archbishop Bonazzi said this was one of the most powerful parables. He pointed out how the rich man is never named in the story, whereas Lazarus, the poor man, is. “It is a parable stressing the contrast between someone who has everything but next to him is someone who needs everything,” he said.
He recalled a homily given by a Cardinal in 1980 when Archbishop Bonazzi was serving in Cameroon. “I remember him (the Cardinal) saying, Lazarus is Africa, for whom nobody cares.”
Archbishop Bonazzi said the Gospel parable of Lazarus and the rich man contains a paradigm of personal and collective applications. “It causes each one of us to sort out our indifference. We are so taken by ourselves we do not see the needs of our brothers and sisters next to us,” he said.
He went on to reference the love of the poor that Saint Vincent de Paul had, saying the Saint referred to the poor as his master. Archbishop Bonazzi noted there are many kinds of poverty, financial, spiritual and social, “It is up to us to fill the emptiness caused by these needs,” he said, using words of Saint Mother Teresa, “The fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service.”
“What an important call to really move from faith to love, from love to service,” said Archbishop Bonazzi.
Paraphrasing what he called a profound exhortation of Pope Francis, Archbishop Bonazzi continued, “The Church exists because we as disciples, we become relevant to the extent we fulfill our mission to keep alive in people’s hearts the memory that God loves them. To tell everyone that God does not forget you. He cares about you.”
Archbishop Bonazzi reflected how many today live as orphans unaware of the love of God in their life, “It is like a child who has no mother or father loving them,” he said, contrasting the image with a Christian who lives with the certainty of God’s love.
“My best wishes, dear parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul, to be courageous witnesses of the Church that exists to tell the farthest away that God does not forget you. He loves you,” said the Papal Nuncio at the conclusion of his homily.
The Mass at Weyburn was the last organized event of the Nuncio’s visit to the Archdiocese of Regina March 10th to 12th.
