|
|
|
          
|
Bishop Frederick J. Colli, D.D.Diocese of Thunder Bay
As the Roman Catholic Church was about to enter the new millennium, the Most Reverend Frederick Joseph Colli became the fifth bishop of the Thunder Bay Diocese. "Jubilee Year 2000" was more than simply another "Holy Year" or a "year of remission". His Holiness Pope John Paul II saw it as a new beginning for all Christians. Bishop Colli explained it this way in his installation address delivered in St Patrick Cathedral on 25 March 1999: The greatest challenge of our journey will lead us into the new millennium - in the new "era of faith". As our Holy Father has noted, it will be a time of struggle and testing as we promote the "culture of life" against the assaults of the culture of death in our world. It will challenge us to bear witness to Christ and the life He has shared with us, from our Baptism. It will be a challenge, and at the same time an opportunity to show to the world our faith and our trust in the Lord, and our cooperative spirit toward one another. It will be a challenge, but also a wonderful experience. I look forward to sharing that journey with you as a faith family here in our diocese. Bishop Colli began sharing this journey by energetically and enthusiastically participating in the special events and liturgical celebrations of parishes and missions which extended across the vast expanse of northwestern Ontario. Frederick Joseph Colli was born in St Catharines, Ontario on 17 June 1949. After completing his catholic elementary and secondary education there, he entered St Augustine's Seminary, Toronto in 1968 and seven years later was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Reverend Thomas J. McCarthy, Bishop of St Catharines, on 21 June 1975. Apart from a two-year interlude of post graduate study in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University where he earned a Masters Degree in Canon Law, Father Fred Colli served the St Catharines Diocese at the pastoral and administrative levels for almost two decades. He served first as associate pastor of St Theresa (Port Colborne) and St Kevin (Welland) parishes and then as pastor of St Julia Parish, St Catharines from 1985 to 1995. During this period, he was also Chancellor of the St Catharines Diocese and Associate Judicial Vicar of the Catholic Marriage Tribunal. On 22 February 1995, the Feast of St Peter, in Ottawa's Notre Dame Cathedral, Father Frederick Colli was ordained a bishop by Archbishop Marcel Gervais of Ottawa. He became Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa with specific responsibilities for the English sector of the Archdiocese. Four years to the day of his episcopal ordination, the Most Reverend Frederick J. Colli was named Bishop of Thunder Bay by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. Bishop Colli took possession of his diocese on 25 March 1999.
Bishop Frederick J. Colli's Coat of Arms
The crest is divided into two sections by a chevron. The upper half contains a "peace dove" which is a symbol from the crest of the Diocese of St Catharines, Bishop Colli's place of birth. The dove also represents Bishop Colli's first name which is "Frederick" and means "peaceful ruler." The Lily represents the Blessed Virgin Mary who was a faithful servant of God, and whose words are in the motto of Bishop Colli's crest, "Holy is God's Name," from Mary's great prayer, the Magnificat. The lower part of the crest contains a red cross, showing that a bishop is a servant of Jesus and the three hills at the bottom of the crest, represent the bishop's surname, "Colli", which means "hills".
Circular Letters
My Dear People in Christ,
Each day, as we awaken, we begin a sharing in the gift of life. We seldom think about it, and we only recognize how fortunate we are when we see life threatened or hear of the many deaths that occur throughout our world each day. The gift of life is precious to each of us.
I am deeply worried about a private member's bill now before the House of Commons (Bill C-407) that proposes to make euthanasia legal in Canada. This bill threatens the gift of life which we all share. The bill was given its first reading last June and is now being debated for second reading.
Whether it be called euthanasia, mercy killing or doctor-assisted suicide, the reality is that this bill proposes to make certain types of murder legal in our country. I believe that this bill is immoral and will deny the most vulnerable of our society their basic and fundamental "right to life." i am worried about the direction this bill could give to our country, since it risks sending us down the "slippery slope" that could lead us to regard "living: as just another issue that must be dealt with expeditiously - where we make judgments on the quality and usefulness of the lives of others.
Canadians have been known as a compassionate people. We should be following the road of compassion and concern for the most vulnerable, particularly for the weak, the sick and those especially challenged on our society.
Some might argue that passing this bill will prevent people from suffering long periods of pain or discomfort before they die. but we know that there has been much research in the area of pain control and that modern medicine has developed the ways and the means to assist all those in these difficult circumstances.
Others might argue that everyone should have the "right to die" is not one of them. we use the term "rights" so often today to justify what we want to legislate.
It sounds so correct, but what about the duties that come with rights? In this case, we have a duty as a nation to care for the most vulnerable. Certainly, we will all be vulnerable someday. We must assure those who are weak and elderly in our society that they are not burdens for us but are loved and respected and have dignity, as do all persons, young and old.
As Canadians, we must examine this bill and, in our wisdom and insight, see how it is flawed and how it represents a dangerous direction for our nation. the aged, the handicapped, anyone with a difficult disease, such as cancer, AIDS, etc. will feel threatened by this bill. we all should feel threatened, since the passing of this bill into law would eventually affect each of us - especially at our most vulnerable time in life.
I hope and pray that our government will not pass this bill in the hopes that through it we will save dollars for health care. Then we would be trading dollars for lives. This is truly a frightening scenario!
I have written to my members of parliament indicating my objection to Bill C-407. I feel it is my duty as a Canadian to do so. I want a society based on compassion, respect and concern, which I believe most Canadians desire. The only way this can happen is if we make our desires known to those who represent us in our government, to those who make our laws.
Bishop of Thunder Bay
|
|||||||||||||||
This site was last updated 12/09/05
