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Press Releases |
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To receive our news releases via e-mail, please send your name, publication name if applicable, and e-mail address to: ccrl@ccrl.ca
Media contact:
Philip Horgan, President or
Joanne McGarry, Executive Director
416-466-8244 or ccrl@ccrl.ca
(Photos available)
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| CCRL cites tax dollars funding anti-Catholic cartoon | | | 2005-05-25 | | TORONTO, May 25, 2005 – The Catholic Civil Rights League today called on Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, to review the funding relationship between CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) and rabble.ca, an e-zine whose current edition features a strongly anti-Catholic cartoon caricature of Pope Benedict XVI. In the animated cartoon, the pope repeatedly marches to a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, then gives a Nazi salute with the caption “Heil Mary.”Rabble.ca, published by well-known Canadian feminist Judy Rebick, is a project of Alternatives, a Montreal-based NGO funded by CIDA. One World Canada, also a project of Alternatives, is a partner of Rabble. However circuitous the route, at least some taxpayers’ money appears to be going to this publication. In its letter to Mrs. Carroll, CCRL stated, “The league does not believe that any public money should be directed to a publication that freely insults Catholics, or indeed any other identifiable group. ... | | Marriage rally planned for May 23 | | | 2005-05-13 | | TORONTO, May 12, 2005 - A rally to defend marriage will be held at the provincial legislature at Queen’s Park Monday, May 23 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Speakers will include Bishop Pearse Lacey, retired bishop of Toronto.The rally, called “It Is Time to Draw the Line", is being organized by Equipping Christians for the Public Square Centre (ECP), and supported by the Defend Marriage partners (Campaign Life Coalition, Canada Family Action Coalition, Catholic Civil Rights League and REAL Women of Canada), the Knights of Columbus, March4Marriage and the Jubilee Centre for Christian Social Action"We are honoured to have his Excellency, Bishop Lacey, attend and speak at this rally," said ECP Centre executive director Rev. Tristan Emmanuel. "Catholic Bishops are providing leadership across Canada. Bishop Pearce Lacy and Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary represent the type of moral clarity and leadership that is so needed today. That is why we are delighted to have him, and all Cat... | | CCRL comments on vote on Bill C-38 | | | 2005-05-05 | | TORONTO, May 5, 2005 - The Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) today said that last night's second reading vote on Bill C-38, which passed 164 to 137, was predictable and disappointing, but not without encouraging signs.Having passed second reading, the Bill, which would re-define marriage at the federal level as the union of two persons, will now go to a special committee for public hearings. Previous suggestions by this government of wide consultation with Canadians through these committee hearings may be shelved in favour of other back room deals. The CCRL remains hopeful that the bill will die on the order paper when the widely expected election is called."A particular disappointment is that roughly three quarters of Catholic MPs voted in favour of this legislation. We now have an accurate record of MPs, regardless of religious or party affiliation, who need to be replaced in the next election by Canadians who treat this issue as a primary concern," said Phil Hor... | | Racism not a casual charge, says CCRL | | | 2005-05-04 | | TORONTO, May 4, 2005 - The Catholic Civil Rights League (ccrl.ca) today expressed alarm that recent news stories have raised serious concerns that racist and bigoted attitudes remain prevalent, and need to be immediately countered with vigour, failing which racism and bigotry become trivialized. Likewise, false allegations of racism from senior Ministers of the Crown cannot be countenanced. In Toronto, several teenagers were suspended and/or expelled from their school for posting vile anti-Semitism to a website. The league commends the actions of school administrators who acted swiftly to correct such abuses when discovered.We commented last week on a disgraceful insult to the late Pope John Paul II and to Roman Catholic priests by the Toronto give-away newspaper Eye Weekly, owned by a division of the Torstar media chain.“Yesterday, Immigration Minister Joe Volpe exceeded the bounds of civil discourse in objecting to the unfortunate linkage of senior ministers of the Crown to a ficti... | | eBay changes policy on sacred items due to protest action | | | 2005-05-03 | | TORONTO, May 3, 2005 – The Catholic Civil Rights League (ccrl.ca) is pleased to note that the global online auctioneer eBay has changed its policy in the wake of the recent controversy over its hosting of the sale of a consecrated communion host (League press releases, April 21).“We’re glad that the concerted efforts of so many individuals and groups, including the league, have led to this positive change in eBay’s policies,” said League President Phil Horgan. “Because most of the posting processes are automated, we join eBay in encouraging all users to be vigilant about enforcing it.”In a letter to the league, eBay’s Community Watch Team said the worldwide reaction caused them to review their policies. They said they consulted with a number of users, especially Catholic users, and also sought input from members of other faiths about sacred items that might be inappropriate for sale. “We have concluded that sales of the Eucharist, and similar highly sacred items, are not appropriate on... | | Eye Weekly insults Catholics, CCRL says | | | 2005-04-26 | | TORONTO, April 26, 2005 – The Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) today denounced Toronto's giveaway news magazine Eye Weekly for anti-Catholic defamation in its April 21 edition. “Since the death of Pope John Paul II and the recent election of Pope Benedict XVI, Canadian media coverage has been extensive, and for the most part balanced,” says Phil Horgan, president of CCRL. “The legacy of Pope John Paul II was treated with the dignity it deserved. Though there was no shortage of reporting of complaints from dissidents, there was also favourable commentary from groups including CCRL. “With the election of Pope Benedict XVI, there have been frequent references to the new Pope's purported status as a "hardliner", typically used in a pejorative sense, and some misleading half-truths about his youth in Nazi Germany,” says Mr. Horgan. “We should expect press coverage to be inquisitive. We don’t expect to like everything we see in the media. We can only continue to urge tha... | | CCRL criticizes eBay for permitting sale of consecrated host | | | 2005-04-20 | | TORONTO, Ont., April 20, 2005 – The Catholic Civil Rights League (www.ccrl.ca) today criticized the decision of global online auctioneer eBay to allow the sale of a religious souvenir kit that included a consecrated Communion host. The collection of goods was recently offered for sale on eBay by an American who said he had collected them at a papal Mass in Italy in 1998.“This incident shows some real problems with online commerce that aren’t confined to eBay,” says Phi Horgan, president of CCRL. “With almost all of the posting, bidding and selling being done through automated processes, it is unlikely anyone with management responsibilities even saw this kit until it went online. Even if they had, it appears the sale was in keeping with eBay’s policies. “We urge eBay to review its policies and the process for assessing future sales of religious goods. A consecrated host is not a commercial commodity.”EBay told CCRL that its management has “made the decision not to prohibit the sale of... | | CCRL welcomes Pope Benedict XVI | | | 2005-04-19 | | TORONTO, April 19, 2005, 1:00 pm EST – With humility and thanksgiving, the Catholic Civil Rights League (ccrl.ca) welcomes the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, Supreme Pontiff and Bishop of Rome. We join in earnest and prayerful support of His Holiness as he embarks on his pontificate.“What an awesome responsibility he is undertaking,” said League President Philip Horgan. “We join Catholics worldwide and others of goodwill in expressing our humble prayers for the new Pope, who in our tradition is the choice of the Holy Spirit working through the College of Cardinals.“Our tradition recognizes the Pope as the successor of St. Peter, the rock chosen by Jesus Christ to lead His Church. Just as Peter was chosen to “feed my sheep,” the new Pope assumes the leadership of the Catholic Church to continue the work of his predecessors as the ‘servant of the servants of the Church’.“Our new Pope brings theological expertise and considerable experience in Church affairs t... | | CCRL pays tribute to Pope John Paul II | | | 2005-04-04 | | TORONTO, April 2, 2005 - CCRL joins all people of good will in giving thanks for the life of Pope John Paul II and in mourning his passing. Canadians, especially, remember the joyous feeling of unity and optimism we experienced during World Youth Days in 2002, and earlier during the papal visit of 1984 and the subsequent visit to Fort Simpson in 1987. Pope John Paul was a man who brought spiritual growth and renewal to everyone. His special appeal to young people grew from his insistence on holding them to a higher standard of values than they have been spoon-fed by popular culture, and his summons to them to build a better society. The world owes Pope John Paul a special debt for the role he played in promoting freedom in Eastern Europe and elsewhere.We are grateful that so many will benefit from his lasting legacy in peacemaking and pray that this influence will continue to grow. We are grateful for Pope John Paul’s powerful example of forgiveness that he taught throughout his ponti... | | Scott Hahn to speak on Catholic Theology of Marriage | | | 2005-04-02 | | April 2, 2005 – Catholic Civil Rights League is happy to announce it is co-sponsoring a lecture by internationally renowned Catholic lecturer and author Scott Hahn on the Catholic Theology of Marriage. The talk will take place Friday, April 8 at Brennan Hall, 50 St. Joseph’s Street, Toronto at 3 pm.Dr. Hahn, a member of the faculty of the Franciscan University of Steubenville, is the author of “First Comes Love: Finding Your Family in the Church and the Trinity.” The book incorporates Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body, marriage and the family in layman’s language.The event is being organized by Compass Catholic Fellowship at the University of Toronto, and co-sponsored by the league, Youth Teams of Our Lady, Knights of Columbus and Salt and Light TV. For more information, contact Benjamin Goetz at 416-553-8012.... |
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