Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Catholic Church in Canada, made front page news Nov. 21 with the publication in daily newspapers across the province of an open letter asking forgiveness for the sins of past church leaders. Below is an English translation.
Following my intervention at the Bouchard-Taylor commission, your comments have been many and varied. I have read all of them with great care, whether they came in the mail or through the media. I thank you for the messages of support, I also thank you for the criticism which has made me reflect and prompted this open letter, which seeks to deepen reflection, dispel misunderstandings and promote dialogue in a spirit of peace and reconciliation.In response to my analysis of the Quebecois malaise I have heard “finally, it’s about time!” as well as “what a step backward!” Let’s be clear. I am not asking for Quebec society to go back to 1950. From a sociological and cultural point of view, pluralism and secularism have made their home in Quebec and we must be proud of the gains made in the areas of the economy, health, culture, social services, education, politics and dynamism of Quebec society. Quebec has an enviable living standard, a culture of liberty and tolerance, an openess to immigration and a load of talent in arts and culture. But a fact remains: its search for spirituality is languishing. Perhaps was it impeded by the excessive authority of the Church? Or perhaps has it not received the education necessary to its needs? The spiritual void which I have mentioned is the fruit of the spirit of the world which, by wanting to eliminate God, suggests, in a thousand ways, that we become our own God. Reluctance to procreate, to spawn life, compromises Quebec’s future, and its youth seeks role-models which are cruelly lacking. We need a serious dialogue on values and our Christian stance to once again give faith and hope to Quebec’s soul.The Catholic Church has no lack of exemplary figures who have marked our society’s history. Secular people, men and women, religious people, left behind memorable traces, a precious heritage in the fields of health, education and evangelism. Pope John Paul II canonized and beatified 14 of these figures during his pontificate. But, unfortunately, they are too little known.Much more attention is given to the church’s negative side than to its contribution to active Quebec history and culture. A just and enlightened exam of our past would help, I think, recognize our limits but also nourrish Quebecers’ pride and confidence in their future.Inspired by the gesture of John Paul II in March of 2000, of which I have born witness, I am inviting Catholics to perform an act of repentance and reconciliation. Quebec society drags a wounded history whose bad memories block access to the sources of its soul and religious identity. The time has come to take stock and make a new start. Errors were committed which have tarnished the image of the church and for which we must humbly ask for forgiveness. I am inviting pastors and the faithful to help me seek the manner with which to recognize our mistakes and deficiencies, so as to help our society reconcile with its Christian past.As Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, I recognize that the narrow attitudes of certain Catholics, prior to 1960, favoured anti-Semitism, racism, indifference toward First Nations and discrimination against women and homosexuals. The behaviour of Catholics and certain episcopal authorities with regards to the right to vote, access to work and promotion of women, hasn’t always been up to par with society’s needs or conformed to the social doctrine of the church. I also recognize that abuses of power and cover-ups have, for many, tarnished the image of the clergy and its moral authority: mothers have been rebuffed by priests without concern for their family obligations; youngsters were subject to sexual aggression by priests and
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