Canon Law: Freedom and Authority in the Catholic Church

The Church can be very personal; it is with us from birth, to marriage, to death, and helps us to develop our relationship with God. But the Church is also a large, complex, global institution. It has a lot of moving parts involving over a billion people and almost 3000 dioceses. With so much going on, how do you make sure that each of the Catholic Faithful have their rights under the Church protected and know their responsibilities?

It is for this reason that we have the Code of Canon Law. In 1983 St. Pope John Paul II wrote,

"...a Code of Canon Law is absolutely necessary for the Church. Since the Church is established in the form of a social and visible unit, it needs rules, so that its hierarchical and organic structure may be visible; that its exercise of the functions divinely entrusted to it, particularly of sacred power and of the administration of the sacraments, is properly ordered; that the mutual relationships of Christ's faithful are reconciled in justice based on charity, with the rights of each safeguarded and defined; and lastly, that the common initiatives which are undertaken so that christian life may be ever more perfectly carried out, are supported, strengthened and promoted by canonical laws."

Commemorative booklet  produced for the 50th anniversary of the 1917 Code of Canon Law.

1967

PO RC476.10
Archbishop Pocock Fonds

The 1983 Code of Canon Law is a seven part collection of rules and norms dealing with every aspect of life in the Church. Everything from Church governance to sacraments to punishments is covered. For example, regarding archives Canon 486 states,

"§1. All documents which regard the diocese or parishes must be protected with the greatest care.
§2. In every curia there is to be erected in a safe place a diocesan archive, or record storage area, in which instruments and written documents which pertain to the spiritual and temporal affairs of the diocese are to be safeguarded after being properly filled and diligently secured.
§3. An inventory, or catalog, of the documents which are contained in the archive is to be kept with a brief synopsis of each written document."

The early rules of the Church came from scripture and from the teachings of the apostles. Over the centuries, additional laws were added from various sources such as Papal teachings and ecumenical councils. These laws were collected systematically after the year 1000, but weren't codified until 1917, when the first Code of Canon Law was promulgated by Pope Benedict XV. When the Second Vatican Council was announced, the intention to revise the Code was also announced, and the new and current version was promulgated in 1983 by St. Pope John Paul II.

Dioceses are also able to make rules for the Catholics in their jurisdiction. Here in the archives, we have a handwritten copy of Archbishop Lynch's rules for Toronto. He wrote,

"Rules are necessary in every station and calling in life. The mechanic or merchant who works without rule and order is certain of failure and ruin. Ignorance of rule is a fruitful source of many fatal mistakes, as contempt of the rule itself."

"It has been our most ardent wish, since our Lord imposed on my weak shoulders the heavy and formidable burden of the Episcopacy to establish in the diocese certain rules of Canon law suitable to our condition, and to embody them in diocesan constitutions. After visiting all the missions of the diocese, even the most remote, and some of the most important places several times, we thought this an opportune time to confirm and promulgate those statutes. We have compiled them 1. from the statutes of the first diocesan synod held by the illustrious and most Reverend Dr. Power the first Bishop of Toronto 2. From the pastoral letters and instructions of our venerable and saintly predecessor Rt. Rev. Dr. de Charbonnel 3. From the decrees of the councils of Quebec 4. From the general canons and decrees of the church, adopted and arranged by holy and zealous Bishops, and given to their churches to be observed. A few which are expression of years of the sacred ministry have suggested to our minds, and some by our own beloved clergy.

1861

HO 03.22
Holograph Collection

Just like civil law, Church law has lawyers. A Canon Lawyer, or Canonist, has an advanced degree in the study of canon law. Canon Lawyers work in various positions in the Church, helping to interpret and apply the law for Catholics so that things are done in the right way. For example, Canon Lawyers working in marriage tribunals decide whether marriages are valid according to the Code when annulments are sought.

Even if they don't have the advanced degree, priests and bishops need to know about Canon Law. Bishop Power's notes on Canonistics are here in the archives:

Index to Bishop Power's student notes, including a section on the Crime of Simony.

[182-?]

HO 01.03
Holograph Collection

Cardinal McGuigan earned a Licentiate in Canon Law from Laval University in 1916:

Magisterii seu Licentiae in Jure Canonico Gradum

June 18, 1916

MG AA02.03
Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

While the canons themselves aren't particularly lengthy, there is a lot more commentary of Canon Law that helps while applying the law to real situations. For example, the annulment of the marriage of Consuelo Vanderbilt and the Duke of Marlborough was an issue discussed by canonists:

Rev. Stanislaus Woywood, OFM, discusses why the Vanderbilt-Marlborough marriage was invalid.

1926

MN AS22.03
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

While promoting the study of Canon Law to the bishops in 1975, the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education explained and quoted Pope Paul VI,

"While first place is assigned to the spirit and to the interior life, nevertheless belonging organically to the Body of the Church, the presence of the Church authority, and submission to this authority always remain as irreplaceably necessary elements willed by the Divine Founder of the Catholic Church. In the Church freedom and authority are not terms of opposition, but rather values complementing one another. Their mutual cooperation promotes the growth of the community and at the same time the capacity for initiative and enrichment of its single members. In calling attention to the principle of authority and to the necessity for a juridic order, nothing is being taken away from the value of freedom or from the esteem in which it ought to be held. This recalling to authority rather serves to stress the need for a secure and efficacious safeguarding of the goods which all have a right to posses, including the basic one of exercising freedom itself. Only a social system that is well ordered can guarantee liberty adequately. As a matter of fact, what would freedom be worth to an individual if it were not protected by wise and suitable norms?"" (PO RC 555.01)

As a global community of Catholics, we benefit from having 2000 years of legal thought to guide us. It's a subject worth studying!

Dokumenton de la Semajno

Earlier this week marked the anniversary of the highly influential publication Unua Libro. On July 26, 1887, Dr. L.L. Zamenhoff published this volume, where he unveiled a newly constructed language that he promised was easy to learn and that he hoped would become a universal second language, free of linguistic prejudice. His ultimate goal was to contribute to peace and understanding between nations.

Today, Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world. The language became known as Esperanto based on Zamenhof’s pseudonym, Doktoro Esperanto (“Doctor who hopes”). 

In honour of Unua Libro's 130th anniversary, our dokumenton de la semajno (record of the week) is a letter from F. Kaelble to Archbishop McNeil asking for an endorsement for the Catholic Esperanto Movement in Toronto in 1932.



 



"...the thing I have in mind is the formation of a Catholic Esperanto Association to bring the different country's in closer contact as far as Catholics are concerned."

October 23, 1932

MN AH21.97
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

Mr. Kaelble asks for the Archbishop’s blessing in forming a local Catholic Esperanto Association, and for the opportunity to talk to young Catholics about how Esperanto relates to their faith. As a member of Universala Esperanto-Asocio (Universal Esperanto Association) he believes that Esperanto could allow Catholics from around the world to share and discuss the Gospel regardless of their first language.

The religious potential that Mr. Kaelble saw in Esperanto was not unique. In fact, the Catholic Esperanto Movement is almost as old as the language itself. Father Alexandras Dambrauskas learned of the new language in 1887 when he was a student at the Ecclesiastical Academy of St. Petersburg. After reading Zamenhof’s booklet, he wrote his first postcard to the author in 1896.  The following is a rough translation of the original Esperanto text:

... Our Catholic Church is an immense family (...) But in a family there must also be a language comprehensible to all. (…) But Latin, being a language of priests, is no longer sufficient for all relations ... Lay Catholics are equally entitled to desire that the common father [the Pope] speaks to them in the commonly understood language . It can not therefore be French or Italian, or another of the [national] living languages, but only the [living] international language. (Source)

The 1900s proved to be formative years for the Catholic Esperanto Movement. Espero Katolika (Catholic Hope), a religious periodical written entirely in Esperanto, published its first edition in October 1903. The aforementioned Father Dambrauskas also published an early Catholic Esperanto work, “Versajxareto" (Little Book of Verse), in 1905.



Public Domain image, via Espero Katolika

The first page from the first edition of Espero Katolika, October 1903. This poem is in honour of Pope Pius X.

Pope Pius X bestowed the first papal blessing of the Catholic Esperanto Movement in 1906 after being presented with a bound edition of the Espero Katolika. His Holiness issued a second blessing of the Catholic Esperanto movement in 1910 following the creation of Internacia Katolika Unuiĝo Esperantista (IKUE, or The International Union of Catholic Esperantists).

Esperanto has also been included in the Urbi et Orbi papal address since April 3, 1994, when Pope John Paul II wished the audience "Felicxan Paskon en Kristo resurektinta" (a Happy Easter in Christ risen) for the first time. You can listen to Pope Benedict XVI say the traditional Easter Blessing in Esperanto here.

The Catholic Esperanto Movement shows no signs of slowing down. In recent years we can see how the internet has helped strengthen the Catholic Esperanto Movement. The IKUE and Espero Katolika both have online presences. The Vatican Radio, which has offered regular broadcasts in Esperanto since January 2, 1977, now offers programoj en esperanto (programs in Esperanto) online. Other Catholic Esperanto reference tools include an Esperanto translation of the Bible, and an overview of Catholic Esperanto history. 

If you're looking to learn the language, La Kanada Esperanto-Asocio (Canadian Esperanto Association) might have a club near you.

You Auto Know: Cars in the Archives

The first US patent for a combustion-powered automobile was granted to a patent lawyer named George B. Selden on November 5, 1895. Henry Ford was relatively unknown in the industry at the time; however, in 1903, a lengthy lawsuit began between Ford and Selden. By the end of it, eight years later, Ford emerged victorious and had become a household name.

Every week, the Archives is driven to provide a quality blog post. An exhaustive search was undertaken in order to feature some photographs and documents related to automobiles that are in the collection. We hope you won't tire of seeing these glimpses into history.

The production of automobiles increased dramatically in the 1920s. Cars changed Canadians' way of life, allowing more freedom for leisure and travel than ever before.

People out for a drive in their Model T Ford in Brampton, Ontario
1920

Msgr. Clair fonds

In this letter, Father Clair is told to take the car but is requested to have some maintenance done on it while he has it.

"Please have the car simonized, the brakes adjusted and springs oiled. Hope I am not putting you to too much trouble."

Letter to Rev. J.M. Clair from Fr. T.J. Manley (?)
[1928]

MN AH17.122
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

By the end of the 1920s, there were over one million cars in Canada. This photograph shows just a few of them parked outside St. Michael's Cathedral Rectory, Toronto.

Exterior front of the Rectory of St. Michael's Cathedral taken from Church Street.
1932

PH 102/0001/15P
ARCAT Photo Collection

The Archdiocese of Toronto provided funds towards the purchase and upkeep of a residence and a car for the Apostolic Delegate to Canada and Newfoundland. In September 1938, that title was held by the newly appointed Ildebrando Antoniutti.

Receipt for the Archdiocese of Toronto's contribution to the upkeep of the Apostolic Delegate's car.
September 24, 1938

O DS02.15(N)
Archbishop O'Connor Fonds

Cardinal McGuigan visited Quebec City in 1946 for the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

Cardinal McGuigan stands in the back of a limousine in Quebec City.
1946

PH 09Q/03P
ARCAT Photo Collection

Even a Cardinal needs an insurance policy for his vehicle.

An insurance policy card for Cardinal McGuigan's car.
1947

MG AA01.64(a)
James C. Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

Nuns in cars!

Rev. Christopher J. Bennett's mother, Evelyn Bennett, in a car with two nuns in the back seat.
August 1960

PH 24B/59P
ARCAT Photo Collection

A post about automobiles would not be complete without the popemobile.

Card. Carter and Pope John Paul II in the popemobile on the motorcade route in Toronto.
September 14, 1984

PH 18P/03CP
ARCAT Photo Collection

If you know the make, model, and year of any of the automobiles in this post, we'd love to hear from you in the comments.

ARCAT Goes to The Ex

The 2016 Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) -- or The Ex, as we all know it -- opens today in Toronto. This annual tradition, formerly called the Toronto Industrial Exhibition, started in 1879 and is Canada's largest community event. To celebrate the CNE, here are some photographs from ARCAT's collection of other events that have happened on the CNE grounds.

Despite the Canadian military occupying parts of the CNE grounds during World War I, the CNE continued to be held each year. During World War II, however, the entirety of the CNE grounds was used by the military, so the fair was not held during those years. A rally and a mass were held at the Stadium for the soldiers in 1944.

Soldiers' Rally and Mass, CNE Stadium, 1944
Note the ad for cigarettes way in the back at the top of the stadium.

PH09W/56P

Soldiers' Rally and Mass, CNE Stadium, 1944

PH09W/59P

Soldiers' Rally and Mass, CNE Stadium, 1944
Note the other interesting ads in the background.

PH09W/25P

Soldiers' Rally and Mass, CNE Stadium, 1944
Rosary created by humans and sheets

Photo credit: Pringle & Booth Ltd., Toronto

PH09W/27P

Cardinal McGuigan participated in the Rosary Crusade in Toronto.

Cardinal McGuigan at the Rosary Crusade, CNE Stadium, ca. 1961

PH09R/78P

Every opening day must have a ceremony!

Archbishop Pocock sits third from right at the opening day ceremonies
at the CNE bandshell, August 15, 1974

PH14D/12CP

Pope John Paul II attended the Polish Rally at the CNE Stadium during his Papal Visit to Canada in 1984.

Pope John Paul II speaks to a large crowd at the Polish Rally,
CNE Stadium, September 14, 1984

Photo credit: Foto Felici, Rome

PH65/317CP

The CNE runs for 18 days. More information about the CNE, including its long and interesting history, can be found on their website. Let's go to The Ex!

Record of the Week: The Pope Recovers

On this day in 1981, the Church and the world were shocked and saddened when Pope Saint John Paul II was shot while riding in an open vehicle through a crowded St. Peter's Square. It was just one in a spate of shootings at the time; John Lennon, Ronald Regan and Anwar Sadat were all victims within the same year.

In Toronto, Catholics and people from other faiths came together to pray for the Pope's recovery. His importance as a leader and advocate for peace was widely recognized.

Cardinal Carter considered Pope Saint John Paul a friend. In a letter dated June 8th, 1981, he wrote,

"You burst upon the scene of history like a meteor. Your charisma appears to be exactly what a tired world required. And we observed with admiration, and even awe, the impact which you were making on all parts of the world and in all realms of thought even among people who are far from sharing in our religious convictions. The concept of your being eliminated by this thoughtless act appeared to me to be intolerable. But I must confess that in all humility I offered myself in your place. I immediately decreed a public Mass in my Cathedral in thanksgiving for your salvation and in petition for your prompt and perfect reestablishment. I preached myself and one of the things which I said and which seems to have been very much appreciated by the gathering, which included the Greek and Anglican hierarchy, was that you were such a man that there could be no doubt that when you took the See of Peter you also offered your life in all its dimensions. And I said, "This is a very dangerous thing to say to the Lord because sometimes He takes us at our word. therefore the Pope was ready and is ready to die for the Church." This is a form of martyrdom and it is not underneath your capacity. The willingness after all is the real baptism of blood."

In reply, the Pope sent the letter below:

Signed letter from Pope Saint John Paul II.

September 18, 1981
Cardinal Carter Fonds

The Pope recovered fully, and went on to lead an exceptional Papacy for 24 more years. After this incident however, his security was taken more seriously (he was previously one of the most accessible Popes in history), and his 'Popemobile' was fitted with bulletproof glass.

Pope Saint John Paul II set an amazing example for us in 1983 when he visited his shooter in prison and personally forgave him. Although the shooter was sentenced to life in prison, he was pardoned by the Italian president at the Pope's request in 2000.

Even Priests Can't Resist a Little Competition

PanAmania has swept through Southern Ontario, with events in 48 sports happening from Simcoe County to the Niagara Region.

Catholics have long recognized the importance of sports. In a homily in 2000 Pope Saint John Paul II said:

"Playing sports has become very important today, since it can encourage young people to develop important values such as loyalty, perseverance, friendship, sharing and solidarity. Precisely for this reason, in recent years it has continued to grow even more as one of the characteristic phenomena of the modern era, almost a "sign of the times" capable of interpreting humanity's new needs and new expectations. Sports have spread to every corner of the world, transcending differences between cultures and nations.

"Because of the global dimensions this activity has assumed, those involved in sports throughout the world have a great responsibility. They are called to make sports an opportunity for meeting and dialogue, over and above every barrier of language, race or culture. Sports, in fact, can make an effective contribution to peaceful understanding between peoples and to establishing the new civilization of love."

We were able to find a few sports shots in the archives:

While not an Olympic sport, bowling has been a part of the Pan Am games since 1991. This year's competition will take place from July 22-25.

Monsignor Jean Marie Castex bowls as part of the league at St. Ann's Parish, Penetanguishene in the early 1960s.
PH00170-29P

The champions of St. Ann's, Penetanguishene Bowling League show off their trophies [1949-1964].
PH00170-13P

Racquetball has been in the Pan Am games since 1995 and events will be taking place from July 19-26. The Squash competition has already taken place, with Canada receiving two silver and two bronze medals.

Priests-in-training compete in some kind of racket sport at St. Augustine's Seminary.
St. Augustine's Seminary Photo Collection

The Canadian men's baseball team is doing well in preliminary rounds. The medal games will be played on Sunday, and the women's competition will start on Monday.

Seminarians playing baseball on St. Augustine's grounds.
St. Augustine's Seminary Photo Collection

St. Matthew's Boy's Baseball Team, 1959.
PH0087-12P

Field hockey games will be played throughout the two weeks of competition, but this is Canada, so it was easier for us to find pictures of ice hockey:

Students play hockey on the rink at St. Michael's College, 1917.
PH27B-12P

Good luck to all of the athletes competing in this year's events!

The Evolution of Ecumenism

This week we celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which runs from January 18 - 25. Events during this week bring together people from different Christian denominations to talk and pray together to foster mutual understanding.

Today, the idea that Christians should respect each other and find common ground is accepted as a given, but it's no secret that different denominations didn't always get along. Differences in belief were exacerbated by political and social pressures, and the will to understand one another was lacking.

The archival record reflects how attitudes towards ecumenism (practices promoting Christian unity and cooperation) have changed over time. Consider the following examples from the ARCAT stacks:

In 1835 a Catholic who signed as "A Friend to the Good Cause" wrote to Bishop Macdonell regarding Catholic marriages. The writer was very scandalized that Protestants and Catholics were allowed to marry, and that Catholics were being married by Protestant clergy.

"You are aware that the laws of Canada allow and enjoin a magistrate of any denomination to perform that Sacrament or that the same is performed by Roman Catholic Magistrates or Squires throughout the Province. They not only marry Protestants but they also unite Catholics or rather in the eyes of Holy mother Church they tell their deluded victims that the Law sanctions their living in open fornication. It has also unfortunately been but too often the case that Catholics of the highest respectability in this country have been united by Protestant Clergymen without ever having recourse." (M AD01.01) 

The feeling seems to have been mutual. In 1849 Bishop Power received a letter from a Protestant regarding Catholic devotion to Mary: "... Consequently such service must be ten degrees worse than heathenish superstition. Oh alas! without all doubt the Great God, who will not give his worship or glory to any other, must be greatly offended at such idolatry. In the name of common sense abandon such damnable, forbidden and unscriptural worship before the Lord sweep off the earth as he is at present doing, with a sudden disease all Priests in Christendom together with their deluded victims." (P AB13.02)

However around this time there was some desire for Christian unity. Bishop Power had in his possession a published "Prayer for the Unity of the Holy Church" written by a "Priest of the English Church:"

P AA03.03

In the 1880s Archbishop Lynch wrote "Being appointed by your saintly predecessor over twenty years ago to the See of Toronto, one of the most Protestant and bigoted cities in America, where everything Catholic is assailed ... with the utmost malignity, we undertook our task by striking at the root of their intolerance, which was principally pride and ignorance." (L RC63.17) Lynch had to deal with a city in which the antagonism that existed between Irish Catholics and British Protestants was very much a reality. The lack of desire for dialogue would have gone both ways.

In 1897 Archbishop Walsh gave a lecture regarding the differences between Catholics and Protestants. The title was less than diplomatic:

"Some Things Which Catholics Do Not Believe or Protestant Fictions and Catholic Facts."
W AA04.01

In 1908, the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, the precursor to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was established by Father Paul Wattson, SA. There was more and more interest in ecumenism, but there was still some hesitance.

By mid century, the Church's position was beginning to soften. In a 1949 letter, bishops were encouraged to continue to pray for Christian unity, but to be careful to make sure that their Parishioners were not participating in "initiatives" that did not rest upon "correct principles"  (MG RC295.02).

In the early 1960s, big changes were in store for the Church. The Second Vatican Council produced a document called Unitatis Redintegratio, or Decree on Ecumenism. This document explains, "We must get to know the outlook of our separated brethren." It calls upon Catholics to work towards unity "according to his talent."

Ecumenical services were held:

PO EC01.08

As Archbishop Pocock put it in 1965: "With regard to ecumenism, we can rejoice together at the great progress that has been made during the past two years. Members of different communions are now meeting together quite frequently to pray for Christian unity and for the solution of other serious problems. In a spirit of true charity Protestants and Catholics, Anglicans and Orthodox, are coming to regard one another with trust rather than with suspicion and to associate in a spirit of Christian love. Through theological discussion at many levels, we are beginning to understand and respect one another, and are thereby taking the first steps toward unity in faith" (PO CO05.04).

In 1984, Pope John Paul II celebrated an Ecumenical service at St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral in Toronto:

PH 65 Photograph courtesy of Concacan Inc, 1984.

In 1995 he wrote a Pastoral Letter, Ut Unum Sint or On Commitment to Ecumenism. He explained, "Christians cannot underestimate the burden of long-standing misgivings inherited from the past, and of mutual misunderstandings and prejudices. Complacency, indifference and insufficient knowledge of one another often make this situation worse. Consequently, the commitment to ecumenism must be based upon the conversion of hearts and upon prayer, which will also lead to the necessary purification of past memories. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's disciples, inspired by love, by the power of the truth and by a sincere desire for mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, are called to re-examine together their painful past and the hurt which that past regrettably continues to provoke even today."

Today, the Archdiocese of Toronto maintains an Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs. This office is very involved in ecumenical activities throughout the diocese, and has been involved in the planning of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which culminates in an ecumenical prayer service on Sunday January 25th.

As Pope Francis said, " The Holy Spirit creates diversity in the Church ... and this diversity is very rich and very beautiful. But then, the Holy Spirit also brings unity, and in that way, the church is one in its diversity."

On the fourth day of Christmas, ARCAT stored for me…

...four photographs,

Photographs Special Collection: PH0002/05P; PH65/331CP; PH24F/21P; PH31P/227AL(35)

While we have more than 6,000 photographs stored in the archives, these four represent significant 2014 anniversaries.  Our most common requests for photographs result from anniversary celebrations. Clockwise from top:

• All Saints Parish, Etobicoke, turned 50 years old this year. Photo of the church's ground breaking ceremony shows Rev. Martin O'Grady with a shovel while Auxiliary Bishop Francis Allen looks on.
• We marked 30 years since John Paul II visited the Archdiocese of Toronto during the first Papal Visit to Canada.  The Pope was also canonized this past year. Photo of the pontiff disembarking a military helicopter in Midland, Ontario.
• Msgr. Vincent Foy celebrated 75 years of ordination to the priesthood in June.  He is the first priest of the archdiocese to reach this milestone. Photographic portrait taken in 1964.
• The construction of St. Ann's Church, Toronto, was completed a century ago. The first Mass was celebrated by Archbishop McNeil on the feast of St. Ann, July 26, 1914. This photo was taken as part of an archdiocesan property survey in 1914. Piles of construction material and debris can be seen in front of the building.

three mitres,

two maniples,

and a pen used to vote at Conclave.

30 years since the first Papal Visit

In 1984, Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit Canada.  From September 14 to 16, he was in the Archdiocese of Toronto.  To mark the 30th anniversary of this unprecedented event, ARCAT installed a small display of photographs, memorabilia and ephemera from the Toronto leg of 1984 Papal Visit:

1984 Papal Visit to the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Photographs of the 30th anniversary display at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, Archdiocese of Toronto

The photos (courtesy of Concacan Inc., Ottawa) include an awesome shot of the pope emerging from a military helicopter after being flown to Midland to visit Martyrs' Shrine and Sainte-Marie among the Hurons.

Archival items in the display include: a plastic smock worn by volunteers at the mass at Downsview Airfield; ciboria for distributing the Eucharist during the mass; tickets for the Papal Audience; and commemorative medals and coins.

Read more about St. John Paul II's 1984 visit here.

Record of the Week: Photos of the Church's newest saints

Photograph of Pope John XXIII with Toronto Mayor Nathan Phillips and his wife.
[between 1958 and 1962]
PH 63/13CP

Pope John Paul II arrives at Pearson Airport September 14, 1984 for the
Toronto/Huronia leg of the Papal Visit to Canada
Photograph courtesy RCMP/GRC

On Sunday, two former popes - Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II - will be canonized.

The Archdiocese of Toronto has created a website that includes biographies, stories from people who met the Popes and local events celebrating the canonizations.  There is also a list of the many monuments, schools, parishes and other buildings in the archdiocese named after the Church's two newest saints.

ARCAT created a display of photos, papal medals depicting the Popes, as well as ephemera from the 1984 Papal Visit to Canada.

Our latest display in the entrance of the Catholic Pastoral Centre. 

This Day in History: Archbishop Ambrozic becomes Cardinal Ambrozic

On February 21, 1998, Most Reverend Archbishop Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic became His Eminence Aloysius Matthew Cardinal Ambrozic. 

Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic was born in Gaberje, Slovenia on January 27, 1930. In September of 1948 he and his family emigrated to Canada where he studied philosophy and theology at St. Augustine's Seminary. On June 4, 1955, he was ordained priest by Cardinal McGuigan in St. Michael's Cathedral. 

On March 26, 1976, Father Ambrozic was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto. He was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Toronto on May 22, 1986, and succeeded as Archbishop in March 17, 1990.

On January 18, 1998 Pope John Paul II nominated Archbishop Ambrozic a Cardinal, and he was elevated to the College on February 21.  

Cardinal Ambrozic retired as Archbishop of Toronto on December 16, 2006. He passed away on August 26, 2011 and was interred in the Bishops’ Mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery, Toronto.

Cardinal Ambrozic receives a red watered silk biretta from Pope John Paul II. This photo was published by L'Osservatore Romano in Rome, Italy.

ARCAT holds the above biretta (displayed on our nifty head model) owned by Cardinal Ambrozic. Birettas are worn by clergy from Cardinals to Seminarians, and are thought to have been derived from academic caps of the middle ages. The clerical biretta has three peaks, and is always worn with the non-peaked corner facing left so that the wearer can grab the middle peak with his right hand.