Canadian bishops, by secret ballot, vote overwhelmingly against honouring Humanae vitae on its thirtieth anniversary

"C'est un scandale, Monsieur le Cardinal."

A letter from Deacon Daniel Dauvin

Dear Cardinal Turcotte and the Bishops of Canada:

A Dark Moment for the Canadian Church

The secret vote by the Canadian bishops in October of 1998, at Niagara Falls, Ontario, which overwhelmingly defeated a document presented by the Most Reverend Bishop Colin Campbell of Antigonish, that would have reaffirmed the papal encyclical, Humanae vitae, on the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary, was a dark moment indeed in the history of the Canadian Church. It rang like an echo of the Winnipeg Statement of September 1968, which pastorally dissented (see no. 26) from this papal encyclical and broke Church law (Apostolos Suos, no. 20)

Opportunity Missed, Grace Squandered and Christ Betrayed

How the bishops could have again let themselves be manoeuvred into a position which made them appear to dissent from Humanae vitae, surpasses the imagination. Why was it impossible for a plenary assembly of Catholic bishops to honour a papal encyclical? Was it bickering over procedure or wording of the document presented, or was it outright dissent or the hardening of positions by some who wished to scuttle this commendable effort? In any case, the end result was a vote by a huge majority of bishops against the acceptance of a document that would have given due honour to Humanae vitae on its thirtieth anniversary. Could it be possible that the Niagara Falls Bishops' Conference was blinded and led astray by the machinations of the Evil One as happened in Winnipeg in 1968? "C'est un scandale, Monsieur le Cardinal."

The significant number of bishops who voted for the document (about one-fifth) should be praised for their courage. Their stand gives us reason to hope that papal encyclicals will not be treated so shabbily in the future. At the moment, however, we can only lament the fact that, at Niagara Falls, the bishops had a golden opportunity to further the Gospel of Life by reaffirming Humanae vitae but they bungled it badly. The grace was there but it was carelessly squandered, and Jesus Christ, in whose name they were assembled and whose Spirit had inspired the encyclical, was again betrayed.

The fourth kiss of Judas was placed on the Holy Face of Christ at Niagara Falls.

In 1968, the Winnipeg Statement had placed three kisses of Judas on the Holy Face of Christ:

(a) by institutionalizing dissent (no. 17).

(b) by permitting contraception (no. 26) despite the clear teaching of the encyclical Humanae vitae.

(c) by promoting widespread sex education in Catholic schools (no. 33) contrary to Vatican directives and Church tradition. (See: Vatican Declaration, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, nos. 78-86 and 122-127.)

The Niagara Falls secret ballot placed the fourth kiss of Judas on the holy face of Christ by telling the Canadian Church that the teachings of Jesus Christ on faith and morals, and the transmission of human life contained in the papal encyclical Humanae vitae, were not worthy of honour, recognition or affirmation. This vote speaks volumes about the present state of the Canadian hierarchy.

What messages did this "secret" vote send to the Canadian Church?

(1) The Canadian bishops are no longer "One Heart, One Mind" with the Pope.

The vote clearly showed Canadian Catholics, once and for all, that the majority of Canadian bishops are not "one mind and one heart" with Rome. The vote was a direct slap in the face of the Vicar of Christ, John Paul II, who was "working his heart out" trying to promote Humanae vitae throughout the world in 1998 in honour of its thirtieth anniversary.

(2) The Bishops of Canada are "out of step" with the mission of the Church and the Synod of America.

No vote could have been more out of step with the vision and solidarity promoted by the 1998 Synod of America than the one at Niagara Falls. ("It is up to the Bishop, with the help of the priests, deacons, religious and lay people to implement a coordinated pastoral plan, which is systematic and participatory, involving all the members of the Church and awakening in them a missionary consciousness" Eccelesia in America, no. 36.)

(3) The Canadian bishops appeared divided among themselves concerning basic Church teaching.

The disrespect shown to the Pope and the papal encyclical Humanae vitae by this vote is only the tip of the iceberg. Some bishops wholeheartedly accept and support the teachings of the Church, whether the ordinary or extraordinary Magisterium, while others take it upon themselves to pick and choose what part of encyclicals they need to obey or dissent from, especially if the encyclical is not expressly promulgated as ex cathedra. This continual dissent and questioning of papal authority and infallibility by certain bishops and their theologians has adversely affected the unity of the Canadian Church. It grieves the Holy Spirit who is the life of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

(4) The bishops seemed to have tacitly approved abortion through contraception.

No message could have been more confusing and deceptive to couples, families and other loyal Catholics than to see their bishops' apparent acceptance of contraception by their overwhelming vote against the reaffirming of Humanae vitae. Could it be that many of our Canadian bishops are still ignorant of the fact that contraception is wrong under any circumstances, and that, when it fails, it often leads to surgical abortion? Are they not aware of the fact that most contraceptives on the market today, even the most common ones, are also abortifacient? Aside from causing the destruction of the sperm and preventing ovulation, they can cause the abortion of a developing human being, separating his body from his soul in three ways:

(a) in the Fallopian tube by interfering with the passage of the embryo to the uterus.

(b) by making the uterine wall thin and shrivelled, unable to support the implantation of the embryo.

(c) by allowing the lining of the uterus to shed before the human embryo can successfully implant.

These are scientific facts that can be easily verified by those who desire the truth. (See: The Pill: How does it work? Is it Safe? by The Couple to Couple League International, Inc. P.O. Box 111184, Cincinnati, OH 45211-1184, USA)

It is also the teaching of the Church that life is sacred and that it begins at conception. (Ecclesia in America, no. 63..."In this regard, the Synod Fathers, echoing recent documents on the Church's Magisterium, forcefully restated their unconditional respect for and total dedication to human life from the moment of conception to that of natural death, and their condemnation of evil like abortion and euthanasia.")

By refusing to publicly endorse Humanae vitae, the Canadian bishops have unwittingly given Canadian Catholics the impression that the bishops approve of abortion through abortifacients. This is a grave matter because abortion by non-surgical means is three to ten times more frequent than abortion by surgical means.

(5) It gave the impression that the Winnipeg Statement was still a valid Church document.

The vote appeared to reaffirm the Winnipeg Statement which permitted contraception as a matter of conscience and spousal choice. Since it is a historical fact that several bishops objected to it, the Winnipeg Statement of 1968, according to Church law, is invalid, (see the Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, Apostolos Suos, no. 20: "...and neither the Conference of Bishops nor its president may act in the name of all the bishops unless each and every bishop has given his consent.")

(6) The Niagara Falls vote gave dissenters from Humanae vitae the impression that the majority of Canadian bishops were on their side.

As was the case with the Winnipeg Statement in 1968, the Niagara Falls secret vote created the atmosphere for more dissent from Humanae vitae. It gave renewed hope and even an air of expectancy to dissenters that the Canadian bishops would finally accept contraception despite the Pope and the Magisterium and that, in doing so, they would accept abortion through abortifacients.

(7) It deeply hurt the pro-life cause.

Failure of the bishops to reaffirm Humanae vitae hurt the pro-life cause which counts on the support of the hierarchy. It was a source of deep discouragement to bishops, priests, deacons, religious, couples, families and other lay people who are trying their best to support the Holy Father in promoting the Gospel of Life.

(8) It sent a negative message to our Catholic youth.

Young people are not acquainted with the fine points of procedure and debate; they simply see the bishops' vote as a vote against Humanae vitae. To them the Canadian bishops have rejected papal authority and have accepted contraception. Nothing could have sent a more negative message to the Catholic youth anticipating the World Youth Day in Canada than to see their very own bishops treating a papal encyclical on the transmission of human life so shabbily, and in so doing appearing to be in opposition to the Pope on such a grave issue. (Ecclesia in America. no. 40: "Bishops and priests are particularly responsible for encouraging vocations by personally presenting the call, and above all by their witness of a life of fidelity, joy, enthusiasm and holiness.")

1999 is the time to repudiate the Winnipeg Statement and to publicly endorse Humanae vitae.

My wife and I and many other like-minded Catholics hope that you, Cardinal Turcotte, and the Canadian bishops will be able to remedy this situation, before it becomes worse, by repudiating the invalid Winnipeg Statement and by publicly endorsing the papal encyclical Humanae vitae. Doing this would be a worthy preparation for the Great Jubilee Year 2000. It would go a long way to help dissipate the pall of darkness and dissent that has, for so long, hindered the work of the Canadian Church. It would "usher in" brighter times for Canadian Catholics.

We ask the intercession of the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, the pregnant mother, patroness of life and of America; her chaste spouse, Saint Joseph, patron of Canada; Marguerite Mary Alacoque, Saint of the Sacred Heart; Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, Patron of Vatican II, for you, Cardinal Turcotte, for all our Canadian bishops, and for the whole Canadian Church. May the Father's holy will be done in this. Ad Magnam Dei Gloriam. Pax et Bonum.