Woe Canada

Father Bob Bedard,CC

I quite distinctly remember, back in the summer of 1970, spending the month of July in Tucson, Arizona. I covered for pastor of Holy Family parish there. I drove both there and back with other priests, fellow teachers at St. Pius X High School.

I have always enjoyed my sojourns in the United States. There’s something about the American spirit that I admire. It may have something to do with the consistent optimism I pick up in the peoples’ attitudes.

But as we headed back through California, Oregon and Washington, I realized that I missed my own country. The car ferry took us to Vancouver Island and the city of Victoria. As we got closer, although I had never before been there, I began to say to myself: “This is my native land, my Canada.” And I choked up a bit as a few tears trickled down my face. It hit me that I actually had a real love for my country.

Now, almost 30 years later, I have to report, sadly, those patriotic emotions have dried up altogether. I used to be proud of my country. I’m not any more. I once had real hope this nation could become a beacon to the world. My hopes have been dashed.

We have no law at all protecting the unborn. The slaughter continues unabated. Abortion can be carried out at any time with no reason other than the mother’s own decision that she doesn’t want the child.

The contraceptive mentality has taken over at all levels of society. People of faith and no faith together embrace it, Catholics included, who feel justified by the Winnipeg Statement of 1970 which continues to stand today as a clear repudiation of Pope Paul’s Humanae Vitae.

Our courts have handed down progressively bizarre decisions. A couple of year’s ago, a woman, about to give birth, took a gun and shot the emerging child in the head. The court’s decision? No crime. Not even a misdemeanour. Off scot free. All but one of our Supreme Court judges are pro-abortion.

The courts have also attempted to re-define the family. The top court in the land has recently decreed that the concept of family must be broadened to include same-sex couples.

A court in B.C. recently, ruled it is a human right to possess child pornography.

Our politicians have continued to let us down. Former Prime Minister, Paul Martin, came down hard on any member of the ruling party who dissented from government policies on life and family issues. The present premier of Ontario, also a Catholic, is on record with his aggressive pro-abortion and pro-homosexual stand. He will refuse, he says to sign a potential candidate’s papers who is pro-life or pro-family. He even made a special trip to Toronto from his home in Ottawa to walk in the militant and blasphemous so-called “Gay Pride” march. Mayor after mayor in municipalities across the country have been bullied by the anti-God lobbies into doing the same thing.

The media has supported the new ‘movement’ almost 100%. It is so rare to read a newspaper editorial or column that supports God’s order or the Church that we react in joyful amazement.

Our foreign aid record has been mediocre at best. Domestically, the rich still get richer on the backs of the poor. Our immigration policy has improved, thanks be to God, and is no longer based on discriminatory principles of national quotas.

The missionary efforts of the Church have weakened badly. Some communities have made it clear that they don’t go to foreign lands any more to convert people to Christ, but rather to learn from them while helping them in matters of health, development and education.
Sounds pessimistic, doesn’t it? But, oddly enough, I’m not a pessimist. I know a great many Christian people, Catholics included, are lamenting with the Lord over the state of things and are praying hard that he will bring about a big turn-around. I’m with them. Will he do it? He certainly can. He was willing to save Sodom if He could find but a handful who were on his side. He couldn’t find them.

As I sing our national anthem. “Woe, Canada”, I want to shout out to the nation “Whoa, Canada! Slow down! You’re on a slippery slope to destruction. Come back to god. He can save us yet”. If only we would turn to Him….