The Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) French Catholic school board is encouraging its students and parents to participate in a consultation process that aims to identify why people are leaving the Catholic Church.
The consultation process was launched on October 7, by around a dozen church representatives from the six parishes that make up the “Soleil Levant” parish of Eastern Ontario. This includes parishes in Vankleek Hill, St. Eugène, St. Bernardin, L’Orignal, Chûte-à-Blondeau and Ste-Anne-de-Prescott. Representatives of the CSDCEO are also part of this consultation process, which includes a survey that was prepared by Brunet Sherwood Consultants.
“Our school community and our staff have the opportunity to respond to the online questionnaire. The six parishes invite participants to express the relationship between their inner spiritual life and the nature of the church as it is currently promoted by these parishes,” said CSDCEO Superintendent France Lamarche, in a written statement.
Father Gilles Marcil is seen standing outside the Saint-Grégoire de Nanzianze Catholic Church, in Vankleek Hill. Marcil is part of a committee looking into why attendance is dropping at local church services. (Photo: Tara Kirkpatrick)
The questionnaire aims to identify how people view spirituality, if they like to participate in group activities and if a traditional weekly mass remains viable in today’s society. The questionnaire also includes questions on core values and demographics.
It’s not necessary to live within the six parishes to fill out the questionnaire, but respondents are asked to indicate their postal code.
The questionnaire is available at The Review office in Vankleek Hill, on the CSDCEO website and at www.brunetsherwood.ca/content/catholic-parishes-consultation
You can also pick it up a copy of the survey at any of the local Catholic churches in the Soleil de Vent parish.
Public consultation meetings will be held by the Catholic Church on October 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Bernardin Community Centre; on October 25, at 7:30 p.m., at the St-Jean Baptiste Church, in L’Orignal; on October 26, at 7:30 p.m., at the Ste-Anne-de-Prescott Community Centre; On October 27, at 7:30 p.m., at the Chute-à-Blondeau Community Centre; On November 2, at 7:30 p.m., at the Vankleek Hill Golden Age Centre; and on November 3, at 7:30 p.m., at the Salle des Fermières in St-Eugène.
