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	Quebec Cardinal Seeks Forgiveness for His Church Mea Culpa to Women, Jews, Natives, Gays Draws Fire in Quebec By Sean Gordon Toronto Star November 22, 2007 http://www.thestar.com/News/article/278869 MONTREAL–Canada's senior Roman Catholic clergyman has issued an extraordinary mea culpa for a host of historical misdeeds from sex abuse of children to anti-Semitism – raising hackles for critics of Quebec's church-dominated past. In an open letter to media, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and Roman Catholic primate for Canada, wrote: "Errors have been committed that tarnished the church's image, and for which we must humbly ask forgiveness. "I recognize that the narrow attitudes of certain Catholics prior to the 1960s favoured anti-Semitism, racism, indifference towards the First Nations and discrimination in regards to women and homosexuals," he wrote. He also indicated Catholic teachings on women's rights were out of step with society and in some cases "didn't conform even to the social doctrine of the Church." Alluding to sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy, he noted "these scandals have shaken the confidence that people have in religious authorities, and we understand. Forgive us for all this pain." His unusual public sortie raised eyebrows among Catholics. Quebec's other senior archbishop, Montreal's Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte, refused to comment. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Quebec Assembly of Catholic Bishops quickly noted Ouellet was speaking for himself. Signs of forgiveness were few. Gay activist Laurent McCutcheon said Ouellet vociferously opposes gay marriage and made "disparaging and hurtful" remarks about gays and lesbians. "For homosexuals, this sounds more like manipulation than an act of contrition." Orphelins de Duplessis, the voice for wards of the state abused by Catholic clergy while Maurice Duplessis ruled Quebec, attacked Ouellet for omitting it from his apologia. "When you ask for forgiveness, you identify what it is you're asking forgiveness for. He didn't do that," said association president Bruno Roy, who dismissed the letter as "a salvage operation." Provincial Status of Women Minister Christine St-Pierre hailed the "courageous" gesture at a Quebec City news conference but tempered her praise, saying "there's still a lot of work to be done within the Catholic church to welcome women and ensure that the equality of women is respected." Until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, the Catholic church commanded political parties, education, hospitals and social programs. Since then, pews have emptied and scores of churches have been deconsecrated and sold – or abandoned. In the late 1990s, the province won a constitutional amendment to do away with denominational school boards (in favour of boards based on language). That was seen as a sign of how weak the church had become. Quebec's curriculum next year is to end religious instruction altogether, in favour of courses on ethics, morality and world religions. That has generated fierce opposition, which may explain the letter. Ouellet conceded his gesture of "repentance and reconciliation" is a bid to re-establish Quebec's attachment to its "Christian and missionary identity." Only then will the church succeed in convincing Quebecers that it is worth passing traditions and religious knowledge on through the school system, he wrote.
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