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	Canada's Senior Catholic Apologizes for Sins By Ingrid Peritz and Tu Thanh Ha Globe and Mail November 22, 2007 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071122.CHURCH22/TPStory/National MONTREAL — Canada's senior Roman Catholic clergyman has issued a sweeping apology for the church's historical sins in Quebec, trying to rehabilitate the institution's image just as debate rages in the province over religion and identity. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec City and primate of Canada, admitted that some Catholics' narrow-minded attitudes in the past bred anti-Semitism, racism and discrimination against women and homosexuals. The cardinal's mea culpa, expressed in a letter to newspapers in the province, also recognized that priests sexually abused children and scolded women for not bearing more children. "These scandals shook the confidence of the people toward religious authorities, and we understand that," Cardinal Ouellet wrote. "Forgive us for all this harm!" While some called the cardinal's apology both unprecedented and courageous, the act of repentance by a religious leader known for his conservative views was also met by widespread skepticism. Cardinal Ouellet has faced heavy criticism since telling Quebec's Bouchard-Taylor commission on reasonable accommodation last month that "secular fundamentalism" had contributed to current social ills there. Still, his words generated extensive coverage in the province, where church leaders rarely make news. Gays, women and orphans abused by the church said the cardinal didn't go far enough, and many took him to task for acknowledging the church's past errors - mistakes made before 1960 - while remaining silent on present church doctrine. "You can't recognize the errors of the past if you don't commit to changing the present," said Michèle Asselin, president of the Quebec Federation of Women. The church still shows no openness to contraception, gay unions, or women in the priesthood, she said. "As long as women can't occupy the same positions as men, we have to recognize there's still discrimination within the Catholic Church." Observers say the cardinal decided to issue the personal apology after his comments to the travelling Bouchard-Taylor commission generated so much criticism. Some also say he's trying to reposition the church, which has largely fallen out of favour in the secular province. "He's trying to get closer to people but he doesn't know how," said Rev. Raymond Gravel, a maverick Catholic priest who supports gay marriage and is a Bloc Québécois MP. "But neither could he do a 180-degree turn within three weeks. So he started slow by saying that he recognized the shortcomings of the past." But like others, Father Gravel noted that Cardinal Ouellet stopped short of addressing current criticism of the Catholic church. "I don't doubt he is sincere but maybe he's disconnected from real life." Cardinal Ouellet's missive was drafted without consulting the Quebec Bishops' Conference (even though the cardinal made a point of signing his text with a mention that he is primate of Canada, the honorary senior church leader). Some see it as a sign he's ready to act independently, without consulting colleagues. "He's not reluctant to carve out a position and talk in public about these issues," said Daniel Cere, a professor of religion and public policy at McGill University. "He seems to be a bit of a Lone Ranger." The letter marked a remarkable turnaround for a man seen as a traditionalist and who used his first homily after his 2003 installation as archbishop to chastise Quebeckers for failing to appreciate their Catholic heritage. Cardinal Ouellet had also spoken out against the influence of the news media, the "Marxist" approach of school teachers and the importance of traditional marriages. He stayed on his traditionalist message before the Bouchard-Taylor commission, linking Quebec's problems to "the spiritual vacuum created by the religious and cultural breakdown." The remarks garnered little sympathy from Quebec's opinion makers. One columnist called him "the Catholic Imam." Former trade union leader Gérald Larose said the cardinal's ideas were "totalitarian, hegemonic and predating modernity." Still, observers say yesterday's apology, an attempt to return Quebeckers to their Catholic roots, was far-reaching for such a senior church leader. "An admission of sin is always a serious moment," Prof. Cere said. "Maybe the church is taking some responsibility and saying, 'We've lost credibility because we have sinned.' Part of getting your act back together is a classic Catholic pattern of admission of wrongdoing." "The pain is in the church itself," Prof. Cere said, "and Cardinal Ouellet is a voice that is trying to speak to the pain instead of just talk the happy talk."
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