Patrick Jamieson, Victoria

A pertinent bit of news at this time is a development being planned for a years time. Titled ‘The Prophetic Vision of Remi De Roo’.
February 24, 2024, will be Bishop Remi De Roo’s 100th birthday. As I am sure you are aware, he passed away about a year ago at this time and the occasion was marked by his funeral mass here in Victoria and a celebratory life issue of ICN which included commentary on his life, person and accomplishment from many levels in church and society.

Plans are underway with the Centre for Religion and Society at University Victoria for a further celebration in a years time. Cardinal Michael Czerny, who brought greetings from Pope Francis a year ago, has agreed to be the keynote speaker at the event. Details of the event will be carried in ICN as the planning unfolds.

At this point, a two day event is visualized exploring the themes of the Bishops work between 1950 the year of his ordination to priesthood, his attendance at Vatican II in the 1960s and his international profile as Bishop of Victoria for 38 years, up until his death at age 97, more than twenty years after retirement during which time he continued as a strong advocate of the reforms of Vatican II.
While we are dependent, as you know, on your donations for the newspaper, we wish to offer this situation where designated donation to help with this conference can be forwarded through ICN with its charitable status to issue tax receipts.

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Program details include an estimated budget of $17,000, principally for the costs of speakers including the Friday night by Cardinal Czerny. Three other major speakers on Saturday will focus on The Bishop’s role in The Church, Society and as a Person. Confirmation of these keynote speaker has not been established, their travel and accommodations are significant budget items.

In terms of group discussion, it is very important to have participants with plenty of on-the-ground personal experience of the bishop during his 37.5 year tenure between 1962 and 1999 as an international leader and Bishop of Victoria.
Many of our subscribers fit into that category and the event will only be a success with serious participation by such resource persons.

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The organizing and planning committee consists of Paul Bramadat, director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Society (CSRS) at The University of Victoria, an institution which Bishop De Roo was instrumental in establishing. Doug Roche of Edmonton, one of Bishop De Roo’s long term friends and working associates, and Pearl Gervais of Victoria, his executor, are also key members of the committee.

Both Roche and Gervais have co-authored books with the bishop. Ms. Gervais is currently working on another book, this one derived from Bishop De Roo’s talks and occasional writings. It is planned that book will be available at the symposium.

One of the hoped for purposes of the centenary event is to solicit a full historical study of the Bishops life, work, accomplishments and prophetic spirit; a full academic objective study. A volume is also anticipated derived from the talks and proceedings of the event itself.

As the author of three books on Remi De Roo myself, I am eager to participate and help plan the event. During our latest planning meeting at CSRS in February, a number of scholars associated with the centre sat in on some general question and answer discussion about the event and our experience of the bishop itself. It was quite striking how this gathering of discursive authors and scholars all had stories and anecdotes and reflections on the effect of Remi De Roo’s pastoral leadership style and efforts in their own lives.

The symposium will be most successful if it can draw in attendance similar sort of woven web of experience from the participants. At this time of writing nearly a thousand dollars has come in through ICN for the successful prospect of the event.