Team Effort

Introduction

     The following is a letter written to the papal nuncio in Ottawa in support of Bishop Remi De Roo. It is hoped that he can be given special recognition by Pope Francis for his decades of service to the values and principles of The Second Vatican Council. Having attained the age of 90, De Roo’s numerous fans and supporters are hoping to use the occasion for this purpose. The regular channels for such a missive is through the Vatican's Ambassador to Canada, the papal nuncio in Ottawa. The effort appears to be more of a spontaneous groundswell rather than a systematically organized project, utilizing the immediacy of the internet. 

Introduction

     The following is a letter written to the papal nuncio in Ottawa in support of Bishop Remi De Roo. It is hoped that he can be given special recognition by Pope Francis for his decades of service to the values and principles of The Second Vatican Council. Having attained the age of 90, De Roo’s numerous fans and supporters are hoping to use the occasion for this purpose. The regular channels for such a missive is through the Vatican's Ambassador to Canada, the papal nuncio in Ottawa. The effort appears to be more of a spontaneous groundswell rather than a systematically organized project, utilizing the immediacy of the internet. 

    We invite you to send this letter on behalf of Bishop Emeritus Remi De Roo to your contacts so that the office of the Nunciature's diplomatic bag to the Vatican will be full!
    This letter is intended for friends anywhere who have been impacted by Bishop De Roo's life. Please use this letter, modify it, or write your own version. Send the letter ASAP to: 

Most Reverend Luigi Bonazzi
Apostolic Nunciature
724 Manor Avenue
Rockcliffe Park
Ottawa, ON  K1M 0E3

     Most Holy Father Francis
     It is with great pleasure that we, the undersigned persons and groups, greet you as you come closer to the first anniversary of your election as Pope.  Your choice of “Francis” as your name fills us with hope and inspiration. We all live in a world of chaos and fear. Like you, we wish to become “channels of peace”.  As communities of faith, we too are a pilgrim people, looking to our faith tradition to guide us into the future.
     We follow in the spirit of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council convened by His Holiness, the Blessed John XXIII. Not only the Catholic community, but also many communities of other Christian communions, found inspiration and hope in the pastoral directions coming from the Council Fathers.
     Among them was our own Bishop Emeritus, Remi J. De Roo, who was called to be a bishop by Pope John XXIII in 1962 and attended all four sessions of the Council. Bishop De Roo was designated by Pope John XXIII as his “Benjamin”, the youngest of the North American Council Fathers, and he was given a ring from the hand of the Pope to mark this designation. 
     For 38 years Bishop De Roo was the bishop of our Island diocese, faithfully shepherding our community with his faith and his keen desire to translate the spirit of the Council into the lived faith of the community. On Vancouver  Island church communities of other communions also recognized the leadership of Bishop De Roo and welcomed his presence at many ecumenical events.
     Upon his retirement at the age of 75, Bishop De Roo expanded his outreach to the world to share his enthusiasm to communicate the insights and vision of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. He has travelled the world, even to mainland China, to lecture on Vatican II. At the age of 90 Bishop De Roo maintains a busy calendar, as teacher and spiritual guide, reaching out to all who want to learn more about this extraordinary Council.
     On  April 27 of this year, two of your predecessors will be canonized.  Blessed John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II will be formally named as Saints of the Universal Church. Our Bishop Emeritus, Remi De Roo, intends to be in Rome to celebrate this happy event.
     We, who have learned so much from Bishop De Roo, from his guidance as pastor and his formal teaching as bishop for 38 years, understand how important this event is to him personally. We hope that the “Benjamin” of Vatican II be recognized, along with all Council Fathers, in a special manner. We suggest that perhaps few bishops in the world have understood or promoted the spirit of Vatican II with the same zeal as our Bishop Emeritus Remi De Roo. This is our heartfelt desire, as in our hearts we travel with Bishop De Roo, to celebrate this great event.