Page 254 - spiritual_accompaniment_montreal_archdiocese

PASTORAL LETTERS

As we are now between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and as we begin to appreci-
ate the downtime we have experienced together for the past two months, I support those
efforts to establish Sunday as a common day of rest. Our longstanding tradition is one of
observing Sunday as a day of rest. Reasons may vary — religious, psychological, philo-
sophical or social — but as a society, might it not be possible to recognize the need for a
common day of rest? For some, it will be a day devoted to God; for others, a day for the
family; and for others, a day for the environment – a common day dedicated to rest because
we all need to pause and breathe: individuals, families, society and the planet, our common
home, as Pope Francis reminds us. Even the economy needs a chance to catch its breath,
given that its primary resource is people. We need to take time to breathe together in order
to remain together: the family together, which is the building block of society; society
together in all its complexity; and the Church together, to bear witness to Jesus Christ who
is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, together, let us recognize the many initiatives under-
taken for the benefit of society, the participation of different Christian denominations,
different religions and different humanistic approaches. A democracy requires the
participation of all. Let us do our part to stand together and to overcome COVID-19. Let
us resolve to put the spiritual dimension of our personal, family and faith life first. Let us
help create a society that moves ever closer to nurturing all aspects of our quality of life by
establishing a common day of rest, which for Christians is the “Day of the Lord.”

(cont’d)

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 254