Canadian Catholic Spirituality: Saints and Sinners over Four Centuries

The spirituality of Canadian Catholics from the seventeenth century to the present is a story based on Canadian history which inspires Canadians in the twenty-first century. The study uses traditional historical sources to focus on the spiritual meaning of the Canadian story. Canadian spirituality emerged during the colonization of New France, refocused during the British administration, included Roman spirituality in the nineteenth century, and after Vatican II was redirected into the multicultural world. What is new in this study is the profound understanding of Canadian Catholic spirituality which emerged from studies of the last forty years. Religious workers in these four hundred years, such as Jean de Brebeuf, Marguerite Bourgeoys, Marguerite d'Youville, and D'Arcy McGee promoted Christian faith and service. The stories told here are those of both saints and sinners who revealed their spirituality through their lives of prayer, understanding, and good works. As the title indicates, both their saintly and unsaintly acts are included in their stories. Scholarly colleagues such as William Ryan SJ, Archbishop Attila Mikloshazy SJ, and Professor Mark G. McGowan clarified issues in the text. The Jackman Foundation provided assistance for the publication costs. Let me express my appreciation to the members of Tellwell Publishers of Victoria for the finished volume. I am most grateful for the help received in preparing the manuscript.