BISHOP’S DINNER SERVES UP HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Youth the focus of McGrattan’s first year helming the annual event
In the eight months since taking on the position of Calgary bishop, William McGrattan has come to appreciate the unique flavour of the West.
And next week his integration into both the Catholic diocese and also the city as a whole will be close to completion as he hosts his first Bishop’s Dinner for about 700 guests.
It is an event he’s looking forward to and one that has been put together in order to celebrate the achievements and inspirational lives of the young people of our city and beyond.
The youth theme was chosen by McGrattan to complement a future synod on young people, their faith and vocational discernment, which will take place in the fall of next year. It is also, on a more local level, a reflection of the role Alberta’s youth plays in today’s society.
“I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity at this dinner to talk about and showcase our young people and reflect on and offer those at the dinner a sense of hope because of our youth,” he said.
“Even though, at times, some young people might be questioning their faith, I think within them there is desire to move forward and see the importance of choosing vocations and choosing their right path in life. I believe it is a theme that will resonate with many par- ishes, universities, the Catholic school system and, I am hoping, will link the diocese with what is happening throughout the world.”
The dinner, which will be held at the Commonwealth Centre (1177-3962 52 Ave. N.E.) Thursday, is an annual event, but the new bishop has made some changes to the format as he tries to bring a new focus and direction to the annual celebration.
“In terms of planning, I asked for a couple to be co-chairs with myself so that it isn’t solely the bishop who is organizing things, but that some lay Catholics are invited to see this as an initiative that they can help support and plan. That is a new way of involving the laity.”
This year, Henry and Sharon van der Sloot agreed to be honorary co-chairs along with the bishop in order to establish a new vision for the dinner.
In keeping with the youth theme, proceeds from the dinner will be spread across five different organizations dealing directly with young people in Calgary, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge.
“We are hoping to raise some substantial money to assist the diocese and other agencies out in the community who work with youth and are trying to help them,” said McGrattan, noting some of those youth may be facing troubling situations, while others are searching for further education and support.
Though the structure of the dinner is changing, McGrattan believes the title of the annual event will remain — the Bishop’s Dinner being easily recognized and recalled. “Some people have asked if we were going to change the name, but when I look across Canada — and if you want to use the marketing term ‘ branding’ — then most diocese still seem to have a Bishop’s Dinner. Yes, it is easy to identify. What I am trying to do is broaden the understanding that the dinner isn’t just focusing on the bishop and what he wants to say,” added McGrattan.
With less than a week to go, almost 700 of the 750 tickets have been sold. Meanwhile, the event also provides a time for personal reflection for McGrattan, who was installed as the leading Catholic in the city in late February after arriving from Peterborough, Ont.
“Slowly, slowly, as we say, I am starting to experience not only the parishes, but also the other aspects of the diocese, working with other religious communities and seeing that there are excellent social initiatives for such collaboration, such as the interfaith Habitat for Humanity building project,” he said.
McGrattan welcomes this interfaith dialogue that is blossoming in Calgary.
It is something he sees as unique to the city and region.
Working together with other religious groups, he believes, is very important and in that, the city is an inspiration.
“Pope Francis has mentioned many times that dialogue is the bridge and we need to be able to cross over and then not only speak, but also listen,” said McGrattan.
“I have learned a lot in the eight months I have been here ... there is some uniqueness that I have learned about Calgary. I am growing to love what is so unique about the interfaith dialogues of co-operation.
“It is more than I have experienced in other parts of Canada. It says a lot about people in the West.”
I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity at this dinner to talk about and showcase our young people.