The Multifaith Library exists to support the work of spiritual and religious
caregivers in their efforts to understand the many faiths represented in our
population. You will find resources on a broad spectrum of faith groups. We have books,
articles, websites, on-line books and a telephone for those who need quick
information or more in-depth research.
The Seventh Annual Abraham Festival, Earth Week, on April 18, 2010 @ Peterborough, ON. Our theme is 'One planet, united in faith' and we are
partnering with 'Greening Sacred Spaces' this year.
Event details are here and here
Breaking Down Barriers: a Multi-Faith Guide to Accessibility in Places of Worship
"This resource was developed by Reena in partnership with champions of accessibility for people with disabilities. This Guide outlines a step-by-step process for making your place of worship accessible to people with disabilities, based on the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07. Although some specifics may not apply, the principles outlined in this guide are useful no matter which province (or state) you live in..". Click here to see the full Guide or here
Restorative Justice in Prisons - by Chaplain Pierre Allard
Watch the Video --three part interview (read the description)
[Pierre is the Former Chaplain General and Assistant Commissioner of Corrections in Canada, more about his Just.Equipping is here]
World Religion Day Janaury 17, 2010:
The Durham Region World Religion day Multifaith Committee and Indo-Canadian Cultural Association of Durham Inc. is organizing a World Religion Day celebration in the Town of Ajax. World Region Day is an annual Multifaith celebration in over 90 countries for over 59 years and which is now in its 5th annual celebration in Durham Region. It has been hosted by the cities of Oshawa, Pickering and town of Whitby and this year the committee chose Town of Ajax.
Check the details of the event at the Town of Ajax, ON [invitation and flyer] and for a similar event at North Bay, ON.,
See the pictures
Spiritual care directors need public financing to make Canada healthy
Canwest News Service, January 11th, 2010 An unusually broad coalition of religious and secular leaders has come together to press for the re-instatement of the 12 spiritual care directors who were unceremoniously fired late last year by the Fraser Health Authority.
In the name of providing humanistic support for B.C. patients struggling with grim medical conditions, I hope this multi-spiritual coalition of religious leaders, holistic health advocates and secular politicians succeeds.
While leading-edge medical organizations around the world are providing more spiritual and emotional support for patients — aware of hundreds of studies showing a correlation with greater health — the Fraser Health Authority has turned the opposite direction and wiped out its entire spiritual care team.
The giant Fraser Health Authority, which covers the region from Hope to Burnaby, is behaving as if the spiritual directors are even less important than other health care providers it lamely defines as "non-core." continue reading
Islam Fights Extremism in UK Prisons, 7 January 2010, IslamOnline.net
Religious lectures given by imams to Muslim inmates in British jails are seen by many as the best means to tackle prisoners’ vulnerability to extremism and radicalization.
Interreligious and Multicultural Family Festival
By UPF-Canada, Central District, Sunday, December 20, 2009
Toronto, Canada - Devotional music and interfaith prayers at UPF-Canada's annual Interreligious and Multicultural Family Festival set the atmosphere for reflections about treating people from different religions and cultures with respect and compassion. Religious holidays such as Christmas offer special occasions for celebrating and for sharing with those who around us who may be in need.
More than 75 people of different religions, cultures, and ethnic groups attended the December 20 event at 215 Mavety in Toronto, organized under the leadership of Dr. Chae Hee Lee (chair of UPF-Canada), Dr. Hoossen Auckberaullee, and Rev. Mitch Dixon. Continue reading
Parliament of World Religions: A Report by Imam Dr. Abdul Hai Patel
Lawsuit threatened over atheist city council member, Tikkun Daily, by: Be Scofield on December 14th, 2009
OMNI.1 airs encore of "The Last Rite" documentary; Produced and directed by Gina Valle
English language version – Sunday, December 26h at 11PM ET; The Last Rite provides an overview of the perceptions and rituals surrounding death -- the last rite of passage – with specific emphasis on the Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim religious communities...
OMNI TV’s Documentary @ OMNI’s Website: here and here. For further information, please see www.ginavalle.com
Why Interfaith Dialogue? By Abdul Malik Mujahid
I saw two groups demonstrating against the Parliament of World Religions at Cape Town University in South Africa in 1999. One was of white Christians and the other of Indian Muslims. They were standing apart from each other despite their common cause against the Parliament. What probably inspired them to oppose the Parliament was also that which kept them away from each other.
After a couple of days, I noticed that they were standing closer to each other and even talking to each other. Ironically, it seemed like the Parliament had even forced its opposition into dialogue.
Silence may not kill, but dialogue definitely heals. continue reading / Also, view / read / here: Charter for Compassion
Fraser Health axes model spiritual care program
By Jim Coggins. "VOLUNTEERS and social workers have said they will not be able to fill the gap left by the Fraser Health Authority's decision to eliminate a dozen paid spiritual care coordinators from its acute care facilities." continue reading
see also: Fraser Health Authority flouts Supreme Court ruling
OMC's Spiritual and Religious Care Awareness Week October 18 - 24, 2009: Hope for a New Beginning
- OMC's
- Open House: Event details;
- Bendale Acres: Event details;
- At Metro Hall: Proclamations for the year 2009: City of Toronto
-
RMC South East Regions' Picture, Report:
Spiritual and Religious Care Awareness Week Events in Peterborough:
On Thursday, October 22, 2009, the Peterborough Regional Health Centre hosted two events in honour of Spiritual Care Awareness Week. In the afternoon, a lively panel composed of Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, and Buddhist representatives answered questions regarding their religious traditions and health care related issues. Moderated by retired chaplain Rev. Donovan Brown, the discussion ranged from explaining basic tenets to sharing perspectives on medical procedures and rituals at time of death.
After a light supper, the participants gathered in the Multifaith Centre for a prayer service, marked by song, silence, and spoken prayers from a dozen different traditions. Participants included faith group representatives, lay visitors, visiting clergy, health care workers, hospital staff, Ontario Multifaith Council members, and other community members.
These two events did indeed contain hope for a new beginning in understanding of our diverse spiritual needs.- Event looks at healing for victims of violence, by Bob Tees, Chaplain Brant Community Healthcare System, Brantford Expositor
Extract: "Once, at Brantford General, I was explaining to someone what a chaplain is and does. I said that, just as churches have ministers, mosques have Imams and synagogues have rabbis, institutions have chaplains. Chaplains serve in hospitals, prisons, universities, colleges, high schools and the military. They provide spiritual support to people of any perspective or faith. The person I was explaining this to said, "Oh, you're the Father Mulcahy!" We laughed as we remembered the kind, quirky chaplain from TV's M*A*S*H. Throughout the province, the Ontario Multifaith Council is sponsoring its annual week to promote awareness of resources for spiritual and religious care. When people talk with chaplains, questions like these come up:
>>What can we hope for? >>How do we make sense of life in times of suffering and catastrophe? >>Where do we find courage to live, love and create? >>What comforts us in our times of deepest heartbreak? >>How can we become a little bit freer from addictions and obsessions? >>Where do I put my faith? >>What do we make of religious institutions that are sometimes a source of truth and peace, and other times stupid and corrupt?"
- Brockville Spiritual and Religious Care Awareness Week Event's Details: Free Public Presentation, For Caregivers, Read the report;
See the picture.
- Advance planning for spiritual care, by Rev. Barbara Moulton, Co-ordinator of Pastoral Care, Headwaters Health Care Centre, The Orangeville Banner -- see also: Caring for
My Spirit: A gift for my family and friends - More news... coming soon ...
Restorative Justice Week 2009, November 15-22, 2009, Theme:"Communities Responding to Human Needs." click here for details.
Science and Spiritual Awareness Week 2009, March 29 - April 5, 2009| Morehouse CollegeTheme: The Mature Spirituality of a Renaissance Man
Content updated:March 11, 2010-->-->-->
- Event looks at healing for victims of violence, by Bob Tees, Chaplain Brant Community Healthcare System, Brantford Expositor