A storm of questions and concerns has broken over the new directive prohibiting military chaplains from invoking God at public military events, prompting Scott McCaig, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of Canada (a special diocese that covers all military personnel) to issue a statement pointing to the inconsistencies and lack of clarity in the new “spiritual reflection policy.”

Declaring his intention to pursue the matter with political and military leaders, his statement asked the faithful to pray for our freedoms to be protected, and for the repose of our fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives for those freedoms.

Stemming from a Supreme Court of Canada decision of 2015, called the Saguenay decision, the spiritual reflection policy is intended to ensure that public events “shall be inclusive in nature, and respectful of the religious and spiritual diversity of Canada.”   The court in that ruling had  decided that city of Saguenay breached its duty by reciting a prayer at municipal council meetings and  the city was” adopting, professing, or favouring one religion to the exclusion of others.” 

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“This is wokeism going too far,” Fr. Tim Nelligan, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Ottawa told The Catholic Register. “Diversity, inclusivity and equality” is leading to discrimination the against the vast majority in our country.”

Still, no hint of controversy or fears Canada was heading down an atheistic path marred the celebration of a Solemn Mass of Remembrance at Ottawa’s iconic Notre Dame Basilica.  Bishop McCaig presided over the Mass, with Fr. Nelligan as Master of Ceremonies and  notables such as  Apostolic Nuncio Ivan Jurkovic, Bishop Marcel Damphousse of Ottawa-Cornwall, and Archbishop Emeritus Terence Prendergast participating.

Bishop McCaig is a civilian, and not a military chaplain, so the directive does not apply to him, explained Fr. Nelligan.  However, the distinction between private and public events is far from clear in the language of the policy and the directive, and is open to interpretation.

Bishop McCaig’s homily followed two themes. It was an homage to the soldiers who  laid down their lives for our freedom, but also emphasized the importance of creating peace and preventing war, by upholding the Christian principles of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Quoting Saint John Paul II, McCaig said: “War is always a defeat to humanity,” and added that war must only be undertaken as a last resort when all else fails. He said St. Augustine had made it abundantly clear, that wars should be fought only for the sake of securing peace.

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“There’s a brutal human cost to war,” he said. "Pope Francis has invited us to touch the wounds of those who suffered in wars.” 

He added it’s important to listen to the stories of victims of violence, such as refugees and displaced people, mothers who lost their children, and children who were maimed and orphaned.

Quoting St. Edith Stein's comparison of war with the unleashing of hell on earth, McCaig said:. “Our veterans know the truth of her conviction.”

“We live in an age of terror, and the trampling of human dignity has become the reality of our times. We have a moral obligation to defend the defenceless, and we must remember all who had served the cause of peace. We as Catholics must look first to the Prince of Peace, and change our own hearts and the hearts of those in power.”

At the end of the Mass, there was an opportunity for people to venerate a relic of St. Martin of Tours, the patron saint of soldiers. St. Martin was a soldier who later became a priest in fourth century France. His shrine in Tours is a famous stopping point for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.

Lt. General (retired) Stuart Beare, who was there with his wife France, said he came to remember prayerfully. those in his family and others who had served in the armed forces. 

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“We’ve been a military family for 40 years. Remembrance Day is so heartwarming, he said, noting that after the Mass the family were going to the National Military Cemetery to pay or respects to  his mother and father who are buried there.

Jarod St. Pierre of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa said: “It’s my first time playing the bagpipes at Remembrance Day Mass at this cathedral. I’m really excited, because I am a Catholic, and this is the biggest cathedral in Ottawa.”