I live in Whistler and attend Our Lady of The Mountains as a practising Catholic.
A recent article by Brandon Barrett focused on the 12 per cent of parishioners that voted against the new church and a resulting divide. In my opinion, 88 per cent of parishioners voting in favour indicates broad support for building a new church.
Barrett wrote, “Pique spoke with several parishioners who said they felt pressured to vote in favour of the expansion and that any concerns they raised were quickly brushed aside.” I didn’t have strong feelings either way regarding the new church. My experience is I neither felt coerced or pressured to vote in favour.
I found the process to discern whether to build the new church transparent and deliberate. While those opposed have their reasons, I respectfully disagree.
Barrett’s article quoted the mission of the Napa Institute’s leader Tim Busch as, “Faith formation, truth telling and uniting Catholic leaders to transform the culture ... religious liberty is attacked, right to life is attacked, transgender ideology is forced upon our children and Black Lives Matter is promoting racism, critical race theory, and destroying the nuclear family.” Yes, there are Catholics who will disagree with parts of that mission. But for large numbers of Catholics, the Napa Institute’s mission is standard fare and not controversial.
G.D. Maxwell, in his recent Maxed Out column, offered a litany criticizing the Catholic Church and declared, regarding the Napa Institute’s mission, “Which of those demeaning, humanity-stripping ideals fit well with this community and Canada in general? Here’s the short answer, father: NONE!”
I find it odd when people claim the mantel of omniscience and declare what the Whistler community, or we as Canadians believe and want. They rarely speak for me. Interestingly, Max and our current Prime Minister share this condescending trait.
