Vatican opens prayer room for Muslims

Yet another step preparing the way for the religion of the Antichrist, as reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Israel365 News, October 19, 2025 (links in original):

The Vatican Apostolic Library, one of the world’s most prestigious repositories of religious scholarship, has confirmed it now provides a dedicated prayer space for Muslim academics visiting its collections. This move has ignited passionate debate about the growing ties between the Vatican and Islam.

The revelation emerged from an interview between Italian newspaper La Repubblica and Father Giacomo Cardinali, the 48-year-old Vice Prefect of the Vatican Library. Speaking casually about the institution’s role as a global research hub, Father Cardinali disclosed: “Some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying and we have given it to them.”

The comment, embedded in a broader discussion about the library’s digitization efforts and extraordinary collection, has since reverberated through Catholic and interfaith circles worldwide.

The decision represents a historic departure from Vatican tradition. As the center of the Catholic Church, Vatican City State has never before hosted non-Catholic places of worship within its borders. The world’s smallest sovereign nation—with a population of approximately 800 residents—consists entirely of Catholic citizenry and clergy. The establishment of a prayer space for Islamic worship, even in the context of academic hospitality, marks an unprecedented accommodation in the Vatican’s 95-year history as an independent state.

This makes Father Cardinali’s seemingly casual announcement all the more significant, as it introduces for the first time a designated space for non-Catholic religious practice within the walls of Vatican City.

Orthodox Jewish law forbids Jews from praying inside or even entering a Catholic church.

Catholicism and Islam are not theologically compatible as Islam considers Catholicism to be idolatry. Catholicism affirms the Trinity and Islam strictly rejects any division or plurality in the divine. Its foundational doctrine, Tawḥīd, asserts the absolute oneness of Allah. Associating anyone or anything with God — called shirk — is considered the gravest sin in Islam. In Islam, Jesus (ʿĪsā ibn Maryam) is a prophet and messenger of Allah, not divine. Islam denies the divinity of Jesus, the incarnation (God becoming man), and the atonement through the crucifixion. In Islamic theology, Jesus is subordinate to Allah.

Founded in 1475 by Pope Sixtus IV, the Vatican Library houses approximately 80,000 manuscripts, 1.6 million printed books, 100,000 engravings and prints, and countless artifacts from diverse civilizations. Among its treasures are “incredibly old Qurans” alongside Hebrew, Ethiopian, Arabic, and Chinese texts that span centuries of human knowledge.

Father Cardinali emphasized the institution’s universal character. “We are a universal library, with Arabic, Jewish, Ethiopian collections, and unique Chinese pieces,” he explained, noting that the library even discovered it holds “the oldest medieval Japanese archive outside of Japan.”

The prayer room provision appears to be a pragmatic response to the needs of international researchers rather than a formal policy announcement. The library admits up to 60 scholars daily, requiring applications that include letters of introduction, proof of academic qualifications, and valid identification. While the institution already accommodates various scholarly needs—from ergonomic workstations to archival gloves—this marks the first publicly acknowledged provision for Islamic worship on Vatican grounds.

Father Cardinali framed the decision as routine hospitality within an academic context, describing it as part of the Vatican’s effort to support a diverse international scholarly community rather than a theological statement.

The gesture is a continuation by Pope Leo XIV, who ascended to the papacy in May 2025, of the policies of Pope Francis.

In his inaugural address, the new pontiff invoked the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, stressing the importance of “fraternity” between Catholicism and Islam. Under his leadership, the Vatican has hosted several inter-religious events, including a joint Christian-Muslim prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East in July.

In contrast, the Vatican has frequently ignored the validity of Judaism. During a 12-day tour of four Southeast Asia and Oceania nations, Pope Francis gave an address, stating that different religions are all; paths to god. When detailing this, he omitted Judaism. In 2021, Pope Francis hosted an inter-religious prayer service titled “Prayer for the sons and daughters of Abraham” at a ziggurat marking the site in Iraq purported to be the birthplace of Abraham. The event was attended by Christians, Muslims, Mandaean-Sabaean, Yazidi and other religious groups. No Jews were invited.

The prayer room disclosure has drawn sharp criticism from traditionalist Catholic voices who view it as a dangerous compromise of Catholic identity.

LifeSiteNews, a conservative Catholic news outlet, quoted Deacon Nick Donnelly calling the move “a total betrayal of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” arguing that permitting non-Christian worship in a Catholic space undermines the Church’s evangelistic mission. Novus Ordo Watch, a sedevacantist blog representing ultra-traditionalist Catholics, condemned it as “Vatican II theology in action.”

Many critics have highlighted what they perceive as a lack of reciprocity, noting that non-Muslims are strictly forbidden from entering Islam’s holy city of Mecca. Some characterized the decision as “effectively allowing a rival faith to set up shop on its property.”

The unprecedented nature of the accommodation has intensified these concerns, with critics arguing that allowing non-Catholic worship in Vatican City itself—not merely in Catholic institutions abroad—crosses a symbolic threshold that compromises the Holy See’s unique identity.

The friendliness of the Roman Catholic Church toward Islam goes back at least as far as the Second Vatican Council, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided a page full of Vatican Council and Papal Statements on Islam from 1964-2013. There are too many quotes to be include in this blog post, so the reader is invited to click on the preceding link. Here are a few early examples, which may come as a surprise to those who think that the attitudes of Popes Francis and Leo XIV are a recent phenomenon.

107. Then we see another circle around us. This too is vast in extent, yet not so far away from us. It comprises first of all those men who worship the one supreme God, whom we also worship. We would mention first the Jewish people, who still retain the religion of the Old Testament, and who are indeed worthy of our respect and love. Then we have those worshipers who adhere to other monotheistic systems of religion, especially the Moslem religion. We do well to admire these people for all that is good and true in their worship of God. (Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam suam, August 6, 1964)

16...But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. (Second Vatican Council, Lumen gentium, November 21, 1964)

3. The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom. (Second Vatican Council, Nostra aetate, October 28, 1965)

“I deliberately address you as brothers: that is certainly what we are, because we are members of the same human family, whose efforts, whether people realize it or not, tend toward God and the truth that comes from him. But we are especially brothers in God, who created us and whom we are trying to reach, in our own ways, through faith, prayer and worship, through the keeping of his law and through submission to his designs.

“But are you not, above all, brothers of the Christians of this great country, through the bonds of nationality, history, geography, culture, and hope for a better future, a future that you are building together? Is it not right to think that in the Philippines, the Muslims and the Christians are really traveling on the same ship, for better or for worse, and that in the storms that sweep across the world the safety of each individual depends upon the efforts and cooperation of all?...

“I salute all this efforts [of civic and political cooperation] with great satisfaction, and I earnestly encourage their extension. Society cannot bring citizens the happiness that they expect from it unless society itself is built upon dialogue. Dialogue in turn is built upon trust, and trust presupposes not only justice but mercy. Without any doubt, equality and freedom, which are at the foundation of every society, require law and justice. But as I said in a recent letter addressed to the whole Catholic Church, justice by itself is not enough: ‘The equality brought by justice is limited to the realms of objective and extrinsic goods, while love and mercy bring it about that people meet one another in that value which is man himself, with the dignity that is proper to him’ (Dives in misericordia, encyclical letter ‘On the Mercy of God’).

“Dear Muslims, my brothers: I would like to add that we Christians, just like you, seek the basis and model of mercy in God himself, the God to whom your Book gives the very beautiful name of al-Rahman, while the Bible calls him al-Rahum, the Merciful One.” (Pope John Paul II, address to representatives of Muslims of the Philippines, February 20, 1981)

"Interfaith" service is appropriate for the retirement of United Church of Canada pastrix

I don't see any mention of alphabet perverts in the following article, but every other base seems to have been touched, providing moer evidence, as if was needed, to prove that the United Church of Canada is hopelessly apostate. As reported, with his typically idiotic liberal bias, by John Longhurst in the Winnipeg Free Press, June 30, 2023 (updated July 1, 2023):

I don’t know what heaven is like. But there may have been a clue June 11 at Westworth United Church.

That was the day the church acknowledged the retirement of its minister, Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd, with a service of gratitude and celebration.

What made the service a bit like heaven was how it included not only Christian scriptures and liturgy, but those from other faith traditions such as Islam and Judaism, along with contributions from Indigenous people.

The service opened with a treaty acknowledgment and included a Hebrew chant for peace and readings from the Hebrew scriptures, the Qu’ran and the New Testament — along with traditional hymns and choruses.

Participants in the service included Izzeddin Hawamda, originally from the West Bank in Palestine; Humaira Jaleel, founder and executive director of Healthy Muslim Families; Idris Knapp, executive director of Winnipeg’s Central Mosque; Rabbanit Dorit Kosmin, an interfaith health-care chaplain who has also worked as a cantor and Jewish educator; Cree elder and former United Church of Canada minister Stan McKay; Rabbi Kliel Rose of Congregation Etz Chayim; Anass Sebbahi, a Muslim musician; Rachel Landrecht, a sacred singer and songwriter; and Jedediyah Swampy of Sagkeeng First Nation, a traditional singer and drummer.

It was a joyous service from the opening introit, through the anthem and the Taize chant to the reading of scriptures, the hymns and postlude — albeit tinged with a bit of sadness at seeing a much-loved minister depart the church.

After the service, I asked MacKenzie Shepherd why she chose an interfaith service for her farewell.

It grew out of the church’s history of interfaith involvement, along with her own personal commitment to engaging with people from other faith groups, she said, adding “I have long believed that the only way through generational conflicts between cultures and faiths is a third way that emerges between entrenched, oppositional sides.”

For her, “to find this third way requires us to listen deeply with compassion to views that may be anathema to what we believe. But as we listen, we develop relationships of trust where the other can know that they are safe in our presence. We may respectfully disagree, but we commit to standing with each other against societal hostility, such as antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and homophobia.”

MacKenzie Shepherd also believes triangulation is key to bringing diverse faith communities together — not focusing on interfaith dialogue but asking people to give attention to some other justice-related topic or issue.

For Westworth, the thing they focused on was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. MacKenzie Shepherd brought together people from the Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist communities, along with Indigenous people, to discuss those calls. In the process, “trusting relationships” were established, she said, leading to greater interfaith engagement.

Those meetings “touched a spiritual need” and fostered a “deep desire to come together,” she said.

So when she was asked what kind of gathering she wanted for her retirement service, bringing people from those groups together for an interfaith worship service was an obvious choice.

“This is the first time that both Westworth and I have ever been part of such a service,” she said, adding it was “a natural culmination of all of our work together.”

Evangelical churches in Canada use Covid-19 as an opportunity to team up with unbelievers in promoting an antichrist agenda

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? II Corinthians 6:14

As annoying as the Covid-19 "plandemic" has been, it has served the useful purpose of revealing the advanced state of the apostasy of professing Evangelical Christianity. The material in this post provides an explanation for why Evanjellyfish have been so silent in the face of governmental abuses of power (such as the imprisonment of Christian pastors such as James Coates and Artur Pawlowski). The organization responsible for this project of alleged Christian compassion has been kind enough to publish the names of its partners and supporters, providing ample evidence that they comprise a cage of unclean birds (Revelation 18:2). Submitted for your approval, the following item, as posted by Kristen Parker on the website of the Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada, June 10, 2021 (bold, links in original):

Love My Neighbour

A member of an Alliance church has developed a project to enable Canadians to express their appreciation for their COVID-19 vaccine by paying it forward to people in vulnerable populations around the world.

Sara Hildebrand, a member and worship leader at Toronto Alliance Church, is the project coordinator for the Love My Neighbour project “a national movement for global vaccine equity inspired by Millennium Kids and Canadian faith communities.” The project was inspired by Matthew 15, where Jesus feeds 4000 people with only a few loaves of bread and some fish. Hildebrand believes that if we all play a small role, we can make a big difference!

Many Canadians have had the privilege of receiving their first vaccine—and some have even received their second. Over 2 billion vaccines have been administered globally, yet still less than 1% of low-income countries have received their first dose.

Through the Love My Neighbour campaign, Canadians have an incredible opportunity to express their gratitude for the vaccines that we will receive by gifting vaccines to vulnerable populations around the world through UNICEF. Through a $25 donation, you can gift a 2-dose vaccine to a global neighbour. This includes: the vaccine, transport, cold-chain protection, health worker training, and safe disposal of needles and waste.

Love My Neighbour wants to see every Canadian gift a $25 donation to vaccinate another individual. With approximately 38 million Canadians, we would be able to work together to help end the pandemic.

There are ways for cities, businesses, churches, families, teams, friend groups, individuals, and more to get involved with the Love My Neighbour Campaign. People are getting creative, and we encourage you to do the same!

At Toronto Alliance Church the quiz team raised donations for vaccines by running a fundraiser where they quoted all of the verses they’ve memorized in Matthew this year. Eight students and their coaches quoted over 1400 verses on a Sunday afternoon. They raised over $2500, providing over 100 vaccines to individuals in low-income countries.

Mayors are choosing to make their cities a Love My Neighbour city. They are encouraging their residents to get involved. Businesses are making donations on behalf of each of their employees. Churches are creating donation pages and encouraging and inspiring their members to increase their giving. There are classrooms that are learning about social justice who are raising donations and learning about their impact. An engaged couple has asked their guests to donate vaccines instead of give gifts! People across Canada are coming together to ensure that our global neighbours have the opportunity to be vaccinated!

June 11-13 the leaders of the G7 countries will be meeting for the UK G7 Summit. Their conversations will be focused on vaccines, and how we can work together to end the pandemic. Hildebrand is hopeful that Canada will make a commitment to return 10% of our vaccine doses to the global distributor of vaccines, COVAX, beginning now, so they can give them to low-income countries.

Ways to Get Involved:

Make a donation! $25 can change someone’s life.

Send a letter to your MP.

Share about the project with your church, employer, mayor, friends, family, team, or anyone you can think of!

At the time the above item was posted, there was abundant evidence that the "vaccines" were actually harming and killing people rather than helping them, and the evidence for that is greater now than it was then; readers are invited to research this for themselves. Professing Christians are promoting a procedure that is not only not helpful, but is weakening and killing the very neighbours whom they profess to love. Even if the vax weren't harmful, the Love My Neighbour project isn't at all about loving my neighbour in any sense of Christian compassion, but is actually about supporting the United Nations, as one can see after clicking on the links at Love My Neighbour's website. Submitted for your approval (bold, capitals, links in original):

Love My Neighbour

The Project

Join Love My Neighbour, and help UNICEF provide COVID-19 vaccines to the world’s most vulnerable people.

Love My Neighbour is a national movement for global vaccine equity, inspired by Millennium Kids and Canadian faith communities, to raise funds to help increase equitable access and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable populations around the world.

Gift a 2-dose vaccine to a global neighbour with your donation of $25 CD, or split the cost with a friend.

This includes vaccines, per-person cost for transport, cold chain protection, health worker training, and safe disposal of needles and waste.

Global vaccination against COVID-19 is the biggest health project in our lifetime - and you can help! Our goal is to supply 38 million vaccines to our neighbours living in lower-income countries – that’s one for each grateful Canadian.

By donating or setting up a fundraiser, you’ll help write the ending of our global pandemic story. Thank you for joining us.

Media Kit

Background Information

Love My Neighbour is the national movement for global vaccine equity, inspired by Millennium Kids and Canadian faith communities. We are collaborating to tackle the biggest health project in our lifetime -- global vaccination against COVID-19 -- by increasing the equitable access and delivery of vaccines to vulnerable populations around the world. Our goal is to supply 38 million additional vaccines to our neighbours living in lower-income countries – that’s one for each grateful Canadian.

WHY

In Canada, we can wait in confidence with gratitude knowing our government has already procured enough vaccines for our entire population. Canadians will be vaccinated in 2021. But we know delayed vaccinations around the world could put everyone at risk of additional COVID variants for years to come. COVAX AMC was designed to supply COVID-19 vaccines to the poorest 92 low and low-middle income countries—more than half the world’s population. But the 1.3 billion COVAX doses planned for 2021 will protect less than 20% of our four billion global neighbours. COVAX AMC’s massive and ambitious vaccination plan will not sufficiently protect four billion living in the developing world, nor end the pandemic in 2021 – they need our help. Every Love My Neighbour donation will increase the number of vaccines delivered to our global family.

HOW

Love My Neighbour is partnering with UNICEF, faith communities, corporations, NGOs, community groups and individuals across the country to reach our goal. We are inviting Canadians to help supply additional vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable people. Every $25 donation helps fund everything needed for UNICEF to deliver a vaccine to people in the world’s hardest-to-reach places. This includes vaccines, per-person cost for transport, cold chain protection, health worker training, and safe disposal of needles and waste. Donations can be made through UNICEF at www.LoveMyNeighbourProject.org

Love My Neighbour is also inviting Canadian businesses to take up our corporate challenge to give one vaccine forward for each employee, and encourage employees to join the movement too.

KEY PLAYERS

COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is co-led by CEPI, Gavi and WHO – working in partnership with developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, UNICEF, the World Bank, and others. It is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries. The Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC) was created to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the poorest 92 low- and middle-income countries, as identified by COVAX, throughout 2021.

UNICEF is tasked with the global distribution and administration of the COVID19 vaccines procured by COVAX AMC. UNICEF’s global presence and expertise make UNICEF the only organization capable of delivering the vaccines equitably and on a global scale. Love My Neighbour funds will be used by UNICEF to procure and deliver up to 100 million additional vaccine doses above and beyond those supplied by COVAX.

Love My Neighbour is a Canadian national movement for global vaccine equity inspired by Millennium Kids and diverse faith communities across the nation to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccines distributed quickly and equitably in in low- and middle-income countries around the world. Love My Neighbour’s fundraising and advocacy gives our whole global family access to life-saving prevention measures.

MORE INFORMATION

Visit www.LoveMyNeighbourProject.org to learn more and join the movement for global vaccine equity.

Love My Neighbour Partners with UNICEF to Invite Every Canadian to Gift A Vaccine Forward

92 countries must settle for 20% vaccination coverage by the end of 2021

TORONTO, ON, May 5, 2021 – Love My Neighbour, a national movement for global vaccine equity, announced today in partnership with UNICEF Canada the launch of a project aimed at gifting forward 38-million COVID-19 vaccines to hardest-to-reach vulnerable neighbours living in 92 low- and middle-income countries – that’s one for each grateful Canadian. Inspired by Millennium Kids and Canadian faith communities, the Love My Neighbour project hopes to increase the equitable distribution of vaccines throughout the developing world to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the world surpasses one billion administered vaccine doses with only 20-million delivered to African countries, UNICEF has called on high-income countries to consider donating at least 5% of their doses without delay.

One $25 donation funds everything needed for UNICEF to procure and deliver a two-dose vaccine – from the manufacturer to the arms of people in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places. This includes the per-person cost to transport the vaccines, protect the cold chain, train health workers and safely dispose of waste. The project seeks to fund doses over and above the two billion doses expected from COVAX—the global mechanism for equitable access to COVID19 vaccines— in 2021.

“We hope every Canadian will agree that we can all play a role in ensuring that COVID-19 vaccines are affordable and accessible to all countries. We must be better neighbours,” said Sara Hildebrand, Executive Director of Millennium Kids and Project Coordinator of the Love My Neighbour project. “We want to cross the COVID-19 immunity line side-by-side and write this pandemic ending together.”

“Love My Neighbour has built an amazing multi-faith coalition who share a passion and commitment to vaccine equity, and to doing everything they can to bring the world to the other side of COVID-19,” said David Morley, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. “UNICEF is so pleased to partner with Love My Neighbour and shares the hope that through this national movement we can help put an end to a pandemic that creates serious threats to children and families around the globe.”

About Love My Neighbour

Love My Neighbour is the national movement for global vaccine equity inspired by Millennium Kids and diverse faith communities to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccines distributed quickly and equitably in low- and middle-income countries, through fundraising and advocacy. Visit lovemyneighbourproject.org to learn more.

About Millennium Kids

MILLENNIUM KIDS creates opportunities for and with Canadian children and youth to help Canada keep its United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals promise to reduce global poverty, inequalities and care for the planet by 2030. Millennium Kids provides tools and amplifies the voices of children and youth to become lifelong active, engaged citizens for the common good—shaping the Canada they will inherit. Visit millenniumkids.ca to learn more.

About UNICEF

UNICEF is the world’s leading humanitarian organization focused on children. We work in the most challenging areas to provide protection, healthcare and immunizations, education, safe water and sanitation and nutrition. As part of the United Nations, our unrivaled reach spans more than 190 countries and territories, ensuring we are on the ground to help the most disadvantaged children. While part of the UN system, UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations to finance our life-saving work. Please visit unicef.ca to learn more.

# # #

Contact:
Melody Lynch
melody@symmetry-pr.com
306.250.7235


Our Team

Project Coordinator

Sara Hildebrand | Founder/Executive Director, Millennium Kids

Executive Advisors

Rabbi Arthur Bielfeld | Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El, Toronto

Michael Cooke | VP Students (Interim) at St Lawrence College; VP Academic Emeritus at George Brown College, Toronto

Patrick Flanagan | Bandleader; Singer/Songwriter; Social Development Advocate, NB

The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton | Former General Secretary, Canadian Council of Churches

Zul Kassamali | President, National Alliance for the Advancement of Pluralistic Societies; Vice Chair, Canadian Interfaith Conversation; President, Toronto Area Interfaith Council

Commissioner Christine MacMillan | Director, World Evangelical Alliance Global Human Trafficking Network; Chair, Micah Global; Member, United Nations Multi-Faith Council

Communications Team

Tina Kraulis | Strategic Communications & Events

Cynthia Innes | Management Communications Consultant

Emily Williams | Web Design

Alicia Wheatley | Graphic Design

Krystle Moilliet | Graphic Design

Anne Sophie Roy | French Translation

Irene Soquier | French Translation

Melody Lynch | Symmetry PR

Lisa Rusinek | Social Media

Karen Schenk | Iconium Media

Regan Neudorf | Graphic Design

Our Participants

The following faith communities and organizations are participating in LMN in a range of ways--from advocacy efforts, to writing about LMN in digital publications and/or spreading the word to their membership.

Anglican Church of Canada

Canadian Baptist Ministries

Canadian Council of Imams

Canadian Multifaith Federation

Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative

The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

ERDO (Emergency Relief & Development Overseas)

Faith of Life Network

G20 Interfaith Forum

H4Community

Hamilton Interfaith Peace Group

Human Concern International

International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF)

Intriciti

Islamic Relief Canada

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives | KAIROS: Initiatives oecuméniques Canadiennes pour la justice

La fondation Anne Sophie Musique | Anne Sophie Music Foundation

Mennonite Central Committee Canada

Mennonite World Conference

Millennium Kids | Enfants du millénaire

National Alliance for the Advancement of Pluralistic Societies

National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee

Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation

Penny Appeal Canada

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

Presbyterian Church in Canada

Reform Jewish Community of Canada

The Salvation Army Canada

Sayeda Khadija Mosque

SymmetryPR

Toronto Board of Rabbis

Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-Canada (UOSSM-Canada)

The United Church of Canada

WayBase

World Evangelical Alliance

Our Corporate Donors

Jason Hildebrand Creative Arts

Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

Signpost Music/Steve Bell

In looking at Love My Neighbour's home page, the reader will notice Millennium Kids listed with UNICEF as a partner. This blogger had never heard of Millennium Kids before seeing this, but following the links leaves no doubt that the organization has nothing to do with the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom, but is a project to brainwash children into supporting the agenda of the godless United Nations. If a movement is endorsed by Canadian environmentalist, former geneticist, and professing atheist David Suzuki, it's highly unlikely to be compatible with Christianity.

Millennium Kids

Proudly endorsed by David Suzuki

"Today's children and all future generations will bear the brunt of the consequences of our ecologically destructive actions going on today. Millennium Kids are taking action to press our leaders to think about the kind of legacy we are bequeathing to coming generations. Thank you for your efforts to wake up those who are deciding on your futures." - David Suzuki

About Millennium Kids

Millennium Kids are urging everyone to join them in bold strategic action to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Backstory

I first learned about the precursor to the SDGs, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs 2000-2015) in November 2009. I remember my surprise that I had missed nine years of these historic and global anti-poverty goals (though I birthed our four kids since the adoption of the goals in September 2000). I was convinced that if Canadians knew Canada made this incredible promise in 2000 to “spare no effort” to fulfill the MDGs, in collaboration with 188 other nations, we would find a way to keep our promise. I also knew from my own children that school social justice clubs were spreading across our nation as social justice-mindedness increased in our youngest generation.

Justice and advocacy initiatives

Here are some of the creative ways Millennium Kids have increased awareness and advocated for the MDGs / SDGs across Canada:

Broadcast Millennium Kids public service announcements on national television networks

Recorded an MK anthem for our Download and Be Counted! campaign on the iTunes platform

Marked #1000DaysToGo on the MDGs with a student event at the Glenn Gould Studio, CBC Building, Toronto and a twitter campaign in collaboration with organizations in UK and Germany 2013

Delivered Millennium Kids MDG Petition to Parliament 2014 asking the House of Commons to keep Canada’s MDG promise and allocate the promised 0.7% of our Gross National Income to do so

14-yr-old Millennium Kid spoke at the Micah Summit on the MDGs at the UN Headquarters in NYC 2014

Nine MKs were invited to speak to MPs at an Alternative Committee Meeting on Parliament Hill about the urgency of keeping our MDG and 0.7% Official Development Assistance promises in 2015

Hosted a Live Below The Line $1.75 supper at Toronto restaurant The Depaneur to raise awareness of global extreme poverty

Canada-wide #ChalkYourSidewalk “.7%AID” campaign during the international Conference on Financing for Development in Ethiopia July 2015

Millennium Kids’ Lawn Signs calling 42nd Parliament to take action on poverty and climate

Encouraged children and youth to make handmade Welcome Cards for Syrian newcomer youth coming to Canada 2015-16 (40 MKs from 14 schools delivered 1600+ cards to Minister McCallum at Parliament Dec 9, 2015)

Millennium Kids participated in the United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum 2015 & 2016

Vision & Mission

Vision

Millennium Kids are urging everyone to join them in bold strategic action to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the Global Goals).

Mission

Engaging the next generation to pursue the SDGs with passion.

Empowering youth to be SDG global partners.

Celebrating together our SDG successes.

Objectives

Increase awareness of the SDGs across generations

Catalyze innovative youth participation in fulfilling the SDGs

Mobilize tremendous public support for the SDGs

Celebrate citizen, organizational and government SDG efforts and accomplishments

Values

Hope, celebration, cooperation, generosity, courage, accountability, tenacity, integrity, diversity, equality, acceptance, kindness, and creativity.

Meet Our Director

Sara Hildebrand is the founder and director of Millennium Kids, a youth movement creating opportunities for youth to propel Canada forward to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. She is passionate about encouraging youth to use their voice for justice and the common good in the public sphere. Sara received her JD from the University of Toronto Law School and was called to the Ontario bar in 2000.

She was the national coordinator for the Interfaith Millennium Development Goals Events initiative leading up to the 2010 G8 Summit. This initiative encouraged diverse faith communities to gather together with their Members of Parliament in ridings across Canada to express the urgency of meeting the MDGs by 2015. Sara has also worked as Crown Counsel in the Criminal Law Policy Branch for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. Sara was recently honoured as one of 100 Fantastic Canadian Christian Women Leaders for 2014. Sara lives in Toronto with her husband and four children.

The Sustainable Development Goals

The sustainable development goals as outlined on the United Nations website.

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the

Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations SDG website.

In February 2022, a convoy of Canadian truckers travelled across the country to Ottawa to protest "vaccine" mandates. The federal regime of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by invoking the Emergencies Act, basically declaring war on the Canadian people for daring to exercise their God-given and constitutionally-protected rights and freedoms. The move was rescinded a few days later, but the stain remains, and it's increasingly obvious to the country and the rest of the world that Mr. Trudeau's regime is a dictatorship. Despite this, the following letters from Love My Neighbour to the Prime Minister remain on the organization's website as of this posting; they haven't aged well. The perceptive reader will notice that Loving My Neighbour's idea of loving their neighbours involves funding their project with money forcibly taken from their neighbours (i.e., taxpayers); and what's loving about that? I'm not going to mention that the Trudeau regime's idea of supporting global health systems is to support abortion throughout the world.

Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

May 7,2021

SENT VIA EMAIL

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Office of the Prime Minister

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

Love My Neighbour (LMN) is a Canadian grassroots project founded by Millennium Kids and diverse faith communities to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccines distributed quickly and equitably in lower income countries. LMN has brought together Canadians of diverse faiths from across the country, united in our desire to see all people regardless of nationality, enjoy equitable access to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. We encourage the Canadian government to join us in care for our neighbours through working for increased access to vaccines globally.

We recognize the efforts of the government to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for priority populations in Canada, as well as international financial support for COVAX. We also believe that Canada can play a greater leadership role to ensure vaccine equity, especially when it comes to prioritizing vaccine access for essential workers and the most vulnerable,around the world and here in Canada.

Canada has currently purchased enough vaccines to vaccinate Canada’s population many times over. Vaccine inequality will only prolong the global pandemic.

We urge the creation and rapid implementation of a re-distribution and donation plan of Canada’s purchased and committed vaccine doses, including doses purchased from COVAX,to COVAX.Following the example of countries like Norway, we urge an immediate minimum 5% donation of Canada’s vaccines to COVAX. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic must betimely and equitable if it is to be successful.

We also encourage Canadian support for the temporary Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver, presented to the World Trade Organization. This waiver will ensure that trade regulations and licensing do not impede the timely manufacture, distribution, and affordability of vaccines. Canada has maintained that it has not rejected this proposal, and it is studying the impacts of intellectual property regulations on vaccine manufacturing. While we affirm the importance of careful deliberation, we also urge a rapid response. Without the TRIPS waiver, many low-and middle-income countries may not have access to anywhere near sufficient vaccines before 2023, to say nothing of testing or medications for supportive care.

We also encourage Canada to continue to support global health systems strengthening through an increased Official Development Assistance budget, with funding specially designated for community-based health organizations, including those run by women.

Canada can lead the way in ensuring fair access, distribution and administration of the vaccine around the world. We would like to request a meetingwith you or your designate to discuss how we can work together towards achieving the goals outlined in this letter, including the development of a matching fund for any donations made towards the purchase of global vaccines, global vaccine delivery and health support systems.

Signed:

Anglican Church of Canada

Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples

Canadian Baptist Ministries

Canadian Council of Imams

Canadian Multi-faith Federation

Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative

Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Congrégation de Notre-Dame

Human Concern International

International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF)

Intriciti

Islamic Relief Canada

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

La fondation Anne Sophie Musique

Mennonite Central Committee

Millennium Kids

National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee

Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada/ Emergency Relief and Development Overseas

The Presbyterian Church in Canada Primates Fund for World Relief and Development Reform

Jewish Community of Canada

Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations-Canada

The United Church of Canada

Cc:

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Hon. Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hon. Karina Gould, Minister of International Cooperation

Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade

Hon. Patty Hadju, Minister of Health

Hon. Hon. Marco E. L. Mendicino, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Hon. Erin O’Toole, Leader of the Official Opposition

Mr. Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the New Democratic Party

M. Yves-François Blanchet, Chef du Bloc Québécois

Ms. Annamie Paul, Leader, Green Party of Canada

Michael Chong, Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs Conservative Party of Canada

Heather McPherson, New Democratic Party Critic for International Development

Jack Harris, Critic for Foreign Affairs New Democratic Party

Stephane Bergeron, Critic for Foreign Affairs Bloc Quebecois

Hon. Raquel Dancho, Official Opposition Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Conservative Party of Canada

Christine Normandin, Bloc Critic for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship

Jenny Kwan, NPD Critic for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship

Tracy Gray, Official Opposition Critic, Export Promotion and Trade, Conservative Party of Canada

Garnett Genuis, Official Opposition Critic, International Development and Human Rights, Conservative Party of Canada

Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc Critic for Foreign Affairs

Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc Critic for International Trade

Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc Critic for Francophonie and International Cooperation

Daniel Blaikie, NDP Critic for Export Promotion and International Trade

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank You Letter to the PM

December 21, 2021

SENT VIA EMAIL

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Office of the Prime Minister

Hon. Minister Karina Gould

Hon. Minister Harjit Sajjan

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Gould and Minister Sajjan,

Thank you for the creation and support of the generous matching grant for global vaccine access through UNICEF Canada. We are grateful for the chance to demonstrate the compassion and concern Canadians of faith share for our global neighboursand the desire to ensure everyone is able to access life-saving vaccines. Across the country, Canadians held fundraisers, wrote songs, took part in bake sales, decorated pumpkins and sidewalks, buzz cut their hair, swam 7 km across LacSt-Pierre, requested vaccine donations in lieu of wedding and birthday gifts, and collaborated with their Scouts’ group, Girl Guides’ Unit, school, youth group, neighbourhood or faith community, in support of global vaccination efforts. Together with UNICEF Canada, we raised over $9.6 million to help fully vaccinate nearly 4 million people in low-income countries against COVID-19!

We recently learned that our unique partnership between 35 diverse faith organizations, Millennium Kids and UNICEF Canada has garnered the Association of Fundraising Professional’s 2021 Outstanding Foundation or Philanthropic Group Award. Thank you for being part of this award-winning collaborative effort! As we celebrate, we also remember the billions of people who still do not have access to vaccines. With the good news of vaccine approvals for Canadian children, we recognize the growing gap in vaccine access and supply between Canada and our global south neighbours, including kids around the world. And, with Canada’s privileged position comes an increased responsibility to ensure that everyone-adults, youth and children all over the world, have access to their right to a healthy and safe life. The new variant, Omicron, also reveals the need to close the global vaccine gap to keep everyone safe, in Canada and globally.

We would welcome the chance to meet and discuss how we, as faith organizations, can continue to work with the Canadian government to end the pandemic everywhere through a globalplan for equitable global vaccine access. Based on supplies, we could have comprehensive vaccine coverage of the world in 2022, but to do so we need a clear and financed plan that prioritizes the most vulnerable around the world. Canada is uniquely positioned to play a leading role, in multilateral spaces in which we sit, in the creation and implementation of a plan that includes support of the WTO TRIPs waiver on patents, vaccine dose sharing, and global health systems support.

As we have demonstrated through Love My Neighbour, Canadians of faith are eager to support you in your efforts. We look forward to meeting together to discuss how we can continue to work to end the pandemic everywhere, for everyone,in 2022.

Signed

Anglican Church of Canada

Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples

Canadian Baptists Ministries

Canadian Council of Imams

Canadian Multi-faith Federation

Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative

Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF)

Intriciti

Islamic Relief Canada

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

La foundation Anne Sophie Musique

Mennonite Central Committee

Mennonite World Conference

Millennium Kids

National Association for the Advancement of Pluralistic Societies

National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee

Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation

Primates World Relief and Development Fund

Reform Jewish Community of Canada

Salvation Army Canada

World Evangelical Alliance

cc: David Morley, President, UNICEF Canada

If the reader requires more proof of the unholy fellowships among professing Christians, apostate Christian bodies, non-Christian religions, and government, and that participation in Love My Neighbour by professing Christians is an act of disobedience and evidence of apostasy, the project's Interfaith Resources link provides it. Look carefully at the wide variety of religions involved; the reader may recognize, and may even be shocked, at the names on the list.

Interfaith Resources

Hope, Gratitude and Solidarity

A Message to Canadians from Religious Leaders in Canada in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In spite of present sufferings, which can seem overwhelming at times, the flames of hope cannot be extinguished.

Let us witness hope to each other and so become beacons of light during these uncertain times.

Canadians are experiencing the devastating impact of COVID-19 in what has become a rapidly evolving crisis. Understandably, this crisis has brought about feelings of anxiety, apprehension and fear. Critical elements of our daily lives are being thrown into uncertainty: health, employment, financial security, recreational activities, as well as our ability to gatheras worshiping communities. In view of these difficulties, we as religious leaders wish to bring forward a message of hope, gratitude and solidarity to all people who call Canada home.

A Message of Hope

We draw hope from a variety of sources: from our religious beliefs, the love of our families, the relationships with friends and the work we do. Each of these, and others as well, provides rays of hope to our daily lives. Likewise, hope provides courage to face the burdens we bear and the ability to look onwards toward the dawning of a new day. In spite of present sufferings, which can seem overwhelming at times, the flames of hope cannot be extinguished. Love, which gives life its fullest meaning, continues to seek out the common good in spite of individual difficulties. Acts of kindness can bring us closer in spirit, despite the requirements of physical distancing. Let us witness hope to each other and so become beacons of light during these uncertain times.

Canada has gone through several difficult and painful experiences in its history. When current and former generations have responded to these challenges, many were empowered by unwavering hope as well as human and spiritual resilience. For religious believers, this hope takes on a special and unique dimension. It assures us of the caring embrace of the Creator, a sacred relationship sustained by prayer, and which flows into our human relationships whereby we care for one another and bear each other’s burden. Yet, hope brings for everyone a promise of renewal, even in the midst of human suffering. Hope assures us that this affliction too shall pass.

We draw hope from a variety of sources: from our religious beliefs, the love of our families, the relationships with friends and the work we do. Each of these, and others as well, provides rays of hope to our daily lives.

A Message of Gratitude

During this time of crisis, we as religious leaders wish to offer words of appreciation and gratitude. Health care professionals are providing unfailing and dedicated service under stressful and difficult circumstances. They provide for us a powerful witness of care, expertise and service in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is also the increased risk of exposure to infection along with other hardships being experienced by so many others. For instance, while the rest of society rightly heeds the precautions of physical distancing, many remain at work in grocery stores, pharmacies and factories. Students, the middle-aged, and those close to retirement are fulfilling a variety of essential front-line jobs in the supply chain, ensuring that stores remain open, shelves remain stocked, and goods are delivered so that others can have food, medicines and other essentials for their families and communities. We express a deep appreciation and gratitude for these workers.

Governments across Canada as well as religious leaders are bearing particularly heavy burdens in steering our communities through this calamity. It is comforting to see that in such demanding times, political differences are being set aside to serve the common good. This too is a witness of hope for Canadians. For all these acts of generosity and dedication, let us add our expressions of gratitude for the important work of the diverse leaders of our country.

A Message of Solidarity

We urge all people in Canada to listen and follow attentively the directions of our public health officials and government leaders. We, as religious leaders, pledge to lead by example. We all must act together in confronting this virus. While everyone is vulnerable during this crisis, let us not forget those in our society who, prior to COVID-19, were already vulnerable to health and social ailments. As religious leaders, we raise our collective voices to highlight the necessity for greater attention to the needs of the homeless, the incarcerated, the elderly and those already suffering from social isolation. We remember too those people, especially women and children who face abuse and violence, who are not safe at home and may suffer additional abuse and violence as stress increases. We must never overlook or exclude these groups from our planning, preparedness and response to this pandemic. We are particularly mindful of First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, including isolated Northern communities, who were already facing pre-existing challenges and for whom the COVID19 outbreak could prove singularly devastating. Likewise, we need to remember the needs and vulnerabilities of the many refugees and migrant workers who have come to Canada seeking safety and security.

Charitable organizations in Canada will face greater challenges during this time of crisis and will need greater assistance from governments so as to continue their vital work. This is a time for human solidarity. We all need to pull together. It is essential to carry out the practical requirements to limit the spread of this virus. It is also important to maintain a posture of attentive caring towards our neighbour. This includes care and solidarity for the global community who face this crisis with far fewer resources than those accessible to Canada. This is a time for us to draw closer to God.

Religion and spirituality can indeed contribute to building people up, to providing a sense of meaning, inner strength, new horizons and openness of hearts. As religious leaders, we wish to emphasize, especially in times like these, the power and importance of prayer. We earnestly pray for healing, for the continued efforts to relieve human suffering, and for perseverance throughout these challenging times. As history records these moments for our country’s future, let us pray that, in the face of COVID-19, we respond with an abundance of hope, gratitude and solidarity, trusting in the loving and ever merciful God, the source of all hope.

Rev. Kenesha Blake-Newell
Itinerant Elder (Grant AME)
African Methodist Episcopal Church

Farhan Iqbal
Missionary
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada

Rev. Shane B. Janzen
Archbishop
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada

The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls
Archbishop and Primate
The Anglican Church of Canada

Rev. Fr. John Benjamin Vic Paradero, OMHS
Rev. Fr. Jose Mark John Jamili, OMHS
Apostolic Catholic Church of Canada

Rev. Wesley E. Mills
President
Apostolic Church of Pentecost of Canada, Inc.

His Grace Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan
Primate
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church Diocese of Canada

Mobeen Khaja, O Ont.
President
Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada

Kevin Schular
Executive Director
Baptist General Conference of Canada

Charles Mashinter
Executive Director
Be In Christ Church – Canada

Lee Nicholas-Pattillo
President
Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms

MGen Guy J.J. Chapdelaine, OMM, CD, QHC
Chaplain General
Canadian Armed Forces

Rev. Dr. Terry G. Smith
Executive Director
Canadian Baptist Ministries

Dr. Peter Reid
Executive Minister
Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada

Rev. Tim McCoy
Executive Minister
Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec

Rev. Rob Ogilvie
Executive Minister
Canadian Baptists of Western Canada

Dr. Adriana Bara
Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Ecumenism

+Richard Gagnon
Archbishop of Winnipeg, President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Elton Da Silva
National Director
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Rev. Stephen Kendall, President
Pastor Peter Noteboom, General Secretary
The Canadian Council of Churches

Imam Mohamed Refaat Abo Onar
President
Canadian Council of Imams

Nina Karachi-Khaled
President of the National Board
Canadian Council of Muslim Women

Rev. David McGrew
National Director
Canadian Fellowship of Churches and Ministers

Pandit Roopnauth Sharma
President
Canadian Multifaith Federation

Zul Kassamali, Co-chair
Aileen Van Ginkel, Co-chair
Canadian Interfaith Conversation

Rabbi Reuven Poupko
Rabbi Baruch Friedman-Kohl
Rabbi Debra Landsberg
Rabbi Jonathan Infeld
Co-chairs
Canadian Rabbinic Caucus, an affiliate of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Beverly Shepard
Presiding Clerk
Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Rev. Dr. David Hearn
President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

Rev. Ann Stainton
Moderator
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada

The Rev Dr. Darren Roorda
Canadian Ministries Director
Christian Reformed Church in North America

Elder Michel J. Carter
Elder John N. Craig
Elder James E. Evanson
Elder Michael R. Murray
Area Seventies
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Rev. Dr. Ian Fitzpatrick
National Director
Church of the Nazarene Canada

Kerry Richards
President, Canada East
Community of Christ

Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka, CM, Ph.D
Rabbi Emeritus and spiritual leader
Congregation Machzikei Hadas, Ottawa

Rev. Dr. David Schrader
National Pastor
Congregational Christian Churches in Canada

Netta Phillet
Coordinator
Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education & Action

H.G. Anba Mina
Bishop Mississauga, Vancouver and Western Canada
H.G. Anba Makar
Bishop of Goshen, Egypt;
Papal Vicar in the Archdiocese of Toronto
H.G Abba Boulos
Bishop of Ottawa, Montreal, and Eastern Canada
The Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada

L.K. (Rev. Fr.) Messale Engeda
Head priest and Administrator
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Canada

Dr. David P. Lavigne
Bishop
The Evangelical Christian Church in Canada

Bruce J. Clemenger
President
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

Dr. William Taylor
Executive Director
Evangelical Free Church of Canada

The Rev. Susan C. Johnson
National Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Tim Dyck
Executive Director
Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Rev. Steven F. Jones
National President
The Fellowship of Evangelical
Baptist Churches in Canada

Steve Falkiner
President
Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada

Bill Hall
President
Grace Communion International Canada

Philip Bryant
Executive Director
Grace Fellowship Canada

His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada

Pandit Roopnauth Sharma
President
Hindu Federation of Canada

Rev. Paul McPhail
General Secretary
Independent Assemblies of God International Canada

Dr. Ronald A. Kuipers
President
Institute for Christian Studies

Halil Yurtsever
Intercultural Dialogue Institute

Brian A. Hawes
President
Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy in the Correctional Service of Canada

Imam Ilyas Sidyot
Grand Mosque of Saskatoon
Islamic Association of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) Inc.

Jennifer Henry
Executive Director
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

Naj Mankal
President
Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario

Imam Zubair Sidyot
Lethbridge Muslim Association (Alberta)

Belle Jarniewski
President
Manitoba Multifaith Council

Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa
Bishop, Diocese of North America And Europe
Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Doug Klassen
Executive Minister
Mennonite Church Canada

Zul Kassamali
President
National Alliance for the Advancement of Pluralistic Society

Muneeb Nasir
Co-Chair
National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee

His Eminence, Archbishop Irénée
Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada and the Archdiocese of Canada
Orthodox Church in America

Rev. Dr. David R. Wells
General Superintendent
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

Rev. Terry W. Snow General Superintendent Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland & Labrador The Rev. Amanda Currie
Moderator
The Presbyterian Church in Canada

Imam Irshad Unia
Prince Albert Muslim Association (Saskatchewan)

The Rev. Marijke Strong
Executive Secretary
Regional Synod of Canada
Reformed Church in America

Pascale Frémond
President
Religions for Peace Canada

Commissioner Floyd J. Tidd
Territorial Commander
The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory

The Most Rev. Zenji Nio
Abbot, Samurai Buddhist Temple & Museum
Tokyo, Japan & Bay Street Corridor, Toronto

Rabbi David Seed
President
Toronto Board of Rabbis

The Most Reverend Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M.
Metropolitan Archbishop of Winnipeg for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada

His Eminence, The Most Rev. Metropolitan Yurij (Kalistchuk)
Archbishop of Winnipeg and the Central Eparchy
Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Rev. David Rowley
General Secretary
The Union of French Baptist Churches in Canada

Rev. Brian K. Magnus
Bishop
The United Brethren Church in Canada

The Right Rev. Richard Bott, Moderator
Nora Sanders, General Secretary
The United Church of Canada

David Ruis
National Director
Vineyard Canada

Pastor Mike Stone
Executive Director
Vision Ministries Canada

Rev. Dr. Eric R. Hallett
District Superintendent, Central Canada District
The Wesleyan Church

Venerable Dr. Bhante Saranapala
West End Buddhist Temple and Meditation Centre

Jaskaran Singh Sandhu
Executive Director
World Sikh Organization of Canada

See also my posts:
American Christians--Is your pastor a hireling of the United States government? (May 3, 2010)

Trudeaupia's Canada's public health officer wants "faith leaders" to promote Covid-19 vaccine acceptance (January 27, 2021)

July 5, 2022 update: Love My Neighbor is exemplifying Vox Day's second law of SJWs: They always double down. Despite increasingly overwhelming evidence that the Covid-19 "vaccine" is killing some people and making others seriously ill, LMN is pushing ahead with its pseudo-righteous efforts. The reader of the latter of the two following articles will notice that it makes no mention of the actual purpose of Love My Neighbour.

As reported by Matthew Neugebauer of Faith Today, June 24, 2022 (links in original):

While Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is currently at 86 per cent, the rate of those in poorer countries who have received at least one dose is only 17.8 per cent, according to OurWorldInData.org.

Christine MacMillan, a senior advisor with the World Evangelical Alliance, says this low rate is primarily about the socioeconomic conditions that prevent people from getting vaccinated, even more than the physical availability of the vaccines.

She offers the example of wage labourers considering if they can take time off to get vaccinated. “It’s their daily work for daily food. They couldn’t afford to take a few hours off work.”

Enter activist Sara Hildebrand, who started a Canadian interfaith campaign to support vaccine access in low-income countries. The Love My Neighbour campaign highlights the need for vaccine equity, encourages churches and other community groups in awareness-raising efforts and provides a donation portal directly to UNICEF’s GiveAVax program.

Hildebrand, known for founding the youth movement Millennium Kids in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, says the new vaccine campaign has employed everything from special Sunday collections to inspiring sermons to youth arts and crafts projects and even a Bible Quiz-a-thon to raise funds and awareness. She encourages donors to “pay forward” the vaccine doses that Canadians receive for free through public healthcare, asking for symbolic contributions of $25.

At time of writing, Love My Neighbour has raised over $750,000.

The campaign formally includes several familiar Christian groups including The Alliance Canada (formerly Christian & Missionary Alliance), Salvation Army Canada and The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada/Emergency Relief and Development Overseas.

David Adcock, head of ERDO, serves on Love My Neighbour’s advocacy committee, which recently made a submission to a federal parliamentary committee urging the Canadian government to increase vaccine access and support the World Trade Organization waiver on patents for COVID-19 vaccines.

Other participants in the campaign include musician Steve Bell’s record label Signpost Music and the World Evangelical Alliance, with MacMillan contributing as an executive advisor connecting Love My Neighbour to the United Nations and UNICEF. She says her membership on both the World Evangelical Alliance’s UN Mission and the UN’s Multi-Faith Advisory Council are key assets to the campaign.

MacMillan, who previously led The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda (and did a stint in Papua New Guinea), says evangelical involvement in the movement for global vaccine equity is inspired by the way “Jesus acknowledged, while He was here on earth, the vulnerable, those who were considered in some ways castaways by society.”

Hildebrand, a lifelong member of The Alliance Canada, similarly looked to the gospel accounts for motivation to start Love My Neighbour, especially the story of the five loaves and two fish.

“What great plans might the Creator have to bless where all we see is vaccine shortage?” she asks on the “Our Story” section on the organization’s site. “To love our neighbours as ourselves, shouldn’t we pass on [“pay forward”] every second vaccine available to us?”

As reported by Sharon Chisvin of the Winnipeg Free Press, July 2, 2022:

Winnipeggers may have recently noticed more than the usual number of lemonade stands set up in neighbourhoods across the city. That’s because those lemonade stands are among the micro-fundraising, youth-oriented initiatives being encouraged by Love My Neighbour (LMN), a national, multi-faith movement devoted to global COVID vaccine equity.

Sara Hildebrand, a Toronto lawyer and social activist, was inspired to create LMN early last winter after reading in scripture about Jesus miraculously feeding 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. That parable led her to question vaccine availability and accessibility in Canada, in comparison to poorer countries, and to begin researching what the United Nations was planning for its vaccine rollout in the developing world.

“I learned about the international partnership, COVAX, and its ambitious plan to provide one billion COVID vaccines doses for 500 million of the world’s poor,” Hildebrand says, “(but) I couldn’t shake the simple math calculation that only 12 per cent of the poorest half of the globe would have access to this lifesaving vaccine in 2021 according to COVAX’s plan.”

Finding that fact unacceptable, Hildebrand — who is also the founder of the social justice and advocacy organization Millennium Kids — reached out to multi-faith advisers and acquaintances across the country with the idea of organizing Canadians to pay forward their receipt of free vaccines with vaccines to lower-income nations. Upon receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from those she contacted, Hildebrand organized an inaugural Zoom meeting with more than two dozen faith and NGO leaders in order to put her plan into action.

“We shared our deep discomfort with finding our country at the front of the vaccine queue while so many global neighbours might wait years to receive their vaccine,” Hildebrand says. “As faith communities, this was a social inequity we were not prepared to live with.”

LMN, which launched publicly in May, currently enjoys the support of 37 Canadian religious communities and organizations. These include churches, synagogues, mosques and parochial schools, all of which are raising awareness about or funds for the organization and its cause.

In Winnipeg, the Manitoba Islamic Association has already raised thousands of dollars in partnership with Islamic Relief Canada to purchase vaccines for Yemen and India, while the Home Street Mennonite Church fundraised for vaccines under the auspices of the Mennonite World Conference’s LMN campaign. The local church also decorated its walls with people-shaped cut-outs as a means of keeping track of the number of individuals overseas who received vaccines as a result of the congregation’s generosity.

Congregation Etz Chayim, a conservative synagogue in Winnipeg’s North End, is also becoming increasingly involved with LMN.

“I plan to encourage members of CEC to get involved with LMN’s newest fundraising campaign,” says Rabbi Kliel Rose, the synagogue’s spiritual leader.

“In addition, I intend to encourage our members to utilize the LMN Jewish resources online.”

Those online resources, developed by a group of rabbis from across Canada, feature sermon materials, a conversation guide, classroom resources, a video, a petition and a call to action, and can be used by any faith community.

Rose also continues to meet virtually with other local and national LMN representatives and religious leaders to discuss additional ways in which Canadians can help alleviate vaccine inequity.

“The world needs people of faith, people of justice and compassion to arise, to say not on our watch, and then, with feet on the ground, to act together,” Hildebrand emphasizes.

“Collective advocacy for global vaccine equity has been a defining feature of LMN right from the beginning,” she adds.

Whether that advocacy takes shape as a sermon, a petition or a lemonade stand, it sends a message and makes a difference. The purchase of a glass of lemonade for a couple dollars on a sunny summer day in Winnipeg means someone somewhere in the developing world will receive two doses of a COVID vaccine that could save their life. And that’s rewarding and refreshing news for everyone.

"Christians," Muslims, and Jews open House of One in Berlin

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3

The Antichrist's agenda continues to advance on schedule; as reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Israel365 News, June 29, 2021 (links in original):

Last month, a rabbi, imam, and priest laid the cornerstone for the House of One, a multi-faith prayer space built on top of the ruins of the 13th century Petrikirche (St. Peter’s Church) in Berlin. The original church was damaged in WWII and torn down by the Communist regime in 1964. During the ceremony, a Jewish prayer book, a piece of cloth from the Kaaba in Mecca, a miniature of the Coventry Cross of Nails (symbol of peace and reconciliation), and a copy of the document naming the provost of what was then St. Peter’s Church as the first citizen of Berlin in 1237 were placed in a copper capsule and enclosed in the cornerstone.

Ten years of planning went into the project and it is estimated that construction will require €47 million and be completed in four years. The final building will include a mosque, synagogue, and a church linked to a central meeting space. The central hall will also be used for gatherings of other faiths and atheists.

“The idea is pretty simple,” said Roland Stolte, a Christian theologian who helped start the project. “We wanted to build a house of prayer and learning, where these three religions could co-exist while each retaining their own identity.”

The three religions will be represented by Imam Kadir Sanci, Rabbi Andreas Nachama, and Father Gregor Hohberg, a Protestant priest. Rabbi Nachama, a rabbi organizing the project, said that Christians, Muslims, and Jews would worship separately, but would visit each other for religious holidays, commemorations, and celebrations.

Roland Stolte, a Christian theologian who helped start the project, noted that there were concerns from the public.

“In the first few years there were some fears that we were mixing religions or trying to create a new religion, Stolte told the Guardian.”

Despite the fears, the concept of universal prayer has its roots in the Bible and is explicitly described by the Prophet Zechariah:

And Hashem shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one Hashem with one name. Zechariah 14:9

This concept of multiple religions worshipping God together is further described in prophecy as the basis for the Third Temple in Jerusalem:

I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My mizbayach; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.” Isaiah 56:7

This vision is shared by Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, founder and director of the Elijah Interfaith Institute. Rabbi Goshen-Gottstein is planning a similar project in Jerusalem named the Center for HOPE (an acronym for ‘House of Prayer and Education’). He approved of the project while noting that Jerusalem has a special role to play in this Biblical vision.

“Berlin may have some negative historical connotations for some people but as a city, it symbolizes reconciliation and becoming whole again,” the rabbi said.

“The Biblical prophecy of God’s name being one does not mean everyone converting to one religion,” the rabbi said. “It will be more like each religion going through an internal conversion that will bring us all together to serve God.”

Rabbi Goshen-Gottstein sees prayer as playing a vital role in this process.

“We want to change the image of religion from one of competition to one that brings us together with all people turning to one God,” Rabbi Goshen-Gottstein said. “It is a very simple thing. Each religion prays in the presence of the other in parallel prayer spaces, affirming the presence of the other, indicating a willingness to live together in peace.”

As reported by the English newspaper The Guardian, February 21, 2021 (link in original):

On the site of a church torn down by East Germany’s communist rulers, a new place of worship is set to rise that will bring Christians, Jews and Muslims under one roof – and it has already been dubbed a “churmosquagogue”.

The foundation stone of the House of One in Berlin will be laid at a ceremony on 27 May, marking the end of 10 years of planning and the beginning of an estimated four years of construction, and symbolising a new venture in interfaith cooperation and dialogue. The €47m building, designed by Berlin architects Kuehn Malvezzi, will incorporate a church, a mosque and a synagogue linked to a central meeting space. People of other faiths and denominations, and those of no faith, will be invited to events and discussions in the large hall.

“The idea is pretty simple,” said Roland Stolte, a Christian theologian who helped start the project. “We wanted to build a house of prayer and learning, where these three religions could co-exist while each retaining their own identity.”

Andreas Nachama, a rabbi who is turning the vision into reality in partnership with a pastor and imam, said: “There are many different ways to God, and each is a good way.” In the House of One, Christians, Muslims and Jews would worship separately, but would visit each other for religious holidays, commemorations and celebrations, he added.

“It is more than a symbol. It is the start of a new era where we show there is no hate between us.”

The House of One will be built on the site of St Peter’s church in Petriplatz, which was damaged during the second world war and demolished in 1964 by the GDR authorities. When the foundations of the church were uncovered more than a decade ago, consideration was given to a memorial or a new church on the site. “But we wanted to create a new kind of sacred building that mirrors Berlin today,” said Stolte. “The initiators are acting as placeholders. This is not a club for monotheistic religions – we want others to join us.”

The federal government and the state of Berlin have between them contributed €30m to the cost of the project, with another €9m coming from donations and fundraising. A new drive for contributions, launched in December, is expected to fill the gap of nearly €8m.

The project has been generally supported by faith communities and the public, said Stolte, although “in the first few years there were some fears that we were mixing religions or trying to create a new religion”.

The inclusion in the planning of people of no faith was a very important aspect of the House of One project, he said. “East Berlin is a very secular place. Religious institutions have to find new language and ways to be relevant, and to make connections.”

The leaders of the House of One aren't even united on who God is, and they're deceived if they think this edifice is anything other than an abomination to the God of the Bible. The rabbis quoted in the above articles are especially deceived; like those in the time of Jesus, they don't know the scriptures. The complete text of Isaiah 56:7 reads:

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

The phrase "holy mountain," which appears seven times in the book of Isaiah and several times elsewhere in the Old Testament, always refers to Jerusalem. This is particularly clear in Isaiah 66:20:

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

Jews not mentioned among religious groups invited to Pope Francis' inter-religious prayer service in Iraq

Pope Francis continues his efforts to unite the world's religions; as reported by Mohammed Aty of Reuters, February 22, 2021:

BAGHDAD - Pope Francis is due to hold an inter-religious prayer service at the ancient Mesopotamian site of Ur when he visits Iraq next week - an event local archeologists hope will draw renewed attention to the place revered as the birthplace of Abraham.

Popular with Western visitors in the 1970s and 1980s, Ur is scarcely visited today after decades of war and political instability shattered Iraq’s international tourism industry. The coronavirus crisis now also keeps local tourists away.

Located about 300 km (200 miles) south of the capital Baghdad, the site comprises a pyramid-style Ziggurat and an adjacent residential complex as well as temples and palaces.

It was excavated about 100 years ago by Leonard Woolley, a Briton who recovered treasures rivalling those found in Tutankhamen’s tomb in Egypt. But little work has since been doneon one of the world’s oldest cities, where urban dwelling, writing and central state power began.

According to the State Board for Antiquities and Heritage director for Ur, Ali Kadhim Ghanim, the complex next to the Ziggurat dates back to about 1900 BC...

...According to Ghanim, the housing settlement was restored in 1999, after Pope Francis’ predecessor, Pope John Paul II, announced a trip to Iraq. But his visit was cancelled when negotiations with the government of then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein broke down.

This time, Ghanim hopes that Pope Francis’ visit will attract international attention to the site, which he says is badly needed to fund restoration works on its palaces and temples.

“Not only tourism, but we believe that there will be a Christian pilgrimage season,” Ghanim said.

Un Ponte Per, an Italian-based organisation, is working with the United Nations Development Programme on infrastructure works such as paths, rest areas and signposts to help visitors.

Roads around the site are being renovated and powerlines extended ahead of the pope’s visit.

But without adequate funding, Ghanim says his administration has been limited to containing further damage to the site, such as digging trenches to divert rainwater from the ruins.

Basra’s Archbishop Habib al-Naufaly stressed the symbolic importance of the pope’s March 5-8 visit as Iraq is still recovering from the war against Islamic State that destroyed scores of Christian heritage sites.

The inter-religious prayer service will be attended by Christians, Muslims, Mandaean-Sabaean, Yazidi and other religious minorities present in Iraq.

The focus will be on harmony between religious groups in a service the Vatican has named “Prayer for the sons and daughters of Abraham”.

As reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Israel365 News, February 24, 2021 (links in original):

...Iraq declared war on the newly established Jewish state in 1948 and since then the two countries have technically been in a state of war. Iraqi forces participated in wars against Israel in 1967 and 1973.

The plight of the Christians in the Muslim country is not much better. Twenty years ago, Pew Research Center reported there were 1.4 million professing Christians in Iraq, but today there are only about 270,000.

Despite the oppression of Christians and suppression of Christianity, Iraq seems to hold a fascination for the Vatican. Pope John Paul II, planned a trip to Iraq in 1999 but his visit was canceled when negotiations with the government of then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein broke down...

...The pyramidic ziggurat, located about 200 miles south of the capital Baghdad, is a Neo-Sumerian structure located in what was the city of Ur near Nasiriyah, in present-day Dhi Qar Province. In ancient times, this ziggurat served as a religious center as it was part of a temple complex dedicated to idolatry. The recovery of about 2,000 burials by archaeologists indicates that the site, excavated about 100 years ago by Leonard Woolley, was used for the practice of human sacrifice on a large scale. The bodies were buried in elaborate graves nearby. The sacrificial murders were carried out by a sharp instrument being driven into their heads after which they were buried in elaborate funerals. Their bodies were usually arranged neatly, the women in an elaborate headdress, the men with weapons at their side.

The ziggurat also holds great significance to modern despots. In the 1980s, Saddam Hussein restored the façade of the massive lower foundation of the ziggurat, insisting that his own name be stamped on all of the modern bricks used in the reconstruction. He also built his personal palace to mirror the ziggurat. In 1981, the site was where celebrations took place to commemorate the first anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Iran, with officials using the slogan, Nebuchadnasar al-ams Saddam Hussein al-yawm (yesterday Nebuchadnezzar, today Saddam Hussein). During the war led by American and coalition forces, Saddam Hussein parked his MiG fighter jets next to the Ziggurat.

The timing of the papal visit is auspicious and perhaps even prophetic. It will come right after the Jewish holiday of Purim commemorating the salvation of the Jews of Iraq from Haman, the descendent of Agag, King of Amalek and whose connection to the future war of Gog is hinted at by the Prophet Ezekiel.

As those who traverse the country make their rounds, any one of them who sees a human bone shall erect a marker beside it, until the buriers have interred them in the Valley of Gog’s Multitude. Ezekiel 39:15

The Hebrew word for ‘multitude’ is הֲמוֹן (Hamon, similar to the name Haman). Haman is known as an Agagite, also connecting him at least etymologically with Gog.

The visit also comes a few weeks before the “twenty-fourth day of the first month (Nisan)”, the day on which Daniel had his vision, described in chapter 10, that took place on the Mesopotamian River Tigris. In his enigmatic vision, Daniel saw, “a man dressed in linen, his loins girt in fine gold,” and the “sound of his speech was like the noise of a multitude.” The man in the vision gave Daniel a message:

“Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must go back to fight the prince of Persia. When I go off, the prince of Greece will come in. Daniel 10:20

Many modern interpretations of prophecy identify Persia as Iran and Greece, a country founded by the offspring of Esav, as Catholicism.

Since ascending to the papacy in 2013, Pope Francis has been working openly to bring Esau and Ishmael together by enhancing Christian-Muslim relations. On the return flight from a recent visit to Morocco, where the official state religion is Islam, the Pope spoke with journalists about his vision for uniting the descendants of Esau and the descendants of Ishmael.

In 2016, Pope Francis hosted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Vatican.

These efforts by Pope Francis culminated in 2019 when he signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azha, an agreement that was harshly criticized by Catholics and Muslims alike.

Jewish tradition contains a prophecy that the children of Esau (today’s Western nations) and the children of Ishmael (today’s Arab nations) will unite against the Jewish people at the End of Days.

This alliance was forged at the very beginning of the Bible when Esau married Ishmael’s daughter, Mahalath, whose name means ‘disease’.

So Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife. (Genesis 28:9)

This is explained by Rabbi Yechiel Weitzman explains in his book The Ishmaelite Exile “During the End of Days, Ishmael and Esau will join forces to seek the destruction of the Jewish people.”

Rabbi Weitzman concluded his introduction to the End of Days alliance with good news. “At the very outset of their history, Ishmael and Esau forged a bond through marriage. And so it shall be at the End of Days. This alliance between them will bring history to its culmination in the redemption.”

While Jewish tradition and eschatology may be interesting, the Bible itself is the only authoritative and reliable source of truth.