Archbishop Miller invites Winter Olympians to Mass and hospitality centers

Vancouver, Canada, Dec 8, 2009 / 02:55 am

Voicing a spirit of “radical hospitality,” Archbishop of Vancouver J. Michael Miller has sent a letter to Winter Olympic athletes informing them of the archdiocese’s two hospitality centers and inviting them to Ash Wednesday and Sunday Masses during the athletic event.

“Vancouver has been preparing for your arrival for many years!” began his Nov. 30 letter to the athletes of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Archbishop Miller explained the archdiocese’s embrace of “radical hospitality” as a way to see Jesus as “both guest and host” at the Games.

“While you are here, we hope you will consider visiting one of the Archdiocese’s downtown hospitality centers for athletes,” the archbishop said.

One center is at Holy Rosary Cathedral on 646 Richards Street. The second is at the archdiocese’s offices on 150 Robson Street, across from the Olympic event venue BC Place Stadium.

“We think you will find these places to be ‘sanctuaries’ while you take a break from the rigors of competition, and we hope you will find a common language in the love of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Miller said.

He invited Olympians to Ash Wednesday Mass on Feb. 17 and he also noted that the locations of churches and their Mass times can be found on the archdiocese’s website.

“We wish all of you who have come to our beautiful city a satisfying and rewarding competition during the 2010 Olympiad but, most of all, we hope you will experience the ‘radical hospitality’ of Vancouverites,” he added.

The archdiocese has set up a special Olympic Outreach section on its website at http://www.rcav.org/2010.