Nov. 30, 2009
Dear Athletes and Participants of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games,
Vancouver has been preparing for your arrival for many years! In addition to opening many splendid new buildings and dramatically improving roads and transit, we have also been volunteering to make this event a success. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver has embraced the theme of “radical hospitality” for our initiatives; that is, to see Jesus as both guest and host at these Games.
While you are here, we hope you will consider visiting one of the Archdiocese’s downtown hospitality centres for athletes. We are hosting one at Holy Rosary Cathedral on 646 Richards Street, and another at our offices on 150 Robson Street, across from BC Place. 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.
During your visit, Christians also begin their journey on the path towards Easter. I invite all of you to attend Ash Wednesday Mass on February 17, 2010 at one of our churches and, of course, to celebrate Sunday Mass with us while you are here. You can find the locations of our churches and Mass times on our website: www.rcav.org.
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.
With cordial best wishes that the Olympic Games will draw us all closer together in a spirit of solidarity and friendship, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB
Archbishop of Vancouver