Canada: diocese introduce ethical altar wine

The Archdiocese of Montreal in Canada has decided to introduce locally-produced altar wine, instead of one which was imported from a vineyard 4,000 kilometres away in California.

The new 'Vin de messe' will be produced by Domaine des Côtes d'Ardoise, a 7,500-hectare vineyard near Dunham in Quebec province. The wine has been authenticated for religious use by Bishop François Lapierre, from St Hyacinthe diocese.

The sweet white wine will be made available directly to clergy in more than 1,400 Catholic churches in the province's 19 dioceses.

Montreal Archdiocese's director of social action Brian McDonagh said: "It is part of our efforts to become more ecologically responsible." He added however that individual parishes would be able to decide whether they want to use the new wine or not.

Norman Lévesque, director of Green Church, an initiative of the Montreal-based Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, advising church leaders on ways to reduce their carbon footprints, said: "It's very symbolic. environmentally friendly, we are touching the core of people's faith."

Several Catholic dioceses are now considering changing to the local wine. Although the practice won't make a big difference on its own, he said, it is one of a growing number of initiatives aimed at making churches more environmentally responsible.

Since Green Church was launched last autumn, more than 25 Montreal churches - Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant - have signed commitments to introduce more environmentally sustainable practices, usually involving heating, insulation and recycling.

Lévesque has now has asked the Sisters of Clare in Quebec to consider baking communion wafers from locally-produced organic flour.

Source: CR/Montreal Gazette