Pope Francis hears confessions during a Lenten penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 13. During the service the Pope announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to be celebrated from Dec. 8, 2015, until Nov. 20, 2016.

Francis strengthens his commitment to mercy

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If there was any doubt that Pope Francis’ central message to the Church is mercy, the Pope named after St. Francis of Assisi crushed those doubts by announcing a Holy Year of Mercy, the first extraordinary jubilee of the 21st century.

NDP MPP Cheri Di Novo speaks at the Politics for Unity conference March 13.

Focolare aiming to bridge political divide

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TORONTO - The Toronto Focolare organization and its friends want to confront divisions within politics with ideals of unity and communion.

Constitutional lawyer Phil Horgan, who is also president of the Catholic Civil Rights League, said it is just a matter of time before some doctor takes the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to court over its new policy forcing doctors to make referrals over conscientious objections.

Conscience rights decision sure to end up in court

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TORONTO - Some doctor, somewhere in Ontario, is heading for court. The only question is how and when, according to Catholic Civil Rights League president Phil Horgan.

Bishop Richard Moth, chair of the board of governors at London’s St. Mary’s University.

Opportunity awaits at London Catholic university

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TORONTO - London, England, was never the centre of the Catholic universe. But it’s an interesting outpost with an interesting university, claims Bishop Richard Moth.

Adam Tomlinson demonstrates his taekwondo technique before about 500 students at the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Pan Am Celebration Day.

Faith helps martial artist succeed on international stage

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TORONTO - Having an opportunity to expose Catholic students to the combinination of taekwondo and faith leaves Adam Tomlinson less concerned about securing a spot on Team Canada for this summer’s Pan Am Games.

Tim Neufeld and the Glory Boys, top, Manafest and Chelsea Amber, along with Manic Drive and Drew Brown, are up for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year at this year’s JUNO Awards.

Christian sounds in Canadian music awards spotlight

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For Canadians, the award season is not over just yet.

After the Grammys, the Academy Awards and other high-profile American awards shows have come and gone, there is still the JUNO Awards, which air on CTV March 15 from Hamilton, Ont. The JUNOs honour Canadian musicians and recognizes their artistic and technical achievements in music over the past year.

Jean Echlin is a prominent palliative care activist and nurse consultant in Windsor, Ont. She currently works as an adjunct associate professor at the Faculty of Nursing in University of Windsor.

Palliative care cash starts to flow in Ontario

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After years of repeated delays and lack of communication, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has finally announced that money for its on-call palliative care program is on its way.

In this Sept. 7, 2012, file photo, family members watch over Leo King at his bedside at the Center for Compassionate Care in Pittsburgh. King, an 84-year-old urologist and veteran of World War II, died the following day with family at his side. Pictured is his sister Patricia King, left, and his wife, Jacqualin, right.

Palliative care is true dying with dignity, Quebec bishop says

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VATICAN CITY - Legalizing euthanasia risks undermining people's access to loving, holistic care as they face the natural end of their life, many experts at a Vatican conference said.

“I would ask Parliament to stand up and have a backbone,” Margaret Somerville said to hundreds of conservative-minded influencers at the Manning Networking Conference that was held Mar. 5-7. The founding director of the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law has also called for the use of the notwithstanding clause to give the Royal Commission time to report or for Parliament to have the time to consider the issues raised by legalizing physician-assisted death.

Somerville urges politicians to show “backbone” after Supreme Court euthanasia decision

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OTTAWA - Margaret Somerville has called on Parliamentarians to "have a backbone" in dealing with euthanasia in Canada.

On Feb. 27, Iain Benson, left, and Leslie Rosenblood, right, take part in the Chesterton Debate Series, a lively, but friendly debate on whether religion should have a role in the political sphere. Lorna Dueck was the moderator.

Chesterton Debate tackles secularism in the public realm

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TORONTO - To Iain Benson, secularism in politics is comparable to a pair of yellow, spotted pyjamas.

Fr. Keegan (guest star Peter Outerbridge), top left, and Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) discuss the murder scene beside the victim’s body in an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. The Fr. Keegan character is based on a priest that Murdoch author Maureen Jennings encountered during her years at Windsor’s Assumption University.

Assumption priest inspiration for TV character

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TORONTO - Eight seasons into the popular CBC TV series, fans finally see more than a glimpse into Det. William Murdoch’s origins.

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