NEWS

VATICAN CITY - The head of the Vatican's justice and peace office and an editor of a Vatican-approved Jesuit journal said it would be wrong to carry out the death penalty against Saddam Hussein.

TORONTO - There was standing room only at St. Michael's Cathedral for the 21st annual Cardinal Carter Altar Server Awards on Oct. 28.

Auxiliary Bishop Richard Grecco celebrated Mass for just over 430 altar servers from 116 parishes in the archdiocese of Toronto, which is a dramatic increase from 21 years ago when only 30 parishes and 55 altar servers participated in the first such Mass.

Pope Benedict XVI said priestly sexual abuse of minors was a "heart-rending" tragedy that requires an effort of purification by the church.

TORONTO - Faith may be the next force in municipal politics in Toronto, and Mayor David Miller thinks that's a good thing.

OTTAWA - Religion and politics have often been associated with the so-called religious right, but now a group of New Democrat MPs and party members want to revive the religious left. To that end, they have established a Faith and Justice Caucus.

Joliette Bishop Gilles Lussier has said that by deciding to run for political office, one of his priests has given up his right to perform any sacramental ministry.

Fr. Raymond Gravel's decision to become a candidate for the Bloc Quebecois in a federal byelection is a "painful situation for the church," Lussier said in a press release issued Oct. 31.

TORONTO - The University of Toronto and more than 25 sponsors will organize this year’s Peace Week on campus from Nov. 5 to 11.

ShareLife , the fund-raising arm of the archdiocese of Toronto, has set the bar a little higher for its 2007 corporate campaign. At a campaign launch Oct. 19, it was announced that the goal for next year is $1.4 million.

TORONTO - After months of preparation, the archdiocese of Toronto’s new, improved and user-friendly web site — www.archtoronto.org — is available for use to the public.

CORNWALL, Ont. - The primate of the Catholic Church in Canada has released the foundational theological document for the 2008 Eucharistic Congress, saying its “message brings as a main concern the memory of our Christian roots.”