News/Toronto-GTA

Domenic Li, back row centre, will lead OCY’s Re:Generation program beginning in the fall.

OCY to launch urban missionary program

TORONTO - When discussing missionary work, it is easy to picture evangelization in small rural communities in remote corners of the world. However, there is missionary work to be done in big cities as well.

In a letter given to Our Lady of Grace parishioners in Aurora during the April 25-26 weekend, Fr. Joe Gorman said that he has decided to leave the priesthood.

Fr. Gorman chooses to leave the priesthood

By Catholic Register Staff

TORONTO - A popular parish priest who was asked to step aside for a “period of reflection” has declined the opportunity and has decided he will leave the priesthood.

From left, Sascha Priewe, Clemens Reichel and Patrick Graham take part in a panel discussion on the cultural genocide taking place at the hands of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The discussion took place April 14 at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

ISIS committing ‘cultural genocide’ by damaging ancient relics

By Vanessa Santilli, Catholic Register Special

TORONTO - Not only is the Islamic State causing catastrophic human tragedy throughout Syria and Iraq, it is engaged in a “cultural genocide” as it destroys anything in its way that is not part of its idea of Islam, said Sascha Priewe.

Toronto Catholic school trustee Angela Kennedy believes her bid for education representative on the Toronto board of health was denied because of her faith.

Board of health snub called anti-Catholic

By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic Register

TORONTO - Catholic school trustee Angela Kennedy is accusing some Toronto politicians of conducting “a smear campaign against Catholics.”

The two-hour mid-day vigil scheduled for April 15 in front of Queen’s Park is a modest gathering that includes rabbis, priests, religious sisters, imams and the poor themselves.

ISARC to hold budget vigil on April 15

By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register

The politics of prayer and the prayers of politics are being marshalled at Queen’s Park in advance of Ontario’s 2015 budget.

Providence Healthcare Foundation board member Andrew Branion symbolically inaugurates the renovation to Providence Healthcare’s palliative care wing April 2.

Providence reimagines palliative care

By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register

TORONTO - If death is a part of life then we shouldn’t die alone any more than we should live in isolation. Our deaths should not be coldly institutionalized any more so than our lives. Our deaths should be as surrounded by family, love and compassion as the lives we lived.

A volunteer lights the candles, as Fr. Dominic Qin watches, to begin the Passover celebrations at Chinese Martyrs parish.

Seder meal takes catechumens to faith’s roots

By Michael Chen, The Catholic Register

MARKHAM, Ont. - As they prepared for their baptism at Easter, adult catechumens at Chinese Martyrs parish got a taste of the Old Testament by participating in the Jewish ritual of the Passover Seder.

Cardinal Thomas Collins speaks outside City Hall on the first national Pope John Paul II Day.

Toronto marks the inaugural John Paul II Day

By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic Register

TORONTO - For 24 hours the Vatican flag is flying above Nathan Philips Square as the City of Toronto celebrates the first national John Paul II Day April 2.

Chimal and Wendy exchange jokes as they knead a batch of English muffins at Toronto’s St. John’s Bakery.

St. John’s Bakery revives an Easter tradition

By Jean Ko Din, The Catholic Register

TORONTO - At St. John’s Bakery, the spiced, sweet scent of freshly baked hot cross buns fills the air. The bakery revives this popular tradition every year in anticipation of the joy of Jesus’ resurrection. But more than preparing an Easter treat, the hands that make the hot cross buns are symbols of hope and community.