Susan Korah

Melissa Torres is an immigrant from Honduras. Now living in Montreal where she leads a non-profit organization dedicated to art and language education, and an art therapy program for children with physical and psychological challenges, she keeps in close touch with the extended family she left behind.

Ethiopia adopted Christianity as its state religion in 330. It is now home to 77.5 million Christians, about 67 per cent of its total population.

After a two-year battle with cancer, Carl Hétu passed away surrounded by family in the early hours of May 27. He was 66.

The situation of Syria’s remaining Christians and other minorities continues to deteriorate despite the passing grade that Canadian ambassador Gregory Galligan recently gave the post-Assad government.

As the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) marks 100 years of humanitarian service this year, its national teams continue working in partnership with Eastern churches and local charities in the Middle East, Ethiopia, India, Ukraine and Armenia to bring the light of love, hope and healing to communities ravaged by war, genocide, natural disasters and economic hardship.

As choral and instrumental music, accompanied by the soaring voice of a Polish soprano, filled the flower-decorated interior of Ottawa’s Notre Dame Basilica and wafted to its sky blue, star-studded ceiling, Maria Knapik sat at one of the pews, listening with rapt attention.

On a cold, crisp Ottawa morning, a crowd of approximately 2,000 packed Rogers Centre in the shadow of Parliament Hill today to celebrate Canada’s Christian heritage and to pray together for unity in a divided world.

Despite living in perpetual fear of being caught in the crossfire, the Maronite Catholic population in southern Lebanon has defied evacuation orders, being deeply attached to their ancient homeland and rooted in and invincible faith.

“His voice was silenced but his mission lives on.”  So says a video promoting Blood and Water, a newly released biography of Shahbaz Bhatti, gunned down 15 years ago, March 2, 2011, by religious extremists in Islamabad, Pakistan.

An oasis of peace and serenity in this noisy, sprawling metropolis of over eight million in southern India, Ashirvad (meaning blessing in the local language) is a Jesuit centre where Fr. Arun Luis and his brother Jesuits work, pray and live together, dedicated to serving the marginalized in the city.