Michael Swan

Latin theology coming to Canadian bishops

September 13, 2014

Cuba’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega is about to welcome Canada’s bishops to the rough and tumble of Latin American theology.

UN needs strike force says Canadian peace advocate

September 12, 2014

The United Nations should create a permanent, rapid-response peacekeeping force for rapid intervention in emergencies, said Canada’s elder statesman of peace and disarmament.

Catholic radio forced off air

September 12, 2014

A Catholic Radio station in South Sudan that the Canadian bishops’ development agency hopes to support has been shut down for reporting both sides of a story.

Rivals pray for Rob Ford at mayoralty interfaith debate

September 11, 2014

TORONTO - Olivia Chow, John Tory and long-shot candidate Ari Goldkind all offered prayers for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who was being treated in hospital with a stomach tumour detected the evening before Toronto mayoralty candidates were to answer questions from faith leaders at Metropolitan United Church.

Faith leaders urge peace and action

September 10, 2014

TORONTO - The people came to pray and were told to act.

Internally displaced Iraqi Christians not refugees

September 10, 2014

TORONTO - Mahir Aboudi’s aging mother and father — on the run from the Islamic State and holed up with thousands of refugees in Irbil, Kurdistan — can’t join their son and his family in Canada as refugees because they haven’t yet crossed an international border, Conservative cabinet member Jason Kenney told Aboudi and his family.

L’Arche at 50: Half a century of kindness and care

September 7, 2014

L'Arche has been with us for 50 years. A half century ago, in a very different world, Jean Vanier started something in the French countryside that has made the whole world think about what it means to be human, what we owe to our humanity and how we care for the broken and fragile among us. Fifty years of kindness and care, hope and humanity is worth celebrating.

Celebrating life at fork in the road

September 7, 2014

There’s a fork in the road on Manger Street in Bethlehem, just before you reach the separation wall and the main Israeli checkpoint. Down the road that runs parallel to the wall you find Ma’an lil-Hayat, a L’Arche project. The Arabic name means “Human Life.”

At L’Arche, no gift is too hard to bear

September 7, 2014

Today’s L’Arche finds itself challenged at both ends of life.

Euthanasia no way to promote human rights, dignity, coalition argues

September 5, 2014

Killing off the old, the infirm and the disabled won’t promote the human rights, dignity or freedom of anybody, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition argues in a factum submitted to the Supreme Court of Canada Aug. 28.