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Browse › 2007 › November

November 2007

November 18

Actress’s abortion process turned her pro-life

November 18, 2007

OAKVILLE, Ont. - Actress. Film and television star. Cover girl. Composer. Author. Poet. Artist. And spokesperson for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.

De Palma’s ode to the fruitlessness of war

November 18, 2007

Director Brian de Palma is obviously outraged, morally scandalized, angered and saddened by the war in Iraq. A Catholic educated in Quaker schools who came of age protesting the Vietnam War in the 1960s, de Palma is not the kind of American President George Bush can count on for support.

History repeats

November 18, 2007

Sacred Causes: The Clash of Religion and Politics From the Great War to the War on Terror by Michael Burleigh (HarperCollins, 557 pages, hardcover, $34.95.) In his first volume of two on the co-mingling of European culture and faith covering the late 18th century to modern times, the encyclopedic and masterful British scholar Michael Burleigh laid down a basic theory to ground his work: “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” In other words, the tides of history roll out, but they also return. Faith may seem to disappear, but in fact it does not.

The one who rules humbly serves

November 18, 2007

Christ the King (Year C) Nov. 25 (2 Samuel 5:1-3; Psalm 122; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43) Words can communicate with precision and unite people. But they are sometimes divisive, as when groups of people use the same word but have profoundly different understandings of its meaning. Throughout the Bible, “power” and “king” are two such terms.

November 19

In Merton’s poetry, the ‘Word percolates deep’

November 19, 2007

Thomas Merton and the Dalai Lama [images/stories/historical_people/merton_dalailama.jpg]Last October Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, sponsored a conference on the poetry of Thomas Merton called “In The Dark Before Dawn: Thomas Merton, Poet.” I was invited to give the keynote address at the conference and my paper actually embraced more than Merton in that I considered two other parson poets — Pier Giorgio Di Cicco (a regular contributor to the pages of The Catholic Register and currently poet laureate of the City of Toronto) and Roderick J. MacSween, the founder of the Antigonish Review and a professor of English at St. Francis Xavier University who died in 1996.

The reality behind the rhetoric

November 19, 2007

Often when I tell people about my pro-life position I am accused of being anti-women. So just what is it about the pro-life position that makes its supporters anti-women? After all, the pro-life movement is founded upon women. What would detractors say to that? Could it be possible to reconcile both regard for fetal rights and women’s rights? Is it necessary for women’s rights to supersede that of the unborn child in order to be sympathetic and compassionate to women?

Youth inspire Sr. Sue Moran

November 19, 2007

SisterSueMoran.jpg [images/stories/toronto_people/SisterSueMoran.jpg]TORONTO - Call her the Mother Teresa of Canada. However, when addressed by this title, Sr. Susan Moran, or Sue as she is more affectionately known, protests saying that she is far too little to be compared to such a great person. This is just one indication of the humility with which Moran carries herself.

Latin Mass appeals to youth

November 19, 2007

latin_missal.jpg [images/stories/misc/latin_missal.jpg]OTTAWA - Catholics who attend Mass in Latin are not merely those who can remember it since before it was discontinued after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

After Noel’s fury

November 19, 2007

HurricaneNoel.jpg [images/stories/international/HurricaneNoel.jpg]Experiencing the power and fury of a hurricane is unforgettable. On Oct. 30 the Dominican Republic tasted the wrath of hurricane Noel whose powerful winds and rains swept up from the Caribbean, striking a devastating blow to that country’s central region.

Decision expected soon on papal visit to Canada

November 19, 2007

OTTAWA - No decision has been made by Vatican officials on the possibility of a papal visit to Canada to attend next June's Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, Canadian church officials say.

November 20

Toronto board to launch year-round schooling pilot program

November 20, 2007

TORONTO - The Toronto Catholic District School Board has tentatively approved year-round schooling at two elementary and two secondary schools for the 2009-2010 school year.

November 21

Monastery sale divides Toronto Ukrainians

November 21, 2007

TORONTO - The Ukrainian eparchy of Toronto is divided and will face years of bitterness and recrimination over its decision to sell its monastery near Orangeville, according to one of the bishop’s most senior consultors.

November 22

Canadian Church folk a helping bunch

November 22, 2007

OTTAWA - Canadian society stands to become a much bleaker place if religious attendance continues to decline as it has over the past two decades.

Government challenged on tax cuts to oil sector

November 22, 2007

The federal government has some explaining to do about climate change and tax breaks. A coalition of churches with the help of an environmental legal group are hoping to hear what the government has to say early in 2008.

Laity role essential in Catholic schools

November 22, 2007

VATICAN CITY - A transformation has occurred in Catholic schools over the last 50 years, and the Vatican took its measure at a recent press conference.

Cardinal Ouellet's issues mea culpa to Quebec

November 22, 2007

Editor's note: Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Catholic Church in Canada, made front page news Nov. 21 with the publication in daily newspapers across the province of an open letter asking forgiveness for the sins of past church leaders. Below is an English translation. Following my intervention at the Bouchard-Taylor commission, your comments have been many and varied. I have read all of them with great care, whether they came in the mail or through the media. I thank you for the messages of support, I also thank you for the criticism which has made me reflect and prompted this open letter, which seeks to deepen reflection, dispel misunderstandings and promote dialogue in a spirit of peace and reconciliation.

November 23

British cardinal criticizes fatherless babies in bill

November 23, 2007

LONDON - A British cardinal has criticized proposals to allow lesbians to become joint legal parents of children created for them through in vitro fertilization.

Peace group seeks bishops’ statement on war

November 23, 2007

TORONTO - It’s time for Canada’s Catholic bishops to state clearly what they think Canada should be doing in Afghanistan, according to a lay peace group which plans to petition the bishops for a statement before Christmas.

Jesuits fund-raiser to honour 
members, laity at dinner

November 23, 2007

TORONTO — Of course Jesuits need money, and they will be happy to accept yours. But the second annual Jesuit Provincial’s Dinner will be about much more than money.

Dufferin-Peel looks to future

November 23, 2007

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - A bruising battle over funding with the provincial government behind it, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is now embarking on a thorough re-examination of its Catholic mission for the first time in 15 years.