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November 2007

November 23

I love being a Catholic

November 23, 2007

I love being Catholic. To say so reminds me that I have received the best gift ever given.

Changing the world through art

November 23, 2007

VivianaAustudillo_Clavijo.jpg [images/stories/ysn/VivianaAustudillo_Clavijo.jpg]TORONTO - Within the last few months 17-year-old student Viviana Astudillo-Clavijo of Loretto College School in Toronto has dined with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and mingled with Governor General Michaelle Jean. Her passion for art and her efforts to help the community won Astudillo-Clavijo the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case (Youth Award) on Oct. 17.

Advent readings save us from twisted Christmas

November 23, 2007

TORONTO - When Kathleen Norris pulled back the curtain on what Benedictine life is really about in her ground-breaking 1997 book Cloister Walk, she wanted readers to know it’s not easy being spiritual. She wrote about loneliness and heartbreak and not knowing and just what it might feel like to haul one’s body off to chapel five times a day, every day, for the rest of your life.

Salt+Light, Dufferin-Peel school board team up

November 23, 2007

TORONTO - A new DVD series aims to teach students in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board about virtues.

Blessed are the peacemakers

November 23, 2007

First Sunday of Advent (Year A), Dec. 2 (Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44) When we say “utopia” or “paradise” peace usually pops into our mind. Isaiah doesn’t disappoint us, for he uses some of the most beautiful and evocative language in the Old Testament to set human hearts afire with hope and determination: Swords into ploughshares, and spears into pruning hooks — an end to war and even thinking about war.

Baby Jesus points us to our humanness

November 23, 2007

How do you prepare for Christmas? One year, when I was working in parish ministry, we decided to hold an Advent retreat. Many parishioners were eager for such a time of reflection. We arranged it well in advance, made posters, booked rooms and soon had abundant pre-registered participants.

Morals and politics

November 23, 2007

Meeting in Baltimore last month, the U.S. Catholic bishops overwhelmingly approved a new guide intended to inform Catholic political opinion. The circumstances surrounding this document are urgent: “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility From the Catholic Bishops of the United States” is directed at American Catholics trying to live out their faith in the contentious presidential campaigns now under way and who are looking for ways to express themselves responsibly in next year’s presidential and congressional elections.

Focus on caring

November 23, 2007

In Canada, all too often, the debate over “health care” focuses on dollars and cents. It is about technical fixes, efficiencies and accountability. All important things, surely. However, rarely is it ever about the second word in that phrase --— care.

Seeking miracles in AIDS ministry

November 23, 2007

AIDS_africa.jpg [images/stories/misc/AIDS_africa.jpg]Healing is tougher than handing out pills. The spectacular results of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment have many thinking such drugs are the solution to the pandemic. They can make a huge difference. Where available, they prolong life, improve its quality and thereby reduce stigma. Making them as available throughout Africa as they are in Canada is an urgent issue of international justice.

We do remember

November 23, 2007

remembrance2002.jpg [images/stories/misc/remembrance2002.jpg]OTTAWA - On Nov. 11, I attended Remembrance Day ceremonies at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. More accurately, I tried to attend. As it happened, I did not get close enough to see the prime minister and the Governor General and the other dignitaries, or to see the wreaths being laid.

November 25

Books to make an ex-pat homesick

November 25, 2007

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill (HarperCollins, 330 pages, $17.50). Soucouyant by David Chariandy (Arsenal, 200 pages, $19.95). Helpless by Barbara Gowdy (HarperCollins, 306 pages, $32.95). Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje (McClelland and Stewart, 273 pages, $34.99). The Assassin’s Song by M.G. Vassanji (Doubleday Canada, 314 pages, $34.95). While studying theology in Boston I felt so homesick I thought I’d go crazy. I would delay the journey back to Canada as long as I could, but then I’d snap, call an airline agent or rush to South Station. If I flew to Toronto, I’d watch out the car window leaving the airport for the first Canadian flag. If I crossed the Quebec border, I’d long to hug the surly customs officers. I couldn’t do that, of course, so I spoke French to them instead.

November 26

Ajax heritage church sold to town

November 26, 2007

AJAX, Ont. - The Town of Ajax is taking over the 136-year-old St. Frances de Sales Church and the parish has an extra $400,000 to put towards the debt on its new church a few blocks north of the old building.

November 27

Growing feminization of church a ‘source of hope’

November 27, 2007

OTTAWA - When Reginald Bibby researched his book Fragmented Gods back in the 1980s, he recalls the hostility he encountered among some Catholic women who wanted more gender equality in the church.

November 28

Anglican Church on the brink of schism?

November 28, 2007

BURLINGTON, Ont. - The word “schism” is increasingly being used to describe the state of affairs among Canadian Anglicans in the midst of intensifying disagreements over liberalized theology and a growing acceptance of the blessing of same-sex unions.

November 29

School board pulls controversial book

November 29, 2007

TORONTO - An Ontario Catholic school board has pulled The Golden Compass and other His Dark Materials novels by outspoken atheist Philip Pullman from school library shelves in response to a U.S.-inspired campaign against both the books and the movie version of The Golden Compass, which opens across Canada Dec. 7.

November 30

College of Cardinals grows by 23

November 30, 2007

VATICAN CITY - In a liturgy that emphasized the church’s cultural diversity and its unity of mission, Pope Benedict XVI created 23 new cardinals from 14 countries.

What he didn't say

November 30, 2007

Cardinal Marc Ouellet appears to be taking a page from Calgary Bishop Fred Henry’s book when it comes to media coverage. The archbishop of Quebec has found himself on the front pages of daily newspapers well outside his province talking about — wait for it — religion.

Child of God understands love, compassion, justice

November 30, 2007

Second Sunday of Advent (Year A) Dec. 9 (Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 1515:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12) The people of the first millennium B.C. were no different than we are. They had seen — and experienced — their share of tragedy, violence, war and natural disaster. They were certain that there was a tragic and dreadful flaw in the world, and they longed for the arrival of someone who would fix everything.

Christian conspiracy or journalistic overkill?

November 30, 2007

antonyFlew.jpg [images/stories/historical_people/antonyFlew.jpg]Journalism is not really about objectivity or neutrality. There are biases in the choice of story, biases in perspective, biases in the way we do stories, especially the language we use.

The Christmas manger and the little ones

November 30, 2007

xmasManger.jpg [images/stories/misc/xmasManger.jpg]On Christmas afternoon, Hope, my five-year-old, will carefully deliver baby Jesus to grandma’s Christmas manger. Mom and dad have had their manger for as long as I can remember. It appears every year in early December and takes up its position of prominence on the end table in the living room.