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November 2011

November 2

Half of Irish have negative view of Catholic Church, survey shows

November 2, 2011

DUBLIN - Almost half of Irish people polled say they now have an unfavourable view of the Catholic Church. Of those with a negative view, three-quarters cite the abuse scandals — the abuse or its cover-up — as a cause. However, 23 per cent say that their negative view is due to the Church's history and structures.

Catholic schools should accept GSAs, conference told

November 2, 2011

MISSISSAUGA, ONT. - Teachers should address homophobia in Catholic schools and embrace the objective of gay-straight alliances, two presenters told delegates at a major education conference. Kevin Welbes Godin, chair of the Catholic Association of Religious and Family Life Educators, and co-presenter Dave Szolloy, religious department head at Scarborough’s Mother Teresa Catholic High School, said GSAs are necessary to combat bullying in Catholic schools. They were speaking to about 30 teachers Oct. 28 at the When Faith Meets Pedagogy conference.

Human trafficking bill targets crimes outside Canada

November 2, 2011

OTTAWA - Human trafficking may soon join the list of crimes such as terrorism or child sex tourism that can be prosecuted in Canada even if the offence was committed in another country. Conservative MP Joy Smith has multi-party support for her latest anti-human trafficking private member’s bill C-310, which had its first of two hours of debate Oct. 25. It would amend the Criminal Code to add human trafficking to the list of offences by Canadians or permanent residents that can be prosecuted here if committed abroad.

Mary’s special gift

November 2, 2011

A well thought out estate plan can also include gifts made during your lifetime. Gifts of securities have a special advantage in that if gifted directly to your parish or favourite registered charity of choice, you will not have to pay any capital gains tax. But more importantly, a gift of securities can be a wonderful way of making the special gift you always wanted to. One such gift was made by Ms. Mary Louis, a faithful parishioner at St. Anselm’s parish in Toronto. (Her name has been changed to respect her anonymity). For more than 40 years, Mary spent much of her life caring for others.

Children lend their talents to planned giving campaign

November 2, 2011

TORONTO - A new archdiocese of Toronto “Planned Giving” poster campaign is using the Apostle’s Creed to inspire legacy gifts to the Catholic Church. It has a twist however. Instead of just words, the campaign features a poster of children’s drawings which brings the Creed to life. The poster encourages parishioners to consider legacy gifts in the form of donations through bequests or donations through an insurance policy or family endowment.

You can’t take them with you, so why not donate organs

November 2, 2011

TORONTO - Organ donation is a very Catholic act because it lives the Gospel values, said Deacon Michael Hayes. Hayes is a living example. He himself is an organ donor who has donated 70 per cent of both his liver and a kidney to help others survive. “When our earthly days are done, you can take nothing with you which you’ve received, only which you’ve given,” said Hayes, quoting St. Francis of Assisi.

Non-cash gifts can help out your parish as much as a monetary donation

November 2, 2011

When making a donation to the Church in your will, remember that what you leave behind doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary. Non-cash gifts, referred to as gifts in kind, can include stamps, coins, art, musical instruments, real estate, an old car, jewellery, books or computers, according to information published on the archdiocese of Toronto’s development office web site. These may be gifts used in day-to-day parish activity that enhance spiritual development or help the Catholic community.

Joint accounts may seem like a good idea but they come with problems

November 2, 2011

One of the most frequently encountered situations in estate litigation involves the improper use of joint accounts. Joint accounts are a useful tool but they can also be abused. In fact, lawyers have seen a sharp increase in litigation and disputes arising from the use of jointly held property. To illustrate, let us assume a fictional Mrs. Smith who has four children. She has left all her assets to be divided equally among them after providing for a number of charitable bequests to her favourite charities. Keep her in mind as you read. HOLDING PROPERTY JOINTLY

Maximizing impact of your contributions through insurance

November 2, 2011

Few people realize that insurance can be used to make a substantial gift to their parish or favourite archdiocesan charity at a relatively low monthly cost. Depending on your age, the amount of the policy and your tax bracket, a gift of insurance could cost you less than a dollar a day after tax.

Social media is ShareLife’s new door-to-door canvass

November 2, 2011

Facebook can’t replace a human face, but it can bring it closer. ShareLife, the charitable fundraising arm of the archdiocese of Toronto, relies on human faces to get its message out and bring dollars in. But social media — including Facebook and Twitter — are bringing in more and more dollars and reaching out to more and more donors. “ShareLife began as a grassroots movement with people canvassing door-to-door,” said ShareLife communications manager Bill Steinburg.

Cemetery experience can bring evangelizing moments

November 2, 2011

EDMONTON - Caring for the remains of those who have died is a serious business. Today, however, not everyone sees things that way. The current trend to cremation, for example, often means that the remains of a person do not always end up in a cemetery. Some people choose to scatter the ashes of their loved ones.

A reflection on pastoral care in hospitals

November 2, 2011

“Then He called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them the authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness” - (Matthew 10:1) TORONTO - Pastoral care for the sick and the dying is a very important mission in the spiritual life of the Catholic Church. And just as it is important to plan for our earthly comforts, each of us should have a plan that encompasses our spiritual needs. At St. Michael’s Hospital, as the priest-chaplain appointed by the archbishop, I work in the department of spiritual care (formerly known as the chaplaincy department) as part of a team consisting of several staff chaplains from different faith traditions. As the priest-chaplain I provide spiritual care specifically to the Roman Catholic members.

Creative ways to draft a will

November 2, 2011

How do I want my estate money distributed at my death? Pose the question to yourself when you’re eating alone or taking a relaxed coffee break. How much to family? How much to charity? Any bequests to friends? This little exercise will get you thinking... and maybe get you past any reluctance you now have about doing an official will. It might also lead to a revision of a will you already have in place.

What makes a cemetery Catholic?

November 2, 2011

There are very significant questions that Catholics must ask themselves at various times in their lives. Decisions that need to be made with long-term consequences. Among these, when a loved one passes from this life, should a Catholic cemetery be contacted for a burial place? What are the reasons that we choose one cemetery over another? What distinguishes Catholic cemeteries from the other cemeteries in our area?

Many options, but Catholics still opting for tradition

November 2, 2011

TORONTO - The future of getting buried is all about choice, but the more choices you have to make the greater the need for planning. “Pre-planning your estate and final burial options is important,” said Amy Profenna of Catholic Cemeteries, Archdiocese of Toronto. “You’re taking a lot of important decisions out of an emotionally stressful time (for your family).” The majority of Catholic Cemeteries funerals are still caskets buried in the ground. This may sound straight-forward, but there are still choices to be made, said Profenna.

At audience, Pope prays G-20 summit will help world's poor

November 2, 2011

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI prayed that a summit of the leaders of countries with the world's largest economies would find ways to overcome the current economic crisis and promote real development. At the end of his weekly general audience Nov. 2, the pope issued a special appeal to the leaders of the G-20 nations scheduled to meet Nov. 3-4 in Cannes, France. "I hope the meeting will help overcome the difficulties, which -- on a global level -- block the promotion of an authentically human and integral development," the Pope said.

November 3

Birth of 7 billionth baby is challenge to help all, newspaper says

November 3, 2011

VATICAN CITY - The challenge posed to the world by the birth of its 7 billionth inhabitant isn't how to stop population growth, but to find ways to ensure the continued growth can benefit all humanity, said an article in the Vatican newspaper. According to the United Nations, the world's population hit -- and quickly exceeded -- 7 billion Oct. 31. At a time when people are talking again about overpopulation, "it's worth asking which overpopulation we're talking about," said Cristian Martini Grimaldi, writing on the front page of L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper.

Physicists, cosmologists meet at Vatican to discuss nature of universe

November 3, 2011

VATICAN CITY - World-renown physicists, who study everything from imperceptible particles to the expanding cosmos, came together for a Vatican-sponsored conference on the "new frontier of physics" -- the sub-nuclear world of electrons, hadrons and neutrinos. From the ancient Greeks to the Nobel Prize-winning scientists of today, humanity has sought to delve into the nature and origin of matter and discover the basic building blocks of the universe. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences provided a forum for about 52 experts to showcase the latest discoveries when it hosted an international symposium Oct. 30-Nov. 2 on the future of sub-nuclear physics and the puzzles left to piece together.

Disarmament campaign in Sao Paulo churches yields 271 firearms

November 3, 2011

SAO PAULO - Nineteen parishes in Sao Paulo opened their doors to collect guns and ammunition as part of the city-wide Religions United for Disarmament campaign that collected 271 firearms and 173 rounds of ammunition during nine days. The weapons were collected during the World Week for Disarmament in late October under the direction of the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Civil Guard, the city's police force.

Galway choir gets a glimpse of Toronto's Irish past

November 3, 2011

TORONTO - Perhaps they weren't all saints. But they're all together in Toronto's historic St. Michael's Cemetery. A touring Irish choir from County Galway got a glimpse at Toronto's Irish history touring the monuments at the mid-town cemetery on All Saints Day, Nov. 1. The Dunmore Church Choir was in Toronto to perform a benefit concert for L'Arche Toronto and a concert at St. Paul's Basilica. But time out to investigate the part of Irish history that had reached across the ocean in the 19th century was welcome, said tenor Martin Silke. "We survived. They were the pioneers," said Silke. "They must have been horrendously brave people, if you can imagine crossing the ocean in a 20-metre boat into the unknown. It's important to remember."