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March 2013

March 24

Port Credit school to reopen as Global Learning Centre

March 24, 2013

MISSISSAUGA, ONT. - When the doors of St. James School reopen next September, students will get a global perspective on the world while maintaining a Catholic presence in the community.

Despite close ties, pope skipped family barbecues to minister in slums

March 24, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Even though Pope Francis is very close to his family, he would often skip their barbecues to spend Sundays or holidays in Buenos Aires' slums, the pope's sister said.

This conclave really was something more

March 24, 2013

Smart journalists won’t tell you they chose this career because they wanted to experience history first hand. It sounds like the self-serving, grand fantasy of a delusional paranoid narcissist. So we lie.

What’s in a name? The Pope explains

March 24, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis said that “as things got dangerous” in the conclave voting, he was sitting next to his “great friend,” Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes “who comforted me.”

Syrian bishop says war saddens him, but he does not despair

March 24, 2013

ROME - Ministering in a time of war in his hometown, the Chaldean Catholic bishop of Aleppo, Syria, said: "Deep down, I'm not frightened, I'm not scared. I'm sad."

Following the path of remarkable Francis’ of the past

March 24, 2013

The world was both surprised by, and speculated on, the new Pope’s choice of the name Francis. The initial reaction was that it signified his devotion to St. Francis of Assisi, renowned for his practice of the virtue of poverty and a life of simplicity. (That turned out to be correct.) But others suggested that it reflected the Pope’s formation as a Jesuit, well aware of the evangelizing efforts of that great Jesuit co-founder, St. Francis Xavier who died in 1552.

Pope Francis a man cut from same cloth as Jesus

March 24, 2013

ROME - Jesus must have been a lot like our new Pope, Francis. I’ve been in Rome since March 15 and have been observing him and listening to him as he interacts with individuals and crowds. I see many traits of Jesus Christ.

First impressions? Very impressive

March 24, 2013

ROME - The simplicity of Pope Francis and his paternal goodness is a sign of hope for the Church, said Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine.

March 25

Pope Francis meets retired Pope Benedict, says 'we're brothers'

March 25, 2013

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - With a warm embrace, a helping hand, shared prayer, a long discussion and lunch together, Pope Francis spent several hours with retired Pope Benedict XVI March 23 at the papal summer villa.

Vatican confirms pope to lead full slate of Holy Week, Easter liturgies

March 25, 2013

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican confirmed Pope Francis will lead a full slate of Holy Week and Easter liturgies in Rome and at the Vatican, keeping pace with a usually busy papal schedule.

March 26

Pope Francis to live in Vatican guesthouse, not papal apartments

March 26, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has decided not to move into the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, but to live in a suite in the Vatican guesthouse where he has been since the beginning of the conclave that elected him, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.

Philippine bishops warn faithful against ritual crucifixions

March 26, 2013

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities announced that at least 24 "penitents" are expected to be nailed on the cross on Good Friday, an annual ritual meant to atone for sins and give thanks to God for blessings.

March 27

Self-absorption is root of evils within church, future Pope said

March 27, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Evils within the church are caused by a self-centeredness and "theological narcissism" that forget to share Christ with people outside of the church, Pope Francis said in the days before his election.

British Catholic legislators ask pope to relax priestly celibacy rule

March 27, 2013

MANCHESTER, England - Twenty-one Catholic members of Parliament have written to Pope Francis to ask him to relax the rule on priestly celibacy for Latin-rite priests.

U.S. definition of marriage less a focus than who's defining it

March 27, 2013

WASHINGTON - In its second day of oral arguments about aspects of laws related to same-sex marriage March 27, the Supreme Court spent little time discussing the actual definition of marriage, focusing instead on issues of jurisdiction, state's rights, motives behind the federal Defense of Marriage Act and timing.

March 28

Pope Francis says good priests bring joy, comfort to those in need

March 28, 2013

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis called on the world's priests to bring the healing power of God's grace to everyone in need, to stay close to the marginalized and to be "shepherds living with the smell of the sheep."

Francis brings joy

March 28, 2013

The hope and joy of Easter have been magnified this year by the first steps of a Pope who has arrived like the blossoms of an Easter-morning lily to brighten the universal Church.

Let the communication begin

March 28, 2013

VATICAN CITY - As Pope Francis leads the Church through his first Holy Week, there is great interest in what he does, how he does it and what the new Pope has to say. The communications apparatus of the Holy See is essential to addressing that interest.

I am that I am

March 28, 2013

Imagine being the universe and waking up one day to find you’re 80 million years older than you thought. Or, worse, to find the whole world now knows you’re so much older than you’ve been letting on. That has to be an awkward moment even for a cosmos that’s seen, well, everything in its 13.81 billion years of existence...

The cardinal who would be the king

March 28, 2013

Easter witnessed a victory over the bonds of sin and death that had held humanity fast since our fall from grace. Paradoxically, the victory was won by the peaceful life and innocent death of the victor. The apostles had expected a political conquest; the reality was so much more...