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April 21, 2013
TORONTO - Paul Finn, 53, can’t point to that one moment that compelled him to study for the priesthood.
TORONTO - For Joshua Roldan, true peace is only found in the Lord.
OTTAWA - Jean-Noel Cormier got his first glimpse of poverty — and felt an urge to help — in his childhood in Bouctouche, New Brunswick.
April 22, 2013
WASHINGTON - Students at Boston colleges in particular felt the impact of the April 15 Boston Marathon explosions and after the tragedy just down the street from many of these campuses, they gathered to pray for victims, raise funds to support their recovery, and simply to talk and share their grief and disbelief.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - There were more questions than answers about the April 15 terror attack on the Boston Marathon in the days following the bombings, even with the FBI's eventual identification of two suspects in the attack.
VATICAN CITY - Before ordaining 10 men to the priesthood, Pope Francis prayed privately with them in the sacristy and entrusted them to Mary's care.
BOSTON - Even though "the culture of death looms large" today, the light of Christ the Good Shepherd "can expel the darkness and illuminate for us a path that leads to life, to a civilization of solidarity and love," said Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley.
VATICAN CITY - Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family and the official promoter of the sainthood cause of the late Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, said the process to beatify and eventually canonize the slain Salvadoran archbishop has been unblocked.
April 23, 2013
Updated 04/24/13 VATICAN CITY - Acknowledging "conflicting reports" about two Orthodox archbishops kidnapped in Syria, Pope Francis prayed for them and for an end to the war in their country.
April 24, 2013
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia judge dismissed three of eight murder charges April 23 in the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia abortionist accused of killing babies said to be born alive at his clinic.
April 25, 2013
DUBLIN - The head of the Irish Catholic Church's child safeguarding watchdog said he is encouraged by the latest audits of the handling of abuse allegations by dioceses and a religious congregation.
From the Bible to casinos, seven is often considered to be a magical, perfect and lucky number. Jesus told us to forgive those who hurt us 70 times seven times. Clearly He meant that to mean infinity. Genesis speaks of the seven days of creation, Scripture speaks of seven archangels, and the Book of Revelation speaks of the Seven Seals of Revelation. The Bible is saturated with the number seven. It would take several pages just to list the references.
Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year C) May 5 (Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23; John 14:23-29) What are the basic entry requirements for joining the people of God? This is an age-old question that continues in our own day. In the reading from Acts, we can eavesdrop on a debate that tore the first Christian community apart: does one have to first become fully Jewish, observing all of the elements of the Law, in order to become a follower of Jesus? There were those who interpreted the Law and tradition very strictly and those who were more flexible. The hardliners from Jerusalem had unsettled the community of Antioch and upset the delicate balance between Jewish Christians and gentile converts. Some community members refused to even eat at the same table as gentile Christians. Old ideas die hard, especially those involving separation and difference.
Only those who have run marathons fully understand the event’s power to shred body, soul and psyche. Runners of half-marathons don’t half understand that power because the full 42.1 kilometres does not split arithmetically in two. It is commonly said the marathon truly begins at 30 kilometres.
A doctor on trial as an alleged serial killer would normally be front page news. But the case of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, on trial in Philadelphia for seven first-degree murders, has received little media attention.
On a bright sunny day in Vancouver about 15 years ago I witnessed my first long-distance run. The videographer working with me knew where to get the best shots — at the bottom of a hill on Georgia Street, about a kilometre from the starting line. Staring up the empty street we waited. The first sign of movement was a line of bobbing heads as runners emerged over the top of the hill. What followed was an avalanche of humanity undulating down the street. Thousands and thousands of people, all sizes, ages and running ability, on foot, in strollers pushed by running moms and dads, in wheelchairs. Family, friends and spectators cheered as they began their arduous run. And the cheering and encouragement continued...
He is a man of the poor, we were told. Pope Francis’ devotion to the poor was one of the first things the media latched onto when the result of last month’s conclave became known. We were treated to stories of his humble apartment, his riding the bus and his overall simple life. The media attention is fading but the Pope’s message to help the poor should not. The question is how? In our secular politics we often hear political parties accuse one another of not caring about the poor. That’s not true. In fact it’s quite unfair. In Canada all parties care about helping the poor but they differ on the best way to go about it...
“From Mabou to Big Pond, there is no place on Earth like it,” said Rita MacNeil, who died last week. “My glorious home, Cape Breton.”
BOSTON - I was in the foyer of the House of Commons when I learned of the Boston Marathon bombings. Knowing my brother Mike and his wife Sally had friends running, I immediately called his home. Sally said Mike had been shooting video of runners raising money for charity and had called her from near the finish line. “His voice was high. He said: ‘There’s been an explosion. I’m okay. I gotta go.’ ”
April 26, 2013
Argentina will send more pilgrims to World Youth Day 2013 in Brazil than any other foreign country, according to organizers. Members of the local organizing committee for World Youth Day say that, with the recent election of an Argentine Pope, they expect up to 2.5 million young people at the international event in Rio de Janeiro.