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January 2014

January 2

Baptism sets us off on our Christ-centred journey

January 2, 2014

Baptism of the Lord (Year A) Jan. 12 (Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17) Who was the prophetic figure described in Isaiah’s Song of the Servant? A name was not given, but clearly the identity must have been clear to the generation for whom this was written. Many believe it was a collective symbol of the nation of Israel. This would fit nicely with the mission described in the passage: justice, light to the nations, healer of the suffering and liberator of the oppressed.

More than 6.6 million attended Vatican events with Pope Francis in 2013

January 2, 2014

VATICAN CITY - In the first nine and a half months of Pope Francis' pontificate, more than 6.6 million people participated in papal events at the Vatican, including weekly general audiences, group audiences, liturgies and recitations of the Angelus and “Regina Coeli” on Sundays and holy days.

Pope: Time to stop violence, discord, and begin making peace at home

January 2, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Welcoming in a new year, Pope Francis said it was time to stop provoking and ignoring violence, tragedy and conflict in the world, and begin building peace at home.

Canadian bishops will continue to oppose prostitution despite ruling

January 2, 2014

OTTAWA - Canada’s Catholic bishops will maintain their opposition to prostitution despite the Supreme Court of Canada’s Dec. 20 ruling striking down Canada’s prostitution laws.

January 3

True faith is driven by zeal to change world with God's love, pope says

January 3, 2014

VATICAN CITY - True faith is marked by the daring desire to change the world with the loving heart of Jesus, Pope Francis said.

Pope orders new rules on relations between bishops, religious orders

January 3, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis said he has ordered a revision of what he called outdated Vatican norms on the relations between religious orders and local bishops, in order to promote greater appreciation of the orders' distinctive missions.

Philly priest released from prison after court reversed conviction

January 3, 2014

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia archdiocesan priest was released from a Pennsylvania state prison Jan. 2 after an appeals court reversed his conviction for endangering child welfare by his handling of a sex abuse case.

January 6

Jerusalem's Latin patriarch hopes pope's May visit is 'cry for peace'

January 6, 2014

AMMAN, Jordan - Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem welcomed the announcement of Pope Francis' May visit to the Holy Land and said he hopes the pilgrimage will be a "cry for peace," particularly for Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians and others beset by conflict.

Pope limits 'monsignor' honor for diocesan priests

January 6, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has decided to limit the honor of "monsignor" among diocesan priests and grant it from now on only to those at least 65 years of age.

Pope Francis pledges almost $5 million to help pay World Youth Day debt

January 6, 2014

RIO DE JANEIRO - Pope Francis has pledged a donation of almost $5 million to help pay part of the debt incurred by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day, said the Local Organizing Committee.

January 7

Order of Canada comes as surprise to Weisgerber

January 7, 2014

While on the verge of laying down his title as archbishop of Winnipeg, James Weisgerber picked up a new title: Officer of the Order of Canada.

Targetting exploiters needed to combat prostitution, MP says

January 7, 2014

OTTAWA - Conservative MP Joy Smith hopes to convince her colleagues on both sides of Parliament the so-called Nordic model is the best way to replace Canada’s prostitution laws.

Pope appoints Companion of the Cross priest as Ottawa auxiliary bishop

January 7, 2014

OTTAWA - Pope Francis announced Jan. 7 that Fr. Christian Riesbeck has been appointed new auxiliary bishop of Ottawa.

January 8

Baptism gives strength to forgive enemies, love poor, Pope says

January 8, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Baptism isn't just some formal ritual, it profoundly changes people, giving them unwavering hope and the strength to forgive and love others, Pope Francis said.

January 9

For dignity’s sake

January 9, 2014

The Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions on prostitution has handed Parliament an opportunity to make ground-breaking social change by passing new laws to cripple this dehumanizing practice.

Blessed are the poor

January 9, 2014

At the end of 2013 the billionaire businessman and philanthropist Ken Langone told New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan that “Pope Francis may be hurting fundraising projects for the Roman Catholic Church with his controversial criticism of capitalism.” Langone is the founder of Home Depot, a man who worked his way up from humble beginnings, and is leading an initiative to raise $180 million to give New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral a necessary facelift. He allegedly told the cardinal that one specific seven-figure donor was already considering withdrawing his offer after the Pope’s critical comments about capitalism.

History repeating

January 9, 2014

In an elegant touch, Pope Francis announced his trip to the Holy Land on Jan. 5, the precise 50th anniversary of the historic meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras.

Finding a happy balance for the new year

January 9, 2014

I returned from a week in the countryside of Fife, where my husband and I had rented a little cottage, on discount terms, from the National Trust of Scotland. The cottage is a pocket on the grassy skirts of the magnificent “Hill of Tarvit” mansion. The estate was built for an Edwardian jute king and left to the Trust after the jute king’s daughter died in 1948 — probably to circumvent the crippling inheritance taxes. Before the Trust was founded, many desperate owners just destroyed their ancestral country homes. Thus, the rescuing National Trust, my husband’s job, and our little holiday in the quiet countryside.

Just my imagination? I don’t think so

January 9, 2014

The Christmas holidays tend to be a time to catch up on reading around our house, when the hustle and bustle is over and before we gear up to return to work or school.

Jesus takes away the sin of the world

January 9, 2014

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Jan. 19 (Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34) Human vision is often very shortsighted. We fail to see the big picture and fall victim to tunnel vision. It is then very easy to become caught up in our own struggles and problems or focus our energies on immediate benefits. The word of God spoken to the enigmatic Servant in Isaiah was both a shock and a challenge. In the omitted verse, the Servant protested that his life had been unfruitful and wasted in useless things. Rather than backing off or allowing him some slack, God raised the bar. The Servant had been called even before his birth so there was no “escape.” Merely restoring Israel to God was too small a task — God had far grander things in mind.