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January 2014

January 29

Animal rights group says Vatican sends doves "to certain death"

January 29, 2014

ROME - After two doves released by Pope Francis and two young children were attacked by aggressive predator birds, a leading animal rights group called on the pontiff to stop what they called “outdated traditions.”

Ontario trustees remove video that public school advocates find offensive

January 29, 2014

TORONTO - A promotional video produced by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) has been voluntarily removed from the association's YouTube channel after objections were raised from within the public school system.

Indian cardinal opposed to 'criminalization' of same-sex relationships

January 29, 2014

BANGALORE, India - The head of the Catholic Church in India has reiterated its opposition to "criminalization" of homosexuality.

January 30

Cardinal says U.S. bill stops taxes from 'subsidizing violence' of abortion

January 30, 2014

WASHINGTON - Passage of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act in the United States"will help save lives and will reduce abortions," U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said.

Doing the right thing

January 30, 2014

In a spat between the federal government and several provinces over health-care coverage for refugees, we have no hesitation in picking sides. We choose the side of compassion, the side that embraces what Pope Francis calls a “generous openness” to always comfort society’s most vulnerable members.

The media as a vast enterprise of neighbourliness

January 30, 2014

“You just want to sell newspapers!” is one of the most interesting insults that every reporter and editor hears at some point. There aren’t many professions liable to quite that sort of calumny.

Quebec’s education decline

January 30, 2014

Late last week, the Catholic girls school at the top of my street announced it would close its doors permanently at the end of this school year. In its 126th year, Queen of Angels Academy simply cannot afford to continue.

Israel and Christian ambivalence

January 30, 2014

The visit of Stephen Harper to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan has been judged a success. Israel’s government was ecstatic for Harper’s steadfast support, the Palestinians overlooked that and were grateful for tens of millions in Canadian aid for schools and security. There were good media reviews at home, and favourable contrasts were drawn with the last visit of a Canadian prime minister to Israel, Jean Chretien’s bumbling and error-strewn tour in 2000.

Re-defining ‘creed’ stirs up controversy

January 30, 2014

The recent incident at Toronto’s York University, in which a student sought exemption from group work due to religious beliefs that forbid contact with women, attracted much media attention but perhaps did not shine as much attention as it could have on how the Ontario Human Rights Code interprets religion and gender as grounds for discrimination. On at least one level the York situation was a conflict between competing rights.

God’s power, love is what will save us all

January 30, 2014

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Feb. 9 (Isaiah 58:6-10; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16) Religion can be a risky business. The prophets of Israel and Jesus of Nazareth recognized the care and spiritual awareness required in the exercise of faith and worship. Without this care, religion — any religion — can become many things, none of them divine: opiate of the masses, maintainer of the status quo, superstition and even a tool of oppression.

The danger of defining ourselves

January 30, 2014

Given the speed and change in our world today, the oceans of information being given us by the new technologies, the speed with which knowledge now passes through our lives, the increasing specialization and fragmentation inside higher education and the ever-increasing complexity of our lives, you occasionally hear someone say, usually just after offering an opinion on something: But what do I know anyway? Good question: What do we know anyway?

Canadian bishops appeal for peace in Ukraine

January 30, 2014

OTTAWA - Canada’s Catholic bishops have assured their Ukrainian counterparts of their prayers and solidarity as demonstrations continue to rock the country.

Thieves confess, but relic of Blessed John Paul II still missing

January 30, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Less than a week after a relic of Blessed John Paul II disappeared from a country chapel east of Rome, Italian police arrested two men for the theft, but the venerated piece of fabric stained with the late pope's blood was still missing.

As Israeli court hears case, U.S., Canadian bishops weigh in on barrier

January 30, 2014

JERUSALEM - On the eve of an Israeli Supreme Court decision concerning the construction of a contested segment of the security barrier in the West Bank town of Beit Jalla, U.S. and Canadian bishops sent letters to their governmental representatives urging them to push Israel to stop building along the proposed route.

Ukrainian struggle is Church’s struggle

January 30, 2014

The struggle against corruption and for democracy in Ukraine has become the Church’s struggle for dignity, honesty and peace, says a Canadian Jesuit in Ukraine.

In South Sudan conflict, churches attacked, looted

January 30, 2014

African Church leaders are urging parties in the South Sudanese conflict to respect places of worship after rebels attacked and looted church compounds in the town of Malakal.

January 31

Bishop calls on Nigerian president to give military support to find militants

January 31, 2014

LAGOS, Nigeria - A bishop in northeastern Nigeria said the country's president must give the newly appointed military service chiefs the constitutional support for them to be able to flush out the Boko Haram militants.

Love and compassion will unite Christianity

January 31, 2014

Editor’s note: this is the second place entry in the annual essay contest for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity sponsored by The Catholic Register and the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement- Graymoor. Kelly Cheung, 15, a student at Thornhill, Ont.’s St. Robert Catholic High School, took second prize. According to the Bible, the basic definition of a Christian is a person who acknowledges their faith to Jesus Christ and His teachings. Although all Christians share similar beliefs and values, they are not all the same. Their differences have resulted in three main branches of Christianity: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. These sectors were created because of different interpretations of the Bible but not the division of Christ. There is only one God, one Christ whom all Christians believe in.

The Bible before bedtime

January 31, 2014

There are two pieces of advice in regards to a healthy spiritual life which my confessor loves to give before bestowing absolution — pray regularly and take a little time each day to read from a piece of spiritual literature. He suggests the Bible. After hearing this, I return home with renewed zeal, eager to put this w h o l e s o m e advice into practice.

Pop culture distorts supernaturals

January 31, 2014

Angels and demons have fascinated the public since biblical times, but are still portrayed inaccurately in film and on television. In January, Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones hit theatres and the ninth season of Supernatural, after a short break, re-started on TV, each with accurate and inaccurate depictions of these creatures.