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February 2014

February 1

Young soccer star scores papal blessing

February 1, 2014

TORONTO - Toronto’s Christian Hanif, on a sports trip to Rome, found out that sometimes in life you score when you least expect it.

The Golden Rule: a Magna Carta for God’s kingdom

February 1, 2014

If there’s any such thing as Christian ethics (and there is), most of us would imagine it might be based on the Golden Rule. But few moral theologians spare more than a passing thought on the crowning lines of the Sermon on the Mount: “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

Christians called to a common profession of salvation

February 1, 2014

TORONTO - Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald discovered the secret to Church unity when he was the episcopal bishop of Alaska.

Funds sought to aid pregnant women in conflict zones

February 1, 2014

MaterCare International has issued a code blue alert for pregnant women in conflict zones around the world.

February 2

Faith helps first responders make sense of job

February 2, 2014

TORONTO - Having faith helps Andy Kemp, a Toronto paramedic, make sense of the madness that is a regular part of the job.

Faith helps speed skater achieve Olympic dream

February 2, 2014

With Canadian speed skating legend Jeremy Wotherspoon as an older brother, national team member Jamie Gregg as a husband and two former Olympians as parents-in-law, Danielle Wotherspoon-Gregg has big skates to fill at her first Winter Olympics. But Wotherspoon-Gregg, who’ll represent Canada in 500-metre speedskating at the 2014 Winter Games, has faith to keep her calm.

Praying for gold and cheering for Canada

February 2, 2014

TORONTO - Despite claiming citizenship in both Canada and the United States, U.S.-born Sr. Helena Burns always pulls for the maple leaf in international hockey. The 2014 Olympics will be no different.

February 3

Pope Francis' first Lenten message to focus on poverty, generosity

February 3, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has chosen the theme, "He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich," for this year's Lenten message, said a Vatican statement Jan. 31.

Canadian bishops urge government intervention on Israeli wall

February 3, 2014

OTTAWA - The Canadian government should urge Israel to stop construction of a section of its security wall that threatens the livelihood of 58 Christian families and a Catholic religious order, said the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in a letter to Canada's foreign affairs minister.

Canada likely to have new saints before year's end, Jesuit says

February 3, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Three key figures in the establishment of the Catholic Church in Canada and in Brazil are likely to be declared saints before the end of the year, said a Jesuit who is helping prepare the material needed for their canonizations.

February 4

Pope Francis: Sacrifice key to reaping wealth of God's love, fighting misery

February 4, 2014

VATICAN CITY - Courageously follow Jesus in seeking out the poor and sinners, and in making difficult sacrifices in order to help and heal others, Pope Francis said.

Queen Elizabeth to visit Pope Francis at Vatican on April 3

February 4, 2014

MANCHESTER, England - The Queen of England will visit Pope Francis at the Vatican in April, Buckingham Palace announced.

Church in Ukraine needs support to ensure a peaceful outcome

February 4, 2014

OTTAWA - The Church in Ukraine needs support in its vital role in ensuring dialogue, reconciliation and forgiveness as the country remains in turmoil, said CNEWA Canada national secretary Carl Hétu.

February 5

Only Pope can save 'totally broken' Syria

February 5, 2014

OTTAWA - Despite millions of dollars in aid, Syria is "totally broken" and needs a worldwide mobilization to end the suffering, said Carl Hétu, national secretary of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association of Canada.

Antigonish diocese launches book study on healing sexual abuse

February 5, 2014

OTTAWA - As part of its ongoing process of renewal and healing, Nova Scotia's Antigonish diocese is promoting a program for parishioners based on Sr. Nuala Kenny's book Healing in the Church: Diagnosing and Treating the Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis.

February 6

Scotland passes same-sex marriage law, with opt-in for religious groups

February 6, 2014

EDINBURGH, Scotland - The Scottish Parliament has passed a bill that will allow same-sex marriages to be performed later this year, but religious organizations have the right not to perform them.

Say no to wall

February 6, 2014

Israeli leaders have a fundamental duty to provide safety and security for their citizens. But they must act reasonably, and that does not include a carte-blanche license to bulldoze the rights and livelihoods of innocent people who pose no threat to anyone.

Rolling Stone and the Pope: what a shame

February 6, 2014

It is official: Pope Francis is a rock star. Or, at least that is what Rolling Stone magazine is announcing to the world by putting the Pontiff on its current cover.

Self-righteous glitterati

February 6, 2014

I’m 55 years old, bald, and 20 pounds overweight. In other words, I didn’t make a point of sitting down on a late January Sunday night to watch the Grammy music awards. Our youngest daughter, however, is 16 so she most certainly did.

Rolling with the punches

February 6, 2014

Papa is in Rolling Stone. Which is not exactly what The Temptations sang in 1973, but then at that time who could have expected that the Pope — then Paul VI — would have been on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, the magazine of pop music, with occasional forays into cultural criticism?