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April 7, 2014
ROME - A 75-year-old Dutch Jesuit who refused to leave wartorn Syria, instead staying in Homs to help the poor and homeless, was beaten by armed men and killed with two bullets to the head, according to an e-mail sent by the Jesuits' Middle East province to the Jesuit headquarters in Rome.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis, accepting the recommendations of his international Council of Cardinals and other advisory groups, has decided the Vatican bank will continue to exist and has approved a plan to increase its transparency and accountability.
VATICAN CITY - Just days before Rwanda was to begin a weeklong period of official mourning to mark the 20th anniversary of its genocide, Pope Francis urged the country's bishops to be resolute in continuing the work of healing and reconciliation.
ATLANTA - Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory announced April 5 that he will vacate the archbishop's residence in early May and move into another available archdiocesan property.
April 8, 2014
BRAMPTON, ONT. - Dealing with the aftermath of the fire that burned down St. Elias the Prophet Ukrainian Catholic Church, the parish community has been overwhelmed by the amount of support it is getting.
TORONTO - Toronto Auxiliary Bishop William McGrattan has been selected by Pope Francis to lead the Diocese of Peterborough.
TORONTO - Before harming a woman and her unborn child, the act of abortion hurts God, said Fr. Paul Nicholson.
A Canadian nun and two Italian priests abducted April 4 in Cameroon remain unaccounted for.
April 9, 2014
OTTAWA - A surprisingly strong victory by the Liberals in Quebec’s April 7 election means euthanasia is off the table for now while signaling a greater acceptance of religious Quebeckers, informed observers said.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis praised the dedication of the retired patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, Cardinal Emmanuel-Karim Delly, 86, who died April 8 in a hospital in San Diego, according to the California-based Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle.
For 12 years phone calls to the Diocese of Peterborough have been answered by a friendly paesan who has never lost his roots in Pozzaglia Sabina, Italy. Ask to speak to the bishop and the voice with the Italian accent would tell you, “That’s me.”
TORONTO - Taking his cue from Pope Francis, Toronto Auxiliary Bishop William McGrattan plans to be a better bishop and a better Christian as he moves on to become bishop of Peterborough.
April 10, 2014
Many of my schoolmates say they wish that religion wasn’t a mandatory class and that they could enrol in other classes more beneficial to their future academic or professional goals. I disagree. So I spoke with two of my religion teachers to get their perspective on the matter.
A new translation of the Mass has been used in North America's Catholic parishes for less than three years, but there are signs that the language — often criticized as stilted and awkward — could be in for another edit.
Darren Pereira walked into the United Nations thinking about the overwhelming number of social injustices in the world today, but walked away knowing that when people work together, solutions to these issues can be found.
OTTAWA - The Church in Canada needs a “serious, sustained commitment” to evangelization, Vancouver Archbishop Michael Miller told students at a Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) fundraiser.
VATICAN CITY - Four women who were forced into sex slavery and later freed met April 10 with Pope Francis at an international conference on human trafficking held at the Vatican to combat what the pontiff called a “crime against humanity.”
ARLINGTON, Wash. - Ron and Gail Thompson are grieving their neighbours who are lost or missing in the Oso mudslide, but faith and lots of love and prayers are helping them stay strong.
April 11, 2014
THORNHILL, ONT. - It normally takes 13 years to become a full-fledged member of the Society of Jesus. It takes the grace, love and steadfast faithfulness of God to remain one for 50 years.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has apologized for the priests who have sexually abused children and promised tough sanctions against any perpetrators.