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April 2015

April 19

Jesuit centenarian knew what he wanted in life

April 19, 2015

When you are about to turn 100 there’s a tendency for people to fuss over you and ask silly questions. When people began asking 99.9-year-old Fr. Michael Lapierre what it felt like to turn 100, he told them “I don’t have a choice.” On May 2, Canada’s oldest Jesuit will take his 100th birthday in stride.

Walking fine line between faith, public service

April 19, 2015

If you ever visit Tiananmen Square in Beijing on a Sunday and decide you would like to attend Mass at Our Lady of China, you will have to catch Line Two from the Qianmen subway station just south of the square and travel six stations to Dongzhimen. Walk about five minutes west from Dongzhimen and you will find yourself at the front gate of the Canadian Embassy. Inside the embassy on Sundays expatriates from Africa, Europe, Canada and elsewhere gather to form their own parish.

Tory MP seeks free vote on conscience matters

April 19, 2015

OTTAWA - With legalized euthanasia looming large over the House of Commons, a Tory backbencher has tabled a motion to affirm the right of free votes on matters of conscience.

April 20

Cardinal George, 78, dies after long fight with cancer

April 20, 2015

CHICAGO - Cardinal Francis E. George, the retired archbishop of Chicago who was the first native Chicagoan to head the archdiocese, died April 17 at his residence after nearly 10 years battling cancer. He was 78.

Pope urges prayers, action on behalf of migrants, unemployed, poor

April 20, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The poor, migrants in search of a better life and the unemployed want what all human beings want: life, dignity and a chance to earn a decent living, Pope Francis said in several speeches urging compassion and assistance by both governments and individuals.

ISIS committing ‘cultural genocide’ by damaging ancient relics

April 20, 2015

TORONTO - Not only is the Islamic State causing catastrophic human tragedy throughout Syria and Iraq, it is engaged in a “cultural genocide” as it destroys anything in its way that is not part of its idea of Islam, said Sascha Priewe.

Rome rabbi credited with fostering Jewish-Catholic relations dies

April 20, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Rome's retired chief rabbi, who played a key role in fostering closer ties between Jews and Catholics, died April 19 at the age of 99.

Greek Orthodox patriarch: World remains silent about missing bishops

April 20, 2015

BEIRUT - Commemorating the second anniversary of the kidnapping of two Syrian bishops, the Greek Orthodox patriarch lamented the indifference of the international community about their fate.

April 21

Pope accepts resignation of Bishop Finn

April 21, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, who was convicted in 2012 on one misdemeanour count of failing to report suspected child abuse.

Parents of slain child oppose death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber

April 21, 2015

BOSTON - The parents of Martin Richard, the youngest victim killed in the Boston Marathon bombings two years ago, are asking that the death penalty be taken "off the table" for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Irish bishops consider options if same-sex referendum passes

April 21, 2015

DUBLIN - Catholic bishops have not made any decision on whether priests should decline to perform civil aspects of weddings if a May 22 referendum on same-sex marriage is passed.

April 22

Catholic Insight prints its final edition

April 22, 2015

TORONTO - After more than two decades, Catholic Insight magazine has published for the last time. The magazine’s April issue will be its final one.

Church must remain vigilant in addressing abuse, USCCB president says

April 22, 2015

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Catholic Church spent a total of $150.7 million on child protection efforts and to address allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors in dioceses and religious orders between July 2013 and June 2014.

Sex-ed opponents call for student strike

April 22, 2015

TORONTO - A parent group is calling for children to be pulled out of school during Education Week in Ontario to protest the province’s new sexual-education curriculum.

Ethiopian bishops: Martyrs were migrants looking for better life

April 22, 2015

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Ethiopia's Catholic bishops condemned "in unambiguous terms" the execution of 30 Ethiopian Christian migrants in Libya.

Budget 2015 maps out Tory election vision for the middle class

April 22, 2015

OTTAWA - The federal 2015 budget is an election document that sets out its vision for the middle class.

Pope to visit Cuba first before heading to United States in September

April 22, 2015

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis will visit Cuba in September before his trip to the United States.

Atrocities show need to strengthen dialogue with Muslims, Vatican says

April 22, 2015

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican said interreligious dialogue with the Muslim community must be strengthened given "the barbarism underway" by terrorists claiming to be Muslims.

April 23

Cardinal George stayed true to Church’s mission

April 23, 2015

Cardinal Francis George, recently retired archbishop of Chicago, died in his bed at home, as he said he would. In his latter years, the intellectual leader of the Catholic Church in the United States was famous for his bleak view of the future of religious liberty in America.

Beware of vocal minority

April 23, 2015

In mid-April as many as 3,000 people gathered at Queen’s Park in Toronto to protest the provincial government’s sex-education curriculum. It was an intriguing collective, lead by evangelical firebrand Charles McVety and various conservative Catholics. A large number of the crowd, however, were Sikh and Muslim and, to be candid, I had not seen so many hijabs and burkas since the last anti-Israel demonstrations I reported on.