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March 2016

March 1

South African archbishop: University violence is reaction to inequality

March 1, 2016

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Violence and vandalism at South African universities are reactions to inequality in the country, said Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria, spokesman for the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference.

Lawyers say law is on their side in life-and-death calls

March 1, 2016

Catholic lawyers may soon find themselves turning down business from clients who would rather die than live with Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s disease or other disabilities.

West African bishops urge Catholics to defend traditional marriage, family

March 1, 2016

ACCRA, Ghana - The bishops of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa called on Catholics to defend traditional marriage and the family as they met in the Ghanaian capital.

March 2

Boston Cardinal O’Malley praises Oscar winner ‘Spotlight’

March 2, 2016

Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley has praised the Oscar-winning movie “Spotlight,” which portrays The Boston Globe’s investigation of clergy sexual abuse in the archdiocese, for forcing the Catholic Church to acknowledge its “crimes and sins” in covering up for predator priests.

Cardinal: Bishop committed 'gross deception' about Australian pedophile

March 2, 2016

SYDNEY - When former Bishop Ronald Mulkearns of Ballarat moved a pedophile priest from parish to parish in the early 1970s without divulging the underlying reasons for the moves, the appointments implied the bishop had confidence in the priest, Cardinal George Pell told Australia's Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Cardinal steps up opposition to assisted dying

March 2, 2016

TORONTO - A statement from Cardinal Thomas Collins to be read in the Archdiocese of Toronto’s 225 parishes urges Catholics to oppose a “chilling” parliamentary committee report on assisted suicide that Collins said “should shock us to the core.”

A little girl, a potato and the President

March 2, 2016

A long-anticipated trip to Ireland, researching ancestors, a poignant story about children playing with a potato, even the name Barack Obama, all eventually led me to pondering the plight of Syrian refugees and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.

March 3

Cardinal says he reported complaints, but did not know of sex abuse

March 3, 2016

SYDNEY - For a third consecutive day, a top Vatican official gave testimony to an Australian commission about what he knew of the Church's reassignment of abusive priests.

Not all Scripture passages are to be taken literally

March 3, 2016

A colleague of mine shares this story: Recently, after presiding at Eucharist, a woman from the congregation came up to him with this comment: “What a horrible Scripture reading today! If that’s the kind of God we’re worshipping, then I don’t want to go to Heaven!”

Judgment and condemnation: we are all in need of mercy

March 3, 2016

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year C) March 13 (Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11) The biblical witness is resounding — God is always compassionate and just, and concerned with the well-being and happiness of humanity. Freedom and redemption are expressions of God, and these qualities never wavered throughout Israel’s history. But in the mid-sixth century B.C., the people of Israel found themselves captives and exiles in Babylon. Jerusalem, along with its temple, had been utterly destroyed. This caused a crisis of faith among many people, and a collective search for the meaning of the disaster. Most blamed themselves for what had happened. Infidelity to God in so many ways could only end badly.

Recognize sinfulness to receive God's mercy

March 3, 2016

Only if our hearts are open and we recognize ourselves as sinners can we receive God’s mercy. That’s the message Pope Francis imparted to the faithful gathered for the morning Mass Thursday at the Santa Marta guesthouse.

Pope Francis changes remarriage rules (for heads of state)

March 3, 2016

There is intense anticipation in the Catholic Church — and no small amount of anxiety for traditionalists — over what Pope Francis will say about Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics in a key document expected in the coming weeks.

Stop the madness

March 3, 2016

Six years ago, 89-year-old Kay Carter, a terminally ill Vancouver woman, circumvented Canadian law by purchasing a doctor-assisted suicide in Switzerland. Her death prompted a 2011 lawsuit that sought access to assisted suicide for other Canadians who were suffering and near death.

Australian cardinal promises victims to support healing, protection

March 3, 2016

ROME - Australian Cardinal George Pell promised to work with a group of abuse survivors to help prevent suicide among victims and support healing and protection programs.

Catholic hospitals adamant they won’t kill patients

March 3, 2016

TORONTO - The parliamentary committee report on how to legalize assisted suicide may want “all publicly funded health care institutions (to) provide medical assistance in dying,” but Ontario Catholic hospitals, nursing homes and health centres aren’t having it.

Fr. Lacroix was spiritual advisor to former PM Trudeau

March 3, 2016

MONTREAL - The priest who gave last rites to Pierre Elliott Trudeau and presided at the funeral of his son Michel has died at age 100.

March 4

Learning from past mistakes

March 4, 2016

Indigenous youth face a lot of harsh realities even in today’s school system and it has made me think about the new responsibilities that Clayton Shirt will face as the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s first-ever elderin- residence. Shirt, a member of the Cree First Nation, will be providing insight into the indigenous culture and act as a resource the school board has not had access to in past years.

Toronto students take on gender, cultural biases

March 4, 2016

TORONTO - Nerissa D’Souza and Sajesha “Sunny” Manoharan are trying to break the double whammy of gender and cultural barriers by forging careers as auto mechanics.

Realtor gives ShareLife share of his commissions

March 4, 2016

TORONTO - Eric Arruda was sitting in the pews of St. Clare Church when a pamphlet for the Family of Faith campaign caught his eye. On the bottom of the pamphlet he read a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”

March 29

Molly and Cassie’s Law aims to strengthen legal protection of unborn children

February 29, 2016

OTTAWA - A Saskatchewan MP has tabled a bill in the House of Commons aimed at deterring “senseless assaults” on pregnant women in Canada.