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September 2016

September 29

St. Michael’s Cathedral is back in action

September 29, 2016

TORONTO – After six years under construction, St. Michael's Cathedral is once again ready to welcome its flock on a daily basis.

U.N. vote on nuclear-test ban spurs hopes that nations will ratify treaty

September 29, 2016

WASHINGTON – The U.N. Security Council has brought new attention to a 20-year-old treaty that would ban nuclear weapons testing, but still has not gone into effect.

September 30

Chris Bray band rocks St. Anthony’s parish

September 30, 2016

BRAMPTON, ONT. – St. Anthony of Padua youth group hosted a charity concert on Sept. 23 with London-born worship singer Chris Bray to help mark the parish’s 40th anniversary.

Conservative U.S. Christians criticize progressives’ ‘destructive’ agenda

September 30, 2016

Dozens of U.S. conservative evangelicals and Catholics have signed an open letter urging their progressive counterparts to “repent of their work that often advances a destructive liberal political agenda.”

Feeding off of life’s sacred fire

September 30, 2016

See the wise and wicked ones who feed upon life’s sacred fire These are lines from Gordon Lightfoot’s song “Don Quixote,” and they highlight an important truth: both the wise and the wicked feed off the same energy. And it’s good energy, sacred energy, divine energy, irrespective of its use. The greedy and the violent feed off the same energy as do the wise and the saints. There’s one source of energy and, even though it can be irresponsibly, selfishly and horrifically misused, it remains always God’s energy.

St. Michael’s Cathedral rededicated, declared a basilica

September 30, 2016

“This is holy ground,” Cardinal Thomas Collins declared as he rededicated St. Michael’s Cathedral, capping off a five-year, $128 million restoration of the 168-year-old home of Toronto’s Catholics.

At plenary, Nuncio calls bishops to do pastoral work ‘on their knees’

September 30, 2016

CORNWALL, Ont. – The Canadian bishops were exhorted to do pastoral ministry “on their knees” before God and before Christ in the people they serve.

First Nations seek funding from Canadian bishops for promotion of culture, spirituality

September 30, 2016

CORNWALL, Ont. – Members of the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council called on Canada’s bishops to help find permanent funding for an institution to promote indigenous culture and spirituality.

Pope urges dialogue to end Georgian-Russian territorial stalemate

September 30, 2016

TBILISI, Georgia – Subtly acknowledging Georgia's ongoing territorial dispute with Russia, Pope Francis urged greater efforts to sow peace throughout the Caucasus region.

Gratitude unlocks gates to mercy

September 30, 2016

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Oct. 9 (2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19) It is often said that we imagine God in our own image and likeness. We think that God shares our likes and dislikes, hatreds and loves, opinions and way of looking at the world. God might even belong to our favourite political party or social class. Throughout the two biblical testaments, God repeatedly demonstrates that this is just not so. God shocks people by violating their opinions and prejudices, and by doing what is unexpected and distressing.

Good Shepherd makes leap to social media for fundraising

September 30, 2016

TORONTO – Come Thanksgiving Day, everybody eats — including the homeless. This year Toronto’s Good Shepherd Centre is asking you to skip lunch for one day and donate what you would have spent so the poor and homeless of Toronto can eat a Thanksgiving Day feast.

With Chaldean Catholics, Pope prays for peace in Syria, Iraq

September 30, 2016

TBILISI, Georgia – At a brief prayer service with Chaldean Catholics in Georgia, Pope Francis pleaded with God to grant peace to persecuted Christians and the victims of war, especially in Syria and Iraq.

Quebec cardinal won't refuse funerals for those choosing assisted death

September 30, 2016

QUEBEC CITY – Cardinal Gerald Lacroix of Quebec said he has no intention to follow in the steps of his fellow Canadian bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories in refusing funerals for those who asked to be euthanized.

Thanksgiving Mass for workers caps off St. Michael's five-year, $128-million renovation

September 30, 2016

Derval Edwards started out four years ago on his knees underneath St. Michael’s Cathedral excavating the crawlspace one bucket of dirt and rubble at a time. On Friday, Cardinal Thomas Collins gave him a medal.