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May 25, 2017
My Dear Friends,Cardinal-Collins-web [images/stories/2016/St-Mikes-reborn/Cardinal-Collins-web.jpg] On December 17, 2016, the Archdiocese of Toronto celebrated its 175th anniversary, launching a year-long celebration to commemorate this historic milestone. Established in 1841 with 22 parishes and Michael Power as its first bishop, the archdiocese has grown to become a vibrant and diverse faith community of more than two million people. Together we celebrate the sacraments each week in more than 30 languages at our 225 parishes. We are truly blessed. The Catholic Register has created this special commemorative magazine to reflect on our past, recalling the humble beginnings of our faith journey and to celebrate our many blessings along the way. We are forever indebted to those who came before us, sacrificing much and giving in abundance to plant the seeds of faith, outreach and service for generations to come. Let us continue to follow their example of generosity and fidelity, ever mindful that our own witness can serve as a beacon of hope, love and inspiration. To all those who serve so faithfully: our priests, religious men and women and Catholics across the archdiocese, be assured of my gratitude for all that you do to spread the Good News. As we celebrate our 175th anniversary, we ask for God’s blessing in our daily journey of faith. May we continue to build on the foundation established by Bishop Power and all those who have followed. Yours sincerely in Christ, CollingSignature [images/stories/2016/St-Mikes-reborn/CollingSignature.jpg] Thomas Collins Archbishop of Toronto ArchCrest web [images/stories/2017/arch175/cardinal-message/ArchCrest-web.jpg] Anniversary Prayer A special prayer for the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Toronto Loving Father, We turn to you with gratitude for the many blessings you have generously bestowed upon the people of the Archdiocese of Toronto, who from the very beginning have arrived here from many nations to find and strengthen a community of faith, where we have been able to encounter your Son in our joys and sorrows. As the Archdiocese celebrates its 175th anniversary, we ask you to continue to bless your people with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that all clergy, religious and faithful may be gathered and strengthened in their mission of constantly proclaiming the wonderful works of salvation to all we meet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May 26, 2017
It was mid-April when I had my first Friday night off work since the beginning of September.
In Toronto the priestly ordinations usually have a maternal character. The customary date is in May, Mary’s month, and usually falls the day before Mother’s Day, which is not a religious feast day, but certainly can be looked upon with the eyes of faith.
OTTAWA – At an age when many teens struggle just to get that high school history essay done, Saira Blair was making her own history.
BUCHAREST, Romania – Romania’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
The Christian’s place is in the world, in order to proclaim Jesus; but his gaze is turned to heaven in order to be united to Him: that was the message of Pope Francis at the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Friday.
VATICAN CITY – As his vicar for the Diocese of Rome, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Angelo De Donatis, an auxiliary bishop and well-known spiritual director, who led Pope Francis' first Lenten retreat as pope.
The global economy is picking up steam, but higher global growth numbers aren’t changing the outlook at Canada’s Catholic development agency.
ACCRA, Ghana – The government of Ghana has indicated it might be making a move to return management and supervision of mission schools to religious bodies.
QUEBEC CITY – It took three centuries, but the writings of Canada's first bishop are now available in English.
RICHMOND, Va. – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, based in Richmond, issued a 10-3 ruling May 25 to uphold a Maryland federal court's injunction against President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban.
Abouna Beshoi Yasa Annis has been talking to angry, frightened and despairing parishioners in his Catholic Coptic parish in Assiut, Egypt, ever since gunmen killed at least 28 pilgrims on a bus, two hours’ drive north of his town in the Christian heartland of Upper Egypt.
May 27, 2017
VATICAN CITY – The Eiffel Tower, the Roman Coliseum, the Statue of Liberty, the Taj Mahal; are just some of the universal monuments that a Colombian teacher makes to scale out of little wooden sticks (toothpicks).
ROME, Italy – Pope Francis is headed to Colombia this summer, and one of the nation's leading bishops believes the visit will be a chance for progress for many countries in the region.
KARAMLESH, Iraq – Martin Baani was just 24 years old when he risked his life as a seminarian to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the imminent invasion of Islamic State terrorists in his hometown.
BATON ROUGE, La. – The numbers are staggering. Each year in the U.S. alone, some 300,000 minors are victims of sex trafficking.
VATICAN CITY – Cardinal-designate Anders Arborelius of Stockholm is Sweden's only Catholic bishop and the first native Swede to hold the post since the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.
UPTERGROVE, ONT. – Ordinary lives, however quiet or unnoticed, are a sequence of miracles, tragedies and triumphs. We all stumble into hell and are repeatedly resurrected into ultimate beauty.
May 28, 2017
NEW YORK – Iconic and eccentric buccaneer Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) hoists the black flag for a fifth time in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Disney). The result is a flashy but ultimately unsatisfying journey for the theme park ride-based franchise that first set sail in 2003.
VATICAN CITY – Cardinal-designate Juan Jose Omella of Barcelona, Spain, said his appointment isn't a job promotion but a call to be more like Jesus, who came to serve the poor and marginalized.