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October 2017

October 25

Bishops fear any mention of Rohingya by Pope will bring 'chaos'

October 25, 2017

YANGON, MYANMAR – When Pope Francis visits Myanmar in late November, Church leaders will be listening nervously to his every word, specifically hoping they don’t hear the R-word.

Food drive aiming for scary heights

October 25, 2017

100K in one day… that’s the motto — and the goal — at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton.

Kenyan nuns work to educate voters before Oct. 26 election

October 25, 2017

NAIROBI, Kenya – When Kenyans go to the polls to elect a president Oct. 26, nuns from the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya will be prominent as poll observers. The sisters already have spent hours in voter education for the repeat election, set up after the nation's Supreme Court nullified an August vote.

Puerto Rico recovery effort shows 'a church that walks with the poor'

October 25, 2017

LAS MARIAS, Puerto Rico – By joining forces to create coalitions on behalf of those who are suffering in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico has been fulfilling Pope Francis' expressed wish to see "a church that walks with the poor."

October 26

Undocumented teen has abortion, following court approval

October 26, 2017

Following the approval of a federal court, an undocumented teen girl in Texas has had an abortion, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Making room for Holy Spirit entails daily battle against devil, Pope says

October 26, 2017

VATICAN CITY – Being a Christian means battling the devil and striving for holiness each day, Pope Francis said.

Pope says space station crew like a 'tiny U.N.'

October 26, 2017

VATICAN – One perk that comes with floating aboard the International Space Station is NASA arranges for occasional calls with celebrities to keep the astronauts' spirits high during their monthslong flights.

Bishops ponder liability if Pope apologizes in Canada

October 26, 2017

There may be good reasons for not inviting the Pope to Canada, but the risk of being sued isn’t one of them, said a litigation lawyer who has taken the Church to court.

China's president seeks more control over religion

October 26, 2017

Beijing, China – President Xi Jinping of China announced this week that he wants to tighten Beijing’s strict government controls on religion in the communist country.

Use your faith to battle ‘coldness’ of the world, Cardinal Collins urges

October 26, 2017

Christians need to actively engage modern culture with "the profound wisdom of our faith tradition" to combat the emptiness and loneliness in our modern world, said Cardinal Thomas Collins.

October 27

Basic income can't be ignored, says Vatican expert

October 27, 2017

A basic income guarantee, such as the pilot project currently running in three Ontario communities, is not an infallible teaching of the Catholic Church, but it can’t be dismissed, one of the Vatican’s top economic advisors told an interfaith conference on basic income.

Young adults gain new perspective on cathedral

October 27, 2017

Hamilton, Ont. – “We love this place O God, where you are found and all are led,” sang a group of young people as Fr. David Wynen led a tour around Hamilton’s Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King.

Speaking Out: How to make Halloween holy

October 27, 2017

When I was a child, my favourite part about Halloween was stopping at the “magnet lady’s house.”

York University professor earns Medal of Honour for building Catholic leaders

October 27, 2017

It was an unexpected surprise when Greg Rogers learned he would be receiving the Fr. Patrick Fogarty Medal of Honour for 2017.

Canadian government urged to address all hatred

October 27, 2017

OTTAWA – If the government is going to confront anti-Muslim hatred it should also address hatred against other religious groups and minorities, said Canada’s former Ambassador of Religious Freedom.

Five hundred years after Reformation, future depends on healing wounds

October 27, 2017

If Martin Luther’s Reformation taught us anything, it’s that unity isn’t something that’s nice to have. It’s essential to the Church actually being the Church.

Editorial: Luther's lesson

October 27, 2017

When an obscure monk named Martin Luther tacked a list of declarations onto the door of a German cathedral on Oct. 31, 1517, no one imagined his musings were about to break up the Catholic Church. All Luther wanted when penning his 95 theses was to start a conversation. In his view, the Church had lost its way.

October 28

Human trafficking in Canada documentary could be shown to schools and police nationwide

October 28, 2017

OTTAWA – While some progress has been made combating human trafficking in Canada more needs to be done, especially in educating the public, says former MP Joy Smith.

Comment: Learning to listen is key to building bridges

October 28, 2017

A shooting at a Boston area abortion clinic brought six women together for a talk. Three were pro-life movement leaders and three were high-profile pro-choice activists.

October 29

The Mustard Seed: Graduation ends a journey of pure joy

October 29, 2017

Graduating from high school or university can be a poignant moment in life’s journey. It typically marks a transition from one lifestyle to another.