Browse › 2018 › March

March 2018

March 19

Controversial bubble zone protester dies after heart surgery

March 19, 2018

Ottawa – The man whose street protests prompted Ontario’s abortion bubble zone legislation has died while awaiting trial after becoming the first person charged for violating the new law.

The crucifix is for contemplation, not decoration, says Pope

March 19, 2018

VATICAN – On Sunday Pope Francis said that the crucifix is not just something decorative to hang on the wall or wear, it is an important sign of our beliefs – and should be truly looked at and prayed before as the source of our salvation.

Pope asks youths to help rejuvenate Church; youths ask Church to listen

March 19, 2018

ROME – The Catholic Church needs the enthusiasm, daring and hope of young people so that it can preach the Gospel energetically and respond to the questions men and women raise today, Pope Francis told some 300 young adults.

Pope ordains three new nuncios, including Canadian

March 19, 2018

VATICAN – Celebrating the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis ordained three new bishops who will serve as papal nuncios, or ambassadors.

New bishop ordained for Canada's North

March 19, 2018

Newly ordained Bishop Jon Hansen of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, wearing a seal-skin mitre and locally made chasuble, addresses fellow bishops and the crowd gathered for his ordination in the gymnasium of St. Patrick’s High School in Yellowknife, N.W.T., on March 16.

March 20

Disgraced cardinal from Scotland dies at 80

March 20, 2018

VATICAN – Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who resigned five years ago as archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh after admitting to sexual misconduct, died early March 19 at the age of 80.

A biologist's epic tale from a Communist regime to the Canadian Arctic

March 20, 2018

Wine from Raisins, A Life Transformed through Communist Gulag to Canadian Arctic by Josef Svoboda (Novalis, softcover, 240 pages, $27.95)

Pope to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass in Rome prison

March 20, 2018

VATICAN – Pope Francis once again will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper in a prison and will wash the feet of 12 inmates.

Praying with paint: Iconography as a conversation with God

March 20, 2018

Love and pictures go together. You can piece together who and what anybody loves by the pictures on their phone, the pictures they hang on their walls, the pictures pinned to their cubicle at work and the pictures they’ve posted to Facebook.

Motion to remove value attestation in Canada Summer Jobs application fails

March 20, 2018

OTTAWA – Liberal MP Scott Simms defied his party and voted against the government as a Conservative motion to drop the Canada Summer Jobs attestation requirement was defeated March 19 in a packed House of Commons.

Vatican taps top architects to create chapels for Venice festival

March 20, 2018

VATICAN – For its debut at the "Biennale di Venezia" International Architecture Exhibition, the Vatican commissioned 10 renowned architects from around the world to turn a small wooded plot on an island in the Venetian lagoon into a spiritual-artistic pilgrimage of chapels.

Robert Kinghorn: Young evangelists heed cries of the poor

March 20, 2018

Recently I found myself in the basement of a downtown church surrounded by a confirmation class of children, teachers and parents. The church sits in an area where the outreach of the Church on the Street is most challenging, and the class had responded to the call of Pope Francis in The Joy of the Gospel: “We cannot passively and calmly wait in our church buildings; we need to move from a passive ministry of mere conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral mission.”

March 21

Pope accepts resignation of communications prefect

March 21, 2018

VATICAN – After a very public controversy involving the use of a letter by retired Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Msgr. Dario Vigano as prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for Communication.

Present in the Eucharist, Jesus transforms those who receive him, Pope says

March 21, 2018

VATICAN – Despite the chill and gusts of wind in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis welcomed the beginning of spring with an impromptu lesson about gardening and how to grow into being better Christians.

Allowing young people to be part of decision-making will change the world, African youths say

March 21, 2018

VATICAN – If the Catholic Church at every level – and governments, too – would listen to young people and give them a voice in decision-making, they could unleash great potential, said two African young adults.

Texas bishops urge prayers, vigilance in wake of bombings

March 21, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas – As police investigated a series of package explosions in central Texas that killed two people and injured four others, two of the state's bishops said their thoughts and prayers were with the victims and families and friends of those victimized by the explosions.

Brazilian bishop charged with stealing from diocesan donations

March 21, 2018

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the amount of money that was allegedly stolen. BRASILIA, Brazil – Bishop Jose Ronaldo Ribeiro of Formosa was arrested and charged, along with four diocesan priests, of stealing about $606,000 USD of diocesan money.

Russian Catholic leaders pledge to work with Putin after election win

March 21, 2018

WARSAW, Poland – Russia's minority Catholic Church has pledged to help build a civil society after the nation's March 18 election and called on President Vladimir Putin to "justify voters' confidence" after his victory.

Toronto prepares to host the world’s religions

March 21, 2018

As Toronto prepares to host more than 10,000 people in November for seven days of reflection on faith, cultures and traditions, Catholics are getting ready to play their part during the Parliament of World’s Religions.

The Register Archive: Hey Raby, you’ll be preaching in Timbucktoo from now on

March 21, 2018

Our regular deep dive into The Catholic Register’s archive during our 125th anniversary year isn’t complete without a few sports stories. As the NHL edges toward the playoffs, we recall one of the biggest trades in league history. Fifty years ago this month the Toronto Maple Leafs sent their all-star Frank Mahovlich to Detroit in a six-player swap. The Register’s Fr. Thomas Raby, in his column from March 23, 1968, couldn’t help but muse about what a trade like this could mean in Church terms.