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April 2019

April 15

Charles Lewis: A prayer for Francis the panhandler

April 15, 2019

For a number of years there was a panhandler standing outside St. Michael’s Cathedral in downtown Toronto. His name was Francis. I liked him quite a bit. Which should not be thought of as a given since there are some panhandlers who, over the years, have gotten on my nerves. I know it is not a Christian thing to say but there it is.

Pope urges students to fight their addiction to phones

April 15, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis told high school students to break their phone addiction and spend more time on real communication with others and in moments of quiet, personal reflection.

Pope makes surprise visit to community for people with Alzheimer's

April 15, 2019

ROME - Drawing attention to the special needs of people with Alzheimer's disease, Pope Francis made an afternoon visit to a community of group homes designed to keep residents active and living as normal a life as possible.

Blaze erupts at Paris' iconic Notre Dame Cathedral; cause unknown

April 15, 2019

Updated 04/15/2019 PARIS - A major blaze engulfed the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral April 15, sending pillars of flame and billowing smoke over the center of the French capital.

Cathy Majtenyi: Wilson-Raybould sets the right example

April 15, 2019

It was the bombshell conversation that sealed the fate of a string of federal government officials connecting right up to the office of the prime minister.

Official marks retired pope's birthday, commenting on his latest letter

April 15, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Marking retired Pope Benedict XVI's 92nd birthday, the editorial director of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication insisted what the retired Pope wrote about facing the clerical sexual abuse crisis is essentially what Pope Francis has said, too.

April 16

Francis Campbell: If it’s false or fake don’t call it news

April 16, 2019

Fake news. The term is bandied about almost daily and has quickly grown tired and annoying.

Hope from the ashes: President, archbishop vow to rebuild Notre Dame

April 16, 2019

ROME - The president of France and the archbishop of Paris have vowed to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after a devastating fire, continuing what a professor of architecture described as the natural lifecycle of a historic building.

French leaders pledge Notre Dame Cathedral again will grace Paris skyline

April 16, 2019

PARIS - Church leaders joined government officials in saying they expect that Notre Dame Cathedral's grandeur will be restored as firefighters extinguished the last flames of a fast-moving blaze that seriously damaged much of the iconic structure.

China invites Vatican to have pavilion at Beijing garden expo

April 16, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Accepting an invitation from the Chinese government, the Holy See is one of a number of nations and organizations participating in an international garden expo in Beijing.

Canadians share in the tragedy … and the hope

April 16, 2019

In one of the darkest hours for the “City of Light,” the Catholic Church in Canada has united in prayer and solidarity with Paris as it watched one of its grandest treasures engulfed in a raging inferno.

April 17

Letter intended to support D&P called ‘misguided’

April 17, 2019

An explosive letter from Development and Peace partners in the Philippines protesting a year-long review of the Canadian agency’s international partnerships is misguided and unhelpful, said Development and Peace deputy executive director Romain Duguay.

Notre Dame fire showed that beauty still matters, art historian says

April 17, 2019

VATICAN CITY - As people in Paris and around the world watched in horror as flames consumed the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral, the blaze also stirred genuine emotions that could come only from witnessing the loss of beauty, art historian Elizabeth Lev said.

Canada’s Ouellet was a close third in pope vote

April 17, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet was third on every ballot during the five rounds of voting that ended with then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becoming Pope Francis, according to a new book.

Vatican firefighter says St. Peter's at much less risk than Notre Dame

April 17, 2019

VATICAN CITY - After the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris April 15, Romans and tourists could not help looking at St. Peter's Basilica and wondering, "what if?"

Educators bracing for cuts while in a waiting game

April 17, 2019

Little was mentioned about education in Doug Ford’s first budget as Ontario premier that wasn’t already known, but all the entities involved had heard all they needed to hear in the weeks leading up to the April 11 budget.

Pope's Way of Cross will shine light on women 'crucified' by traffickers

April 17, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Countless women and girls are being "crucified" by human traffickers, who trick them into slave labor or prostitution, and by those who seek out their services and exploit them, said the missionary nun who wrote the meditations for Pope Francis' Way of the Cross service.

The French in Canada find meaning of faith in cathedral blaze

April 17, 2019

MONTREAL - The fire that ravaged a large part of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris offered an opportunity for French Catholics with Canadian connections to reflect on the impact the event can have on their faith.

Fire chaplain helped save religious artifacts from burning cathedral

April 17, 2019

PARIS - A hero emerging from the Notre Dame Cathedral fire April 15 is Father Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade, who is credited with saving a reliquary containing the crown of thorns and the Blessed Sacrament from the burning cathedral.

April 18

Pope to priests: Best place to be is among the people

April 18, 2019

VATICAN CITY - Just as Jesus always sought to be with the people to serve, teach and heal them, so, too, must priests always be in the midst of God's people, "pouring ourselves out" for them, Pope Francis said.