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August 1, 2021
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 8 (Year B) 1Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 34; Ephesians 4:30-5:2; John 6:41-51 Elijah could not take another step — he was finished. At that point, all he wanted was a swift and painless death. There are many who reach that point in their lives. They are overwhelmed, exhausted and discouraged, and just want an end to their suffering. But this is usually where God steps in — that is, if we are open to God’s intervention.
August 3, 2021
VATICAN CITY -- People should seek Jesus out of genuine love, not calculated self-interest, Pope Francis said.
BEIRUT -- The pilgrimage of the icon of the Holy Family of Divine Will of Unity and Peace has begun. The icon, written by Melkite Father Samir Rouhana of St. Elias Parish near Haifa, Israel, will be in Lebanon for a month.
VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education encouraged pontifical universities to expand educational opportunities to those who would normally be unable to attend classes in-person full time, but could manage coursework online, such as prisoners, migrants, the homeless, monks, contemplative nuns and even busy bishops.
August 5, 2021
BEIRUT -- A year after the catastrophic Beirut port blast, the wounds of the people in Lebanon are scarred by the memory of the tragedy, and cries for justice escalate. This year, Aug. 4 was declared a national day of mourning in Lebanon.
August 8, 2021
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Aug. 15 (Year B) Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a; 10ab; Psalm 45; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26; Luke 1:39-56 Revelation is the most puzzling and enigmatic book in the entire Bible.
August 9, 2021
SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-SÈVRE, France -- A Rwandan immigrant awaiting trial for the arson of the cathedral in Nantes turned himself in to police for killing the French provincial of the Montfort Missionaries.
ROME -- Italian police have launched an investigation after postal workers discovered an envelope containing three bullets and addressed to "the pope."
August 11, 2021
While the rash of arsons and acts of vandalism perpetrated on churches across Canada has lightened considerably compared to the volume of incidents that occurred between late June and mid-July, it’s not gone away.
WASHINGTON -- There are large differences between religious groups in the United States in their attitudes toward getting the COVID-19 vaccine for themselves or for their children, according to a poll released Aug. 5 by the Public Religion Research Institute.
VATICAN CITY -- Marking the one-year anniversary of a deadly explosion in Beirut, Pope Francis said Lebanon needs concrete help — not just words — from the international community so it can emerge once again as a symbol of fraternity and peace for the Middle East.
Take a moment and reflect on the last three conversations you had. Was COVID-19 the subject of any of them? If not, give yourself a pat on the back. Clearly, you’ve been making an effort to avoid the topic. But if you’re like myself and many others, pandemic conversation has become a serious problem.
The Knights of Columbus is a household name to Catholics around the world, but less well-known is its youth leadership organization, the Columbian Squires.
Vatican appointments in August feature two Canadian women – Anne Jamieson and Donna Strickland.
I love hell. Let me qualify that. Hell is a great motivator, perhaps the greatest motivator. But shouldn’t love be our greatest motivation? Certainly, but hell is a great backup when we’re feeling less than virtuous.
An investigation is going ahead at the former site of St. Paul’s Indian Residential School, roughly where the parking lot sits at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School in North Vancouver.
August 12, 2021
Making up for the Catholic failure to raise $25 million to fund healing and reconciliation programs in Indigenous communities is about a lot more than money, says Leah Perrault.
A small show full of small items on now at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto opens up a vast world of medieval mystical experience.
The ongoing spectre of COVID-19 prevents pilgrimages from completely roaring back to life in Canada, but celebrated summer religious summits in western Canada were to make measured comebacks on Aug. 14 and 15.
First it was grief, then it was anger, then it was destruction.