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April 2023

April 21

Readers Speak Out: April 23, 2023

April 21, 2023

Facing facts Michael Swan’s article “Children’s aid faces up to race issues” on catholicregister.org, and printed in the April 9 issue, outlines the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s (CCAS) addressing racism within the child welfare, education and justice systems. It is important to note that our Journey Toward Equity is ongoing, and one we take seriously at CCAS.

April 22

Burned church symbol of hope in Attawapiskat

April 22, 2023

Although St. Francis Xavier Church in Attawapiskat in northern Ontario tragically burned to the ground in April 2021, it remains the centre of faith and devotion in the mostly First Nation town.

April 24

Archbishop clarifies remarks on assisted suicide in Italy

April 24, 2023

The president of the Pontifical Academy for Life affirms his opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide but believes that to end confusion in the country, the Italian Parliament needs to make clear laws about withdrawing end-of-life care, his office said.

April 26

‘Back to basics’ bill draws educators’ concern

April 26, 2023

Concerns about excessive centralization in the education system, with Queen’s Park encroaching on school board autonomy, are getting kid-glove treatment from Catholic trustees’ associations while the union representing Catholic teachers is raising red flags.

Pope Francis decides women will be voting members of Synod of Bishops

April 26, 2023

At least three dozen women will be voting members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October, Pope Francis has decided.

Nuns, monks are 'beating heart' of the church, Pope Francis says

April 26, 2023

The prayers of nuns and monks are like "oxygen" for all members of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said.

Janet Somerville, Catholic everywoman

April 26, 2023

Born into the Church, she balanced faith with social justice

April 27

Synod is a theologian’s dream

April 27, 2023

Zane Chu picked up his PhD in theology just shy of two years ago. At 37, as a sessional instructor at St. Mark’s College in Vancouver, his career in theology is just getting underway.

For Sr. Sadler, it’s all for the Lord

April 27, 2023

Sr. Margaret Sadler has the disposition of a true missionary. This means the 87-year-old Sister of the Child Jesus prefers to do her work on behalf of the Lord without attracting any adulation or fanfare.

Verbatim: MPP Jamie West, question period, April 18, Queen's Park

April 27, 2023

MPP Jamie West during Question Period, April 18, at Queen’s Park.

Editorial: God is with us

April 27, 2023

To Christians worldwide, Easter can be summed up quite succinctly: to us, it is everything. It’s when our crucified Lord left an empty tomb and showed His words and teaching not only rang true, but that He had conquered sin and death. Jesus’ Resurrection showed us He truly is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Pope Francis meets Ukrainian prime minister at Vatican

April 27, 2023

After a half-hour private meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis gave the prime minister of Ukraine a bronze plaque featuring a bird and a flower alongside the inscription, "Peace is a fragile flower."

Finding holiness in God next door

April 27, 2023

“Christianity’s holiest site,” a news story said, is Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher, “the place where Christians believe Jesus died and was buried.”

Shocking cult starvation massacre in Kenya leaves 95 dead, hundreds missing

April 27, 2023

Catholic bishops in Kenya have expressed shock and strongly condemned the mass "starvation suicide" in Shakahola, a remote forest-ranch area in eastern Kenya, where a pastor led congregants to fast to death.

Waterloo trustee apologizes for 'racist,' 'anti-Christian' tweet

April 27, 2023

Wendy Ashby, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) trustee under fire from parents for posts on Twitter deemed as “racist, sexist and anti-Christian,” has broken her public silence with a statement released on the school board’s website.

Young eyes opened to brutality of homelessness

April 27, 2023

It’s easy to ignore what we do not see. For many, homelessness, poverty and addiction are hidden in someone else’s town or in a part of our own town that we shun. It’s only when we have the courage to “put out into the deep” that we can strip back people’s addictions and their current choices, to find that they too feel pain, hunger and loneliness, and only want to be treated as humans.

How does late-term abortion differ from MAiD for babies?

April 27, 2023

A 2022 poll conducted by the Angus-Reid Institute revealed 52 per cent of Canadians think abortion should be available at any time during a pregnancy. In the absence of a legal framework that places term-limits on the procedure, Canada is one of the handful of countries where women can procure elective abortions up to the moment of delivery.

The Jews and us

April 27, 2023

As I write this column, the State of Israel and Jews around the world are preparing to celebrate Yom Haatzmaut marking Israel’s independence. This year’s celebration will be especially poignant as it is the 75th anniversary of the Jewish state — a country that has flourished and has become an example to the world of perseverance.

April 28

God's Word on Sunday: Jesus suffered to heal, transform humanity

April 28, 2023

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A) April 30 (Acts 2:14a, 36b-41; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:20b-25; John 10:1-10) Many terrible things are done by ordinary, otherwise decent, people. It is easy to demonize a few villains and lay the blame on them, but what about when many have a hand — directly or indirectly — in the crime? Most of the time this is due to ignorance. People are not really aware of the true state of affairs or the consequences of their actions. Reality is refracted through a lens of fear, prejudices and commonly held opinions — usually wrong. Many are easily manipulated by purveyors of misinformation (lies) and demagogues.

Regina schools weather Ukrainian refugee surge

April 28, 2023

Record student enrolment, largely due to an influx of Ukrainian refugees, sees administrators with the Regina Catholic School Division seeking a careful reassessment of needs going into the 2023-2024 school year.