How would you feel if you found yourself admitted to a hospital and the hospital priest-chaplain came to visit? 

At a Project Rachel retreat, one participant approached a facilitator toward the end of the weekend. “Why?” she asked, incredulous. “Why would someone who’s never had an abortion want to spend their time helping us who have?”

I was said nun who was among those arrested at a “pray in” at a downtown Toronto bank.

Third Sunday of Easter (Year B) April 14 (Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48)

Peter had jarring news for those gathered around him. In their view, Jesus was a renegade and had died a disgraceful death. The whole matter should have ended there, but God had other plans. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — the God of all Israel — had raised Jesus up and glorified Him.

Second Sunday of Easter (Year B) , April 7 (Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 118; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31)

“There was not a needy person among them” — this was the source of their unity and their strength. They were of one heart and soul.

On one cold evening, I made my usual visit to the hospital chapel to reflect on the day’s events in my ministry. It was a challenging day full of visits with questions about faith, life, and death. I was called to support a couple of bereaved families.

Resurrection of the Lord (Year B) March 31 (Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18)

The early followers of Jesus burned with the desire to communicate what they had seen, heard and experienced. If they were from the second or third generations of believers, they were able to rely on the testimony of those who had gone before them.

As we can readily observe, it’s not Good Friday that needs to be proclaimed to the world but Easter Sunday. We all know about suffering, death and violence; no evidence is required. But the good news needs to be made known: that forgiveness has trumped cruelty, love has triumphed over death and the apparent victory of evil has become a tool in God’s hand to give us life eternal. Evil is revealed to be like smoke that vanishes in the breeze or wax that melts in the fire (Psalm 96).

Passion (Palm) Sunday (Year B) March 24 (Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2: 6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47)

The prophet Isaiah has given us a perfect job description of one who walks with God and can legitimately claim to speak for the Lord. The description is easily distinguished from typical human behaviour and attitudes by what is noticeably missing: ego and self-seeking. This individual becomes an instrument in God’s hands and a conduit for God’s words and intentions.

I first heard about Holy Cross Mission in Wiikwemkoong not long after I became Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie. My first official visit to the Mission was to celebrate confirmations and to bless a new altar.