OTTAWA – An order of priests that became “like orphans” 30 years ago when it broke away from the schismatic Society of St. Pius X has prospered by observing Church tradition and stressing unity with the Holy Father.

QUEBEC CITY – French-speaking Canadians will begin using a new translation of the Our Father Dec. 2.

EDMONTON – If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, this beholder is pretty upset about one bad window.

It was 56 years ago this week — Oct. 11, 1962 — that the Second Vatican Council began its work of addressing how the Church should adapt to the modern world. Vatican II ended three years later and the changes formed the basis of much of the Church’s liturgy and teaching to this day. The massive task of the council, mandated by Pope John XXIII, began with much pomp and ceremony, as The Register reported in its Oct. 13, 1962 issue.

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WASHINGTON – In response to the church abuse crisis, many parishes around the country have been bringing out the big guns in a spiritual sense -- calling on St. Michael the Archangel to help the church.

One of my favourite bloopers from a church bulletin reads like this: “Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.” 

Proof that the Church has no shyness about irony is affirmed by news that Canada’s new Catholic hymnal will be unleashed during Lent two years hence.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The general chapter of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a society of apostolic life which celebrates the extraordinary form of the Roman rite, on Monday elected Fr. Andrzej Komorowski as its next superior general.

VATICAN – The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X elected 47-year-old Father Davide Pagliarani, an Italian member of the society, as its superior general.

A new English-language hymnal is on the way. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has confirmed publishing plans for Music for Catholic Worship, which should be in stock by Lent 2020.

EDMONTON – Canadian Catholics are about to see the first new national hymnal in more than 20 years — a book that will bring long-cherished hymns into step with modern worship and introduce new works as well.

A former student sent me a notice that caught my attention, for both artistic and pious reasons. The Cantata Singers of Ottawa will be at St. Joseph’s Church later this month where the entire program will consist of settings of the brief Eucharistic and Marian hymn, Ave Verum, including those of Lassus, Byrd, Mozart, Elgar, Liszt, Saint-Saëns and Poulenc. 

VATICAN – Seeking Christian unity is more urgent than ever because of the ongoing persecution of Christians, Pope Francis told an Orthodox leader.

PAISLEY, Scotland – A Scottish bishop has criticized the BBC for making a film that describes the Eucharist as smelling "like hate."

Many of us were fortunate enough to hear Cardinal Robert Sarah speak at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica last month. He is truly a holy man and strong voice in a world of banalities. How many people do you know whose cause is silence?