VATICAN – The Catholic Church must discover new ways to provide the Eucharist and pastoral support to the people of the Amazon, especially indigenous people threatened by forced displacement and exploitation, a new document said.

MANILA, Philippines – A Catholic priest who once served as chaplain of the Philippine National Police was wounded after a gun attack June 6 in Calamba City, about 25 miles from Manila.

Father General Arturo Sosa, leader of over 16,000 Jesuit priests worldwide, attended the ordinations at St. Paul’s Basilica in Toronto, May 19, during his Canada visit. “This moment in the life of the Society, but even more in the life of the Church, is an opening,” he said.

Canadian Jesuits Arthur Suski and Edmund Lo were presented to Archbishop Terry Prendergast for ordination into the priesthood. The archbishop handed each of them a book of the Gospels and said, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are.  Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” 

VATICAN – That only men can be validly ordained to the priesthood is a truth that is part of the Catholic faith and will not and cannot change, said Cardinal-designate Luis Ladaria, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

EDMONTON – Fr. Victor Botari was ordained to the priesthood late in life, but he brought a passion for social justice to all the Alberta parishes he served.

OTTAWA – Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the highest-ranking Canadian in the Roman Curia, marked his 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood May 25 at a Mass of celebration in Rome.

Conscience of a Nation: Jesuits in English Canada (1842-2016), Jesuit History Series vol. 3., edited by Jacques Monet, S.J. (Novalis, softcover, 224 pages, $34.95)

VATICAN – When a bishop leaves a diocese, he should give an honest assessment of what he has done and where he has fallen short, but mostly he should encourage people to follow the Lord, Pope Francis said.

“You are servants of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. That’s who we are. That’s who the people expect their priests to be,” Cardinal Thomas Collins told his two new priests in his homily.

As the Companions of the Cross marked its Foundation Day May 4, General Superior Fr. Allan MacDonald said he believed God has something in new in mind for the 33-year-old priestly community.

A time to search and a time to give up. 

VATICAN – A true bishop always stays close to his people, protecting them from "wolves" and from losing their way, Pope Francis said.

Last week’s record financial award to a man abused by a monstrous priest 50 years ago is cringeworthy on many levels.

Our small English-language parish in a borough of Montreal is hardly a hot bed of serious surprises. Recently, though, we received some rather hard news.

MEXICO CITY – Yet another Mexican Catholic priest has been murdered in his parish -- the second such lethal attack against clergy in the country in less than a week.