OTTAWA - Will Catholic schools continue in Ontario? That is among the questions Saint Paul University’s first holder of The Mercy and Presentation Sisters of Newfoundland Chair in Religious Education and Catechetics said she faces as she assumes her new role.

Pro-life group loses Calgary bishop’s support

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{mosimage}Calgary Bishop Fred Henry has withdrawn his support from the Calgary-based Canadian Centre for Bioethical Reform.

Praying for Afghan peace

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TORONTO - Prayers and peace have been linked for as long as soldiers have marched off to war. A couple hundred people gathered at St. James Anglican Cathedral April 22 to take Canada’s turn at praying for peace, for endangered Canadian soldiers and for the men trying to kill them.

New life shows at inner-city parish

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{mosimage}Toronto - St. Clare’s parish is seeing new faces these days, demonstrating how an aging inner-city parish community can find new life within its young, diverse parishioners.

Cardinal sees eucharistic congress battling growing secularism

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WINDSOR, Ont. - Next year’s 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City will allow a renewal of faith by connecting with the “source and summit” of Christian life, the Eucharist, said Cardinal Marc Ouellet.

Jantzi Index just behind S&P, TSX

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TORONTO - Buoyed by a big bank but pulled down by its lack of oil stocks, the Jantzi Social Index fell off the pace set by mainstream stock indexes in March.

Same job, new name

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TORONTO - Pastoral care in Ontario’s Catholic high schools is now on the right side of canon law. School  chaplains are now called Co-ordinators of School Chaplaincy Services. The Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops came up with the new name after consulting with the Catholic School Chaplains of Ontario.  Canon 564 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law defines a chaplain as a priest. Since almost no school chaplains in Ontario are ordained, the bishops wanted a new title for the job prior to issuing a statement concerning pastoral care in the schools later this year.

Development and Peace comes to CIDA’s defence

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TORONTO - The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace has jumped into the debate on whether to abolish the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Cardinal’s Dinner chair named

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TORONTO - William Downe, president and chief executive officer of BMO Financial Group, has been appointed as chair of the 28th annual Cardinal’s Dinner, the largest fund-raising dinner in Canada.

Benedictine monk to lead meditation community retreat

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TORONTO - A healthy dose of silence and the discipline of meditation are on tap at St. John’s Convent, 233 Cummer Ave. in Toronto, when the Christian Meditation Community of Toronto hosts its May 11-13 retreat.

Green Party’s May interested in the common good, but supports abortion, gay marriage

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OTTAWA - Green Party Leader Elizabeth May hopes to change the conversation in Ottawa.

Though best known for its environmental stance, the Green Party also stresses social justice, fair trade instead of free trade and non-violence. But Mays views on families, communities and the common good may also attract Catholic voters and potential candidates.