OTTAWA - More than 40 religious leaders from all the major faiths have signed an historic Declaration on Marriage, affirming its crucial role as a heterosexual social institution for the procreation and nurturing of children.

TORONTO - The Catholic Church and Canada's public institutions seem to be on a collision course, according to the Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL).

TORONTO - A renewed debate on whether Canada should join the United States' National Missile Defence scheme desperately needs a Catholic voice, according to Deacon Steve Barringer, a founding member of Catholics For Peace, Toronto. In Barringer's view, a Catholic voice would say "No."

TORONTO - Be the "Salt of the Earth" and the "Light of the World" are two phrases Pope John Paul II uttered during World Youth Day celebrations here in 2002.

TORONTO - Winnipeg Archbishop James Weisgerber will speak on bridging our differences in a world divided along cultural, economic and religious lines in the sixth annual Somerville Lecture on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

OTTAWA - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace are cutting their combined contribution to KAIROS by approximately $75,000 next year.

TORONTO - There was standing room only at St. Michael's Cathedral for the 21st annual Cardinal Carter Altar Server Awards on Oct. 28.

Auxiliary Bishop Richard Grecco celebrated Mass for just over 430 altar servers from 116 parishes in the archdiocese of Toronto, which is a dramatic increase from 21 years ago when only 30 parishes and 55 altar servers participated in the first such Mass.

TORONTO - Faith may be the next force in municipal politics in Toronto, and Mayor David Miller thinks that's a good thing.

OTTAWA - Religion and politics have often been associated with the so-called religious right, but now a group of New Democrat MPs and party members want to revive the religious left. To that end, they have established a Faith and Justice Caucus.

Joliette Bishop Gilles Lussier has said that by deciding to run for political office, one of his priests has given up his right to perform any sacramental ministry.

Fr. Raymond Gravel's decision to become a candidate for the Bloc Quebecois in a federal byelection is a "painful situation for the church," Lussier said in a press release issued Oct. 31.