OTTAWA - A popular Ottawa priest who admitted last year to a gambling addiction was charged July 3 with one count each of theft, fraud, criminal breach of trust and laundering the proceeds of crime.

Fr. Joe LeClair, 55, will appear in court July 25 to answer the charges related to the financial administration of Blessed Sacrament parish in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood.

The Ottawa Police Organized Fraud investigation allege more than $240,000 in parish cheques were "misappropriated by the parish priest, Joseph LeClair," according to a July 3 news release, and "over $160,000 in cash revenues were unaccounted for." The investigation reviewed parish finances from January 2006 to May 2011.

TORONTO - When injustice becomes visible, it becomes intolerable, pro-life activist Jonathon Van Muren told an audience of about 150 spectators at the New Abortion Caravan's Toronto stop June 28.

"Great injustices have been conquered before," Van Muren told the crowd gathered at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Toronto's west end. He compared the fight to end abortion to the battles against slavery, child labour and segregation.

TORONTO - Toronto politicians aiming to eliminate handguns and ban ammunition have Church teaching on their side, says one Toronto councillor with a PhD in theology.

“We’re not a pacifist Church. We have been the Church that has argued for a just war position,” said Joe Mihevc.

But that doesn’t put the magisterium on the side of private gun owners, according to Mihevc.

Cardinal Thomas Collins is presented with the Order of Malta’s Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion by the order’s Canadian president Dr. André Morin on June 23. The cardinal was given the honour after presiding at the Order of Malta’s annual celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the order. It was bestowed on behalf of the Grand Master and the Sovereign Council of the order in Rome. The Order of Malta is one of the oldest lay orders in the Catholic Church, founded in 1099. (Photo by Alexander Puettner)

The Catholic Register was recognized as the second best national Catholic newspaper in North America at the Catholic Media Conference awards ceremony June 22 in Indianapolis.

The awards handed out in the category of general excellence for national newspapers are the final presentations of a two-hour gala and are considered the most prestigious honours of the evening.

“Given the stiff competition from several large American publications, this is a tremendous achievement for The Register,” said publisher and editor Jim O’Leary. “It’s recognition of the hard work and talent of everyone who has a hand in producing our paper each week.”

CALEDON, ONT. - There’s no such thing as Catholicism for the few. Catholic means universal, and Secular Franciscans declared their intention to take their message out to the known universe as they inaugurated a new fraternity at the first ever Franciscan Family Fest at Mt. Alverno Retreat Centre June 24.

Deacon Michael Robertson is one of the founders of the new group of lay Franciscans. He describes it as “a new option to offer people who might want to take their spiritual life beyond the norm.”

For weeks Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace members have been getting their word in edgewise in the House of Commons.

Before Parliament broke for the summer MPs tabled about a dozen petitions asking the government to restore the Canadian bishops’ development agency’s CIDA funding to $49.2 million over the next five years. In February the Canadian International Development Agency cut that number to $14.5 million.

The petitions, most of them from Quebec, also ask the Conservatives to recommit to increasing Canada’s overseas development assistance to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product. Canada currently spends 0.34 per cent of GDP on foreign aid, one of the lowest percentages among all donor countries. The 2012 federal budget announced plans to cut development assistance a further 7.5 per cent over the next three years.

OTTAWA - The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is drafting a policy to make decisions about overseas partners, especially if controversy arises, that will give the agency the final call concerning its non-Catholic partners in the global south.

It’s dubbed the “3D approach to partnership,” according to a joint news release June 18 from D&P and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The 3Ds are dialogue, discernment and decision.

“Dialogue would include conversations by Development and Peace with its actual or proposed partners,” the joint release said. “Discernment includes the ways by which (D&P) liaises and dialogues with its partners and with the bishops of Canada as well as with local bishops in the global south.”

Christians aiding refugees is nothing new. Christians taking the Canadian government to court so refugees won’t be denied medication, artificial limbs or rehabilitative therapy is.

Hospitality House Refugee Ministry in Winnipeg has launched a lawsuit on behalf of the Anglican diocese of Rupert’s Land claiming breach of contract against Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Hospitality House is trying to block government plans to strip down its health insurance plan for refugees.

Cuts to the Interim Federal Healthcare Program for refugees take effect June 30.

TORONTO - In building upon the good work that past directors of the Office of Catholic Youth have accomplished, two new positions will be added to the archdiocese of Toronto’s youth office, said director Fr. Frank Portelli.

He’s currently on the hunt for a new associate director for youth and an associate director for young adults. The roles will target youth in Grades 6 to 12 and those aged 18 to 35, respectively.