News/Canada

In Toronto, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity events will wrap up Jan. 29 with an ecumenical service at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, hosted by Cardinal Thomas Collins, shaking hands in the photo above from last year’s service.

Church reconciliation is a never-ending project

The fact that the Eucharist cannot yet be shared between faiths has left everyone “starving,” says the director of ecumenical and interfaith affairs for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

By choosing Ahmed Hussen as Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is sending a message to new Canadians that they can succeed.

Canada's new immigration minister is a former Somali refugee

By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News

OTTAWA – The promotion of former Somali refugee Ahmed Hussen to immigration minister sends a positive signal to immigrants and refugees, said Canada’s former ambassador to the Holy See.

Dufferin-Peel's St. Roch captured the top prize of the OCSTA video contest for the secondary schools' division.

Videos brings Ontario Catholic schools' namesakes to life

By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic Register

If there's one thing a school's name should do, it's inspire.

After only a month of rehearsals, music students from St. Francis Junior High School and Catholic Central High School spent a day in November to film and record their unique rendition of The Tragically Hip’s “Ahead By A Century.”

Lethbridge Catholic high schools win instrumental division of CBC's music challenge

By Jean Ko Din, The Catholic Register

Kyle Harmon was working in the band office, finishing his day at school when he got a call on his cellphone from a CBC Radio producer.

The Khalil family, who fled the conflict in their Iraqi homeland, have worked extremely hard to find their way in Canada. The hard work is paying off as they settle in to their Toronto townhouse.

Iraqi refugee family finds success in hard work and each other’s support

By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register

Since the Khalil family arrived in Canada in July 2012, they’ve been working out their own Canadian values — mother and father both working two jobs, squeezing in English classes whenever they could, making sure the kids are in school. The Khalil Canadian values start with hard work and end with family.

Fr. Michael Czerny says Canadians need to put aside their fear when it comes to helping refugees.

Fr. Czerny: Fear has no place in dealing with refugees

By Fr. Michael Czerny, S.J.

Since 1914, the Church has used the World Day of Migrants and Refugees to highlight the great need for nations to welcome those seeking shelter from the evil and horrors that inflict their homelands. It is a message about compassion and hospitality, yet it is frequently greeted with anxiety and fear, perhaps more today than ever.

Canada's Former Ambassador of Religious Freedom Andrew Bennett will be heading up Cardus Law, which is set up to examine the challenges to religious freedom.

Cardus launches Cardus Law to address religious freedom concerns

By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News

OTTAWA –The Cardus think tank has launched Cardus Law to examine the challenges to religious freedom.

Think-tank Cardus is organizing Faith in Canada 150 to bring religion back into the public square as Canada celebrates its 150th birthday.

Cardus makes sure faith is part of Canada’s 150th celebrations

By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic Register

Think-tank heavyweight Cardus is calling on Canadians to bring religion back into the public square as the nation prepares to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.

Ontario's education minister, Mitzie Hunter, has rejected a report challenging the constitutional protection of the province's publicly-funded Catholic school system.

Minister rejects report challenging constitutional protection of Ontario's Catholic education

By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic Register

A report challenging the constitutional protection of Ontario’s publicly-funded Catholic school system has been dismissed by the minister of education.

On behalf of Canada's Catholic bishops, Bishop Douglas Crosby of Hamilton have raised concerned over the definition of charitable classifications by the CRA.

Bishops at odds with CRA over definition of charitable classifications

By Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News

OTTAWA – Citing concerns about potential unfair treatment, Canada’s Catholic bishops have written to Canada’s Revenue Minister to express disagreement with government policies that classify some religious charitable activities as political.