FAITH/STORIES

OXFORD, England - A Catholic bishop in war-torn Mali whose diocese lies in the path of Islamic insurgents said "people are hiding in their homes, unable to venture out."

GUELPH, ONT.  - In my role as a vice principal in a Catholic high school, God is revealed in raw emotional landscapes: old-fashioned fist fights, cruel words in 120 character texts that ravage reputations, startlingly tragic losses.

VATICAN CITY - In a message for the 2013 World Day of the Sick, Pope Benedict XVI called on everyone to be a good Samaritan and concretely help those in need.

Peace is impossible without openness to God, Pope tells diplomats

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VATICAN CITY - Deploring war, civil conflict and poverty around the world, Pope Benedict XVI told foreign ambassadors assembled at the Vatican that peace-building requires charity, religious liberty, a proper understanding of human rights and openness to divine love.

Bishops must stand firm in truth to lead people to Christ, Pope says

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VATICAN CITY - In their task of leading people to the light of Christ, bishops must have the courage to face opposition and peacefully stand firm in the truth, Pope Benedict XVI said.

Vatican official thanks mothers of priests, asks for their prayers

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VATICAN CITY - The mothers of priests and seminarians deserve the thanks of the whole church for raising their sons in the faith and supporting them in their vocations, said Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

Despite evil, human beings are hard-wired for peace, pope says

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VATICAN CITY - Welcoming in the new year, Pope Benedict XVI said that despite the injustice and violence in the world, every human being yearns for and is made for peace.

Agenda for a year of faith: looking ahead at Pope Benedict's 2013

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VATICAN CITY - Fortunetelling, like all occult practices, is strictly taboo at the Vatican; and prophecy is a rare gift among journalists. But Pope Benedict XVI's calendar for 2013 is already filling up with planned, probable or possible events. Here are 10 to watch for in the news during the coming year.

Let us share in our wonderful gifts

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Below is the text of the annual Christmas message issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Spiritual side of Christmas evident in hospital setting

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TORONTO - As a priest-chaplain at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital, people often want to know what it’s like to spend Christmas in a hospital community.

St. Francis of Assisi tradition carries on

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TORONTO - Since the early 1970s parishioners at downtown Toronto’s St. Francis of Assisi parish have honoured their namesake and Jesus Christ with a life-sized Nativity scene. 

In Holy Land, Christmas traditions include family, parades and Mass

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JERUSALEM - The simmering smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in Catholic parishes

When the Bills come to play, priest helps them pray

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TORONTO - The Buffalo Bills have been coming to play at Toronto’s Rogers Centre for the past five years, and each year the archdiocese of Toronto has done its part to make the players feel at home.