Fr. Matthew McCarthy will take the cue from the Lord Himself for his guiding principles as he begins his journey as director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Toronto.

The Archdiocese of Toronto has removed from ministry a priest accused of abuse against a minor in the Archdiocese of New York dating back to the late 1970s or early 1980s.

While restrictions are expected to remain in place for the immediate future, preparations are under way for a time when churches will re-open, Cardinal Thomas Collins wrote in a pastoral letter.

Across Canada, COVID-cloistered Canadians plugged in throughout Holy Week in big numbers to view Mass at home on TV and over the Internet.

Amid the disruption and anxiety of the COVID-19 crisis, Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto has issued a pastoral letter for Holy Week in which he urges the faithful to reach out in “prayer and responsible action” rather than collapse into “selfishness and despair.”

Priests have not been spared from being infected — and dying — as COVID-19 sweeps the world.

Relief programs implemented by the federal government to counter the economic fallout from COVID-19 have staved off significant pay cuts for priests and saved staff at the Archdiocese of Toronto offices and parishes from layoffs. 

The needs of the thousands of people served by ShareLife agencies don’t go away in a time of crisis.

As Christians, we have been on our Lenten journey since Ash Wednesday. This year, it is a journey with unique challenges.

In a letter to priests of the Archdiocese of Toronto, Cardinal Thomas Collins said it is “essential” to proceed with Holy Week and Easter ceremonies even though every church in Canada’s largest diocese will be closed throughout the holiest days on the Church calendar. 

Catholic dioceses around the world are preparing for a  Holy Week of empty churches and virtual liturgies — and Easter Masses with empty pews — amid widespread global shutdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19.

After previously cancelling public celebrations of the sacraments including daily and Sunday Masses, the Archdiocese of Toronto has taken the additional step of entirely closing its churches to public access.

The global pandemic that threatens lives is also bad news for Church finances — with Toronto’s ShareLife and the national Share Lent campaigns thrown into uncertainty by school closures and Mass cancellations.

Church doors may be closed and the opportunity for a communal celebration of the Eucharist have ceased for the time being, but the Mass will go on, said Cardinal Thomas Collins.

Canada's largest diocese has implemented sweeping new cancellations and suspensions after a state of emergency was declared in Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.