Just over a year into a global pandemic, churches in the Archdiocese of Toronto began holding Masses again just in time for Easter — albeit with 15-per-cent seating capacity. The past year will go down as a significant event in the history of the modern Church in Canada, and leads to questions about the nature of theological approaches to history itself.

Published in YSN: Speaking Out

With rising COVID-19 cases across Ontario, the provincial government has implemented a province-wide “emergency brake” that will lower capacity for worship services.

Published in Canada

After months of speaking out against inequity in COVID-19 capacity guidelines, the Archdiocese of Montreal was finally gifted some good news from the Quebec government.

Published in Canada

VANCOUVER -- B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson has upheld the public health order banning in-person religious services in British Columbia.

Published in Canada

Restrictions on places of worship in grey lockdown zones will be loosened and churches will be able to host services with up to 15 per cent of their capacity as of March 15.

Published in Canada

Toronto’s Cardinal Thomas Collins is sending a clear message to Queen’s Park: It’s time for a “fair and equitable approach to the return to worship.”

Published in Canada

As Quebec movie theatres welcome up to 250 patrons as pandemic protocols begin to loosen, churches remain limited to only 10 people — including the presiding priest — at worship services.

Published in Canada

WASHINGTON -- A Supreme Court decision allowing indoor worship services in Santa Clara county, California, was praised by Bishop Oscar Cantú of the Diocese of San Jose, located in the county where the ban had been in effect.

Published in International

VATICAN CITY -- For believers, the ability to practice their faith and receive spiritual guidance are "the highest of essential services," and pandemic practices over the past year have shown they are not automatically super-spreader events, the Vatican foreign minister said.

Published in Vatican

VANCOUVER -- Catholic lawyers in the Archdiocese of Vancouver are adding their voices to the growing numbers calling for the B.C. government to end its ban on worship services.

Published in Canada

The doors to our Catholic church swung open again on Sunday morning, weeks after in-person Masses were shut down for the second extended period of the coronavirus pandemic.

Published in Guest Columns

Canadian churches faced new restrictions as public health officials tried to contain a post-holiday surge of COVID-19.

Published in Canada

As 2020 closed, it was regrettable that the public observations of the 850th anniversary of the martyrdom (Dec. 29, 1170) of St. Thomas Becket did not take place due to pandemic restrictions.

Published in Fr. Raymond de Souza

MANCHESTER, England -- An English cardinal spoke of his relief that churches in England will not close during a third national lockdown.

Published in International

Once again our Catholic churches are closed in Toronto. Perhaps by the time you are reading this that will have changed. It is unlikely, but possible.

Published in Charles Lewis