MONTREAL - For two prominent Catholic agencies based in Canada, the new Liberal government's decision to stop air strikes against Islamic State positions in the Middle East begs the question: How should Canada act in that region?

OTTAWA - Canada’s new Liberal government has announced the launch of an ambitious initiative to fulfill a campaign promise and rescue 25,000 Syrian refugees by Christmas.

Most of Canada’s incoming parliamentarians were on the campaign trail in September and probably missed the inspiring address Pope Francis gave to U.S. Congress. If so, that’s a shame. His speech was made for America but a perfect fit for Canada.

OTTAWA - Canada’s Catholic bishops have issued a plea for “urgent action” to meet the unprecedented needs of refugees fleeing war, persecution, natural disasters and the effects of climate.

VATICAN CITY - Canadians had a rather prominent role in the first week of the Synod on the Family. Two of the language- based discussion groups elected Canadians as their moderators — Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto for one of the English groups, and Cardinal Gerald Lacroix for one of the French.

OTTAWA - In the final days of the federal election campaign, an array of anti-euthanasia groups nationwide has accused the political parties of “fleeing their responsibilities” on an issue too important to be swept under the carpet.

CORNWALL, Ont. - Canada's bishops will face greater accountability under new guidelines that highlight healing in cases of sexual abuse of minors.

OTTAWA - As the world reacted with horror Sept. 3 to the picture of a drowned little migrant boy, Canada’s bishops published a social justice document pleading for generosity.

Pre-Vatican II babies remember it as if it were yesterday: Who made you? God made me? Why did God make you? To love Him in this world and to serve Him and be with Him in the next world.

WASHINGTON - Liz Moran said the experience of trekking across the United States this summer to spread the Catholic Church's pro-life message was "life changing."

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has established an apostolic exarchate, the precursor to a diocese, for Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada and has named their current Toronto-based chaplain, Fr. Jose Kalluvelil, a bishop and head of the exarchate.

QUEBEC CITY - With the decision to close one of its largest and most important churches, the Archdiocese of Quebec is sending a clear message: The future of even the most majestic churches cannot be guaranteed any more.

OTTAWA - An Angus Reid poll shows most Canadians approve of banning prayer before official public meetings, but would not approve of removing God from “O Canada.”

TORONTO - The Paulist Fathers don’t want to leave Toronto, they have to. That strange uptick in vocations after the Second World War has now worked its way through the system and there aren’t enough priests left to staff the ambitious little empire of Paulist ministries that once dotted cities across North America. So, after a century in Toronto, the U.S.-based Paulists are going home.

Paulist priests preached their first mission in Canada 156 years ago. Fifty-six years later they arrived in Toronto where they came to operate St. Peter’s parish and open the Newman Centre on what is now the campus of the University of Toronto. Due to declining numbers they are being forced to cease Canadian operations and return home. Here is a timeline of their years in Canada.