Perhaps the greatest Roman Catholic voice to oppose Jewish prejudice was Pope John Paul II. He, more than any other Church leader, continues to enjoy the favour of the Jews. It was Pope John Paul II who categorically instructed the faithful that anti-Semitism is a serious sin.

Heading into church last month for the noon-hour service on Ash Wednesday, I walked along the sidewalk behind two middle-aged couples decked out in office-type apparel. I overheard that one of the couples was heading out for a bite of lunch and the other was skipping lunch to attend the service that marks the beginning of Lenten fasting, penance and prayer that is now entering its final days before we reach the glory of Easter Sunday.

At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church wiped its hands of its “long century” of defensive reaction to the modern world and climbed into what it hoped would be a new era of dialogue. However, it takes (at least) two to dialogue and over the last 50 years the Church’s willingness to talk about important issues has not often been reciprocated by the secular world.

One unanticipated consequence of the election of Donald Trump as 45th President of the United States has been the rediscovery of a seminal novel first published in 1949. According to The New York Times, George Orwell’s 1984 is being reprinted around the world and is at the top of bestseller lists.

A stately old Nova Scotia landmark was home to its fair share of contemporary drama over the past couple of weeks. The landmark is Province House in downtown Halifax, the place where the Nova Scotia legislature has met since 1819. The three-storey Province House edifice is the longest serving legislative building in Canada.

There’s a lot of talk these days about building walls.

Are there circumstances where assisted suicide should be among the range of options available to someone dealing with serious mental health issues? Should we routinely euthanize people with diseases like Alzheimer’s based upon their advance wishes? Are there times when mature kids and teenagers should be able to get a doctor’s help to die?

While attending an ecumenical service at a Lutheran church in Rome a year ago, Pope Francis encountered a Lutheran woman who was married to a Roman Catholic. She asked the Pope why she could not receive the Eucharist while attending Catholic services with her husband.

Another year over, a new one just begun. For 55 newsroom employees at the Halifax-based Chronicle Herald, almost the entire year was spent on the picket line. A year is a long time to be on strike.

Oct. 31, 2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of the date Martin Luther posted his 95 proposals on the door of a Catholic church in Germany to launch the Protestant Reformation. Indeed, Luther’s imprint on Christianity has never faded over the centuries.