Bob Brehl: Author speaks up for liberal Christians

The other night I was watching TVO’s The Agenda and an erudite, award-winning author was talking about two taboos: politics and religion. It was fascinating television on several levels as she linked the two in Trump’s America.

Christmas always cracks up the family

I just celebrated my 26th Christmas with my lovely bride. Each Christmas has been special and each one has been a little different.

Lessons rung up from a spill off the ladder

The other day, I fell off a ladder. More precisely, a ladder I propped up on a snow-slicked deck so I could clean out eavestroughs, slipped out from under me, dropping me seven or eight feet.

A lamp under a bushel basket and a cooler of food

For some time, we’d noticed several big coolers and baskets by the front door of a neighbour. Sometimes, while walking our dog, we’d see someone pull into the driveway and drop some food in a cooler or basket. 

The money debate: root of evil or springboard to happiness?

In a recent column, I mentioned the old biblical warning that money is the root of all evil and that sure set off a lively debate with my wife. 

All politics is local so get out and vote

They say all politics is local and that municipal politics is closer to our everyday lives than any level of government. It’s about water, sewage and garbage pickup. It’s about street-light repairs, safe pedestrian crosswalks and parks where our children can play. 

If cheaters never prosper, why do people cheat?

Why do people cheat — whether on their spouse, during tests, playing sports or in business? A recent event amongst friends triggered this question in my mind and nagged me for several days about the psychology of cheating. 

The ‘irrational attack’ against Catholic schools

Many years ago, a person named Margaret Wente called and offered me a job at the Globe and Mail newspaper, which I accepted. Many, many years ago, I passed through the Catholic school system in Toronto, elementary school at Holy Cross and high school at Neil McNeil. 

John XXIII, the witty saint

Pope John XXIII’s ascension to saint status, along with Pope John Paul II, sent me on a quest to find some of the new St. John XXIII’s wittiest remarks.

New take on ‘Hallelujah’ a new Easter tradition

With the kids well into their teenage years, I was looking for an Easter tradition to replace the old Easter egg hunt that evaporated some years ago.

Faith and politics mix with Hurricane Hazel

I am nearing the end of an interesting project — helping Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion with her memoirs — and one of the most enjoyable parts of it is something I never expected.

Praising Francis is not a slight to Benedict

As we approach the first anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, it is not difficult to find him top of mind.

True sportsmanship or a great illusion?

The key to the great illusionist Harry Houdini was the art of misdirection. Houdini could do things like make elephants on stage disappear by misdirecting the eyes and ears of the audience so their minds believed something quite different.