Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly acknowledged that he professes Catholicism. It is also true that he has openly declared his unreserved support for abortion rights. Do these things give us enough ground to at least try to start a respectful conversation?

On May 29, 10 days following a joint statement made by Canada, France and the UK which told Israel it was behaving in a way which righteous countries would not put up with, a communion of Canadian religious sisters wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney to express “gratitude for, and solidarity with” the position.

By all worldly accounts much of the ministry of The Church on the Street seems like a total waste of time. However, in my more reflective moments I realize that the answer lies somewhere in the mystery that on the street I am constantly surprised by holiness in the midst of addiction, violence, and poverty.