Jubilee Year 2025

VANCOUVER -- The Archdiocese of Vancouver is urging a parliamentary committee to support the strengthening of legislation that bans most activities associated with prostitution, including the buying of sex, pimping and the keeping of a bawdy house.

We find ourselves in difficult times as Canadians, and in her Feb. 9 column, “Divide and conquer? Never in Canada,” Sr. Helena Burns is attempting to bring us together — particularly now, when there are people who are seeking to divide us.  In our Jewish tradition, we learn that humanity was created through one being so that no one could ever say that someone is better than another.

ROME -- As Russian troops approached Ukraine's capital, Pope Francis phoned the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, offering his encouragement and promising, "I will do everything I can" to help.

VATICAN CITY -- As Russia continued its assault on Ukraine and Russian troops pressed toward the capital, Kyiv, Pope Francis left the Vatican Feb. 25 to pay a visit to the Russian ambassador to the Holy See.

With the big exception of continued mask-wearing, Masses throughout the Archdiocese of Toronto are ready to resemble pre-pandemic normalcy.

“Azadeh’s” 30 days in immigration detention began as a time “of hope and protection” but quickly deteriorated to one of worry, according to the mental health researcher who tracked the 11-year-old refugee’s time in detention.

Fr. Paul Kavanagh is excited about the developments for Alberta places of worship in recent weeks and the promise of what lies around the corner.

Word of a “Freedom Convoy” first reached my ears while I was still far away in Rome. Weeks later, much ink has been spilled, arrests have been made, a $306-million class-action lawsuit is underway, the federal Emergencies Act was invoked for the first time and Angus-Reid published poll results with the headline, “Three-in-four Canadians tell convoy protesters, Go Home Now.” What is a Catholic to think?

KYIV, Ukraine (CNS) -- As Russia fired missiles on several Ukrainian cities and Russian troops reportedly landed in Odessa, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church affirmed the right of Ukrainians to defend their homeland and assured his people that God would watch over them.

Theology of me

Sr. Helena Burns’ Feb. 13 column “ Divide and Conquer? Never in Canada” raises the question of whether, in her world, the democratically elected government is the enemy of freedom. Is the sight of a military-style convoy of massive intimidating trucks, each one representing just one person, flying dual flags, blasting any opposition with their air horns, and illegally occupying and thwarting everyone else’s freedom really “glorious” to her?