Canadian News

News and events from across the country.

Captives offer forgiveness to Iraqi captors

December 18, 2006

James Loney [images/stories/canada_people/James%20Loney.jpg]A year after they were snatched from the streets of Baghdad and repeatedly threatened with death over 118 days, the surviving three members of a kidnapped Christian Peacemaker Teams have forgiven their kidnappers and asked the Iraqi court to show leniency to the men about to stand trial for the crime.

Good Shepherd opens Christmas Store

December 18, 2006

HAMILTON, Ont. - For the past 14 years the Good Shepherd food bank in Hamilton transforms into a Christmas Store for the month of December.

Charities feel pinch as province starves agencies of money

December 18, 2006

Michael Fullan [images/stories/toronto_people/fullan_michael.jpg]TORONTO - Catholic Family Services — Peel-Dufferin delivers one of the best bargains the Ontario taxpayers ever got. The agency deals with family breakdown, the after-effects of child abuse, violence against women and more among 1.2 million people living west and northwest of Toronto. For the region's adult survivors of child abuse, the agency collects $53,000 of provincial government funding and magically transforms it into $250,000 in front-line counselling services to some of the most tragically damaged people in our midst.

Bishops vow continued fight for marriage

December 18, 2006

[images/stories/logos/Same Sex Marriage.jpg]OTTAWA - Canada's Catholic bishops say the marriage debate is not over, despite the "disappointing" loss of a House of Commons motion to restore the traditional definition.

Cardinal says thanks to all those who served the church

December 17, 2006

Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic [images/stories/canada_bishops/cardinal%20ambrozic2.jpg]Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic presided over his last noon Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral as archbishop of Toronto Dec. 17, using the occasion to thank all those who had worked with him and for him.

Toronto gets new archbishop, Thomas Collins of Edmonton

December 17, 2006

A new archbishop has been appointed to the Archdiocese of Toronto. Pope Benedict XVI announced Dec. 16 that he has called on Archbishop Thomas Collins of Edmonton to take the place of the retiring Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic. Collins, 59, told The Catholic Register in a telephone interview from Edmonton that he was "very, very honoured by the confidence the Holy Father had in me" to become the 12th bishop of Toronto, which was established in 1842.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity kits available

December 8, 2006

TORONTO - The 2007 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was fired in the crucible of AIDS in Umlazi district, near Durban, South Africa.

Toronto gears up for congress

December 7, 2006

TORONTO - While the 49th International Eucharistic Congress isn't until June of 2008, planning is well underway. The archdiocese of Toronto plans to send 500 people on a pilgrimage to Quebec City where an expected 15,000 Catholics will gather to gain a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist.

Pax Christi head hopes to meet Toronto group

December 7, 2006

PaxChristi [images/stories/logos/PaxChristi.jpg]TORONTO - The next secretary general of Pax Christi International wants to see the international Catholic movement gain a foothold in Canada.

Bishops call for free vote on marriage

December 6, 2006

Same Sex Marriage [images/stories/logos/Same Sex Marriage.jpg]OTTAWA - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged a completely free vote on a motion on whether to reopen the debate on marriage, one that would allow politicians to vote "in accordance with their conscience" on marriage.