Feature

Does Super Mario go to Mass? Catholic gamers and the video game industry

September 19, 2011

NEW YORK - Is it possible to be a faithful Catholic and a video gamer? That's a question all Catholic gaming enthusiasts -- including the young adults at whom many of the industry's offerings are primarily targeted -- must ask themselves as this medium continues to develop and expand its influence over contemporary society. Once upon a time, back in the 1980s and early 1990s, classic games such as "Pac-Man" and "Super Mario Bros." raised few if any moral issues. So youthful Catholics could casually -- and comfortably -- pick up whatever new release was available at the local store. There was no need for them to worry that the sensitivities of their faith would be assaulted or that troublesome opinions would be aggressively foisted on them by game developers.

Church and state: Why can't they be friends?

September 16, 2011

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has made the dangers of secularism a major theme of his pontificate. And it's a battle both sides take seriously. On the one hand, the pope warns that societies without the moorings of Christian values will be lost at sea, unaware of or indifferent to the truth that anchors humanity to justice, peace, respect and solidarity. On the other side are groups and individuals that hold so tightly to the democratic tenet of church-state separation, they don't want any voice tied to religion to be let loose onto the public square.

Ontario bishops push poverty on to election radar

September 14, 2011

When Jesus predicted His disciples would always have the poor with them, He didn’t mention they would be invisible — unseen, unheard and unthinkable in the political arena. Ontario’s bishops have again identified poverty as an essential issue facing voters as they go to the polls Oct. 6. “Jesus directly connects our salvation to how we have tended to the needs of the poor, the hungry, the naked, the sick, the least among us,” wrote the Assembly of Catholic Bishops in its pre-election message. “We face that judgment personally and also as a society.” In “Your Right to Be Heard: A Guide to the Ontario Election — 2011” (download the full statement here), the bishops urge Catholics to ask candidates about poverty reduction strategies, homelessness, unemployment and “basic income that is sufficient for food and housing.” They also remind Catholics of their duty to vote. “It is inconceivable that people would consciously decide not to vote,” the guide said.

Theology goes to the dogs

September 14, 2011

When Fr. James Mallon adopted Monsi from a local animal shelter years ago, he never expected his shepherd mix pup would inspire theology lessons. “I’d take him out for a walk and he’d do something and a Scripture passage would pop into my head,” the Halifax-based Mallon said. For example, he’d notice Monsi straining on his leash so hard he was choking himself and Mallon would remember how St. Paul wrote about how “we strain forward and we forget what lies behind.” The priest would see Monsi (short for monsignor) running in the park and experience such joy watching him that he’d think to himself, “If I get such pleasure watching my dog being a dog, I wonder how much God gets pleasure in our being who we’re supposed to be.”

9/11 can’t take away our sense of optimism

September 9, 2011

TORONTO - There are lots of numbers associated with Sept. 11, 2001. More than 3,000 people were killed including 19 hijackers. Another 6,000+ people were injured. There were nearly three million square metres of Manhattan office space damaged or destroyed. New York’s gross domestic product declined $27.3 billion in the 15 months following the attacks. Nobody counts the number of prayers. At the Newman Centre at the University of Toronto, Fr. Pat O’Dea watched in horror at the face of evil revealed on television — “That’s all it is, pure evil,” he said. But he also watched in wonder at the outpouring of prayer on the downtown campus. All week long the St. Thomas Aquinas Church remained open for anyone who wanted to pray, and hundreds did, recalled O’Dea, who was pastor at the Newman Centre at the time.

Catholics share a common bond worldwide

September 8, 2011

On a recent lecture tour around the world, I experienced the universality of the Catholic Church in the local culture through the sacred mystery of the Eucharist. On four successive Sundays attending Mass in Beijing, New Delhi, Stockholm and London, I felt a unity with people I did not know, infused by liturgy that embraces us all. How different in each locale; how the same. Christ, I realized anew, binds us all wherever we are in the world. The first Sunday, I attended the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the oldest Catholic church in Beijing. It was first erected in the middle of the 16th century and has twice been rebuilt. Shut down during the Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 1970s, the church is now in good repair. Though the Mass in English attracted foreign visitors, there were many Chinese present. Most Masses are, in fact, in Chinese. Standing guard outside the cathedral was a bronze statue of Matteo Ricci, the Italian Jesuit scientist who was one of the first Catholic missionaries to China. He arrived there in 1582 and became famous for his mastery of Chinese language, his erudition and adaptation of Chinese customs. He explained the Catholic faith not as something foreign but as the most perfect manifestation of the existing faith of the Chinese people, who believed in “the Lord of Heaven.”

Daily Mass, rosary groups among the services offered by long-term care facilities

September 4, 2011

TORONTO - Elodie Robichaud remembers well praying the rosary as a young girl and is pleased she is able to continue this tradition at Cardinal Ambrozic Houses of Providence. Homes like Providence Healthcare help to nurture the spiritual lives of residents. Robichaud really appreciates that spiritual component of the community at the Toronto long-term care home. She considers the faith community there, which prays together and attends daily Mass, “family.” “Being able to go to Mass every morning, it’s a big gift for us,” said Robichaud. Robichaud, 86, and her husband Gaspard, 84, attend daily Mass and rosary group together. The rosary group at Providence began about 25 years ago when resident Jack Scriven started volunteering. Scriven, 94, leads the group that has up to 40 people gathering every day at the chapel.

Boomers take a new attitude towards retirement

September 3, 2011

TORONTO - If retirement residences of the past were places to die, today’s are places to live. Over the past quarter century, retirement living — once an omen of a loss of independence — has begun to take on a new face. As the baby boomer generation begins to flock to residences and homes, they will no longer associate retirement with isolation or dependence, but rather with a healthy lifestyle in an active community. “We’re always trying to change the perception of aging,” said Maureen Scordamaglia, community relations manager at the Scarborough Retirement Centre in Toronto’s east end. “We want to show that just because you’re a senior doesn’t mean that everything ends.” The centre’s programs back up that claim. From art, music and fitness classes to regular outings and parties, the centre allows retirees to “continue in senior years and be able to thrive.”

Healthy lifestyle gives seniors their best life

September 3, 2011

TORONTO - Mirella Monte walks more than 6 km five days a week. She meets her walking group at 6:30 a.m. and then does a tour of the neighbourhood in about one hour and 10 minutes. Monte is one healthy 68-year-old. “There’s a lot my children and my grandchildren can give me but I have something to give back too,” said Monte. “I can be an example to them in what I can do.” Monte is the picture of good health. In addition to walking, she is on a bowling team and takes exercise classes for people over 50 when the weather is sub par. Her healthy eating supplements her active lifestyle. “We don’t buy any prepared food,” said Monte. “We cook our food.” In her household, they eat a bit of everything: lots of soup, vegetables, fruits and meat — although they seem to want less meat the older they get, she said.

Padre finds military chaplaincy ‘exciting way to serve God’

August 27, 2011

TORONTO - When Canadian troops return home from Afghanistan in late August, chaplain Francesca Scorsone will finish a six-month stretch of working the “most fulfilling job” she’s ever had. “Padre” Scorsone, a military chaplain stationed at Kandahar Airfield, has been ministering to fellow members of the Canadian Army there since March. As part of the last rotation of air support to be deployed in Afghanistan, she provides a faith presence through liturgy and Catholic pastoral care, and, just as importantly, an open and sympathetic ear to all. “A padre walks with the people that they’re with,” said Scorsone, referring to the traditional name of a military chaplain. “My role is to be a mentor, moral guide and someone who they can talk to when they need someone to talk to.” It’s not an uncommon need given the occupational hazards. Troops come to Scorsone with their worries, fears and doubts, she told The Catholic Register by phone from Kandahar. Whether it’s concerns about family back home, questions of faith and ethics that arise while at war or simply a story that needs to be shared, Scorsone is there for support and advice. And while she’s not trying to convert anyone, her Catholic roots certainly shine through.