“I’ve lost a Cardinal,” I said to myself, panic-stricken. To have misplaced one of the 118 Cardinals able to vote in a conclave, this was certainly the lowest point in my professional career. I had been given a relatively simple task: escort Cardinal John Foley from the Catholic Media Convention to his interview at the ...read more

You’ve followed the portageurs as they endured snowstorms, health problems and leadership changes. You’ve watched as they crossed into Quebec and past the half-way mark. And you’ve met the personalities leading the Ark of the New Covenant, such as Dominic, 60, whose has returned to the practice of his faith during the course of the ...read more

Last night, I slept at the house belonging to the aunt and uncle of Sylvain Cossette, Quebecois rock star. The previous morning at a parish rectory, I was treated to a lovely breakfast that included cretons, a traditional toast spread made of pork butt. I present these two occurrences as evidence that Quebec, indeed, is ...read more

As my bus left Montreal Island, it struck me how different this location shoot would be from the last one. Two weeks ago I was in the “world’s capital” covering the U.S. papal visit; tomorrow I’m embarking on a walking pilgrimage into the Quebec hinterland. It’s hardly rural right now, however, as we’re spending two ...read more

We’ve been thrilled with the positive response to 64 Days with the Ark, Salt + Light Television’s new series that follows a 1000 km walking pilgrimage from Midland, Ontario to Quebec City. As I type, a hardy group of portageurs continues carrying the Ark of the New Covenant (a symbolic religious artifact) onwards to the ...read more

The S+L team returned to Toronto Monday morning at 10:45 AM. Coincidentally, the papal plane landed in Rome at the exact same time. During the eight hour flight, “Shepherd One” flew briefly over Canadian airspace, prompting the Holy Father to impart a greeting and prayer to Governor General Michaëlle Jean. Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean Governor-General ...read more

“A soothing balm,” is how one priest described the Holy Mass with Priests and Religious, celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “We are wounded. We needed this.” Witnessing the 40-something cleric crying at the start of the Mass awakened me to the great struggles of the American Church. As a ...read more

I’m off to the papal departure at JFK airport. “The Lord be with you!” says the Pope. “God has redeemed you and made you His children. … May almighty God bless you the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI in the rotunda of Washington’s John Paul II Cultural Center, Thursday April 17th. Kris Dmytrenko and David Naglieri uploading footage back to our Toronto studio from the Washington, D.C. Papal Visit media centre on Thursday, April 17th. Pope Benedict XVI at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on ...read more

Let’s conclude the story. On Thursday night I found myself in the predicament I feared most: alone, broke and lost in Washington, D.C. Typically, our Vatican press pass provides us a police-escorted bus that promptly takes us to and from venues. It takes an item of supreme value–such as the camera battery charger plugged into ...read more