Today the Universal Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord — a day when we all consider our own consecration to God. In particular, the feast is associated with the religious life, and so this day also marks the 16th World Day of Consecrated Life. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops explains ...read more

A close friend recently gave birth to her first child. The newborn arrived ten days later than expected, having decided to make his debut on Christmas Day. Though my friend (and all mothers) might disagree, today I feel like I can somewhat relate. S+L’s upcoming documentary Across the Divide also required an extended gestation. Across ...read more

It’s easy to take ecumenism for granted in Canada, even during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Of course, the full expression of visible unity has not been achieved, and won’t likely occur within our lifetime. But we have grown so accustomed to respectful relations and cooperative efforts on social issues that our prayers ...read more

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity concludes Wednesday on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. Tomorrow we get to hear the Pope’s reflections on Christian unity as he presides over Vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. He will be joined by representatives of other ...read more

On a recent episode of Perspectives Weekly, I participated in our year-in-review panel with my colleagues Alicia Ambrosio and Cheridan Eygelaar. One of the trends mentioned was the upturn in seminary enrollment. The news that some seminaries are full contradicts the conventional narrative: that vocations to the priesthood are on the decline and will keep ...read more

The neighbourhood diner was packed after Mass on January 1st. Some patrons came to celebrate the New Year, while others were seeking a greasy antidote to their rough morning. As my friends and I waited for our brunch, I asked them whether they were looking forward to 2012. They all shrugged. One dismissed January 1st ...read more

Benedict XVI included a big announcement in his homily on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but it was hardly a surprise. For weeks, journalists had speculated that plans for a trip Mexico and Cuba would be unveiled at the special Mass for Latin America. The bishops of Cuba had essentially confirmed the trip ...read more

Saint-Joseph Cathedral in Gatineau, Quebec will be filled with song this evening. One of the best voices in the cathedral happens to be the community’s newest member: Archbishop Paul-André Durocher. Tonight Durocher will be installed as the fourth bishop of Gatineau, which was established as a diocese in 1963 and elevated to an archdiocese in ...read more

Having premiered on PBS in the United States, CATHOLICISM comes to Canada this Sunday, November 20. It’s difficult to overstate the significance of Fr. Robert Barron’s series. This major television event combines both breathtaking imagery and inspiring teaching. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York believes the series is “just what we need in the Catholic ...read more

Every year, a delegation from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) heads to the Vatican to meet with departments of the Roman Curia. Today they went to the top office — that of Pope Benedict XVI in the apostolic palace. The year’s group consists of the newly elected President of the CCCB, Archbishop Richard ...read more