BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
Who doesn’t like a good old fashioned public debate? The prospect of two sides of a contentious issue going toe-to-toe in a public forum…exciting! Besides the inherent drama, public debates are useful because they clarify the basis of our own beliefs while allowing for a deeper understanding of what others believe. It’s a great way ...read more
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Has Christ been divided? (1 Cor 1:13). The urgent appeal which Saint Paul makes at the beginning of his First Letter to the Corinthians, and which has been proclaimed at this evening?s liturgy, was chosen by a group of our fellow Christians in Canada as the theme for our meditation during this ...read more
This week the Vatican was involved in two high level, international meetings: the meeting of the World Economic Forum and the Geneva II peace conference for Syria. The Vatican also caught international attention because of one guest coming to visit: French President Francois Hollande. While many speculated that perhaps Pope Francis would have words of ...read more
CNS Photo: Pope Francis meets with Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, during a private audience in the pontiff’s library at the Vatican May 10, 2013 By Sebastian Gomes Last week I was at a parish in Vancouver giving a talk on Pope John XXIII in preparation for his canonization ...read more
Sister Marianne Cope (formerly Barbara Koob) was born January 23, 1838 and baptized the following day in what is now Hessen, West Germany. The young Sister Marianne worked as a teacher and hospital administrator in New York. In 1870, she was elected superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse. Seven years later she became second ...read more
By Elizabeth Krump “Keep the youth close to you: they will keep you young and faithful.” These are telling words that Blessed John Paul II shared with Fr. Thomas Rosica in the later days of his pontificate. John Paul II had a great love for all young people, until the very end of his life. There ...read more
Pope Francis released the following message for the 48th World Communication Day. The message was released by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications on the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists. World Communications Day takes place June 1, 2014. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we are living in a world which ...read more
Tonight on  Perspectives The March for life happens in Washington And we take a look at today’s general audience ...read more
Pope Francis’ message to the World Economic Forum gathered at Davos, Switzerland was not the first time a pope has spoken about economic issues. It was, however the first time such a message was read out loud directly to participants at a high level economic forum. Media coverage has been equally unprecedented. One unique feature ...read more
March For Life Vigil Mass January 21, 2014 Homily by Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap. Almost 200 years ago the Danish writer Hans Christian Anderson wrote a wonderful story called “The Emperor’s New Suit”.  It is the story of a very proud and vain king who thought so much of new clothes that he spent ...read more