BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
In today’s catechesis, Pope Francis reflects on discernment and the desire of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda to be healed. Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! In these catecheses on discernment we are reviewing the elements of discernment. After prayer, one element, and self-knowledge, another element, that is, ...read more
October 11, 2022 marks 60 years since the start of the Second Vatican Council. So what was Vatican II and why does it matter today? Vatican II was the biggest Church event in the 20th century, bringing together all the bishops of the Catholic Church – 2,625 of them! – with the pope and many ...read more
A little over a week ago, I arrived back from my pilgrimage to Israel and Egypt. I was tanned from the Egyptian sun, sleep-deprived and jet-lagged, but happy to be home.  The first week of the pilgrimage, my fellow pilgrims and I visited many sites and places including Capernaum, the House of Peter, Magdala, Tabgha, ...read more
Cardinal Cantalamessa has been the official preacher to St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. Hear his take on Pope Francis and God’s plan for our planet. Watch now:  TheLetterFilm.org/Watch   Intervention of His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J. In 2015, Pope Francis released his great encyclical letter Laudato si’. It has had ...read more
In today’s catechesis, Pope Francis reflects on how good discernment requires self-knowledge and patient soul-searching. Read the full text below: Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! Let us continue to explore the theme of discernment. Last time we considered prayer, understood as familiarity and confidence with God, as its indispensable element. Prayer, not like parrots. ...read more
  Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity by Nicholas Jesson   “The WCC puts unity before justice!” This was the complaint of one Canadian participant in the World Council of Churches’ 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. The 65 Canadian participants gathered recently to debrief their experience of the August 31st to September ...read more
Join us in prayer for the intentions entrusted to us by Pope Francis. For October 2022, we join the Holy Father in praying for: A Church open to everyone We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always ...read more
As I stood in Maskwacis, Alberta, witnessing Pope Francis arrive to deliver his much-awaited apology to the Indigenous peoples of Canada on their lands, I was cut to the heart. Two things struck me simultaneously. First, the suffering, pain, and intergenerational trauma that has wreaked havoc on Indigenous communities and families. Second, the humility, courage, ...read more
As a freelance filmmaker, I recently worked for Salt + Light Media covering the Pope’s trip to Canada. As part of this trip, we were working on the second documentary in a series about reconciliation, what it means for the Church here in Canada, and how it can be brought about.  In advance of the ...read more
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), gathered in Plenary Assembly this week, agreed upon a series of next steps related to the painful legacy of residential schools. This work builds on previous commitments to promote access to records, educate clergy on Indigenous cultures and spirituality, and contribute $30 million to healing and reconciliation initiatives ...read more