BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
When thinking about sites of Marian pilgrimage this May, our thoughts often fly to places overseas. Our Lady has also carved a special place for herself a little closer to home. Lying 150 kilometers east of Montreal on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, Cap-de-la-Madeleine was used as a Jesuit missionary station as early ...read more
Almost ten years after World Youth Day Toronto, the students of Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School have built their own travelling cross.  Known as the “Witness to Faith Cross,” it is journeying to all the schools in the Toronto Catholic District School board during the 2011-2012 academic year.  A public affirmation of faith in and ...read more
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Catholic priest? People have many different ideas about the priesthood – highly revered, considered peculiar, disregarded as irrelevant or simply misunderstood. On the other hand, many people have an idea that priesthood is a boring and secluded way of life! Think again. Come ...read more
Trailer Short from Anteroom Pictures on Vimeo. Pornography is a societal problem, but first and foremost, it is a personal one that affects both those who buy it and those who produce it. Shelley Lubben is among the latter group. A former porn star and prostitute, Lubben’s traumatic experiences in the sex industry led to ...read more
Why is the practice of religion such a universal phenomenon throughout the history of cultures? Do religions still have a role to play in the secularized countries of the 21st century? Are religions currently evolving in pluralistic societies? An exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, entitled God(s): a User’s Guide, provides the inspiration for ...read more
Could you forgive someone who killed your child? I suspect most of you would say yes, you would at least try, if only because the alternative would be a lifetime of anger. But would you ever be able to accept that this murderer could avoid punishment, so long as he confessed to his crime? And ...read more
Few might know the name Élodie Paradis, but many know the name Mother Marie-Léonie. She was a Marianite Sister of Holy Cross and founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family and today is her feast day. Elodie was born May 12 1840 in L’Acadie, Lower Canada, the only daughter among the six children of ...read more
Dublin, Ireland will host the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, June 10-17th, 2012. This is the second time Ireland will host the Universal Church, the last time being in 1932. Join host Cheridan Eygelaar as she speaks with Father Kevin Doran, Secretary General of IEC 2012, about the Congress that celebrates the summit and source of ...read more
The “Memorare” prayer was first introduced to me by one of my confessors and it was always part of my penance no matter how short or long my confession was (trust me, some of them were quite long!). I eventually learned the prayer by heart. Today the Memorare prayer has a special place in my ...read more
Pilgrims attending this year’s International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, Ireland will experience the Congress in a completely new way with the aid of technology. The Congress organizers recently launched a free iPhone and iPad App designed exclusively for Congress pilgrims. Dominican Friar Luuk Dominiek Jansen designed the App to include a pilgrim guide, a pastoral ...read more