BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
I’m a member of the Lent Support Group that Alicia refers to in a previous blog. Our group decided to have a mid-Lenten get-together, which was very timely. It was the eve of Laetare Sunday, a day when we rejoice because the hardest part of Lent is supposed to be over and we are nearing ...read more
In my new-found love for reading the Bible, I’ve decided to share with you the occasional discoveries I make, in the hopes that you too will find a passion for reading Scriptures. In fact, this may be a good Lenten resolution as you journey towards Holy Week. The question of today is this: Should we ...read more
Tonight’s episode of Catholic Focus explores two controversial topics in a riveting and candid interview with the Archbishop of Toronto. Catholic Focus: State of the Church features Archbishop Thomas Collins speaking openly about the Bishops Richard Williamson fiasco, the Vatican’s need to overview its communications strategy and the prospects of dialogue with the Society of ...read more
I was deeply struck by Pope Benedict’s visit on Thursday to the Cardinal Paul Emile Leger Centre, a treatment facility for those suffering from chronic diseases and injuries. Cardinal Legereseved as Archbishop of Montreal from 1950-1968, and despite the many schools named after him in Quebec his name might be even more famous in Cameroon, ...read more
The Bible has been surrounded by such an air of reverence and holiness that for many it seems odd to think of reading the Bible as one might read the latest New York Times list best-seller. In some traditions it is actually seen as irreverent to do so. Thus we have come to rely on ...read more
Today is the feast of St. Joseph, the patron saint of Canada. You probably won’t see people gathering for massive celebrations like they did two days ago for St. Patrick’s Day. There won’t be people in funny hats. No t-shirts with lillies. But why would there be? That doesn’t seem to fit our idea of ...read more
Last Sunday I was across the street from 960 Lawrence Ave. W., a medical centre in Toronto, at the 40 Days for Life Campaign. I had participated in the Campaign last year in Houston, outside the Planned Parenthood facility at 3601 Fannin St. and have been intrigued by this initiative ever since. The 40 Days ...read more
It’s funny the things you remember as a kid. In elementary school whenever St. Patrick’s Day would roll around we would inevitably talk about the great Apostle of Ireland’s use of three leaf clovers to educate people on the Holy Trinity — three persons in one God! Then of course the four leaf clover would ...read more
Last week, Fr. Thomas Rosica led a three-day mission, from March 11th to 13th, at St. Clement Parish in Etobicoke, Ontario. The theme was “Jesus of Nazareth: God’s Parable for Humanity.” For each of those three nights, from 7-8:30 pm, around 150 interested participants listened to Fr. Rosica speak about Parables for the Lenten journey ...read more
Boast of weaknesses?? Not exactly what one would see as a common practice today, but that is precisely what St. Paul delves into in his Second Letter to the Corinthians — which also happens to be the Scripture for this month’s Lectio Divina with Archbishop Thomas Collins: A Year with St. Paul. Specifically, Archbishop Collins ...read more