The persecution of Christians has been on our minds and hearts over the last couple of weeks. Just this past week in Toronto there was an ecumenical prayer service; praying particularly for the 58 victims of the October 31st attack on a Syriac Catholic Cathedral in Baghdad.  The vigil was an event to remember those ...read more

“Let us pray.” Those were the first words that Bishop Douglas Crosby, OMI, made as the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario. It’s that calling people to prayer that Bishop Crosby saw appropriate as his first action as Bishop. The 62-year old prelate was installed as the ninth Bishop of Hamilton this past Monday. ...read more

Should being “pro-life” make us feel uncomfortable? This is the question we asked you, our viewers last week. Suzanne Baird writes via Facebook: There is being comfortable with people, and then there is comfortable with conscience. Christians should try to be comfortable with their conscience, although we will fail because we are human. But, with ...read more

To download Flash Player please click here The following is the English-language communiqué released today by the Vatican Press Office. This document marks the beginning of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland. On 19 March 2010, following a meeting with the bishops of Ireland, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI issued a Pastoral Letter to the Catholics ...read more

Two years ago, the bishops of the world drafted a list of 55 recommendations about the Word of God. Pope Benedict XVI has now issued his long-awaited response: Verbum Domini (“The Word of the Lord”). The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation represents the final outcome of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, which convened ...read more

I was recently introduced to a new way of thinking – well, not to an entire change in my way of considering life but certainly of looking at a particular Scripture verse: For I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation ...read more

Who doesn’t enjoy a miracle story? These stories, after all, have weathered the ages and have been recounted at kitchen tables and family gatherings throughout the generations. And with due reason! Almost as fascinating as the miracles themselves however, is the way in which the Vatican bestows on them their lofty titles. A miracle does ...read more

It was one of the most emotional moments of Pope Benedict’s visit to Spain. Yet the event itself was overshadowed by the two much larger gatherings of the papal visit: Mass outside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the dedication of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona. The event I’m referring to is the ...read more

[audio:http://saltandlighttv.org/blog/audio/wyd2011_theme.mp3|titles=WYD2011 Theme Song][/audio] The official hymn for World Youth Day 2011 was released on the eve of November 9th, Feast of the Virgin of Almudena, Patroness of Madrid. “Firm in the Faith,” was performed by the Youth Orchestra of the Community of Madrid and the Youth Choir of the Escolanía de El Escorial. Both groups ...read more

Last month on Perspectives, S+L reported from the annual plenary assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Of particular interest to pro-life and social justice advocates, the agenda included a report by the bishops’ Ad Hoc committee on Development and Peace (CCODP). CCODP is the official international development agency of the Catholic Church in ...read more