A reflection for the Second Sunday of Lent What keeps us going through difficult times? What inspires our hope when the situation is bleak? What makes us persevere when it would be easier to give up? In the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Lent, we see Jesus ascend Mount Tabor with His three ...read more

A reflection for the First Sunday of Lent It seems almost scandalous to think that Jesus experienced temptation. We think of temptation as something shameful, something that only happens to us and not to others, something that distances us from God. But in the Gospel for the First Sunday of Lent we see Jesus tempted ...read more

One of the greatest but often overlooked gifts given to us by the Catholic Church are the many saints canonized over the years. They are given to us as examples of hope during all possible combinations of human hardship we might find ourselves in. This group provides real examples of people who have overcome great tribulations, ...read more

Another Christmas Day has come and gone. It’s time we turn our attention to 2017 with an open mind, to strive towards bridging gaps between one another with forgiveness and understanding rather than putting up walls which stem from anger and a lack of communication. But not before taking the time to reflect on the ...read more

Yesterday, as our Eastern Catholic brothers and Sisters celebrated Christmas, I was reminded of one of the most meaningful messages of Christmas: Emmanuel – God with us. Since I was a little child, I’ve known this. I always knew the meaning of the name Emmanuel, because that is my middle name: Pedro Emmanuel Guevara-Mann. At ...read more

At 10:00 am this morning, Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Francis presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Vatican Basilica. Below are the texts of Proclamation of Easter, celebrated this year on April 16, and the Pope’s homily after the proclamation of the Holy Gospel: The Proclamation of Easter Know, dear brethren, that as we ...read more

At Salt + Light we spend a lot of time reading, analyzing and sharing the words of Pope Francis. And over the past four years, the Pope has given us a lot to think about and act upon. Of the many recurring themes that emerge in his speeches and official documents, one that has not ...read more

On a Friday night in July 2002, during the World Youth Day celebration in Toronto, I was standing just down the street from the Royal Ontario Museum. As a member of the World Youth Secretariat under the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, I was assigned to stand by a viewing area for local dignitaries ...read more

The Christmas story told through the eyes, words and imagination of children. – Special thanks to Anna Boyagoda, Coordinator of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Archdiocese of Toronto; St. Benedict Parish, Toronto, for permission to film at their Mary Help of Christians Children’s Atrium, Fr. Mario Villaraza SDB, Pastor of St Benedict and ...read more

Some years ago, in an episode of Perspectives about the truth about Santa Claus we had a wonderful discussion on Perspectives Weekly about teaching our kids that Christmas is about Christ. We’ve never had so many comments on one program! I remember that one of the comments came from Warren Dungen, who suggested that we ...read more