You’re a little late to the party, but by the time you arrive, you see the perfect gift wrapped and gingerly placed in front of you. The place is a bit of a mess, but no one cares, and the joy in the air is palpable. People are smiling, crying, and laughing, all because of ...read more

On December 8, we celebrate Mary and how she was free from original sin from the moment of her conception. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is an important feast day around the world. Many countries like the Philippines, Italy, Malta, Portugal, and Colombia made this day a public holiday. In the United States, it ...read more

  “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 “That’s just how we’ve always done things. It’s a good idea, but we’re so set in our ways!” “That’s just the way the world is. I wish it were ...read more

  Advent is a time to remember the limits of time. It’s a time to remember that all things, including good things, come to an end.   Matthew 24:37-44 When I was reading Maria’s post about fasting in Advent, I was struck by how similar and how different Advent is to Lent. Both are traditionally ...read more

Lent has always been my favourite season in the liturgical calendar. The best part of Lent, for me, has been fasting. During Lent, I’ve fasted from Facebook, YouTube videos, meat, and even added sugar. Without exception, I’ve always felt cleansed, less dependent on whatever social media or food I gave up, and closer to God ...read more

Earlier this week I found myself listening to R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World (although I much prefer the cover by Great Big Sea). It’s a good song and, while I’m not exactly sure what it’s about, I always think about it around this time of the year when all the Mass readings have ...read more

I have many friends who do not participate in Halloween activities. They refuse to do so because they believe that Halloween is a pagan holiday. Some even go as far as saying that it is a Satanic feast. I’ve always felt that there’s nothing wrong with participating in Halloween activities. After all, I don’t believe ...read more

If you’re in the Church, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore our missionary call. This something Pope Francis has continually talked about since his first year of papacy: go out to the peripheries; get out of the sacristies; go and make disciples of all nations. In a way, the ground was prepared by Pope ...read more

As we await further details of Pope Francis' promised visit to Canada, Deacon Pedro takes a look back at two earlier papal visits. ...read more

As many things start returning to a pre-COVID "normal", Deacon Pedro reflects on 5 pandemic adjustments he hopes we keep. ...read more