Almost three months ago I ended this column by mentioning that someone had sent me a comment about another post. I had said something about the permanency of doctrine and that person was challenging (I think) my use of the word doctrine. Perhaps (I surmise) I should have used the word “dogma.” At any rate, since then, ...read more

A reflection for the 6th Sunday in Easter, Year C. The readings are Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Revelation 21:10-14; 22-23 and John 14:23-29. Whoever loves me will keep my word and my Father will love them and we will come to them and make our home with them… (Jn 14:23) Let’s get this straight: If you ...read more

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, and the Secretary for Pastoral Ministry and Social Concerns, Susan Timoney, STD, sit down to discuss Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” (On Love in the Family). See the video below: — (CNS photo/Paul Haring) ...read more

In exploring the issues of end of life and medically assisted dying, we’ve looked at what the law says and at palliative care. But we can’t ignore the question of freedom and human rights since one of the basic arguments for euthanasia and assisted suicide is that of autonomy: “it’s my body; my choice.” In ...read more

This post originally appeared on Bishop Tim Thornton’s blog.  Timothy Thornton was born in Leeds, England and educated at Devonport High School for Boys. He took an honours degree in Theology at Southampton University and trained for the priesthood at Oxford, later working in London, Wakefield and Cardiff. Timothy was Bishop of Sherborne for seven ...read more

Last week I wrote about the law as it stands in Canada and what the changes to allow for physician assisted dying may be. Since then, the Government has tabled a bill which is now going through the proper channels on its way to approval before June 7th, 2016. You can read the proposed bill: ...read more

You may know that I am currently in Edmonton taking part in the Every Life Matters series. This is an initiative by Archbishop Richard Smith to begin conversations on an important topic that is bound to touch all of us at some point in time. What precipitated the series is the fact that our legal landscape ...read more

On Friday, April 8, 2016 Pope Francis released his Apostolic Exhortation on the family titled “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love.) Below find a summary of the document, along with a link to download the full text of the exhortation, Summary of Amoris Laetitia: On Love in the Family It is not by chance that Amoris ...read more

Watch the Press Conference LIVE on Friday, April 8th 2016 at 5:30am ET. Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation on the family will be published on April 8th 2016. It is called, “Amoris Laetitia” latin for “The Joy of Love”. ...read more

A reflection for the second Sunday in Easter, year C: Acts 5:12-16: Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19; John 20:19-31 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe… I don’t know about you, but when I imagine this scene, I don’t think Jesus is giving Thomas a hard time. I think he’s ...read more