Pope Benedict released a flock of doves — a symbol of peace — as he consecrated the Roman parish of St. Corbinian this weekend. Likewise, he revealed that his prayers have been focused on a resolution to the escalating war in Libya. American and British forces launched airstrikes against Libya this weekend. The coalition mission, ...read more

Building on the success of our inaugural Blessed Journeys pilgrimage to Austria and Germany, we invite you to our next destination: France! Once again Connaissance Travel and Tours offers you a unique pilgrimage to enrich your faith. We begin in Paris at Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle, and the Basilica of Sacré Coeur that dominates ...read more

Ubuntu. Chances are many of you haven’t heard of this word until now. Pronounced “oo-boon-too”, this small African word represents big African philosophies. Derived from the Bantu languages of southern African (Swahili is one such language), ubuntu translates to “I am what I am because of who we all are.” This concept is especially foreign ...read more

Mr. René Laprise has been appointed Director of Media Relations for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Mr. Laprise, who has acted as director of communications for the Archdiocese of Gatineau for the past 21 years, is a seasoned professional in Church communications. In 2001 and 2002, he worked for the organizing committee of World ...read more

Last Friday afternoon, I arrived at the 5th floor, resource Library of the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Toronto for a special book signing of Archbishop Thomas Collins’ new book, Pathway to our Hearts: A Simple Approach to Lectio Divina with the Sermon on the Mount. As many of you know, Archbishop Collins is a great fan of the tradition of praying with Scriptures. “Lectio divina” literally means “sacred reading” and in this book, Collins shares an accessible approach to and a fresh perspective on this ancient practice. Compiled from the transcripts of his first lectio series at St. Michael’s Cathedral, from 2007, the book invites readers to listen to the Word of God and ask what this word tells them about loving God with their mind, their heart and with their hands. The book is for anyone who wants to pray with the Word of God and develop a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. ...read more

Avoid being alone. Well, at least avoid the word “alone” when it comes to some theological arguments. That from Archbishop Thomas Collins in this month’s Lectio Divina. He’s speaking in the context of the Scripture passage that deals with faith and works: But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me ...read more

Does anyone have time for book clubs anymore?  While the idea is quaint, I can’t tell you how many times a group of friends and I have “committed” to reading numerous must-reads only to have them turn into “should-have” reads. Throughout the past week, though, a few of my colleagues and I had the privilege ...read more

In Ottawa, speculation is growing about a possible spring election. When the federal campaign officially begins, religious leaders want poverty reduction to be front and centre. On Monday and Tuesday, a coalition of faith leaders met with 15 Members of Parliament in Ottawa. Their ambitious goal was to launch a national conversation about poverty. The ...read more

It was unfathomable that one idea could change how the world interacts. And then you signed up for Facebook. While watching the three-time Oscar winner The Social Network, I was struck by how this invention — motivated, if the film is to believed, by the insecurities of its co-founder — has impacted the lives of ...read more

As we mentioned on Monday, Toronto’s Archbishop Thomas Collins has been in Rome as part of the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. While he was there, Catholic News Service caught up with him to ask about his new book Pathway to our Hearts: A Simple Approach to Lectio Divina with the ...read more