Have you been following the Synod of Bishops? This year’s synod facilitates the unique overlap of two sacred centres, as the leaders of the Church in the Holy Land meet in the Vatican. To keep up with the developments, I check a few resources daily, such as Catholic News Service and the Vatican Information Service. ...read more

Religious sectarianism among communities is prevalent in countries like Israel, Afghanistan and Iraq. Today, a socio-economic divide between two religious groups is something we would rarely, if ever, see in western society. Canadians, for example, enjoy a religious freedom unimaginable in a country like Iraq. So what happens when this kind of divide does happen ...read more

It is my hope that, with Bishops from around the world gathered for this year’s Synod on the Middle East, the eyes of the world will be turned to Rome for new insights on how to respond to issues in the Middle East. When I was in grade 10, we had a foreign student come ...read more

Under a gray, rainy, roman sky the Bishops participating in the Synod on the Middle East made their way to the Synod Hall. Pope Benedict began the Synod by reminding participants that October 11th is the day the Second Vatican Council was inaugurated 48 years ago. At that time October 11th was the feast of ...read more

On Sunday, October 10, 2010, during the opening Mass for the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, I have to admit that the number 23 was on my mind. I was first introduced to the symbolism of the number some years ago, over lunch with a wonderful pastor from Church of the Virgin Mary, ...read more

The value of our work is determined by the love with which it is performed. That’s a key in Catholic Organization for Life and Family’s 2010 Message to Families.  The Message, with the theme of “Work + love = holiness”, is a reflection on the dignity of work. It describes human work as a part ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI will open the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East with Mass this Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Father is hopeful that the Synod, which runs until October 24th, will provide an opportunity to deepen bonds between members of the local Churches of the Middle East and the universal Church, ...read more

On Thursday, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (PCSC), the group that oversees the Catholic Church’s activities in the world of social communications, concluded a four-day congress assessing the status of print media worldwide.  More than 250 participants from 85 countries were in Rome to exchange experiences and reestablish a collective sense of purpose for ...read more

Do you ever wonder what the Church will look like in 50 years? Smaller? Stronger? Persecuted? Poor? Some people have their ideas, but at the end of the day, one can only hope and pray. Unless of course you’re in the engine room at the Vatican with a privileged view from the inside. And such ...read more

Have you ever had the experience of praying the Rosary and come to the end of a decade only to ask yourself: “Um, did I just say 10 Hail Marys?” Sometimes we lose our place, we get lost in the repetition, or we are distracted.  And when I say distracted, I’m not talking about wrapped ...read more