From the Office of daily readings for October 4th, the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi. From a letter written to all the faithful by St Francis of Assisi It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious ...read more

For me, life means Christ, and death is gain: A Reflection for the Feast of St John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. ...read more

From the office of daily readings for August 28, Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor O Eternal Truth, true love and beloved eternity from The Confessions of Saint Augustine Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance the innermost places of my being; but only because you had become my helper was ...read more

Considered the last of the Fathers of the Church, St. Bernard of Clairvaux has been celebrated for centuries as a man of great intellect and greater holiness. As is evident in his prolific writings, Bernard was one for whom the Word of God impregnated every aspect of the human experience. He knew the Bible by ...read more

Just as the faithful of Vancouver have a pilgrimage to celebrate the feast of Assumption, Catholics in Edmonton have their own shrine to visit on this feast. The Skaro shrine, located 80 km northeast of Edmonton, was built at the turn of the 20th century by residents of the Polish settlement there. In 1904 residents ...read more

Since his death on August 4th 1859, and especially following his canonization in 1925, St. John Vianney has been recognized as a person of outstanding virtue and priestly holiness. In recent years, however, the popularity of this saint has grown, thanks largely to the recent Year for Priests (June 2009 to June 2010). In his ...read more

Carlos Ferreira reflects on a visit to the site of St. Ignatius of Loyola's conversion and how God uses us with all our imperfections for His great works. ...read more

After a week of unforgettable moments in Toronto for World Youth Day, Pope John Paul II takes his leave of Canada. It was his third and final visit to Canada, but perhaps one of the most memorable. From Toronto he flew to Guatemala City to canonize blessed Pedro de San Jose Betancur. — Photo courtesy ...read more

While attending a World Youth Day itself has many immediate benefits, it would be a shame if its only benefits stayed trapped in the chronological time period within which they fell. The celebrations of World Youth Day last for a couple weeks. Putting the challenge of World Youth Day into practice takes a lifetime. Part ...read more

This post was written in 2010, just after Ontario hosted the G20 summit. Kris Dmytrenko reflects on how that event and the WYD2002 Way of the Cross changed the city. It takes a powerful force to interrupt the flow of a city like Toronto. If streets are closed for a parade, drivers find other routes ...read more