BLOG: The Francis Impact,Videos
Even if we disagree on the actual causes for climate change, we can agree that it’s taking place. But, do we agree of what we can do to help? What does the Church say? Is there a solution to climate change? To offer a suggestion, on this new episode of the Weekly Edition of Perspectives, ...read more
By now you may have heard of Bill C-14. It is the bill that regulates medically assisted dying in Canada. This bill will affect all of us, but in a special way, it will affect our medical practitioners, many who argue the restrictions are not adequate. The issue is complicated further by the fact that ...read more
That’s the title of a new film that just opened last weekend to mixed reviews. It stars Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin in a romance with a bit of a twist. Clarke plays Louisa “Lou” Clark, who takes a job as the caregiver to Will Traynor (Claflin), a former daredevil who is now a quadriplegic ...read more
CNS photo/Catholic Press Photo This week marks 53 years since St. Pope John XXIII died at the Vatican at age of 81. For most people, the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of the saintly pope’s name is the Second Vatican Council. Yet his pontificate and his priestly ministry left its mark on the ...read more
In 2007, almost 60 years after the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration recognizes Indigenous people’s basic human rights, as well as rights to self-determination, language, equality and land, among others. There were four votes against: Australia, New Zealand, the United States ...read more
Lisa Daniels lives with extreme, debilitating, chronic pain. She suffers greatly. Her suffering is irremediable. There is no cure. Many people who support the idea of medically assisted dying do so on the basis that some people, like Lisa, live with unbearable, intolerable pain. Can all pain be managed? How are we to respond to ...read more
I first heard of Mark Pickup, 10 years ago when we were working on Turning the Tide. At the time, it was not possible to interview Mark for the documentary. He would have been a great addition to the film. Mark was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 30. He is one of Canada’s most ...read more
On April 8, 2016, Pope Francis released the long-awaited post-synodal exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (the Joy of Love), on the family. A few days later, Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton joined me to explore various themes from the document, as well as to share his experiences in journeying with families through the many challenges they face. We ...read more
In this special Jubilee Year, we are invited to remember the corporal works of mercy. One of them is to feed the hungry. Every day, all over the world, people have been doing this and the Church has been doing it for 2000 years. In Toronto, Sr. Margaret Patterson of the Congregation of Notre Dame ...read more
I’ve always been interested in matters of science and of faith. Growing up, it never occured to me that there would be a conflict between faith and science or faith and reason, but as a young adult, these conversations became more and more common – and the consensus among some of my friends was that ...read more