On this New Year’s Day of 2014, Pope Francis has published his first message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, focusing on the theme of brotherhood. As President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Canada, I want to relay Pope Francis’s intervention to my fellow citizens by taking a look from ...read more

At a press conference in Rome this morning, Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri formally presented the preparatory document for the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization. Archbishop Baldisseri, the head of the Synod of Bishops, said the family is an area that the church will work on for the ...read more

By Mary Rose Bacani Valenti We were riding on the subway with a friend of ours a few years ago.  He started to tell the story of Chiara Luce, an Italian teenager who was then recently beatified.  When he mentioned her name, Richard and I immediately looked at each other.  I knew we were both ...read more

How can St. Anthony’s story continue to inspire generations of believers? That was one of many questions I looked into, as I prepared for this latest Catholic Focus. So you know, St. Anthony to this day continues to be one of my favourite Saints in the Church. Besides helping me with lost items (like keys), ...read more

This past week Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna participated in the Leadership Conference at Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican parish in the heart of downtown London. Cardinal Schoenborn’s presentation was more of a Question and Answer session with Holy Trinity pastor Nicky Gumbel. He spoke about Christian Unity, Pope Francis, the Conclave, and was also ...read more

A reflection on Isaiah 6:1-2; 3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and Luke 5:1-11 Tomorrow the Church marks the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a day that is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Easter, traditionally known as Good Shepherd Sunday. As I reflect on the readings for Good Shepherd Sunday (Acts 13:14,43-52; Revelation 7:9,14-17 ...read more

Eleven years ago, when I was Artistic Director for World Youth Day 2002, one of my responsibilities was the Papal Welcome Ceremony. Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB (who was Director of WYD) had suggested that we include a specific liturgical dance group comprised of people with different abilities, and so began my journey with the L’Arche ...read more

As the week began with news of the 37 foreigners killed during the Algerian gas-plant hostage-taking, I began thinking about what else is happening around the world: Toronto: Court watches video of the death of Ashley Smith. Ashley killed herself in her prison cell while guards looked on from the outside. They say they were ...read more

Every year on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Benedict takes part in a special tradition: he celebrates Mass in the Sistine Chapel with Vatican workers who have had babies in the last year. He also baptizes the new ones. This tradition originally began with Pope John Paul II in the first ...read more

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) issued a statement earlier today concerning Motion 312. The motion seeks to re-examine the question of when human life should be recognized under the law. The statement, signed by CCCB president Archbishop Richard Smith, is published below. Later this month, on September 21, Members of Parliament will continue debate on Motion 312, proposed by Mr. ...read more