The following article comes from author and Vaticanista John L Allen Jr: Tensions surrounding Catholic identity are very much in the air these days, and when they erupt they’re always a prescription for heartburn. People who regard themselves as authentically Catholic rarely enjoy being be told they’re not, or that they’re only selectively so. Likewise, ...read more

After the 40 Days for Life Campaign last spring 2010, a few us decided to keep us the presence at the abortion facility on almost a daily basis because abortions were still happening and we felt that we had to do something. Each week, a small group of us would get together to pray, counsel ...read more

I would like to thank Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., for inviting me to write the first of several reflections of what it means to work as an agent of life on the front lines. When I was fourteen years old, I saw the documentary, “The Silent Scream” which depicted an abortion from the perspective of ...read more

It’s becoming a common affliction across Canada: election fatigue. But as the country gets ready for its fourth federal election in seven years, the Church is reminding us just what is at stake. Hours after the government fell last week, the Canadian bishops released their 2011 Federal Election Guide. They want the faithful to evaluate ...read more

While in Canada our national March for Life isn’t until May, in the United States thousands of Americans gathered yesterday in Washington for their annual March. Catholic News Service files this report from Washington. To download Flash Player please click here For more insight into Washington’s March for Life, see some of the news briefs ...read more

I remember when my wife was pregnant the first time: the excitement of this new life growing inside of her,  the first time we heard the heartbeat. We spoke to the baby, we sang to him, played music… Unfortunately for many women (and men) this is not the case. Some women feel scared to be pregnant. ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI called on the universal Church to marked the first Sunday of Advent with a Vigil for Nascent Life.  Catholic News Service’s Carol Glatz and John Thavis have more on the Holy Father’s effort to promote the sanctity and dignity of life. To download Flash Player please click here ...read more

Last month on Perspectives, S+L reported from the annual plenary assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Of particular interest to pro-life and social justice advocates, the agenda included a report by the bishops’ Ad Hoc committee on Development and Peace (CCODP). CCODP is the official international development agency of the Catholic Church in ...read more

The annual meeting of the Canadian bishops has come to a close. And just in time—the bishops are leaving Cornwall, Ontario for nearby Montreal to celebrate the Mass of Thanksgiving for the canonization of Brother André. (S+L will broadcast the Mass live in French at 1:30 pm ET, repeating in English at 9:30 pm ET.) ...read more

Monday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York initiated a National Prayer Campaign for Life in the United States. The initiative is co-sponsored by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus. The announcement came as part of a memorial Mass for John Cardinal O’Connor, a former ...read more