Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia – Herzegovina, June 6. The one day trip is packed full significant meetings. Vatican spokesperson, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told journalists this week it would be “notevolissimo” or “highly noteworthy” if the Holy Father arrives at the Sarajevo airport on time at the end ...read more

Traditionally, the church recognizes someone as a martyr when he or she refuses  to renounce their faith and is killed as a result. The beatification of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was killed, opens the door to a new, expanded definition of martyrdom. Romero, who was gunned down while celebrating Mass, was never pressured to renounce ...read more

Here is some of what has been happening in dioceses across the country this week: In Vancouver a group of kids are showing adults how to put their faith into action. In his weekly reflection Fr. Ron Rolheiser explains why he believes we should be praying for other Christian Churches during our Mass. In London, ...read more

Caritas Internationalis began its general assembly in Rome this week. The keynote speaker for the weeklong meeting is Father Gustavo Gutierrez, the Peruvian priest commonly considered the “father” of Liberation Theology. At a press conference before the start of the meeting Fr. Gutierrez spoke about why the Church and Caritas devote attention and resources to ...read more

Here’s some of what’s been going on and what is being talked about across the country: In Alberta, a newly elected (and unprecedented) NDP government has school boards across the province – including Catholic school boards – anxiously awaiting the new government’s budget and asking what will happen to their funding. In Toronto, the archdiocese’s ...read more

It’s March 11, 1956 like many other young men at the time, a 16-year-old was getting ready to start his first day of work. This young man was born and raised in Rome’s Borgo neighbourhood. He really hadn’t had much chance to ever leave that neighbourhood. What’s more, his new job would only take him ...read more

Here’s what’s been happening across the country this week: In Ottawa, the mother of one of the 43 student teachers who disappeared in Mexico has asked the Canadian government to take Mexico off its list of safe countries. In Winnipeg, reflecting on euthanasia and and palliative care brought out this touching story of the kind ...read more

This week we learned that Pope Francis’ encyclical on human ecology should be released in June. Environmental groups welcomed the news warmly while skeptics told anyone who would listen that the pope is being taken for a ride by new-age tree huggers. Whatever one’s opinion on environmental issues, the encyclical has been written and is ...read more

Here is what’s been happening across Canada this week: The federal government presented the budget this week, after some delay. Somehow the budget is balanced. What does it say about the financial year ahead? The Archdiocese of Vancouver announced on Friday that Archbishop Emeritus Raymond Roussin has passed away. Roussin was diagnosed with clinical depression ...read more

Bigger than any financial scandal or bishops’ resignation was the story of hundreds of illegal migrants who drowned off the coast of Libya when their vessel capsized. Pope Francis used his Angelus address to draw attention to the tragedy and call on the international community to take “decisive and quick action” to prevent further tragedies. ...read more