BLOG: Canada
Just the other night I was with friends and ended up having a conversation about… guess what? Chastity! Well, love, marriage, sex and relationships. One of my friends explained that he didn’t want to get married because for it to end up in divorce would be a failure. Even though he did not see marriage ...read more
We all have dreams. We all have goals. But  how many of us would say we are on a mission? But, yes, ultimately, that’s what we’re doing here on earth: carrying on the mission of Christ.On this upcoming episode of Word for Word, we meet a couple who embraced mission work as part of their ...read more
On Saturday November 27th the Vatican is uniting with Churches and religious communities around the world to pray for lives that are about to begin. Pope Benedict XVI will preside over the first Vespers of Advent at St. Peter’s Basilica. He will then hold a prayer vigil for nascent life. Salt + Light will bring ...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
MONTREAL — Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped in at St. Joseph’s Oratory on his way to the Olympic Stadium for the grand Canadian celebration for the canonization of Saint Brother André. He was greeted by Fr. Claude Grou, CSC, rector of the shrine that was founded by Saint Brother André more than a century ago. ...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
I wrote the blog Encores for Brother André, mentioning the rebroadcast of the Canonization Mass and the airdates for my Catholic Focus: Remembering Brother André episode this coming weekend. But there’s much more Br. André to catch this weekend than that! So, check this out: 1. Rebroadcast of the Coverage of the Canonization Mass: Saturday, ...read more
When the Canadian bishops gather for their annual plenary assembly, it’s fair to say that they’re not overwhelmed with requests for media accreditation. The discussion topics, be they administrative or pastoral, rarely generate much buzz in the nation’s pews. Yet for the past two years, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) plenary has seen ...read more
For many Catholics, their first encounter with Cardinal John Henry Newman is on a university campus. It’s a natural association, given Newman’s experience as a rector, which informed his volume of discourses The Idea of a University. Still, I was surprised to learn, while researching for Catholic Focus, that the first Newman Club was established ...read more
“Today our hearts are bursting, such is the gift of love.” Those are the words Jim and Carol Collier used to express their emotions at their son’s funeral. Sapper Brian Collier was killed last week in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device. His funeral was held yesterday at Holy Martyrs of Japan parish in Bradford, ...read more