Last year, when Fr. Thomas Rosica first gathered the S+L team around the conference table to share thoughts in anticipation of the upcoming Synod on the New Evangelization, I never expected that Sebastian Gomes and I would be charged with putting together a series about it! At the time, it was a Jeremiah moment for me. My thoughts ran along the lines: “I’m too inexperienced, I’m too new… not me Lord!”. But, anyone who has ever worked with our fearless leader, Fr. Tom Rosica knows well enough that questioning the boundless faith that he has in his team, is not an option.
So onward we marched into new terrain. Never in my wildest imaginings did I foresee what lay ahead. Who would have thought we’d travel the Americas, personally attend the Synod on the New Evangelization, witness a papal transition, interview Cardinals one-on-one, and re-discover the inspiring unsung heroes in our own backyard! Now that we’re nearing the end of this odyssey, and the final touches are being added to the series, I’m most grateful for the opportunity to share these stories with you. My hope remains that you’ll be inspired, renewed and encouraged to participate more fully in this incredible reality that we call The Church. Friends, the world needs our Christian witness more than ever. After all, ‘no one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand’ (Luke 11:33). This is the time to put away doubts, forget ourselves and undertake the noble mission of evangelization, won’t you join us?The Church Alive is availabe for purchase now on our online store for $59.95 or on demand on Vimeo.
Fashion and clothing designed to draw people closer to God can inspire and even sanctify others. Nate Nagello, the CEO and owner of the Toronto-based Sanctified Collective, hopes the clothing he creates can provide opportunities for conversation, engagement, and evangelization.
Pope Francis invites us to pray for the right to an education for migrants, refugees and those affected by war; that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a better world, may always be respected.
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with the CND sisters and enjoy a special lunch of soup, pizza, salad, and dessert. While I was there, I thought it would be a great opportunity to ask the sisters about what they were looking forward to this Christmas.
In this month of December, Pope Francis asks us to pray for pilgrims of hope: We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthens our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.
We at Salt + Light Media are saddened to hear that Bishop Frederick Henry has recently died. We pray for the repose of his soul, for the Catholic community in Calgary and southern Alberta, and all who mourn.