Last week, the Downtown Chapel in Portland, Oregon, made a special announcement:  they’re changing their parish name.  A recent degree by the Archbishop of Portland will change the Church’s patronage from St. Vincent de Paul to the Congregation of Holy Cross’ first saint, St. André Bessette. For any of you who have seen the documentary ...

Today marks the feast of St. Francis de Sales, who also happens to be the patron saint of journalists. It is on this day that the Pope traditionally publishes his message for the World Day of Communications. This year, the message takes the theme “Truth, proclamation and authenticity of life in the digital age.” In ...

We are all in need of conversion. My colleague Pedro mentioned previously in his blog and the weekly edition of Perspectives on Christian Unity (and they talked about this on the show). Hearing the phrase “we are all in need of conversion,” I recall the story of how Brother André begged those around him to ...

“That they all be one” is one of Jesus’ last prayers. He was thinking of his followers, and for the next 2000 years, his followers have been trying to figure out just what Christian Unity means. This week, as is every year, from January 18-25, is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The week ...

Today I had a pronounced pilgrim-panic spell. It was early morning here in Jerusalem; I had just come from Mass at the Holy Sepulchre, I had consumed a potent coffee whilst checking my email/ blogging at a little cafe and I had read a good portion of the Jerusalem Post. And it was only 8:30! ...

Shalom! I am writing today from the beautiful Holy City of Jerusalem! The city of which all of the Psalms sing; the city where our Lord made frequent pilgrimage and where His Life among us drew to a close only to be followed by His glorious Resurrection. I must first say that today started with ...

Last Tuesday was the beginning of the Week for Prayer for Christian Unity. This has been taking place for 103 years and is celebrated around the world. The Holy Father, in his Angelus address last Sunday invited all to join him in “praying earnestly for the gift of unity among the followers of our Lord ...

It’s rare that a tourist attraction actually lives up to the hype. I am happy to report that the Dead Sea is one such tourism bulwark. It is genuinely the most interesting place I have ever visited! A few quick facts about the Dead Sea: It was formed 3 million years ago Its waters boast ...

I suspected this would happen. I have been rendered speechless. But, when you work in communication, speechlessness is not an option. So off I go… Today had a dreamlike-quality to it. It began like this: I opened my eyes to the sights and sounds of the Sea of Galilee in the town of Tiberias. This ...

In my hometown of Deep River, Ontario, my family was usually among the last to put up the Christmas tree. Likewise, we waited weeks before pitching our dessicated fir to the curb. It was not due to the liturgical calendar that we observed the custom later than our neighbhours. We just weren’t in much of ...