University of Toronto Professor Amir Harrak (top left) has spent his life studying Aramaic-speaking Iraq and Syria. The rich expression of Christianity in Mesopotamia, including this inscribed ceremonial cross of St. John’s Church in Qaraqosh (top centre), the mid-13th century Gate of Two Baptisms at Mar Behnam south of Mosul (right) and a 1653 genealogy of Jesus (above) are all threatened by the Islamic State

Scholar decries ‘plague’ wiping out history

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As Amir Harrak watched the news this summer, the Toronto scholar saw a history, culture and language that he devoted his life to understanding being turned to dust. Churches, monasteries, mosques blown up, libraries full of ancient manuscripts burned and the people who still speak and live according to the language of Jesus and his Apostles dispersed. The news out of Iraq could not have been worse.

Ted Harasti, left, and Br. Paul Koscielniak break ground on the rosary path.

Walking the rosary, a dream come true

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A 40-year dream of a walkable rosary path is finally coming to life at the Marylake Retreat Centre in King City, Ont.

Paul Coates spreads the word about the newly formed Catholic Teachers Guild of Durham.

Guild to support Catholic vocation

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Catholic educators in Durham Region now have a guild to call their own.

Bishop Tony Krotki of the Churchill-Hudson Bay Diocese is close with some of the Igloolik, Nunavut, families who had to relive painful memories involving former missionary priest Eric Dejaeger.

Bishop hopes for healing after abuse trial

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With a guilty verdict on child-sex charges against former missionary priest Eric Dejaeger, Bishop Tony Krotki hopes the people of Igloolik in the diocese of Churchill-Hudson Bay will be able to continue healing with support from the Church and away from the media spotlight of a lurid, wrenching trial.

Sonal Castelino

Faith and reason meet on campus

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TORONTO - A new lecture series hopes to channel Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman and advance his efforts to combine faith and reason on campus. 

Two current clients of St. Martin’s Manor cut the celebratory cake for the 60th anniversary.

60 years of helping moms

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HAMILTON, ONT. - Christine Beaumont was 16, pregnant and “a little rebellious” when she arrived at Hamilton’s St. Martin’s Manor in 1978. 

Archbishop of Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega spoke at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops annual plenary on Sept. 16.

Canadian bishops urged to go to ‘the periphery’

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BEAUPRÉ, QUE. - The mission of the Church in North American is to go “con-cretely to places on the periphery,” Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega told Canada’s bishops on Sept. 16.

Governor General David Johnston invested Winnipeg Archbishop-emeritus James Weisgerber, left, as an Officer of the Order of Canada Sept. 12.

Weisgerber fears aboriginal violence

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OTTAWA - Canada faces potential violence unless a just solution is found to the plight of Canada’s aboriginal people, warned Winnipeg Archbishop-emeritus James Weisgerber.

Marie-Elisabeth Turgeon, the Canadian founder of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Pope Francis advances sainthood cause of Canadian nun

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VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood cause of of Marie-Elisabeth Turgeon, the Canadian founder of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Msgr. Pat Powers, left, meets with CCCB president Archbishop Paul-André Durocher. The CCCB announced that it will launch a national campaign this fall to combat the legalization of euthanasia in Canada.

Canadian bishops to launch national strategy to combat euthanasia

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BEAUPRÉ, QUE. - Canada's bishops will launch a national campaign this fall to combat a push in Canada to legalize euthanasia.

Before he became Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, wrote the final draft of the Aparecida document.

Latin theology coming to Canadian bishops

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Cuba’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega is about to welcome Canada’s bishops to the rough and tumble of Latin American theology. 

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