VATICAN CITY - Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church, Pope Francis proclaimed a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus.

Canadians from coast to coast have reason to be proud of this country as it marks its 150th birthday, and the Catholic population — about 12.8 million — can be especially proud. Long before Canada was even a country, Catholics were putting their stamp on the history of this land.

Brian and Adin married and lived in Canada. She was originally from the Middle East, he from the British Isles. Over the years, they had to sort out where their differences came from: from different family backgrounds, personal differences or the different nations they’d belonged to.

As a frequent rider of the subway, I have seen the Canada 150 ads that feature influential young adults and posing the question of how they will shape the future of our country.

As Canada reflects on its 150 years of Confederation, Fr. Raymond de Souza has dug a little deeper to unearth the Catholic perspective on the story behind the history.

OTTAWA – Catholic bishops will be re-consecrating Canada to Mary on July 1 to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

WINNIPEG – There are countless stories Canadians can and have shared over the nation’s history, but the Canadian Museum of Human Rights has zeroed in on seven unique, contemporary stories of people who overcame human rights challenges for its exhibit to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial.