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April 25, 2019

Family’s crucifix collection has new home

The wall in the loft of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Vancouver is covered with crucifixes from around the world of all different sizes and materials.

VANCOUVER - Redemptorist Fr. Babu Mathew is hoping his parishioners feel the love this Easter season.

Published in Canada
March 31, 2019

Crucifix evicted from City Hall

Crucifix won’t be back at Montreal’s City Hall after renovations.

A crucifix that has hung on the wall of Montreal’s City Hall since 1937, reminding city officials to let God guide their decisions, will be taken down for a renovation project, never to be put back.

Published in Canada
October 18, 2018

Proposed law to ban religious symbols in Quebec violates religious freedom, Catholic leaders say

Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine says Quebec’s plan against religious symbols will create a “second-class citizen.”

OTTAWA – A proposed law by Quebec’s new government that would ban religious symbols is a clear violation of fundamental rights, said Montreal’s archbishop and Canada’s former Ambassador of Religious Freedom.

Published in Canada
March 30, 2018

Pope on Good Friday: Jesus' church offers truth, comfort despite efforts to discredit it

Pope Francis leads the Way of the Cross outside the Colosseum in Rome March 30.
ROME – Leading a prayer to God for the grace to feel ashamed and repentant for so many sins in the world, Pope Francis highlighted the hope that always comes from Jesus.
Published in Faith
March 19, 2018

The crucifix is for contemplation, not decoration, says Pope

Pope Francis blesses with a crucifix during an audience with people who have autism in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Nov. 2014.
VATICAN – On Sunday Pope Francis said that the crucifix is not just something decorative to hang on the wall or wear, it is an important sign of our beliefs – and should be truly looked at and prayed before as the source of our salvation.
Published in Faith
October 3, 2017

Pope's homily: Ask the Lord for the courage to follow Jesus

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Casa Santa Marta.

VATICAN – Speaking on Tuesday morning during the homily at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis reflected on Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem as the moment of His crucifixion drew near.

Published in Faith
April 4, 2017

Pope's homily: 'The Cross is not a badge of belonging'

Pope Francis holds his crosier as he celebrates Mass in Carpi, Italy, April 2.

Pope Francis on Tuesday told Christians not to wear the crucifix only as a symbol of belonging but to look to Jesus on the Cross as He who died for our salvation.

Published in Reflections
July 16, 2015

A blasphemous gift

Bolivian President Evo Morales presents a gift to Pope Francis at the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, July 8. The gift was a wooden hammer and sickle ­— the symbol of communism — with a figure of a crucified Christ.

KRAKOW, POLAND - Was the “crucifix” given to Pope Francis by Bolivian President Evo Morales — a corpus hanging on the hammer-and-sickle — blasphemous?

Published in Fr. Raymond de Souza
July 9, 2015

Pope Francis not amused by 'communist crucifix'

Bolivian President Evo Morales presents a gift to Pope Francis at the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, July 8. The gift was a wooden hammer and sickle -- the symbol of communism -- with a figure of a crucified Christ.

La Paz, Bolivia - Pope Francis shook his head no and told Bolivia's president, "this is not okay," after being presented with  a “communist crucifix” — a carving of Christ crucified on the hammer of a hammer and sickle.

Published in International
April 16, 2015

Beware sleight of hand

An image from the Montreal archiocese's 2003 annual collection campaign.

There’s a moment in Al Pacino’s new film Danny Collins when the eponymous character, alone in his dressing room, touches the ornate Cross nested in his ancient rock star chest hair. The gesture is cinematic sleight of hand.
In the next frame, Collins uncaps the crucifix and pours out a few lines of cocaine to put up his nose so his show can go on. The sign of our faith, in the fingers of a pop icon, turns into yet another clever cache for the pursuit of becoming comfortably numb.

Published in Peter Stockland