Vocation directors take on challenge of drawing priests
Canadian archdiocesan and diocesan vocation directors assembled at the FCJ Retreat & Conference Centre in Calgary from Oct. 1-4 to contemplate how they can join forces to inspire more calls to the priesthood and consecrated life.
Diaconate is ‘surrender’ to Jesus
Before the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica, a symbol of the Catholic Church’s unity behind the successor of St. Peter, 15 men laid prostrate to express their humility and take vows of chastity and obedience to their bishop.
Upon visiting a local scrap yard last summer to dispose of some waste, one local man from the Thunder Bay District noticed someone attempting to sell an item - one he knew was too precious to be lost to time.
Church vocations go beyond the priesthood
Last month’s ShareLife Speaker Series shed light on the significance of vocations and how they can be better understood and nurtured.
Dioceses aim to build ‘culture of vocation’
The Benedict XVI Institute of Newman Theological College and the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton took the first step towards building a new “culture of vocation” in Canada on Feb. 2 by hosting a vocations rally at St. Joseph’s Basilica, which drew 300 people.
Fr. Ramsperger soared high in priesthood, not air force
Fr. Leo Ramsperger has been celebrating Mass as a priest since the mid-1950s, and despite retiring from formal service back in 1997, he remains deeply rooted in his faith and continues to celebrate life at every opportunity.
‘I really wanted to touch poverty’
‘Pope Sean Paul’ on path to childhood dream
Deacon Sean Raphael Jacob first felt the priesthood could be in his future during a family vacation to Rome as a young child.
Date Night sets couples on a vocational journey
The team of the Newman Centre Catholic Chaplaincy at the University of Toronto was struck by inspiration while planning activities for the 2022-23 academic year. They realized a lot of the program’s alumni have met, fallen in love and even married at the centre.
Priest in Canada via a road less travelled
When Tai Le arrived at Vancouver International Airport seven years ago at the tender age of 21, the future associate pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Prince Albert, Sask., admitted that his first experience being surrounded by Canadians “was overwhelming.”
A century of ‘adventure’ for Sisters of Service
The Sisters of Service have had a century — a century of change, challenge and charity. At their 100th anniversary celebration held at Toronto Hunt, the tiny, aging religious institute gave their guests parting gifts of their own adventurous, arduous history of welcoming refugees, teaching the faith and nurturing communities.
Vancouver priests get new ‘spiritual mothers’
A Maple Ridge, B.C., woman has launched an initiative whose goal is to pair each of the Vancouver archdiocese’s 200-plus priests with a woman who is committed to praying for him every day.
From seminary to sailor: it’s all about the routine
When it comes to vocational discernment some people don’t need to search, while others find a call to military service amongst the patchworked fruits of a short stint in seminary.
Alex D’Silva embraces call to priesthood in late 50s
Deacon Alex D’Silva has made an impression on those surrounding him since beginning his path to the priesthood at St. Augustine’s Seminary in 2015.
Ordinandi find vocation in stillness and prayer
“Our life is too short to waste it on being mediocre. We must dive into life, not just dip our toes,” said Archbishop of Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins, one of the guest speakers of the Archdiocese of Toronto’s 2022 Ordinandi Dinner Youth Event.