hand and heart

The recent post office troubles have impacted our regular fundraising efforts. Please consider supporting the Register and Catholic journalism by using one of the methods below:

  • Donate online
  • Donate by e-transfer to accounting@catholicregister.org
  • Donate by telephone: 416-934-3410 ext. 406 or toll-free 1-855-441-4077 ext. 406

Features

{mosimage}TORONTO - Three months ago a troupe of young dancers from Haiti performed at Mississauga’s St. Joseph Catholic High School. So when news broke of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, teachers and students from the school rallied  to raise close to $2,000 in less than a week.

St. Joseph joined with several Ontario Catholic students as schools from across the province raised thousands of dollars for the relief effort almost overnight.

New St. Peter's Seminary leader learns from God's mercy

By
{mosimage}LONDON - Fr. Stevan Wlusek, installed this month as the new rector of St. Peter’s Seminary in London , is well known for his compassion and strength in the face of suffering, .

A recent example of the 52-year-old priests’ endurance came just weeks before he took over as rector from then-Fr. Bill McGrattan, who was ordained a bishop on Jan. 12 to serve in the archdiocese of Toronto. Days before Christmas, Wlusek was injured when a truck backed into his legs in a parking lot, pinning him against his own vehicle. He escaped without any broken bones and was back on his feet in January, still recovering from the injury, but smiling, energetic and excited to plunge into his new responsibilities.

Catholic groups make promise to sponsor world refugees

By
{mosimage}At a retreat centre just east of Toronto, a promise has been made on behalf of Canadian Catholics to the 10.5 million refugees around the world. At the first ever National Catholic Conference on Refugee Sponsorship, Jan. 13-15, 80 representatives of dioceses from Prince George, B.C. to Cornerbrook, Nfld., promised that the world’s refugees would no longer be just more misery on the evening news.

From now on, refugees will matter to Catholic parishes and religious orders, and Catholic communities will sponsor refugees in greater numbers.

Immigration and Muliculturalism Minister Jason Kenney has already taken Catholic refugee workers at their word, increasing the target for Iraqi refugees sponsored out of Damascus, Syria from 1,300 to 2,500 this year.

New Ontario education minister, Leona Dombrowsky, knows Catholic schools

By
{mosimage}TORONTO - Catholic education has received an ally in newly appointed education minister Leona Dombrowsky, says the head of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association.

James Ryan told The Catholic Register that the OECTA association welcomes Dombrowsky’s appointment and is confident that there will be a productive working relationship with the new minister.

“In all of our meetings with (Dombrowsky) over the years, she has always been supportive of publicly funded Catholic education and public education,” he said. “Her background in education supports that.”

Bishop must mirror Jesus, says archbishop Collins

By

TORONTO - Toronto’s Archbishop Thomas Collins says being a bishop means being a good spiritual father and shepherd of the community.

Collins is entering his third year as archbishop of Canada’s largest archdiocese.

Ordinations bring change to managing of archdiocese

By
{mosimage}TORONTO - As the brotherhood of bishops for the archdiocese of Toronto grows, it will bring change to how the archdiocese is managed by its shepherds.

Before the ordinations on Jan. 12 and 13, respectively, of Bishop William McGrattan and Bishop Vincent Nguyen, Toronto’s three auxiliary bishops looked after three distinct geographical regions of the widespread archdiocese comprising more than 220 parishes. Now that there are four auxiliaries, the pie has been divided into four regions with the creation of a new eastern region.

Bishop Nguyen's coat of arms

By
{mosimage}The shield of Bishop Vincent Nguyen’s coat of arms is on a standard bearing a cross with the five wounds of Christ.

The shield is divided into two main sections. The top section is based on the Book of Revelations 7:9, where the multitude of martyrs, with palm branches in their hands, stand before the throne of the Lamb. The drop of blood flanked by two palm branches has special family significance for Nguyen as his great-great-grandfather is one of the Vietnamese Martyrs.

Admiration for Bishop Nguyen crosses all borders

By
{mosimage}TORONTO - Beginning about 5 p.m. Jan. 13 it was correct to address Fr. Vincent Nguyen as “your grace,” the customary address for bishops in the Catholic Church. But it is not incorrect to call the 43-year-old auxiliary bishop of Toronto “anh.”

In Vietnamese “anh” means “elder brother.” In any Vietnamese family the relationship of love, responsibility and authority between younger and elder siblings is never forgotten. In a family of faith, we are bound by the same obligations, said Nguyen.

Bishop McGrattan's coat of arms

By
{mosimage}The field of the shield is divided into sections by a heraldic division called a saltire enhanced. This reflects the form of the traditional arms of the name McGrattan.

In the “X” is also seen the Greek letter Chi which is the first letter in the Greek for Christ.

Bishop McGrattan a visionary leader coming to Toronto

By
{mosimage}LONDON, Ont. - Toronto’s newest bishop from London has been a chemical engineer, a parish pastor, a professor, a seminary rector and now begins his journey as auxiliary bishop.

But to those who know him well, Bishop William McGrattan is a good friend, a systematic teacher and a creative leader who knows how to incorporate the laity into the church.

London Catholics praise newly ordained Bishop McGrattan

By
{mosimage}LONDON, Ont.- It was hard to tell friends, family and supporters apart at Bishop William McGrattan’s Jan. 12 ordination.

Close to 1,000 joyful people, including 150 priests, nearly 35 bishops and archbishops and about 40 relatives, packed St. Peter’s Cathedral in London to give a hug and their congratulations to a long time friend, associate pastor, teacher, seminary leader and now auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Toronto. He is also titular bishop of Furnos Minor.