NEWS

{mosimage}VATICAN CITY - At the beginning of the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible, Pope Benedict XVI explained why he thinks such meetings are important.

He did it in typical Benedict style — reviewing a bit of church history and explaining the roots of the Greek word "synodos" to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace doesn't think the Canadian election is just about Canada. For the development arm of the Canadian bishops, this election is also about Canada's obligations to the rest of the world. Development and Peace executive director Michael Casey has sent this open letter to candidates and media outlets across the country:

{mosimage}TORONTO - The Wall Street crisis is a story of how the privileged few took advantage of the middle class and the poor, and how the U.S. government failed its citizens, said anti-globalization activist Naomi Klein on the day the Bush administration’s $700-billion bailout plan failed to pass in Congress.

The U.S. House of Representatives could not agree on the plan, resulting in the bill’s failure on Sept. 29.

{mosimage}WASHINGTON - To those entrusted with husbanding the financial portfolios of Catholic foundations and institutions, the Sept. 29 rejection by the U.S. House of a $700-billion package to shore up the nation’s financial systems posed new concerns about the economy and those charged with overseeing it.

“The government is saying, ‘Trust us,’ ” said Frank Rauscher, the senior principal at Aquinas Associates in Dallas, but “there’s no fundamental basis as to why anybody should.”

OTTAWA — People who think poverty is an election issue are getting their chance with a five party debate in Ottawa Oct. 6.

{mosimage}TORONTO - The Make Poverty History coalition of more than 1,000 individuals, churches, unions and organizations complains that the Conservative Party is missing in action on poverty issues.

Make Poverty History managed to get four of the five national party leaders to answer specific questions on poverty reduction leading up to the Oct. 14 federal election. The video of those interviews is available at www.makepovertyhistory.ca/ontherecord .

{mosimage}OTTAWA - Though they decided to appeal to the Supreme Court a month ago, the Canadian Council for Refugees , Canadian Council of Churches and Amnesty International made it official in their battle against the Safe Third Country agreement with the United States.

On Sept. 26 the refugee advocate organizations filed an application with Canada’s highest court seeking one more chance to strike down the agreement.

{mosimage}TORONTO - Filipino-Canadian Rafael Nebres remembers when the late-September procession on Lake Ontario in honour of Our Lady of Penafrancia started as a small prayer group gathering in his home 36 years ago.

This year on Sept. 20, six yachts, one carrying a statue of Our Lady of Penafrancia, the patron saint of the Bicol region where Nebres is originally from, sailed on Lake Ontario from Bluffers Park in Scarborough.

{mosimage}TORONTO  - Sarah Palin isn’t exactly the role model that American feminists were hoping for.

But she could be the face of a re-branded form of feminism, says a former Alberta journalist.

Pro-life activist and former Western Standard magazine reporter Andrea Mrozek said Palin’s nomination as Republican John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate in the upcoming American election indicates an increasing momentum for the pro-life movement being seen as a pro-feminist or pro-woman movement.

They've spoken out on the environment, war and peace, poverty and the economy. Christian organizations have been quick and loud in their opinions on what should be done to make Canada a better country. And now there is a pro-life coalition offering its own advice for voters as we approach the Oct. 14 federal election.