NEWS

{mosimage}OTTAWA - Cardinal Marc Ouellet’s apology to Quebeckers for the past sins of some Catholics in that province has provoked an unprecedented response — positive and negative — across the country.

{mosimage}VATICAN CITY - In a liturgy that emphasized the church’s cultural diversity and its unity of mission, Pope Benedict XVI created 23 new cardinals from 14 countries.

{mosimage}BURLINGTON, Ont. - The word “schism” is increasingly being used to describe the state of affairs among Canadian Anglicans in the midst of intensifying disagreements over liberalized theology and a growing acceptance of the blessing of same-sex unions.

{mosimage}OTTAWA - When Reginald Bibby researched his book Fragmented Gods back in the 1980s, he recalls the hostility he encountered among some Catholic women who wanted more gender equality in the church.

AJAX, Ont. - The Town of Ajax is taking over the 136-year-old St. Frances de Sales Church and the parish has an extra $400,000 to put towards the debt on its new church a few blocks north of the old building.

{mosimage}TORONTO — Of course Jesuits need money, and they will be happy to accept yours. But the second annual Jesuit Provincial’s Dinner will be about much more than money.

{mosimage}TORONTO - It’s time for Canada’s Catholic bishops to state clearly what they think Canada should be doing in Afghanistan, according to a lay peace group which plans to petition the bishops for a statement before Christmas.

{mosimage}LONDON - A British cardinal has criticized proposals to allow lesbians to become joint legal parents of children created for them through in vitro fertilization.

{mosimage}Editor's note: Cardinal Marc Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the Catholic Church in Canada, made front page news Nov. 21 with the publication in daily newspapers across the province of an open letter asking forgiveness for the sins of past church leaders. Below is an English translation.

Following my intervention at the Bouchard-Taylor commission, your comments have been many and varied. I have read all of them with great care, whether they came in the mail or through the media. I thank you for the messages of support, I also thank you for the criticism which has made me reflect and prompted this open letter, which seeks to deepen reflection, dispel misunderstandings and promote dialogue in a spirit of peace and reconciliation.

{mosimage}The federal government has some explaining to do about climate change and tax breaks. A coalition of churches with the help of an environmental legal group are hoping to hear what the government has to say early in 2008.