NEWS
Youth group outreach offers warmth and hope to homeless
By Joanna Kozakiewicz, Catholic Register SpecialA group of Montreal millennials spent Boxing Day skipping post-Christmas binge buying and instead taking water, food and hot coffee to homeless “children of God” in the city’s downtown core.
Same-sex blessings are about welcoming, not changing Church teaching, Canadian bishops say
By Canadian Catholic NewsThe Archdiocese of Vancouver is considering how the Pope’s declaration on the blessing of irregular unions can contribute to making the Church in Vancouver “an ever more welcoming community,” says Archbishop J. Michael Miller.
It’s back: new concerns raised over summer jobs program
By Susan KorahEligibility criteria for employers seeking government grants under the Canada Summer Jobs program for youth is still discriminatory despite modifications to previous requirements, say Christian groups.
Renfrew board upholds Josh Alexander’s suspension
By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic RegisterA panel of three Renfrew County Catholic District School Board (RCCDSB) trustees rejected the appeal of Josh Alexander, the high school student suspended for alleged bullying by stating in a class discussion that God created only two genders, male and female.
Halifax verifying claims for abuse settlement
By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic RegisterThe deadline to submit a claim of sexual abuse against the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of Halifax and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Yarmouth has now passed.
Trafficking down, but stats don’t tell whole story: report
By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic RegisterThere were 528 incidents of human trafficking reported to police in 2022, a slight decrease from the 555 cases recorded in 2021, according to Statistics Canada. Taking this data at face value, this means the rate of human trafficking in 2022 decreased to 1.4 incidents per 100,000 people from 1.5 the year before.
Mission church on Alberta First Nation destroyed by fire
By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic RegisterThe RCMP’s Wood Buffalo detachment in Alberta is investigating a fire that devastated the former St. Gabriel Catholic Mission Church Dec. 15 in Janvier, a hamlet neighbouring the Chipewyan Prairie First Nation.
Rorate Caeli Mass celebrates the Virgin for Advent
By Anna FarrowThese are dark days, and we are battle weary. There are a multitude of wars raging, geo-political, cultural, ecclesiastical, domestic and physical, and the northern winter has us scuttling like burrowing animals, seeking out light and warmth.
In times of darkness, faith is all you have, says Cardinal Pizzaballa
By Judith Sudilovsky, OSV NewsWhile faith cannot change anything in moments of great darkness such as the one Israelis and Palestinians are currently living through in the Israeli-Hamas war, it can, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, create "a small light" which will give "orientation."
Development and Peace joins Cardinal’s call for Gaza peace
By Susan KorahHoly Land Catholic leaders have appealed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Canadian support in dealing with the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe.
Experts: Vatican declaration on blessings walks a fine line on marriage, pastoral care
By Gina Christian, OSV NewsA new declaration from the Vatican on pastoral blessings does not change the Catholic Church's teaching on marriage, Catholic experts told OSV News, but seeks to extend the church's accompaniment to those in irregular situations.