News/Canada

One of the more encouraging signs for the Catholic Church in Canada may have been Cardinal Thomas Collins planting his foot on top of a shovel in the backyard of an old house on Toronto’s St. George Street in early November.

OTTAWA -- Human rights and climate change are among the issues Catholic and faith-based organizations hope will feature prominently in the throne speech Dec. 5 that will indicate the priorities of the newly-elected minority Liberal government.

Advent is a time of hope during a season of darkness. As a steadfast member of the Catholic Church and Leafs Nation, Dennis Patrick O’Hara can see parallels these days between his faith and favourite hockey team.

OTTAWA -- A first of its kind publicly-released review of historic cases of sexual abuse within a Canadian Catholic diocese may have far-reaching repercussions across the country as other Canadian dioceses review what has been done in Vancouver.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis advanced the sainthood cause of Bishop Ovide Charlebois -- a Canadian Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate who ministered to First Nations peoples and migrant workers scattered throughout the vast, lake-covered province of Manitoba.

The Catholic Civil Rights League presented its annual Archbishop Adam Exner Award for Catholic Excellence in Public Life to Fr. Tony Van Hee at its annual award dinner in Toronto Nov. 25.

EDMONTON -- A United Conservative Party MLA has lost his bid to strengthen the rights of health-care providers in Alberta to refuse procedures contrary to their moral beliefs.

Canada stands on the brink of legally euthanizing disabled people for no other reason than self-reported suffering because life is difficult, doctors and disability experts are warning.

OTTAWA -- When Bishop Christian Riesbeck arrives in New Brunswick in December to become the new bishop of the Diocese of Saint John, it won’t be with a set agenda.