News/Toronto-GTA

TORONTO - St. Francis Table celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. In honour of the celebration it will hold an appreciation luncheon Feb. 12 for all schools and people who have volunteered with the organization.

TORONTO - Archbishop Thomas Collins, Toronto's new shepherd, will be hosting numerous Masses and related events throughout the archdiocese upon his arrival in Toronto beginning Jan. 28 and running through Feb. 20.

TORONTO - Jose Martin is a labourer at a construction site in Toronto. The job does not pay much so his family — his disabled wife and three children — supplements his income with social welfare provisions. However, welfare does not cater for everything the Martins need.

TORONTO - Parishioners at St. Aidan's Anglican Church would like to bring the needy in from out of the cold, if only they could convince area neighbours of their cause.

TORONTO - After nearly 30 years in operation the airport chapel at Lester B. Pearson International Airport's Terminal 2 will close Jan. 28. This comes just one day before the Greater Toronto Airport Authority closes Terminal 2 altogether.

The chapel was the first religious presence at the airport when it opened in 1979.

TORONTO - Normally, Lillian Gomez of Toronto would not attend Mass on a Thursday but she did on Dec. 28. What compelled her to attend Mass that cold Thursday was the theme of the service.

TORONTO - There's no new money but there is a new name for the federal government's program to house the homeless across Canada.

TORONTO - Muslim cleric and scholar Shabir Ally's message to high school students with questions about terrorism is that theology matters.

Ally took about 200 high school students from across the Greater Toronto Area through a quick tour of the history of Muslim thought about war and peace. The students were at the University of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, for the annual Brebeuf Social Justice Symposium on Dec. 15. Students from half a dozen Catholic schools converged downtown to question a variety of speakers gathered to address the topic  "When faith meets terror."

TORONTO - Instead of reflecting on the tradition of a Hindu marriage ceremony, Grade 11 World Religion students at Bishop Allen Academy in Toronto reflect on the question: "Why do I have to take this course?"