More than 7,000 Honduran migrants including children have crossed the Guatemalan and Mexican borders and are marching toward the United States. Some people, including the American president, are describing them as murderers, rapists, “very bad criminals.” Helicopters are hovering over them, while the border patrol and the military have been alerted. There are calls to close the border.

My plan had been to write this week on the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul’s encyclical The Splendour of Truth, the sainted pope’s most controversial document. However, as often happens, events intervened and I put off writing that reflection. Maybe next time.

This summer is a time of change in my life as I move from high school to university. It is also the end of my time as a Youth Speak News reporter. As I begin my new journey in life, it it a good time to reflect on what this past year has meant to me.

“Was this story about love, money, conquest or disaster?” That was the question Gordon Sinclair asked week after week on CBC-TV’s long-running Front Page Challenge. If a news story did not have at least one of those four elements, Sinclair surmised, it might be a story, but it wasn’t news.

The Catholic Register won 15 awards and was named the No. 1 Christian newspaper in Canada at a gala banquet to recognize excellence in Christian journalism.

Victor Malarek believes he was born with a sword in hand to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. In fact, he made a career out of it. 

EDMONTON – Born 51 years ago amid the optimism of Vatican II, Alberta’s award-winning Catholic newspaper, the Western Catholic Reporter, will publish its final issue Sept. 26.

VATICAN CITY – Italian journalist and author Gianluigi Nuzzi did not plot the release of leaked Vatican financial documents with another journalist and was well within his rights to publish the information he received from a Spanish monsignor, a defense witness told a Vatican court.

Catholic Register reporters, editors and designers were recognized for another year of outstanding achievement by taking home 14 awards, including eight first-place honours, at the annual Canadian Church Press gala dinner April 29 in Toronto.

A young Desmond Devoy was on holiday in British Columbia in 2000 when a Catholic news story fell into his lap. Unable to resist the temptation, the budding writer phoned back to Toronto to report his story to The Catholic Register.

Growing up, The Catholic Register was always a great teaching tool about my faith. Though it contained stories from an international, national and local perspective, it usually included pieces written by scholars, priests or literary faithful sharing their expertise.

I would never have considered it a place that would draw young people.

A friend who attended a commemoration Mass at a church in Montreal’s Villeray neighbourhood at the end of February e-mailed me this compelling observation shortly afterward.