Leon Blais’ life of crime and addiction has become a message of hope.

A two-part special feature section exploring how the church brings light and hope to the dark places of addiction and human trafficking.

Among the many compelling truths found in this issue’s special section on healing and recovery is the reality that so-called process addictions can be as real and destructive as habitual substance abuse.

Four years ago, Aaron Semple was in a sober-living facility in Ontario, recovering from a decades-old addiction to drugs, and searching for the tools he needed to construct a new, sober life. His decision to sign up for a retreat inspired by the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises led Semple to a faith community, friendship and a move to Montreal to help bring that retreat-experience to others.

Plenty of ink has been spilled recently about Canada’s “safe” drug supply, with thousands of inches of newsprint debating the merits of the program — both pro and con.

British Columbia is several months into the first experiment of its kind in Canada: decriminalizing the personal possession of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy — 2.5 grams in total — as one way of addressing the province’s worsening drug crisis.

There is an adage that to get off the streets you need a home, a job and a friend. The reality is that there are not enough affordable homes, few jobs open to those who are homeless and even fewer friends who are willing to walk the harsh streets to sustain hope in the darkness. 

A few weeks ago, I was on an intimate online call with one of our political leaders. Well, when I say it was an intimate call, it was intimate in the way a private audience with the Pope is intimate, namely there were as many people on the call as the bandwidth could support.

How difficult it is to get out of the centre of the universe. And how painful to find our way there.

VANCOUVER -- When Myka Kollmann isn’t buried in textbooks at the University of British Columbia, she can often be found playing games with, running errands for, and laughing with recovering drug addicts at Luke 15 House.

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis told high school students to break their phone addiction and spend more time on real communication with others and in moments of quiet, personal reflection.

I have become used to the cacophony which inhabits the downtown of the city and usually treat it as background noise as I walk around. 

EDMONTON – A single mother, without a home, sits in a McDonald’s restaurant on Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue strip.