“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has looked favourably on His people and redeemed them.”

When Canada became a nation 150 years ago there was little debate about the prominent place of faith in society. Canada was to be built on Christian values. The founders rejected names such as Kingdom of Canada and Republic of Canada in favour of Dominion of Canada, a tribute to Psalm 72:8: “He shall have dominion from sea to sea.”

ISSELE-UKU, Nigeria – It was supposed to be a quiet retreat weekend last April for Fr. Sam Okwuidegbe, a Nigerian Jesuit priest and director of a local spirituality centre.

Staying connected to my faith has always been easy for me. During my high school years at Holy Name of Mary College School, I attended mandatory Mass once a month, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and participated in faith-related reflections for class.

When Friedrich Nietzsche declared that “God is dead” he added a question: What kind of a “sponge” does it take to wipe away the entire horizon?

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis, who described himself as coming from "the ends of the earth," continues to go to the far reaches of the globe to seek those who will advise him and possibly elect the next Pope.

Baptisms. Weddings. Funerals. Masses. Confessions. These routine aspects of Catholic life today were rare and often inaccessible just five generations ago.

No matter how many times we hear that we live in a secular society, faith keeps popping up. An Angus Reid Institute Poll has found that a majority of Canadians don’t just have a faith, they use it.

HONG KONG – Every evening, no matter how busy or tired she may be, Yiu reads the Bible at home to her 7-year-old granddaughter. Sometimes, parishioners from Changzhi Diocese in north-central China's Shanxi province, come and join her, reports ucanews.com.

Ernesto Castro believes in putting his art where his faith is.

VATICAN CITY – On Sunday Pope Francis reflected on the May 13 canonization of the child visionaries St. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, saying that their faithfulness, despite their young age, reminds us to pay special attention to children in the ministry of the Church.

MEXICO CITY – A Mexican archdiocese is warning against the veneration of a "pseudo saint" created to legitimize criminal activities such as stealing gasoline, saying it is "playing with people's faith."

VATICAN CITY – The Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, who has worked as an astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican for more than 20 years, told journalists Monday that faith and reason are hardly at odds.

EDMONTON – As a judge at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, Debra Yungwirth makes decisions that have serious impacts on the lives of individuals and their families. Many of the matters she hears are heart-breaking and at times her task has seemed overwhelming. But Yungwirth has an extra advocate with her on the bench — a deep and abiding Catholic faith.

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