November 16, 2017
Editorial: World must listen
As the world scrambles to deliver aid to more than 600,000 persecuted Rohingya Muslims, Pope Francis is flying into the face of the humanitarian and political storm.
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Editorial
November 13, 2017
Canadian saint lights up church in France
A stained glass image of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, Canada’s first female saint, now adorns the Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre Church in Hiers-Brouage, France.
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International
November 10, 2017
Chaplain's letter to bereaved wife of soldier killed in Vimy Ridge
Following is from The Catholic Register, May 31, 1917, making reference to the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9-12, 1917), where more than 10,000 Canadians were killed or wounded.
Chaplain’s Letter to Bereaved Wife
The following letter was sent to Mrs. Gorrell, lately of Toronto, at Preston, England, where she went to be nearer her husband when he left for overseas. She was received into the Church at Holy Rosary Church, Toronto, previous to her marriage to Corporal Gorrell nearly four years ago. A little boy is proving a real consolation to the mother in her bereavement:
Chaplain’s Letter to Bereaved Wife
The following letter was sent to Mrs. Gorrell, lately of Toronto, at Preston, England, where she went to be nearer her husband when he left for overseas. She was received into the Church at Holy Rosary Church, Toronto, previous to her marriage to Corporal Gorrell nearly four years ago. A little boy is proving a real consolation to the mother in her bereavement:
Dear Mrs. Gorrell,
You must have received official notification of the death in action of your dear devoted husband, Cpl. R. Gorrell, 14th Canadian Battalion. He was instantly killed on the morning of the 9th inst. during the battle of Vimy Ridge. It is sad news for you, and I can assure you that our sympathy is real and deep. I knew Cpl. Gorrell quite well as he was a member of my congregation. He was a good soldier, devoted to duty and enjoying the full confidence of his officers and the affection of his comrades. His loss is keenly felt my us all. I especially feel his loss quite deeply, as he was one of my best parishioners and his example was of great help to me in my work among the soldiers.
It will afford you some consolation to know that he was a good Christian man, always ready to give to God what belonged to Him. He kept his soul readiness for any sacrifice that God might demand of him. He prepared himself for this great battle by a pious and worthy Holy Communion, and I feel sure that Our Saviour has accepted his sacrifice and rewarded him for that greatest of all acts of Charity, to give one's life for others.
He was reverently laid to rest beneath the arms of a beautiful Cross erected by the Battalion. I blessed his grave and offered up the Holy Sacrifice for the eternal repose of his soul.
We have prayed for you also, that God may grant you His consoling grace in this your hour of trial.. May He give you the strength and courage to bravely accept His Divine Will and to patiently bear the heavy cross which He has allotted to you.
With deepest sympathy,
A. J. LABOULE,
Capt. C.F.Subscribe to our Digital Edition to have unlimited access to The Catholic Register's 125-years worth of archived stories.
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Features
A half-century spent editing Messenger of the Sacred Heart and a lifetime promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus came to a quiet, peaceful end with the death of Jesuit Fr. Frederick Joseph Power on Nov. 2 in Pickering, Ont. He was 93 years old.
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Canada
November 3, 2017
Editorial: A veiled threat
Catholics and people of all religions should be troubled by a new Quebec law that is an obvious affront to religious freedom.
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Editorial
October 27, 2017
Editorial: Luther's lesson
When an obscure monk named Martin Luther tacked a list of declarations onto the door of a German cathedral on Oct. 31, 1517, no one imagined his musings were about to break up the Catholic Church. All Luther wanted when penning his 95 theses was to start a conversation. In his view, the Church had lost its way.
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Editorial
Christians need to actively engage modern culture with "the profound wisdom of our faith tradition" to combat the emptiness and loneliness in our modern world, said Cardinal Thomas Collins.
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Canada: Toronto-GTA
October 20, 2017
Editorial: Let the migrant workers from the Caribbean stay
Prior to the September hurricanes that devastated the Caribbean, Dominica was barely a blip on the radar of public consciousness.
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Editorial
October 12, 2017
Editorial: Canadian bishops are wise to take their time
Despite several invitations and considerable speculation, a papal visit to Canada seems no closer today than it was 2 1/2 years ago when the topic first surfaced.
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Editorial
October 11, 2017
Poles gather at border to pray the rosary for peace
News and notes from around the Catholic world as collected by The Catholic Register.
Hundreds of thousands of Polish Catholics gathered along their country’s border Oct. 7 to pray for peace, as well as for the future and salvation of Poland and the world. The event, entitled “Rosary at the Borders,” was organized by a lay movement called the Solo Dios Basta Foundation (God Alone Suffices). It was supported by the Polish Bishop’s Conference and was sponsored by several state-owned companies. Approximately 90 per cent of the country identifies as Catholic.
According to The New York Times, participants gathered for prayer at 320 churches near the border of Poland as well as in 4,000 designated prayer zones. The prayer took place on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which also commemorates the anni-versary of the Battle of Lepanto, during which Mary, through the prayer of the rosary, is credited for a key victory against the Ottoman Empire.
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Newsflash