Fr. Alphonse de Valk, a stalwart of the pro-life movement, touched many lives in different spheres, especially in education, the particular charism of the Basilian Fathers. I will remember him as a fellow priest journalist.

I can’t find time for that.

COVID-19 has laid bare many of the popular excuses we use to appease ourselves for skipping the things we know we ought to be doing.

The question on many minds is, “When will life return to normal?” That implies another question: What is normal?

Devil’s virus

One of The Catholic Register’s youth writers suggested another name for the virus beast. But how about Devil’s Virus for one or, even better, Psalm19 for another.

Among the lessons driven home by the COVID-19 crisis is that people and societies are morally bound to care for one another. This care is accomplished in many ways but one gaining wide attention, including encouragement from Pope Francis, is the potential merit of paying everyone a state-guaranteed income.

Throughout this pandemic lockdown, everyone must be going through a range of emotions at various times, from fear and anxiety to frustration and lethargy.

Given his bad-boy-again half-smile and love for re-playing clichés as humourous surprises, it’s understandable to hope word of John Prine’s death during Holy Week is a prank of cosmic timing that he okayed with God first.

In June we celebrate St. Vitus’ Day, a time that honours an unusual saint whose influence was seen throughout Europe generally and in Germany in particular.

In 2006 I was home for about a month recovering from back surgery. It was the first time in my life I was so confined. I was literally staring at all four walls … and what I saw was not pretty.

Long-term pain

Re: A chance for change in post-virus world (March 29):

This article hits many truths. Too many people have wanted too much too fast — expensive cars and houses, for example.