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.

The new Quebec government’s proposed assault on religious freedom by barring public wearing of overt faith markers is worrisome enough.

Nobody goes there anymore … it’s too crowded.

Rigid adherence

Re: D&P funding remains in limbo (Oct. 7):

It was reported that 12 Canadian bishops did not remit the annual Lenten collection for the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace in order to put pressure on the D&P organization to ensure that its overseas partners do not support abortion and contraception. 

From the Pope on down, sentiment is growing to more fully integrate women into the everyday life of the male-dominated Church. So far, though, it’s been a lot of talk and too little action. Events at this month’s Synod of Bishops on youth illustrate that point.

The victory of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in the recent Quebec election reflects the growing acceptance of political parties vowing to tighten immigration policies and numbers. 

When we speak of Catholic education it is almost a cliché to begin by saying that universities were born from the Church and to give Bologna and Oxford as examples of the foundational role the Church played in the development of higher education. 

VATICAN – The twin canonizations — along with five others — of Pope St. Paul VI and St. Oscar Romero prompted many to look for similarities between the two. But the more suggestive similarity is between “San Romero” — as they call him in El Salvador — and the pope whose 40th anniversary is marked this week.

The following is an abridged version of Bishop Barron’s recent presentation at the Synod of Bishops on young people:

Pope Francis had little or no choice but to accept the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop in Washington, D.C.