Before John F. Kennedy it was unthinkable that a Catholic could overcome religious prejudice in the United States to be elected president. Kennedy proved otherwise, of course, and now 50 years after his assassination the full impact of that victory is evident in how the relationship between politics and religion has fundamentally changed — and not necessarily for the better.

Three atheists got me thinking about Pope Francis the other day.

Nov. 9 is a rather obscure feast on the liturgical calendar — the feast of the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Obscure, but most important. A year when we are praying for a new Pope is a good occasion to revisit its significance.

Governor General David Johnston should be commended for a new initiative that is Catholic in everything but name. Launched by Johnston on Nov. 4, My Giving Moment is a national campaign to encourage Canadians to improve society by volunteering time, giving money and providing expertise to charitable and other community causes. Johnston calls this philanthropy, the Church calls it stewardship — the obligation to give our time, talent and treasure as part of our Christian call to live with joy, compassion and generosity.

In his Songs of Innocence William Blake wrote: “The strongest poison ever known / Comes from Caesar’s laurel crown.”

At the heart of the liturgical year are the great feasts of Christmas and Easter, the feast of eternal life becoming earthly in a new baby, and the feast of earthly life becoming eternal in the Resurrection. The Christian calendar hangs upon the great feasts of life. Yet notwithstanding the principal feasts, the opening days of November, the month in which we pray for the dead, are a direct answer the Church gives to the mystery of death. All Saints Day celebrates those who have died and are already enjoying the life of beatitude in heaven. All Souls Day prays for those who have died and, while still being purified in purgatory, will one day be in heaven. The Church does not ask us to look away from death. To the contrary, in November she forces us to look straight at it.

In a third-season episode of the insanely good TV series Breaking Bad, students at chemistry teacher/ drug lord Walter White’s high school gather in a gym for a post-modern public grief ceremony.

Now that the annual costume-and-sugar festival called Halloween has passed, I will comment on what I believe is a new low reached this year in the sale of adult Halloween costumes.

The case of Germany’s “luxury bishop” underscores that Pope Francis is someone who says what he means and means what he says.

The other day, I lost my so-called smartphone. It was kind of dumb of me. But the episode set off a range of emotions; from the pit-in-my-stomach initial feeling to panic and stress at figuring out what to do next, including a little prayer to St. Anthony, to contentment realizing life without that digital albatross around my neck actually feels pretty good.