Lent

A letter from Toronto Archbishop Francis Leo on the Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord.

The movie Mother Cabrini is a beautiful tribute to this strong missionary who, overcoming obstacle after obstacle including her poor health, founded schools and orphanages all over the world.

Yet another media story slides by portending discouragement of the Faith in a political atmosphere that sometimes seems concocted to deny breath to religious belief.

Resurrection of the Lord (Year B) March 31 (Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Psalm 118; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18)

The early followers of Jesus burned with the desire to communicate what they had seen, heard and experienced. If they were from the second or third generations of believers, they were able to rely on the testimony of those who had gone before them.

As we can readily observe, it’s not Good Friday that needs to be proclaimed to the world but Easter Sunday. We all know about suffering, death and violence; no evidence is required. But the good news needs to be made known: that forgiveness has trumped cruelty, love has triumphed over death and the apparent victory of evil has become a tool in God’s hand to give us life eternal. Evil is revealed to be like smoke that vanishes in the breeze or wax that melts in the fire (Psalm 96).

I alternate my Sunday Mass going equally between a Traditional Latin Mass church in downtown Montreal and a boisterous French-speaking Novus Ordo parish on the West Island.

For Filipino Catholic Mission of Montreal (FCMM) parishioner Noemi ‘Mimi’ Tuvida, the recitation of Pasyon Mahal is both a welcome beginning to Holy Week and an opportunity to participate in a uniquely Filipino devotion.

Twelfth graders at Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School inspired younger students at the Toronto school to prepare their hearts and minds for celebrating Easter.

Tracey Jemmeson, the first-year principal of Thomas D’Arcy McGee Catholic Elementary School in Ottawa, heard positive advance buzz about Annunciation of the Lord Parish’s Holy Week Adventure from her colleagues and fellow congregants.

A new television program airing March 30 looks to combine sacred music performances with riveting discussions from local ministers of the Catholic Church.