OTTAWA – Pastoral guidelines issued by the bishops of Alberta and Northwest Territories have affirmed Church teaching that precludes divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving Communion unless their previous marriage has been formally annulled.

Returning to the classroom after four months away is providing a sense of normalcy to the Catholic education community in Fort McMurray.

OTTAWA – Jason Kenney’s decision to exit federal politics leaves a gaping hole in the Conservative leadership race for socially conservative Tories hoping for a strong standard bearer.

There is no doubt that the events at Fort McMurray are a tragedy. But the tragedy lies not only in the destruction, but in the disruption of everyday life.

EDMONTON – A smiling St. Joseph's College employee poked her head around Danica Wolitski's door and said, "We've got another family with three children."

EDMONTON – Pope Francis has added his name to the list of people offering prayers for Canadians affected by the massive wildfires that have led to the evacuation of Fort McMurray.

Although flames destroyed much of Fort McMurray, a resident found comfort in how the emergency united the community, even as fleeing people left everything behind but each other.

ST. PAUL, ALTA. – Neighbouring dioceses are stepping up to help the thousands who have been displaced by the catastrophic wildfire threatening the very existence of Fort McMurray, Alta.

As firefighters continue the fight to save Fort McMurray from a wildfire that is threatening to consume the entire northern Alberta city, it is feared that St. Paul Church is one of the city’s structures that has been lost to flames.

EDMONTON - Alberta Education Minister David Eggen is confident after meeting with the province’s Catholic bishops that the two sides will be able to find common ground on his department’s gender-identity guidelines.

Pre-Vatican II babies remember it as if it were yesterday: Who made you? God made me? Why did God make you? To love Him in this world and to serve Him and be with Him in the next world.

For all the talk about global warming what we’re now seeing is a freezing trend that’s producing an ice sheet over Satan’s lake of fire. We know this is happening because events long thought possible only when the underworld’s climate turned entirely upside down — when hell froze over — have become the order of the day.

EDMONTON - Catholic charities are crying foul at the recent Alberta budget cut to the tax credit for charitable donations. 

Once among the highest in the country, the credit has been reduced to 12.75 per cent from 21 per cent for donations of more than $200 — meaning less incentive to give money to charity, including the Church.

St. Albert, Alta. - It was in the fall of 1859 that the Grey Nuns arrived in Alberta, welcomed by Fr. Albert Lacombe at Lac Ste. Anne with ringing church bells and dancing First Nations people.

One of the hardest things about moving to a small town is integrating into the community. After my last column was published, I was offered a job in northeastern Alberta and found myself moving to the town of St. Paul. It’s the centre of the diocese and at approximately 6,000 people it’s the smallest municipality I’ve ever called home.