Are you “hopelessly devoted”? No, not to your crush, your boyfriend/girlfriend or spouse, but to the Most High God?

Seven-hundred and forty-six kids, Grades 9 to 12, shouted, laughed, sang, prayed. Some of them even cried. They came to the Ordinandi Youth Event for one reason — to hear a story.

VANCOUVER – The summits of B.C.’s Coastal Mountains and Rockies inspire longtime artist Arnold Shives.

Sept. 26 is the feast day of Canada’s martyrs — St. Jean de Brebeuf, St. Noel Chabanel, St. Antoine Daniel, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Jean de Lalande, St. Charles Garnier and St. Gabriel Lalemant — who worked among the Huron-Wendat people in the 1600s. They were canonized in Rome by Pope Pius XI on June 29, 1930, but the occasion also drew large crowds to Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, Ont. The Register recounted the scene of that special day in this excerpt from the July 3, 1930 issue:

It started with Jennie McRae wanting to celebrate her French-Canadian roots, but circumstance soon took over and launched her on a greater journey.

Jesus told His apostles who had just returned from a missionary trip, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).

VANCOUVER – A recent poll has confirmed what most youth ministry workers are already losing sleep over: young people across the globe tend to be less religious than their elders.

In 2010 I was invited to take part in an eight-day course called The Church Up Close. It was held in Rome in a stunning building occupied by Opus Dei called Santa Croce. It was located off the equally stunning Piazza Navona.

When I was younger, it wasn’t difficult for me to balance my faith with extra-curricular activities and family obligations. 

As Catholics, we’re challenged to pray daily. Apart from Sunday Mass, there are more possible ways to pray than I can even list, and I find it hard to decide what to focus on. 

Did God lift Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson’s overtime pass into the end zone in the conference final, rewarding the prayerful Christian player with a championship victory and a trip to the Super Bowl?

Millions of Americans may think so.