Friday, October 31, 2014

High school celebrates its first two decades


Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary rose from very humble beginnings in a parish parking lot
A choir at the Port Coquitlam high school sings during the anniversary celebration Oct. 2. Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said Mass with about 200 students, parents, teachers, and alumni. Photo submitted.
 A high school that started as a collection of portables in the Our Lady of Assumption parking lot is celebrating its 20th anniversary. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Also newly posted:

March of Saints aims to catechize Filipino children about heaven
Pope St. John XXIII is pictured in the Vatican Gardens with the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the background in this undated photo. Some Filipino children may elect to dress as this very new saint. CNS photo / Catholic Press Photo.
Families in Manila are gearing up to march in a colourful Oct. 31 parade dressed as their favourite saints, to evangelize and to catechize on heaven and the communion of the saints. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Income-splitting for Canadian families welcomed by pro-traditional-family groups
A West Bank family prays together before beginning a meal. CNS photo / Debbie Hill.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Oct. 30 announcement of income-splitting for families with children has been welcomed by pro-traditional-family groups. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Morally-sound stem cell initiative expands in Chinese communities

Archbishop encourages Vancouver priests to welcome OtherHalf
Bill Coleman of Canadian Blood Services (right) displays an agreement signed with OtherHalf founder Susan Go and three other Canadian Blood Services directors Oct. 6. OtherHalf can promote umbilical cord donation under the partnership. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.
Chinese Canadians waiting for a stem cell transplant might find donors sooner, thanks to a new partnership that promotes ethical donations. The group "OtherHalf Chinese Stem Cell Initiative" signed an agreement Oct. 6 with Canadian Blood Services to encourage mothers to donate umbilical cords and placentas, which contain stem cells. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:


Pope: Fighting for the poor doesn't make me Communist, it makes me Catholic
Pope Francis kisses a young girl as he leaves St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 29. The Pope pleaded for the international community to take stronger coordinated steps to "annihilate" the Ebola virus. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
Pope Francis spoke out against oppression of the poor due to greed and warned again of the growing presence of a “globalization of indifference” – a warning, he said, which has wrongly type-casted him. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Bioethics expert urges pro-lifers to modify language
For the pro-life side to gain any traction against legalized euthanasia, it must "sanitize" its language and frame the debate in non-religious terms, says ethicist Margaret Somerville. Evan Boudreau / The Catholic Register / CCN.
In the fight against legalized euthanasia, Margaret Somerville said pro-lifers must "sanitize" their language, mostly by framing the debate in non-religious terms. She said people should use terms that are the least offensive, even if that means mimicking the opposition and dancing around what is truly being said. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Lawyer asks laity to tutor others on enshrined rights

Erinn Broshko, a federal Conservative nominee, laments society's loss of respect for religion
Erinn Broshko (third from left), a Conservative nominee for a federal Vancouver riding, stands with Arthur Power, Peter Mensah, and John Ng Shun Oct. 2. "We live in a pluralistic society where one of our strengths is the ability to disagree (and to be) tolerant," Broshko said during his lecture at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.
A man vying to sit in the House of Commons is advocating that citizens share responsibility for defending freedom of conscience and religious rights.
Erinn Broshko, a Conservative nominee for the newly created riding of Vancouver-Granville and a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, gave a lecture Oct. 2 at VanDusen Botanical Garden. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

The Church's mystery is both visible and spiritual, Pope says
People in the crowd cheer as Pope Francis arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 29. The Pope pleaded for the international community to take stronger coordinated steps to "annihilate" the Ebola virus. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
In his weekly general audience Pope Francis spoke of the visible actions carried out by the Church, explaining that they are an expression of her deeper spiritual reality rooted in the two natures of Christ. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Catholic entities have faced discrimination from TRC, says director
Native American prayer leaders offer individual blessings during a healing service July 25 at the annual Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo, N.D. Native American Catholics were urged to become "warriors" in the effort to preserve their endangered languages. There are 191 native languages in the U.S. and 87 in Canada that are endangered or already extinct, according to a UNESCO online atlas. CNS photo / Nancy Wiechec.
The Catholic entities involved in Indian Residential Schools have been unfairly targeted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) chairman, says lawyer Pierre Baribeau. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Archbishop asks doctors to nurture each other at work

Annual White Mass attracts 100 medical personnel; two awards given at reception
Archbishop Miller stands with Sally Wong (left), who accepted an award on behalf of her late husband Lawrence, Cecilia Moore, first-ever recipient of the St. Camillus award for her pro-life work, and Dr. Jim Lane, at the White Mass reception Oct. 17. Photo submitted.
Archbishop asks doctors to nurture each other at work
More than 100 Catholic physicians, paramedics, nurses, and their families gathered at St. Augustine's Church Oct. 17 to renew their dedication to ethical standards derived from the Gospel. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Pope calls for end to death penalty out of respect for human dignity
Pope Francis speaks as he leads the Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 26. CNS photo / Max Rossi, Reuters.
Pope Francis called for the abolition of capital punishment during a speech on Thursday, as well as all forms of penal punishment which violate human dignity. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Latin for everybody, including children
Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh blesses necklaces with small wooden crosses that were distributed to the congregation at a Latin-rite Mass Sept. 13 at St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church in Pittsburgh. CNS photo / Chuck Austin, Pittsburgh Catholic.
The traditional Latin Mass includes periods of deep silence providing a space for the union of the hearts and minds of the faithful, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bring your kids, said an English Catholic priest, scholar, and lecturer. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Bioethicist speaks out against euthanasia

Margaret Somerville gives presentation in Abbotsford
Margaret Somerville speaks at an event organized by the
Abbotsford Right to Life Society Oct. 16. (Screen capture)
McGill University professor Margaret Somerville recently gave a talk in Abbotsford titled "Is Religion the Only Reason to be Anti-Euthanasia?"
"What we have to realize is that people who are pro-euthanasia and those who are anti-euthanasia radically differ in how they view both dying and death and what euthanasia involves," she said.

"Those differences reflect profound differences in what we believe it means to be human."
 Watch the video here.

Catholic Voices make lemonade


Spokespeople learn to face tough questions

Peter Nation, director of Catholic Voices Canada (left), speaks with Winetta Lee and other young adults at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Oct. 10. He presented ways to engage family, friends, and co-workers on controversial issues. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.
Even the biggest Church scandals can be used to spread the good news, said the head of Catholic Voices Canada. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Pope beatifies ‘great helmsman’ of Vatican II

A tapestry of Blessed Paul VI hangs from the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica during his beatification Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 19. Paul Haring / CNS.
Addressing those gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the beatification of Pope Paul VI, Pope Francis reminded Christians who live out the Gospel message that they are “God’s newness” both “in the Church and in the world.” For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Catholic Voices make lemonade

Peter Nation, director of Catholic Voices Canada (left), speaks with Winetta Lee and other young adults at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Oct. 10. He presented ways to engage family, friends, and co-workers on controversial issues. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.
Even the biggest Church scandals can be used to spread the good news, said the head of Catholic Voices Canada. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Catholic students to wear red for slain soldier

Ottawa reacts to shooting at National War Memorial
Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, at the National War Memorial. (Facebook)
The Windsor-Essex County Catholic District School board is asking its students to wear red on Friday to honour a young corporal who was killed while guarding the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
"What a remarkable statement we would make as a community if all 23,000 of us wore red tomorrow," said director of education Paul Picard.
Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, was shot yesterday morning before the gunman, later identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, took his gun to Parliament Hill.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and MPs were participating in caucus meetings Wednesday morning when they heard shooting in Centre Block.

Gunfire erupted between police and Zehaf-Bibeau. The gunman was pronounced dead and investigation into the motive for the attack is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the lockdown has ended and Canadians are flying flags at half-mast, laying out flowers, and offering their condolences to Cirillo's loved ones.

Cardinal reveals ‘peak of tension’ meetings before papal conclave

Prelate was in the room when former Pope announced his resignation
Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the former archbishop of Baltimore, visited Vancouver in early October. Born in 1939, this Bronx native participated in the 2013 papal conclave.

Cardinal Edwin O’Brien (right) with Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.
Alistair Burns: When did you learn you had been created a cardinal?

Cardinal O’Brien: There were rumours, and I really didn’t see it happening. I had been appointed to (Baltimore) at the age of 68. Normally, they don’t move an archbishop from a major see after three or four years, especially near retirement age. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Also newly posted:

Pope gives advice on overcoming jealousy and pride
Pope Francis greets bishops as he leads his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Oct. 22. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
In his weekly Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis offered advice on fighting those tendencies which "dismember" the Body of Christ, such as jealousy and feelings of superiority. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Supreme Court hears arguments on public prayer before Saguenay City Council meetings
Mayor Jean Tremblay at the Supreme Court of Canada defending the right to pray before Saguenay, Quebec city council meetings and to keep a crucifix and a Sacred Heart statue in the chamber. Deborah Gyapong / CCN.
The Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments Oct. 14 on whether prayers before city council meeting in Quebec discriminate against non-believers. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

B.C. Seniors Advocate addresses health and housing issues

Isobel Mackenzie gives presentation on International Day of Older Persons
B.C. seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie (left), listens to the concerns of Sister Edna Walsh, SC(H), Oct. 1. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.
The voice for seniors in B.C. shared her goals and fielded questions about improving care for the elderly during a visit to Vancouver. "We need to raise the level of expectation in our acute care for seniors in the hospital for their recovery," said Isobel Mackenzie. The B.C. Seniors Advocate was addressing more than 100 people on the International Day of Older Persons, Oct. 1. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Why the bishop of Dallas sheltered a family on Ebola watch
Dallas Bishop Kevin J. Farrell answers questions from media Oct. 20 about what will happen to the diocese's building in South Dallas where Ebola victim Thomas Duncan's financee and her family were quarantined. The bishop's news conference coincided with the lifting of the 21-day quarantine for nearly four dozen people being screened for the Ebola virus, with none showing any signs of the disease. CNS photo / courtesy The Texas Catholic.
When a Texas family feared to have contracted the Ebola virus was recently placed under quarantine, they found refuge from Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, who offered them shelter in the name of Christ.  For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Supreme Court hearing on assisted suicide 'surrealistic,' says Quebec surgeon
Catholic Civil Rights League President Phil Horgan at the Supreme Court Oct. 15 for the Carter Case. Deborah Gyapong / CCN.
An orthopedic surgeon who observed the Supreme Court of Canada hearing on assisted suicide Oct. 15 described the experience as "surrealistic." A lawyer called it an exercise in "creating by-laws for the Culture of Death." Another lawyer warned of a "body count‚" if the ban on assisted suicide and euthanasia is removed.  For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.



Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Knights & Ladies Invested


Ancient order welcomes new members
Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, stands with a group of knights and ladies in Holy Rosary Cathedral. Dames Neysa Finnie (left), Lennie David, and Marilyn Martin join Georg Adam, lieutenant of the order's Vancouver lieutenancy; Sir John Paul Sonnen; Msgr. Pedro Lopez-Gallo; Dame Sharon Goh; and Sir Glen Goh. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.
Knights, ladies, and a grand master belonging to an ancient Church order, founded during the First Crusade, welcomed five new members at Holy Rosary Cathedral Oct. 9.  For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Vatican releases details of Pope Francis's visit to Turkey
Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, is seen in this 1998 file photo. Pope Francis will visit the mosque during a trip to Turkey Nov. 28-30. CNS photo / Mehmet Gulbiz, EPA.
In response to an invitation sent by Patriarch Bartolomeo I of Constantinople, Pope Francis will make a three-day trip to Turkey, during which he will visit the cities of Ankara and Istanbul.  For
full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

 
Church pauses to consider family
Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki of Poznan, president of the Polish bishops' conference, greets Pope Francis as they arrive for a session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 7. Archbishop Gadecki told Vatican Radio that the synod's controversial midterm report was not acceptable to many synod fathers and reflected an ideology hostile to marriage. CNS photo / Marcin Mazur.
More than 190 bishops and 60 experts have begun a worldwide conversation about how we live our lives, how we love, how all we are and hope to be continues from generation to generation, from hope to glory, from heart to heart. Now, the bishops say, it’s over to you.  For full story see The B.C. Catholic website. 

Friday, October 17, 2014

Funeral date set for 'bucket list baby'

Parents of terminally-ill, unborn baby created list of things to do with him before his death
Parents Jenna Gassew and Dan Haley hold their son Shayne
just after his birth Oct. 9, 2014. He died a few hours later.

A young Catholic couple from Pennsylvania created a bucket list for their unborn baby after they found out he was diagnosed with anencephaly, a rare and serious birth defect.

Knowing he would only live for a few hours after he was born, Jenna Gassew and Dan Haley attended a hockey game, a country concert, and went to the aquarium doing as many things as they could with him while he was alive. They documented it on a Facebook page that gained almost one million likes:
"You've taught us that life is fragile and that being a family means sticking together. You've given us hope and taught us to appreciate the little things in life. You've made a huge impact on this world and that is more than we could ever ask for," they wrote.
Shayne was born Oct. 9 and died a few hours later. His funeral Mass will be held tomorrow.

Read more here and view photos at Prayers for Shayne.

Friday, October 10, 2014

New Jersey nun steps closer to sainthood

Sister Miriam the first to be beatified in U.S.A.
Cardinal Angelo Amato prays in front of a portrait of Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich
during her beatification Mass in Newark, N.J., Oct. 4. (Photo: Gregory A. Shemitz / CNS)
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart was packed at the celebration of Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich's beatification in Newark, N.J., Oct. 4.
"Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth from Bayonne, was given the title "blessed" in a joyful ceremony conducted in three languages -- English, Latin and Slovak."
Blessed Miriam Teresa died in 1927 at age 26. Read more about her life from the Catholic News Service.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Archbishop visits Deaf community

Father Richard Luberti, CSsR, views confessions, signs penances
Dale Gris (left) and Alessandra Naas, both Deaf Catholics, share a smile at a barbeque at Grace House, the Deaf Catholic centre adjacent to St. Francis de Sales Church in Burnaby. Photo submitted.
Most priests hear confessions; one local priest views them. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Albanian priest waited decades for ordination
Pope Francis embraces Franciscan Father Ernest Troshani during a visit to Tirana, Albania, Sept. 21. Pope Francis wept when he heard the testimony of Father Troshani, 84, who for 28 years was imprisoned, tortured, and sentenced to forced labour for refusing to speak out against the Catholic Church as his captors ordered. CNS photo / L'Osservatore Romano via EPA.
Pope Francis touched on Albania's recent history of religious oppression several times throughout his one-day trip Sept. 21. Albania lived under state-imposed atheism from 1967 to 1991, but priests and other religious leaders began to endure persecution when dictator Enver Hoxha took power in 1946. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Jesuit priest based in Syria urges caution as Canada debates military action
A street in Homs, Syria.
As Canada debated joining the United States and other nations in military intervention to stop ISIS (or ISIL) a Jesuit priest based in Syria urged caution and renewed efforts to find peace. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Knights of Columbus flip hamburgers to feed 1,000

tuesday the 7th
Multi-faceted effort includes Vancouver Community College hairdressers and Ugandan rappers
Peter Cheah, a Knight of Columbus from All Saints Council 5540, puts hamburger patties on the grill while fellow Knight Michael Yeo flips burgers. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.
If Knights of Columbus councils are known for pancake breakfasts, then one has had a culinary makeover. All Saints Knights Council 5540 fired up their barbeques for the homeless in Vancouver's Victory Square Sept. 20. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Faith brings light to hardship, Pope Francis says at children's centre
Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with children assisted by the Bethany Centre and those helped by other charities during an encounter in the church at the Bethany Centre in Tirana, Albania, Sept. 21. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
Pope Francis visited an Albanian centre for abandoned children, emphasizing in his remarks that Christian charity can help bring oneself and others closer to God. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Seminary draws largest numbers in almost 50 years
Adam Rieger, Karl Trautmann, Sedney Polinar and John Duane Carmichael are among 53 seminarians from 12 Western Canadian dioceses studying at St. Joseph Seminary this year, the largest number since the 1960s. Ramon Gonzalez (CCN).
Thanks to prayer and hard work, St. Joseph Seminary is bursting with seminarians this year. Currently 53 seminarians from several Western dioceses are studying for the priesthood at St. Joseph. That's about 10 more than last year. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Artist-monk finishes 7-year work

Father Dunstan Massey, OSB, completes jewelled crucifix
Father Dunstan Massey, OSB, assembles his seven-year project, a new crucifix for the Westminster Abbey church. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic
People of all ages recently gazed up at an awe-inspiring work that took a 90-year-old monk seven years to complete at Westminster Abbey. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Black mass attracts more protesters than Satanists
More than 2,000 Catholics process through the streets of Oklahoma City Sept. 21 as part of a Eucharistic Holy Hour led by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley at St. Francis of Assisi Church. Steve Sisney / Archdiocese of Oklahoma City / CNS.
Throngs of Catholics far outnumbered a gathering of Satanists in Oklahoma City on the day of a hotly contested black mass. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

100,000 blue-and-white flags mark 100,000 annual abortion deaths in Canada
Veteran anti-abortion protestors approved of the flag display. Timmins native Donald Andre Bruneau has been protesting on the Hill every day the House is in session for three years. Father Tony Van Hee is entering his 26th year fasting, praying, and demonstrating on the Hill against abortion.
On Oct. 2, residents of Ottawa and politicians and staff awoke to find 100,00 tiny blue and pink flags planted in the lawn of Parliament Hill, representing the lives lost to abortion each year. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Father Joseph Lee chats all things Korean Catholic

Pastor says parishioners had a discussion, decided to welcome Chaldeans
Father Joseph Lee is proud the Korean Catholic community has opened its arms to Chaldean refugees. Photo submitted.
Father Joseph Lee, the pastor of St. Andrew Kim Parish, has been a leading voice in the Korean Catholic community in Vancouver since 1993. In January his parish welcomed members of the Chaldean Catholic community. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Escalating Hong Kong tensions prod Catholic call for peace
About 100 Catholic youths pray for democracy outside Hong Kong's government headquarters building Sept. 30. Two cardinals in Hong Kong urged the government to solve the present political deadlock after police used force to disperse thousands of unarmed p rotesters who struggled for full democracy in the city. CNS photo / Francis Wong.
The archbishop of Hong Kong has urged a peaceful solution to current pro-democracy protests happening there, encouraging both sides to refrain from violence in getting their point across. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Ottawa archbishop makes visitation of U.S. diocese
Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ, of Ottawa recently made a visitation of the Kansas City diocese to, reports say, examine the leadership of Bishop Robert Finn. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).
Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ, of Ottawa made a visitation of the Kansas City -- St. Joseph diocese in Missouri in September, according to a report in the National Catholic Reporter. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Pope Tawadros II meets local Copts, ecumenical reps

International head of Coptic Orthodox church visits on 50th anniversary of North America mission
Pope Tawadros II gives a homily in Egyptian Arabic during his visit to St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church. Father Bisenty Gerges, a Coptic Orthodox priest, said the pope encouraged the faithful to embrace honesty and avoid hypocrisy. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.
Thick, aromatic smoke filled the air as Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, celebrated a liturgy with local faithful. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Muslims pray for the Pope; security a non-issue
Pope Francis listens as Archbishop Angelo Massafra of Shkoder-Pult, Albania, speaks during a meeting with leaders of other religions at the Catholic University of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tirana, Albania, Sept. 21. Seated next to the Pope is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
In a press briefing Sept. 21 the Vatican's spokesman downplayed worries over Pope Francis's safety in Albania, also noting that Muslims had gathered in an important Tirana mosque to pray for the Pontiff's visit. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Nun speaks on conversion to Spiritual Motherhood of Priests conference
Spiritual Motherhood of Priests co-founders Maria Nicastro and Maria Pirrone with Sister Ann Shields at a Sept. 27 conference for women who intercede in prayer for the sanctification of priests. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).
Sister Ann Shields, host of the popular radio program "Food for the Journey," spoke on conversion of mind and heart at the annual conference of the "Spiritual Motherhood of Priests" movement Sept. 27. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Put your gifts at the service of others, Pope Francis exhorts

Pontiff draws attention to 'the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit'
A Swiss Guard keeps watch as Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience in St. Peter's Square. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
Pope Francis dedicated his weekly general audience to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, saying that rather than making us better than others, they commission us to serve our brothers and sisters. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Hundreds join Ottawa's first anti-human-trafficking Freedom Walk
Hundreds participate in Ottawa's first Freedom Walk to highlight efforts against human trafficking. Photo by Paul Lauzon, Campaign Life Coalition.
Several hundred marchers participated in Ottawa's first fundraising Freedom Walk Sept. 27 to raise awareness of the fight against human trafficking. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Rules for commenting

Posts and comments to The Busy Catholic must be marked by Christian charity and respect for the truth. They should be on topic and presume the good will of other contributors. Discussion should take place primarily from a faith perspective. We reserve the right to end discussion on any topic any time we feel the discussion is no longer productive.