"We weren't merely guests in their home, but felt like we were meant to be there."
World Youth Day pilgrims from Vancouver pictured with the children from the slums. Photo credit: vanwyd.
World Youth Day pilgrims from Vancouver had the opportunity to grow in spirit with The Sisters of the Carmelite Mission, and the children of the favelas. A pilgrim from Star of the Sea Parish wrote a reflection about her time there:
Today has been the definition of bittersweet. We are currently on our way from Missionary Week in Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro for WYD. While we are excited for all of the events in Rio and anxious to see what this week holds for each of us, the past week with our new family at Santa Zita parish has been one of the most amazing experiences of our lives. From the moment we arrived last Tuesday, we were welcomed with wide open arms and extreme joy.
The Sisters of the Carmelite Mission made their house a home away from home for us. We weren't merely guests in their home, but felt like we were meant to be there.
You can read her entire article on the VanWYD blog.
Staggering decrease in Brazilians who identify with being Catholic
Pilgrims carry a cross to the altar during a Mass at the close of World Youth Day's missionary week in Nilopolis, Brazil, July 21. The prelude to the World Youth Day main events gave pilgrims from outside Brazil a chance to take part in local spiritual, mission and cultural activities. CNS photo / Tyler Orsburn
Brazil has been known to be a country with many Catholics, so it should be shocking to see the data of a poll about their Catholic demographic having the stilts kicked out of its once tall figures. By only a little over a decade, the percentage of Brazilians who identified with being Catholic dropped about 30 percent, according to an article by the Wall Street Journal. In a 1990 census, the figure was over 90 percent. In 1994, it was 75 percent. Now, it is only 57 percent.
Evangelical Protestant groups have made big inroads, and the country has become more secular amid economic growth. A Datafolha poll released Sunday showed that 57% of Brazilians call themselves Catholic today, compared with 75% in 1994.
"It's a bit strange for someone my age to go to Mass—all I see are old people," said Luisa Marazzi, a 16-year-old Brazilian Catholic who made a 10-hour road trip with her father to Rio for the event. "The problem has been the lack of young leaders, and even the language they use in church, sometimes it's hard to understand."
This information is part of a larger story on the importance of Pope Francis' visit to Brazil and its effect on the future of the Church. The Wall Street Journal has the full story.
Damaged
belongings cleared from homes sit on the street after severe
flooding by the Bow and Elbow Rivers in Calgary, Alta., June 24. Premier Alison Redford called it the worst flooding in the
province's history and said rebuilding
could take 10 years. CNS photo / Andy Clark, Reuters.
For the last couple of weeks, Alberta's land and water have all shifted in different directions, and the province's luck has only gone down, with the recent Canadian Pacific Railway bridge failure in Calgary on June 27.
There were no casualties because there was no explosion from the flammable cargo on the train, and evacuation plans were carried out swiftly, according to CBC. Instead, there were only headaches from CP Railway employees, government officials, and people stuck in traffic.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the most upsetting development in recent train related news.
A train derailed in Lac-Mégantic, Que., exploding and causing a number of civilian casualties.
The death toll has been rising since the explosion on July 5.
Pope Francis sent a special apostolic blessing to all those affected by the explosion at Lac-Mégantic. In the face of these tragedies, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has reached out to the dioceses of Canada in a letter sent out on July 8 for prayers and financial contributions.
A bad egg cracks the relationship between Poland and Ukraine further
A man presses an egg to Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski’s shoulder
during his visit to Lutsk in this video screen shot. Photo credit: Zik TV.
A 21-year-old Ukrainian man broke an egg on the jacket of Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, who was in the Ukrainian city of Lutsk to honour the lives of tens of thousands of fellow Poles who were killed in World War II by Ukrainian nationalists.
The incident left Myroslav Marynovych, Vice Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, and a former prisoner of the Gulag, with a "stirred conscience." It compelled him to write a letter of apology to the Polish president.
You came to our land as a pilgrim, who in prayer paid tribute to the
victims of the fratricidal conflict. Pilgrims are to be blessed and
received kindly, not offended.
You delicately crafted the political focus of your visit to fulfill
your civic duty to your people and at the same time not to hurt the
feelings of the Ukrainian people. For this, one must be thanked and
honored, not stained.
Attempt at chastisement lands a Pakistani Christian man a life term
In a separate case, neighbours and members of the media gather in front of the house of a Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy. CNS photo / Faisal Mahmood, Reuters.
A Christian man in Punjab has been sentenced to a life term after sending blasphemous text messages using his wife's phone to Muslim clerics of Gojra.
According to The Indian Express, Masih's wife had contracted a marriage with a man in the UK, and to teach her a lesson, Masih tried to make her look like a blasphemer.
Father Comerford gives a talk highlighting the importance of chastity
Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington addresses young adults May 7 during a Theology on Tap talk at Buffalo Billiards pub in Washington. Locally, one Catholic group gathered at a pub for a Theology-On-Tap-style discussion on same-sex attraction. Theology on Tap is an informal get-together aimed at Catholic young adults.CNS photo / Michael Hoyt, Catholic Standard.
Earlier in July, I wrote an article on a pub talk on same-sex attraction hosted by Catholic After Hours at the St. Regis Bar and Grill.
The Church calls people with same-sex attraction (SSA) to live chaste lives, explained Father William "Bill" Comerford,
CSsR, the chaplain of a Courage chapter in Vancouver, when he gave a
talk about SSA June 9.
"People with same-sex attraction should pray, be companions, be friends,
and go to Mass."
Group of young people devote their summer to a noble trek across the nation
Members of Crossroads USA. CNS photo / Bob Roller
A group of college students involved with Crossroads Canada are spending their summer unemployed, but having the opportunity to walk across Canada for the awareness of an important human right is worth the mild financial disparity.
Swayed by the pro-life movement, Ian Gallagher, 23, is leading a group of young people on a mission across the True North, to spark debate and raise awareness for the right to life.
In an article by LifeSiteNews.com, Gallagher is interviewed on his motivations for participating in his cross-country adventure:
LSN: What made you want to embark on this walk across Canada?
Gallagher: I have been interested in Crossroads the past few years
while attending Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, from which many of the
walkers come. However, I originally planned to work this summer at home
in Ottawa, but it fell through. Not knowing quite what I was going to
do, I considered going out to work in the Alberta oil patch. Then I
talked to a friend (who is on our team) about doing Crossroads Canada.
What has been the hardest aspect of your journey thus far?
One would think that the hardest part of our journey is the opposition
we face. But actually the hardest part of the journey is keeping our
constant focus on our mission, which is to change hearts and save
lives.
The reason why it’s hard is due to the devil’s traps. He seeks always
to stop us from our activities by causing us difficulties of all kinds.
We feel the presence of evil constantly, whether while walking, driving,
or praying in front of abortion clinics.
A boy displays an artillery shell and other metal items he collected at a village in Buong Tam, Vietnam. CNS photo / Tran Van Giao, UCAN.
For almost two decades, Father Tien Tran, pastor of All Saints Parish in Coquitlam, has been conducting medical mission trips to Vietnam to aid poor patients in remote villages.
The Vietnamese priest is joined by a team consisting of hundreds of doctors, dentists, and volunteers in his humanitarian travels to Vietnam. "We see about 500 to 800 patients a day, depending on the size of the team," said Father Tran in an article by The B.C. Catholic.
Father Tran, and Father Joseph Le, who has also been on the mission, will be presenting on the subject at St. Mary's Church on July 20 and 21 during Mass, to gather more support.
St. Josemaria Escriva showed Gospel's beauty to 'tepid believers to live in the joy of faith'
Anne Marie Abraham wrote a story in the July 1 B.C. Catholic about the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva:
One man recently travelled a long way to participate in the Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Edward Mungai, a business teacher at the University of Strathmore in Nairobi, Kenya, flew all the way to Vancouver to celebrate the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer.
"I have a lot of respect for St. Josemaria," said Mungai. The university he works at was founded by Opus Dei missionaries sent to Kenya by St. Josemaria, the founder of the Catholic institution, to establish the first multicultural college in Kenya.
Mungai, who came to take up a position as visiting business professor at the University of British Columbia until December, arrived in Vancouver the day of the celebration.
For the full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.
Pope Francis's decree further highlights the importance of the Holy Family's protector
Statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child. CNS Photo / Ambria Hammel, Catholic Sun.
Under Pope Francis's authority, the Holy See has decreed the inclusion of St. Joseph in the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass.
Published on June 19, the Decree "Paternas vices," or "Fatherly care," states the name of St. Joseph will be used in Eucharistic Prayers II, III, and IV after the name of the Virgin Mary.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has posted the full details on their website.
Ancient tournament splinters shins for the fourth consecutive century
YouTube credit: bbclive1000
After determinedly swinging straw-padded legs at each other's straw-padded legs, the competitors in the 401st Shin-Kicking Championships probably came out fairly contused.
Of course, it's the result to be expected of a tournament consisting of smashing bone, muscle, and straw together.
Lego's choice to name a bandit-figurine 'Jesus' miffs one parent
CNS file photo / Warner Bros. Interactive
While reading Lego Club Magazine, Winnie Koch's 8-year-old son pointed out to her that Lego's Stagecoach Escape play set has a mini-figurine bandit named Jesus.
Koch was surprised.
"I was astounded to find out that Lego will use the Holy Name of Jesus, ignoring all Catholics and Christians, as a robber/thief," Koch said in an email. "I have written to Lego but haven't heard back."
Bringing children closer to the 'beauty of creativity' with an Italian train trip
Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, presented the initiative "Children's Train: A Journey Through Beauty" at a press conference in the Holy See Press Office on June 18. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
The initiative put forward by Cardinal Ravasi involves a train trip to be made by 450 children from different countries. Teachers, family members, and volunteers will also be joining the children on the trip made available by the Italian Railway System. The train will depart from Milan on June 23, and make stops in Bologna, Florence, and finally arrive at the Vatican train station, where Pope Francis will meet those aboard.
Boy goes for a spin after the Pope's Wednesday audience
Pope Francis greets Alberto di Tullio, 17, after letting him sit in the popemobile chair during the general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican June 19. Di Tullio, who has Down syndrome, was treated to a literal spin in the popemobile when the Pope turned the youth around in the white papal chair. CNS photo / Paul Haring.
Tens of thousands of people watched as Pope Francis invited 17-year-old Alberto di Tullio for a literal spin in the white chair of the open-top Mercedes, according to a story by The Globe and Mail from The Associated Press.
Refurbished website yields new statistics and witness accounts
The banner for LifeCanada's 2013 campaign.
LifeCanada'snew campaign for 2013 is spearheaded by the re-launch of the website, abortionincanada.ca.
LifeCanada states the website "is one of the most comprehensive sites covering almost every aspect of
abortion, including funding, methods, public opinion, and statistics. It
has become a top hit for searches on abortion, garnering some 150,000
unique visitors every year."
The website, rechristened on May 9, now features updated statistics on abortion, witness accounts (with accompanying videos), and more.
“LifeCanada has chosen to use this already well-visited site as an outreach to women who might be in a state of indecision about their pregnancies,” said Natalie Sonnen, the executive director of LifeCanada, in a press release. “Apart from the current and accurate statistical information that we present, we also felt the need to reach these women with messages of hope. It is not easy to find positive messages in a culture that so readily promotes abortion as the only option for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies.”
The new campaign's theme is "You'll never regret loving this much."
The Archbishop of Cologne suggests an alternative to Germany's waning numbers
Cardinal Joachim Meisner said that German women should have children to address Germany's "demographic crisis", in a story by The National Post. CNS file photo/Chaz Muth
In
a story in The National Post, Cardinal Meisner criticized German
Chancellor Angela Merkel for presenting immigration as the answer to
Germany's lack of population.
Cardinal Joachim Meisner compared Angela Merkel’s government’s family
policies to Communist East Germany, where, he said, women who stayed at
home were considered “demented.”
Germany, which has the lowest birth rate in Europe, is seeking more
workers from crisis-hit countries, including Spain, to solve its
shortage of skilled labour.
Video footage during a Sunday Mass raises questions
Video screenshot of what has been described as an exorcism. The Associated Press.
Pipe organs and gasping can be heard in the footage captured at the Vatican by Italian TV station TV2000; the video depicts Pope Francis laying his hands on the head of a young man in a wheelchair.
The Italian media, and media corporations worldwide, have made it seem as if Pope Francis was performing an exorcism. Though it may look like one, according to the Vatican the Pope didn't perform any kind of exorcism. The video begins with Pope Francis shaking hands with a young man in a wheelchair, with his other hand on the young man’s head. Five seconds later, Pope Francis places both hands on the young man’s head, and the young man's mouth gapes wide as he gasps, convulses, and finally droops in his chair. "As he frequently does with the sick and the suffering who come his way, he intended simply to pray for a suffering person who had been brought before him," said Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, the Vatican spokesman, in a statement to Vatican Radio on May 21.
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