Archbishop to ordain four deacons

Men expect to eventually become priests

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, will ordain Davide Lanzani (left) Larry Lynn, Mark McGuckin, and Lucio Choi to the transitional diaconate May 15 in Holy Rosary Cathedral. facebook.com/vocationsvancouver.

Four men on the path to the priesthood are about to become deacons. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


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March for Life in Rome draws 40,000 participants

Tens of thousands of pro-life demonstrators took part in the third annual national March for Life in Rome in 2013. CNS photo / Robert Duncan.

One of tens of thousands of people to take to the streets of Rome for this year's March for Life, Mary Rathke is living proof that those conceived in rape deserve life, and not abortion. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Group appeals for donations for Nepal

A woman places flowers on a memorial May 7 for those who died in the April 25 earthquake in Nepal. Narendra Shrestha / EPA / CNS.

Local Catholics are being called on to help victims struggling to cope with the effects of a devastating earthquake in Nepal. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Knights to open ultrasound clinic in B.C.

104th state convention includes cheques to each diocese for vocations

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, presents the award for District Deputy of the Year to Knight of Columbus Wladek Olesiak (far right) with wife Zofia (second from right). Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.

The outgoing head of an order of 11,400 Catholic gentlemen in B.C. and the Yukon announced a watershed moment for the promotion of life. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


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Ireland prepares for marriage referendum

Irish Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin arrives for the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 8. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Both Pope Francis's clear affirmation of marriage as a union of a man and a woman and his efforts to reach out to those who reject this are vital for Christians in the gay marriage debate, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin said on May 6. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Aboriginal woman talks about murdered daughter

Pauline Muskego

The grief and trauma experienced by families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls was poignantly described during a church event held recently in Saskatoon. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Bishop's family recalls 'humble shepherd of the Lord'

Gerry Roussin remembers his older brother, who left Manitoba to dedicate himself to a life of service

In this 2004 file photo, the Roussin family gather for Archbishop Roussin's installation in Vancouver, from left: the archbishop's brother Gerry, his wife Diane, the archbishop's sister Lucille, her husband Patrick Lang. BCC file photo.

Archbishop Emeritus Raymond Roussin, SM, kept close to his family, and his legacy is one of faith and witness. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Doctors praise reversal kit for abortion drug RU-486

Father Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life in the U.S., poses with Chris Caicedo, Andrea Minichini, and their son Gabriel Caicedo after a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington Feb. 23. Priests for Life / CNS.

Distressed women who take abortion drug RU-486 and change their minds have a chance to save their unborn babies, according to a group of U.S. doctors. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Pharmacist prescribes ethical infertility treatment

Couples who want children and can't seem to get pregnant need a cure, not in-vitro fertilization, says pharmacist Maria Bizecki. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Late archbishop remembered as courageous leader

Archbishop Raymond Roussin carried crosses of closing a diocese, financial strife, and illness

Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM, gives a lesson to children at St. Patrick's Elementary School in 2006. He was the head of the Vancouver archdiocese from 2004 until he retired in 2009. BCC file photo.

The Marianist Archbishop of Vancouver from 2004 to 2009 has died at age 75. For full story
 see The B.C. Catholic website.


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Pope says marriage is a participation in the Church's mission

Pope Francis smiles as he plays with a basketball next to a members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square May 6. CNS photo / L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters.

Marriage is more than the wedding ceremony, the flowers, the dress, the photos, Pope Francis said in his weekly general audience: it is a participation in the Church's mission. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


ARPA seeks true abortion stats

A sign and small wooden crosses with U.S. flags are seen in a field near Jesus the Divine Word Church in Huntington, Md., in 2011, for Respect Life Month. A similar display was placed in front of the Ontario legislature. CNS photo / Bob Roller.

With 100,000 pink and blue flags littered across the front lawn of Queen's Park representing Canada's annual abortion toll, a blogger and a Protestant civil rights organization announced a constitutional challenge to Ontario freedom of information laws that keep all abortion statistics secret. For full story
 see The B.C. Catholic website.

Kick off your Sunday shoes at Notre Dame!

1980s musical Footloose to grace Vancouver high school stage

Notre Dame students prepare to channel their inner Kenny Loggins.
(Photo submitted)

What happens when you combine eager drama students with a villainous preacher who hates dancing? Footloose!

The musical about an outsider from Chicago who moves to a small midwestern town starts May 6 at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School. Show times are as follows:

May 6: 7:30 p.m.

May 7: 12:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

May 8 & 9: 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15. For tickets, contact Catrina Centanni, 604-255-5454.

Vatican releases Jubilee of Mercy logo and motto

Image of Good Shepherd unveiled at press conference

The Jubilee of Mercy logo features Christ carrying a lost soul back to the Father.
(Vatican handout) 

Now available for curious Catholics: the logo and motto for the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy which will start Dec 8.. The logo was displayed for the first time May 5, along with the motto, "Merciful Like The Father."

For more on the Jubilee of Mercy, only the 30th jubilee year in the Church's history, click here.

Archdiocesan office offers youth scholarships

Two $500 prizes are available for post-secondary education

A group of youngsters watch the Men in Black soccer game at Archbishop Carney Regional High School May 2.
(Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic)

Perhaps one of the students above will win one of the Youth and Youth Adult Ministry (OYYAM) scholarship. Two $500 prizes are up for grabs but you only have until May 15 to apply.

In order to apply, you must fulfill the following criteria:

1.  A practicing Catholic in Grade 12.
2.  Live in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
3.  Participate in your parish and/or archdiocesan youth ministry.

Have all of those checked off? If your answer is "Yes," then for more details, click here.

Memorial Mass to be said for Archbishop Roussin

Vancouver's Holy Rosary Cathedral to be the site for prayer

Graham Osborne / Special to The B.C. Catholic.

In a communique to the people of Vancouver, Pope Francis recalled with gratitude the service of Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM, to God's people. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


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Belgian euthanasia rates rise: report

An aerial view shows visitors looking at the Tower of London's poppy installation in London Nov. 4. Poppies are a symbol of Flanders, Belgium, where they grow "row on row" between the rows of the dead in the Second World War. CNS photo / Hannah McKay, EPA.

Flanders, Belgium, has surpassed the Netherlands in its rate of euthanasia. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows 4.6 per cent of all people whose lives ended in Flanders in 2013 died by euthanasia. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Campaign to focus on assisted suicide

Angela Franks says the contraceptive culture treats female fertility as a problem, rather than a fact. Now the culture is seeing the trials of old age and illness as a problem rather than an opportunity for personal growth and to do good. Deborah Gyapong / CCN.

A second wave of postcards about assisted suicide may be on its way to government, thanks to a campaign promoted by the country's bishops. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

ARCHBISHOP RAYMOND ROUSSIN, SM

Prelate, born in 1939, dies in 2015

"My dream is that all of us, in our schools, parishes, and institutions, will continue to invite Christ to the heart of our lives. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

MaterCare to sponsor another Rome conference

Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, greets attendees at a 2011 international conference on women's health care and the dignity of motherhood sponsored by MaterCare International. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Physicians from around the world are preparing to meet in Rome over the right to act according to their consciences. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide consultations to start soon

Justice Minister Peter MacKay.

As the federal government is poised to begin consultations on euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation, various pro-life individuals and anti-euthanasia groups are staking out their positions. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Student purifies heart in honest confession

Shelly Clemente sheds tears, goes on emotional roller coaster during unforgettable evening

David Mora Perea, a youth ministry coordinator at St. Joseph's Parish in Mission, shares his testimony March 13. Derek Juneson / Special to The B.C. Catholic.

Is sharing your innermost and darkest secrets with someone you have just met on your list of to-do's? Probably not, especially if would rather hide your mistakes instead of seeking forgiveness. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

God has not abandoned us, bishop says after volcano eruption

The lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii is seen crossing a road in this October 2014 photo. Now Mount Calbuco in Chile is erupting. CNS photo / Reuters.

Facing devastation from the unexpected eruption of the Calbuco volcano in southern Chile, Archbishop Cristian Caro of Puerto Montt, one of the areas at risk, reminded the faithful not to lose hope. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Sun News fades to black

Faith Goldy and Ezra Levant were commentators for the network.

Sun News Network went off the air Feb. 13. The fledgling network had broadcast for almost four years, giving Canadians a different perspective on the news. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

PREP teacher races to raise funds

Marivic Cregan will run marathon for Domestic Abuse Services

Marivic Cregan, seen at the 2014 Vancouver Rock 'n' Roll half marathon, will lace up for the BMO Vancouver marathon May 3. "I couldn't even run for 30 seconds," she recalled of her first day of training in 2006. Richard Prill / Special to The B.C. Catholic.

A PREP coordinator at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Burnaby is running to raise money. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Antoni Gaudi's basilica inspires conversions

An interior view of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, taken in 2012. CNS photo / Albert Gea, Reuters.

Though the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi died nearly 90 years ago and his best-known work remains under construction, the beauty of the Sagrada Familia basilica continues to draw people to Christ. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Mexican mother testifies on Hill about 43 'disappeared' students

The caravan stopped at the Quebec National Assembly where they displayed pictures of the missing students. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).

The mother of one of 43 students who disappeared from a teacher-training college in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, testified April 28 on Parliament Hill about widespread human rights abuses in Mexico. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Theologians call for ecumenical efforts

No one is exempt from working for Christian unity: Abbot Braganza

Abbot John Braganza, OSB (left), gives a lesson on ecumenical dialogue at the Spring Institute April 11. Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.

Jesus prayed before His arrest that His people "may be one." Catholics should pay attention, say ecumenical dialogue experts. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Young people avoid marriage, fearing failure

Pope Francis holds a drone during an audience with members of Christian Life Community in Paul VI hall at the Vatican April 30. CNS photo / L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters.

With the number of children raised in broken families on the rise, young people view marriage as a path to failure. Now Pope Francis says it's time for Christians to restore faith in the family. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Now is the time of mercy, Father Gaitley says

Father Michael Gaitley speaks on Divine Mercy at the New Evangelization Summit April 25. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).

Now is the time of mercy, Father Michael Gaitley, author of Consoling the Heart of Jesus and 33 Days to Morning Glory, told the New Evangelization Summit here April 25. For full story
 see The B.C. Catholic website.

Archbishop Roussin's death saddens Pope Francis

Late prelate served in Vancouver for five years

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, received a letter expressing the Holy Father's condolences to after the death of Archbishop Emeritus Raymond Roussin, SM.

"To all who mourn Archbishop Roussin's passing, especially his family and his confreres in the Society of Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and strength in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Archbishop Roussin passed away April 24 at the age of 75. Keep an eye out on the next issue of The B.C. Catholic for memories written by locals who knew him.

The Funeral Mass will be held May 2 at St. Boniface Cathedral in Winnipeg. The Archdiocese of Vancouver will hold a Memorial Mass to honour his legacy May 8 at 12:10 at Holy Rosary Cathedral.

Scott Hahn speaks at New Evangelization Summit

Conversion is life-long process, convert explains

Author and theologian Scott Hahn speaks on conversion as a lifelong process at the New Evangelization Summit in Ottawa April 24. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).

Before Scott Hahn became a Catholic he was familiar with ways to bring people to Christ but now he sees conversion as a life-long process he told the New Evangelization Summit here April 24. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Dialogue with Islam possible, and desperately needed, Vatican says

People hold a banner during an October 2014 demonstration in Berlin against the Islamic State militant group, known as ISIS. Muslim leaders worldwide issued a stern rebuke at that time to ISIS. CNS photo / Hannibal Hanschke, Reuters.

Amid continued violence by ISIS and other militant Islamist groups, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued a declaration stressing that dialogue with Islam must be sought "now more than ever." For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Elderly can ward off dementia: neurologist

More than 15,000 B.C. residents are diagnosed with dementia every year, and the number is likely to keep growing, according to health-care consultant MaryLou Harrigan. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Project Advance launches 2015 campaign

Leader wants five per cent increase in participation

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, greets members of organizations that will receive Project Advance funds: Sig Stark (left) and Scott Barber of L'Arche, Chris McKinnon of Signal Hill Life Education Society, Maureen Fadum and (far right) Della Oberhoffner of Domestic Abuse Services, Sharon and Dan Dobin of Sancta Maria House. Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic.

For 30 years Carrie Tinson has diligently counselled her fellow parishioners to give to the annual fundraising campaign of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Pope speaks on ISIS killings

Coptic Orthodox priests in Amman, Jordan, remember 21 Egyptian Christians beheaded by Islamic State militants in Libya, where the Egyptian nationals had been working. CNS photo / Jamal Nasrallah, EPA.

Pope Francis voiced his distress at the news of a reported mass execution of Ethiopian Christians in Libya at the hands of ISIS, pleading that their deaths may not go ignored. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

New Evangelization Summit reaches 3,000

Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ, of Ottawa, and Mission of the Redeemer Ministries co-founder Michael Dopp, who organized the event, shared a letter from Pope Francis extending his Apostolic Blessing. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).

The first New Evangelization Summit (NES) here April 24-25 reached more than 3,000 people across North America through top Catholic speakers who shared the urgent need to evangelize. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Faithful prepare for Eucharistic Congress in Cebu

Mayor in the Philippines hopes Pope Francis will attend, asks city to prepare for massive crowds

Neil Frank Ferrer (third from left), consul general of the Philippines in Vancouver, meets with the archdiocesan Eucharistic Congress planning committee. Photo submitted.

A country rocked by a series of natural disasters is preparing to host millions of Catholics celebrating the source and summit of Christian life. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


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Nigerian bishop says rosary will bring down Boko Haram

A victim of a bomb blast at UN offices in Abuja, Nigeria, is loaded into an ambulance after a car rammed into the building. Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri, Nigeria, recently said the government should empower youths to help prevent the myriad of problems that lead to such violence. CNS photo / Afolabi Sotunde, Reuters.

A Nigerian bishop says that he has seen Christ in a vision and now knows that the rosary is the key to ridding the country of the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Sex-ed opponents call for student strike

Parents rally outside Queen's Park after the release of Ontario's sex-ed curriculum. Some parents plan to take their kids out of school May 4-8 in protest of the curriculum. Evan Boudreau / The Catholic Register / (CCN).

A parent group is calling for children to be pulled out of school during Education Week in Ontario to protest the province's new sexual education curriculum. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Exodus is at the heart of vocations: Pope

Holy Father releases message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Novices look on as Pope Francis meets with those discerning vocations during an audience in 2013.
The 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations was celebrated that year.
(Photo: Tony Gentile, Reuters / CNS)

This Sunday, the Catholic Church remembers religious people in a special way. Pope Francis has released his message for the 52nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

"To offer one’s life in mission is possible only if we are able to leave ourselves behind. On this 52nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, I would like reflect on that particular 'exodus' which is the heart of vocation, or better yet, of our response to the vocation God gives us.

When we hear the word 'exodus,' we immediately think of the origins of the amazing love story between God and his people, a history which passes through the dramatic period of slavery in Egypt, the calling of Moses, the experience of liberation and the journey toward the Promised Land.

The Book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible, which recounts these events is a parable of the entire history of salvation, but also of the inner workings of Christian faith."

He goes on to say that the vocation of a Christian is one of love, of letting go of oneself, and of deeper discovery of God. Read the full text of his message here.

St. Patrick's Parish seeks to sponsor refugees

Potluck dinner raises funds to resettle two families

Photo by George Bernemann / Special to The B.C. Catholic

The Middle East is facing an ongoing crisis, and members of a parish in Maple Ridge have found a way to respond.

Parishioners at St. Patrick's held a potluck dinner April 11 to bring two Catholic refugee families to Canada. Organizer Gloria Tam said over $8,000 was raised for the cause.

Photo by George Bernemann / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Photo by George Bernemann / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Photo by George Bernemann / Special to The B.C. Catholic

Parishioners are now waiting to find out more about the families they hope to sponsor.

Vancouver hospital chaplain witnesses miracles

Canossian Sister Cecilia Cham has spent nearly a quarter century serving the sick and dying

Sister Cecilia Cham, FdCC, started serving at Vancouver General Hospital April 23, 1991. She has consoled countless patients in the last 24 years. "When I see them, I remember our Jesus saying, 'When I was sick, you visited Me.'" Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic.

A humble Chinese sister is starting her 25th year of consoling people in some of their most vulnerable moments. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

HHS mandate loses again

Bishop Lawrence T. Persico of Erie, Pa., in 2012. His diocese will benefit from the latest HHS ruling. CNS photo / courtesy Diocese of Erie.

The U.S. Supreme Court has continued its trend of decisions stopping enforcement of a federal contraception mandate against religious employers with moral objections. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

CNEWA Canada marks 10th anniversary

Msgr. John Kozar, president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and Bishop Lionel Gendron of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, Que., celebrate Mass at St. Charbel convent in Annaya, Lebanon, Jan. 19. CNS photo / John Kozar, courtesy CNEWA.

As CNEWA (Catholic Near East Welfare Association) Canada marks its 10th anniversary this year, it has made an urgent appeal for continued help imperiled families in Iraq and Syria. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Francis continues his ongoing catechesis on the family

Men and women complete each other; there's no other option, Pope says

Pope Francis prepares to greet a woman lying on a bed while greeting the disabled during his general audience in St. Peter's Square. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Pope Francis said marriage is a vocation all believers are called to defend, specifically the complementarity of the union between a man and a woman. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.


Also newly posted:

Iconographer Frank Turner took up the craft in 1980s, considers his work a spiritual struggle
A unique icon of St. Elias hangs above the tabernacle in a Melkite Catholic church built of cinderblocks in Abra, Lebanon. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Budget 2015 maps out Tory vision for the middle class

Finance Minister Joe Oliver presented his first budget April 21. Deborah Gyapong (CCN).

The federal 2015 budget is an election document that sets out its vision for the middle class, but a social justice think tank say it does little to address poverty or climate change. For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.