"Come and be healed by the power of God" at Our Lady of Mercy

Healing prayer service to be held Oct. 11

The Blessed Sacrament will be present at the service.

Our Lady of Mercy parish in Burnaby invites all those in need of special prayers to attend a healing prayer service Oct.11, following the 5 p.m. Mass.

This service is sponsored by the Mustard Seed Prayer Group Healing Ministry, and will feature the exposition and procession of the Blessed Sacrament. The parish calls anyone to attend; whether it is you or someone you love who needs to be healed, you are encouraged to come and let God "renew your mind, body, and spirit".

The Mustard Seed Prayer Group holds a healing service at Our Lady of Mercy on the 2nd Saturday of every month. For more information, contact Cecilia (604-239-0556) or Gina (604-522-5487).

Walk for a cause: Talitha Koum Society's 'Walk for Freedom 2014'

Funds raised will benefit women struggling with addiction

The walk will take place around the perimeter of the beautiful Burnaby Central Park, pictured here.

The CWL of St. Mary's Parish will join forces with the Talitha Koum Society Sept. 21 to host the "Walk for Freedom", an event which will support the rehabilitation of women fighting substance abuse and violence.

Talitha Koum is an organization that operates spiritual 'safe houses', where women dealing with addiction and the trauma of abuse can get the help they need to do so. Staff at the Talitha Koum houses are often graduates of their program who use their firsthand experience with these issues to offer support to the residents.

The "Walk for Freedom" will be held at Burnaby Central Park's Lohn Perennial Garden from 1-3 p.m. Registration fee is $10, and forms can be obtained by emailing Teresa Lung (Teresa.lung@telus.net) or Sister Denece (dbillesberger@shaw.ca)

New website gets to the 'crux' of Catholicism

Boston Globe Media site looks at faith in a modern light

A recently released website called 'Crux' aims to provide an online space for both Catholics and non-Catholics to sound off on issues related to the faith.

The Boston Globe Media initiative looks at Catholicism from a modern perspective by sharing news straight from the Vatican. It also details the stories of Catholics and their roles in events happening around the globe, thus attempting to interpret the role that Catholicism plays in our world today.

Browse titles like: "NY cardinal says Pope Francis has given church a 'facelift,'" "BC study says Latinos are key to future of US Catholicism," and "Seasons of Life." 

The B.C. Catholic's Culture of Life week

Articles dealing with pro-life issues lead up to the March for Life rally May 10

You won't hear about this from the mainstream media, but May is a big month for Canada's pro-life movement. Starting today, May 4, The B.C. Catholic will feature an article relating to The Culture of Life in anticipation for the March for Life rally, May 10 in Victoria. Alistair Burns starts the week off detailing some of the plans the Archdiocese of Vancouver has for the province's pro-life gathering:

MLAs at the B.C. legislature will soon have some company speaking up for life. On May 10 the fifth annual March for Life will bring Catholics together from all over the province.

Michele Smillie, coordinator of the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, says groups from as far north as Prince George will be joining others from Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. Ten buses packed with students will also sail on the 9 o'clock "pro-life ferry" headed for Swartz Bay.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.

Archdiocese of Vancouver launches earthquake plan

The Archdiocese of Vancouver is starting a co-ordinated assessment of its school and church properties to see how prepared staff, students and buildings are for an earthquake.

"We can't take chances and hope the buildings are sound," Vancouver Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, said. "Lives could depend on whether we approach this assessment in a coordinated way."

Bishop Monroe video

Now there is video coverage of the Bishop Monroe story.  Go to The B.C. Catholic website and click on Daily Perspectives for October 26 in the Salt + Light mediaplayer.  At about 2:16 the broadcaster begins the Bishop Monroe story.  The B.C. Catholic also has updated story on the situation and it will be up today.

Bishop Monroe shares a smile after his Episcopal Ordination in 2002.

Oops! Sorry

OOPS! We apologize for our error in the Oct. 25 issue: Father Joseph Nguyen is the Vocations Director of the archdiocese; Father Wilfred Gomes is the pastor of St. Andrew's Parish.

Odds favour an Italian Pope

Pope Bono: 1000/1 longshot

Ireland’s largest bookmaker is betting that the next Pope will be an Italian, following Pope Benedict XVI’s appointment of 24 new cardinals this week.

Paddy Power makes an Italian its 7/4 favourite to succeed Pope Benedict as the 266th Pope when the time comes. The updated odds stem from the news that 10 of the new cardinals are Italian, and 25 of the 120 voting-age cardinals will be Italian.

Italians held the papacy for 455 years until the election of Poland's John Paul II in 1978, followed by the German-born Benedict in 2005.

Despite the pro-Italian odds, Nigerian Cardinal Francis Arinze is still the overall frontrunner at 2/1. Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec is pegged at 40/1.

And in case you were wondering, U2's Bono is the 1000/1 rank outsider. As Paddypower admits, "While the odds look stacked against the Irishman it is worth remembering that technically any unmarried Catholic man could be chosen as the next Pope!"

The 24 new cardinals will receive their red berettas and rings Nov. 20 in Rome.

24 new cardinals named by Pope Benedict XVI

Image via Wikipedia

Pope Benedict XVI has named 24 new cardinals, including two from the United States: Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, head of the Vatican's highest tribunal, and Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington. The Pope announced the names at the end of his weekly general audience today and said he would formally install the cardinals during a special consistory at the Vatican Nov. 20.

Memorial Mass for Pre-born Babies, Infants and Children

This Wednesday, October 20th, a Mass for families who wish to remember children and infants, as well as pre-born babies who have died during pregnancy due to ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and stillbirth. This Mass will be celebrated in memory of all children who have died to foster hope, healing and support within our community.  Prayers will also be included for couples who are currently trying to conceive and those struggling with infertility.  All are welcome.

The Mass will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Surrey at 7p.m. and Rosary at 6:30 p.m.

     

O Brother, where art thou?

Br. André (photo from Wikipedia)

This Sunday, October 17th, Salt + Light Television will have FREE live streaming of the canonization of Br. André Bessette. Check out the schedule for coverage times.

Also, Saint Joseph's Oratory, Salt + Light Catholic Media Foundation and the archdioceses of Montreal and Quebec have created a blog dedicated to the first Canadian-born male saint.

Sacred arts come to St. Jude's

The Epiphany Sacred Arts Guild will host their biennial art exhibition called Beauty At the Service of Truth at St. Jude's Church, 3078 Renfrew St. on Oct. 16-24, from 9-4 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Saturdays and Sundays.  Father Lawrence Donnelly will bless the exhibit at 9 a.m. on the opening day.

Remembering service Oct. 15

Outdoor ceremony for grieving parents

A bereaved mother prays at her infant son's grave in Rachel's Garden.  Not all families can visit the resting place of their babies for various reasons. This photo was taken at Gardens of Gethsemani by Jason Crombie, father of baby Keaton Dominic who died at birth Jan. 16, 2009.

A remembering service will be held for parents and family members grieving the loss of pre and neonatal babies who have died. This outdoor ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 15 at Langley Lawn Cemetery, 4393 208 Street, Langley.  Families will be sharing short speeches, as well as special commemorations.  Participants are invited to bring flowers, poems or readings they would like to share at the "Baby Tree." Recognizing that not all parents have a place to memorialize their babies, a special marker has been dedicated to these children.  For more information, please call Susan at 604-575-0313.  Presented by Mourning Mothers.

Oct. 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  Please say a prayer and light a candle. On this day, candles all around the world will be lit at 7 p.m. for one hour in an INTERNATIONAL WAVE OF LIGHT in memory of babies lost to stillbirth, miscarriage, pregnancy complications and SIDS.  This day has been officially recognized in the United States, as well as in a number of other provinces such as New Brunswick, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, but not yet in B.C.