Francis loves football

Pope salutes his favourite soccer team

Trotta Michele of Sassano, Italy, holds a large portrait of Pope Francis after attending the general audience.
CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Diverse groups from around the world were present at this morning's general audience, Catholic News Agency reports, but one, the Pope's favourite soccer team, received a greeting from the Pontiff that no one else did.

As he moved through the list of those present at the April 10 assembly, he came to the only delegation from his homeland and said, "Ah, this is very important!"

That group was made up of representatives of the Saint Lawrence Athletic Club, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They made Pope Francis a member in 2008, and after his election as Pope sent him congratulations, along with a new team jersey.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

B.C. Bishops ask laity to 'stake their claim in faith'

Prelates release pastoral letter for Year of Faith

Bishop Richard Gagnon of Victoria (left) stands alongside Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, of Vancouver, Bishop Stephen Jensen of Prince George, Bishop Gary Gordon, of Whitehorse, and Bishop David Monroe of Kamloops. The prelates gathered to celebrate Bishop Jensen's Episcopal Ordination April 2. 

(Alistair Burns / The B.C. Catholic)

To celebrate the election of Pope Francis as the Successor of Peter and Pastor of the Universal Church, the B.C. Bishops released a Pastoral Letter for the Year of Faith.

To encourage all the faithful to benefit from this time of grace, we, the Bishops of British Columbia and the Yukon, are asking you this question: what is the gift of faith and what is at the heart of this treasure? Faith – our deep personal encounter with Jesus Christ – gives birth to mission.

Why else would Charles John Seghers, Bishop of Vancouver Island (1873-1886) leave the comforts of Victoria and venture into the wilderness of the interior of the Yukon and Alaska on July 13, 1886?

His parting words to the priests and faithful in Victoria tell of his faith: "Adieu, I leave for Alaska, and God knows when or whether I shall return. Pray for me!"

Unfortunately, Bishop Seghers was murdered on the banks of the Yukon River near Nulato, Alaska, on November 28, 1886.

Read the entire letter here.

'Iron Lady' dead at 87

U.K. bishops mourn loss of Margaret Thatcher

Pope Benedict XVI greets former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 2009. CNS photo / L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters.

Catholic News Agency reports that the United Kingdom's Catholic bishops voiced grief and prayed for the soul of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who died after a stroke.

"It was with sadness that we heard the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher, who served this country for many years both as a Member of Parliament and as Prime Minister," said Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster on behalf of the local bishops' conference.

Thatcher died the morning of April 8 at the age of 87. She was the first female prime minister of the U.K., and the longest-serving in the 20th century. From 1979 to 1990 she served in the role for the Conservative Party.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Archdiocese to bring 'God's gifts' to forefront

Director hopes for increase in parish stewardship

Barbara Dowding, director of the archdiocesan stewardship office, hopes
Stewardship Day will encourage parishioners to contribute selflessly.

Stewardship Day, hosted by the archdiocese, is organized to encourage parishioners to understand the importance of contribution to their parishes. It will be held April 13 at St. Francis Xavier Church.

Stewardship does not wholly mean fundraising, although raising money for a noble cause is important.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, defined stewardship in 2010 as a "way of living; what it means to be a disciple: a friend who is to love as He has loved us."

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Pro-live movement underestimated by Conservatives

Options still exist for Motion 408

Pro-lifers participate in the March for Life in Ottawa. This year's rally,
organized for May 9, is themed "End Female Gendercide." (Photo: CCN)

Some pro-life advocates, energized by the debate around Motion 408, believe the Conservative government is taking them for granted.

“What Harper is showing is that he doesn’t care about social conservatives,” said Stephanie Gray, co-founder and executive director of the Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform. “It would be naïve of us to continue to vote for him. He is not helping us. He is actually harming us.”

“It’s time for us to show our power,” she said.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

We are young and made mistakes

Teens in LA prison thank Pope for example of love

Pope Francis washes the foot of a prison inmate during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper at Rome's Casal del Marmo prison for minors. CNS photo / L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters.

After hearing about Pope Francis washing the feet of juvenile detainees Holy Thursday, imprisoned youth in Los Angeles wrote letters to the Pontiff thanking him for giving them hope. Catholic News Agency reports:

"Thank you for washing the feet of youth like us in Italy," one prisoner wrote, "We are also young and made mistakes. Society has given up on us, thank you that you have not given up on us."

Pope Francis made headlines recently after deciding to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass on March 28 at Casal del Marmo youth detention centre in Rome, instead of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

'Nightfever' invites visits to Blessed Sacrament

St. Mary's hosts successful outreach event

Two students volunteering for "Nightfever" greet passersby outside the doors of St. Mary's Church.
(Photo: Special to The B.C. Catholic)

Catholic students encouraged the public near the Joyce/Collingwood SkyTrain station to enter St. Mary's Church and light a candle during a Eucharistic adoration event.

"Nightfever" seems to be contagious. Until a year ago, the Eucharistic outreach event had taken place in only a handful of European countries, but the first Canadian event broke out in Halifax in February, and Nightfever hit Vancouver March 2.

Nightfever originated in Germany after World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005. It is a night of adoration during which pairs of university students stand outside a church and invite passersby to enter and light a candle for a loved one.

This could be the first time that many of those invited in have ever entered a Catholic church.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Anglican bishop awarded medal for ecumenical work

Award goes to person of 'ardor, boldness and creativity'

Anglican Bishop Baycroft receives the Eugene de Mazenod
Award for his work in ecumenism. (Photo: CCN)

An Anglican bishop was awarded a medal for his work in ecumenism. Bishop Baycroft celebrated the things Catholics and Anglicans hold in common, rather than stress their differences.

“The word ‘ecumenism’ isn’t very catchy,” the Ottawa Anglican Bishop Emeritus told a gathering of faculty and local clergy, both Anglican and Catholic. “It’s too easily mistaken for an option.”

Bishop Baycroft, who also served as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See and as director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, said ecumenism is essential, because “the goal is communion, but a communion far broader than just ecclesial communion.”

“Why go through all this talking with each other? It’s so we can experience reconciliation, so we can contribute to peace. How do we do it? Communion is how we do it,” he said.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Pope speaks on Easter Sunday

Let Christ transform us into agents of mercy

Pope Francis celebrates Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

After celebrating his first Easter Sunday Mass as Pontiff in a packed St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Catholic News Agency reports, Pope Francis urged the faithful to let the power of Christ's resurrection enable them to work for peace.

"Let us be renewed by God's mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish," he said March 31.

During his Urbi et Orbi ("to the city and to the world") message after the Easter liturgy, Pope Francis appealed for peace specifically in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, especially between North and South Korea.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Canadian Oblate recognized for heroic virtue

Brother Kowalczyk could be Western Canada's first saint

Brother Kowalczyk, who died in Edmonton in 1947, was known for his prayer, devotion, and hard work.

Brother Anthony Kowalczyk was born in Poland, but spent over 30 years working at an Alberta school. He served God through prayer and labour.

An Oblate who spent much of his life in prayer and service in western Canada has been recognized by Pope Francis for his “heroic virtues.”

Now recognized as “venerable,” Brother Anthony Kowalczyk is eligible for beatification if a miracle can be attributed to his intercession. Kowalczyk would be Western Canada’s first saint.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Chile faces criticism

Not appropriate to give morning-after pill to minors: congressman

A nun talks with policemen during a demonstration by students in Santiago, Chile, last year. CNS photo / Eliseo Fernandez, Reuters.

Catholic News Agency has a story that says a new norm approved by Chile's Ministry of Health has met with disapproval for allowing the morning-after pill to be made available to 14 year-old girls without parental consent.

"By 14 year-old minors, it is clear we are talking about children. And by definition children do not have capacity or responsibility in any civil or civic environment," said Congressman Juan Luis Castro, the former president of the Medical College of Chile.

"It is not appropriate to administer this drug at the request of a child," he said. "It doesn't correspond to reality in Chile."

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Pope's favourites revealed in book of past interviews

Soccer and subways and buses and paintings; these are a few of his favourite things

"The White Crucifixion" by Marc Chagall (1938), Pope Francis' favourite painting.

A book originally published in 2010, while Pope Francis was still Cardinal Bergoglio, has been retitled and republished as "Pope Francis: Conversations with Jorge Bergoglio". The book sheds light on a few of the Pope's favourite pastimes, sports, and hobbies including watching soccer and his favourite team San Lorenzo, reading, listening to music, and even his favourite virtue, person, and movie:

The interviews are in the book, "Pope Francis: Conversations with Jorge Bergoglio" by Sergio Rubin and Francesca Ambrogetti, which was originally published in 2010 under the title "El Jesuita" ("The Jesuit"). It is not yet available in English.

Catholic News Service has the story.

Restless Heart captures a saint's quest for truth

Priest hopes film will draw some Catholics back to Church

Father James Hughes, who coordinated showings of Restless Heart in Chilliwack
and Abbotsford, thinks the film might inspire some people to come back to the
Catholic Church. (Photo: Ignatius Press)

Father James Hughes believes St. Augustine's constant search for truth, which comes alive in the film Restless Heart, might be just the thing to draw some Catholics back to the Church. He organized two showings for the Fraser Valley East Deanery and hoped to see other areas promote the film as well.

"The concept is to have parishioners invite people who have fallen away or are not of the faith," said Father Hughes. "I think that drama could be one tool that the Holy Spirit could use."

"It's like planting seeds: you never know what fruit will come of it," he added.

Though Restless Heart showings are not organized by Catholics Come Home, the archdiocesan director of evangelization believes they can help in attracting people back to their faith. "The themes could strike chords with people and lead them to inquire more about the faith," said Kyle Neilson.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

World traveller comes full circle with Me to We

Wanda O'Brien is in India as a manager of Leadership and Trips Programming for Me to We.
"We work in the state of Rajasthan because that's where some of the most marginalized communities
in India can be found," she said. (Photo submitted)

At age 26, Wanda O'Brien manages trips to India for the Me to We organization. The Ontario journalism graduate has made many international travels and values her relationship with Me to We.

“I’ve always been really interested in Me to We and Free the Children and have had in the back of my mind that it would be a really great opportunity to travel back with them at some point,” Wanda O'Brien said.

“I saw this opening to be the manager of trips in India, so decided to apply and I was fortunate enough to get it.”

After employee training in Kenya, O’Brien is back in India and working at the country’s Me to We head office in the city of Udaipur.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Does Planned Parenthood support post-birth abortion?

American representative advocates choice if a baby is born as a result of a botched abortion.

With almost 350,000 views, a video of an American pro-choice lobbyist blurring the line between abortion and infanticide is making its way around the Internet:

Alisa Lapolt Snow, the lobbyist representing the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, testified before the Florida House this week to oppose a law requiring abortionists to provide care for babies born alive during botched abortions in the most stark terms possible.

...

“If a baby is born on a table as a result of a botched abortion, what would Planned Parenthood want to have happen to that child that is struggling for life?”

“We believe that any decision that’s made should be left up to the woman, her family, and the physician,” Snow replied.

LifeSiteNews has the story. You can watch a recording of the testimony with the YouTube link above.

The Papal Roundup: A New Coat, A Compassionate Embrace, and More

Pontiff's gestures, comments, and a modified coat of arms keep Pope Francis in the spotlight

Pope Francis' modified coat of arms (right) remains simple but emphasises both Mary and Saint Joseph with clearer details. His original coat of arms is pictured to the left for comparison.

Adjustments were made to Pope Francis' coat of arms and the new coat was published on the Vatican website last Wednesday:

The papal coat of arms has undergone a few major adjustments to more clearly reflect the symbolism of Mary and St. Joseph.

The five-pointed star has been replaced with an eight-pointed star, and the spikenard flower looks more like a flower rather than a bunch of grapes, as it did in its original form.

It has been reported that there may be some reform coming to the Vatican Bank at the hands of the new Pontiff although details are not yet clear:

Those close  to Pope Francis, speaking on the condition of anonymity, say that the Holy Father is considering plans to remove the head of the Vatican Bank, Cardinal Tarciscio Bertone, who is the Vatican's second-in-command and is largely blamed for failing to stop infighting and corruption within the Holy See.

The parents of Dominic Gondreau, the boy with cerebral palsy who Pope Francis embraced before his installation mass on March 19, were interviewed about the encounter. The boy's father, Paul Gondreau, a professor of theology at Providence College in Rhode Island, USA, reflected:

Pope Francis’ embrace of my son yesterday turns this logic completely on its head and, in its own small yet powerful way, shows once again how the wisdom of the Cross confounds human wisdom. Why is the whole world so moved by images of this embrace?

The Pope commented on the oft-debated Shroud of Turin before it was televised on March 30:

"How is this possible? How is it that the faithful, like you, pause before this icon of a man scourged and crucified? It is because the Man of the Shroud invites us to contemplate Jesus of Nazareth. This image, impressed upon the cloth, speaks to our heart and moves us to climb the hill of Calvary, to look upon the wood of the Cross, and to immerse ourselves in the eloquent silence of love."

He also had lunch with a few priests who "work with the poor and under-privileged in the suburbs of Rome", saying:

"Open the doors of the Church, and then the people will come in…if you keep the light on in the confessional and are available, then you will see what kind of line there is for confession."

There is no doubt that Pope Francis will continue to fascinate the public. Keep following The Busy Catholic blog for more on the Pope of many firsts.

Marchers double their number

100,000 march for life in Peru; 40,000 last year

Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani of Lima, Peru, arrives for the first general congregation meeting in the synod hall at the Vatican March 4. CNS photo / Paul Haring.

Catholic News Agency has a story about the defence of life in South America.

More than 100,000 Peruvians bore the heat March 23 to take part in the Great March for Life 2013. Attendance at the march was more than double that of 2012, when some 40,000 took part in the event.

Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani addressed the participants at Lima's Ramon Catilla Park and thanked the Peruvian Congress for declaring March 25 the Day of the Unborn Child.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.

Donor contributes to St. Paul's restoration

Vancouver businessman covers costs for heritage site renovation

St. Paul's Indian Church has started its long-awaited restoration process after a
donation from Luigi Aquilini. The parish is also raising money for the upkeep of the
historical building. (Photo: Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic)

A church has been on the site of St. Paul's Indian Catholic Church since 1868. The historic landmark and heritage site is currently being restored and renovated, thanks to a generous donation by Vancouver businessman Luigi Aquilini.

The tall, light grey spires of the oldest Catholic Church in greater Vancouver are now covered with scaffolding as they are carefully repaired. The wooden structures had started to leak and rot. The wide, wooden front steps are worn, and they are next on the list for renovation.

"You can imagine how delighted everybody is," said Father John Brioux, OMI, pastor of St. Paul's Parish. He explained that fundraising had been a very daunting task before the donation. "We were coming up to a block," he said.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Supreme Court cases send mixed messages on religious freedom

Competing rights discussed

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada vice president Don Hutchinson, Laurentian
Leadership Centre director Janet Epp Buckingham and law professor Natasha Bakht
discuss Supreme Court cases involving religious freedom March 28. (Photo: CCN)

A panel at the University of Ottawa discussed the unclear stand religious freedom has in Supreme Court cases. Deborah Gyapong reports:

Don Hutchinson noted the Whatcott decision welcomed the preaching, teaching and dissemination of religious beliefs. “It’s important to have them recognize religious expression is welcome in the public square.”

The Court determined the Bible is “not hate literature,” he said. “Except in certain rare circumstances and contexts but they don’t tell us what they are.”

Hutchinson advised prudence and wisdom when commenting on prohibited behaviors from a biblical perspective. He noted it took 20 years after the Taylor decision for another hate speech case to work its way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

For full story, see The B.C. Catholic website.

Sea change in public opinion about marriage

Chief Justice refutes claim that gay lobby is politically powerless

An artist's rendering shows the U.S. Supreme Court in session for oral arguments in a case challenging California's Proposition 8 in Washington. CNS photo / Art Lien, Reuters.

A story by Catholic News Agency says U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts suggested that the gay community is so politically powerful that it does not need special protections.

"I suppose the sea change has a lot to do with the political force and effectiveness of people representing" gay marriage, Roberts said March 27 while listening to arguments over the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

"As far as I can tell, political figures are falling over themselves to endorse your side of the case," he told Roberta Kaplan, the attorney representing Edith Windsor, who contracted a civil union with another woman in New York.

For full story see The B.C. Catholic website.