ALL SOULS
Last weekend, I happened to be driving in the country at sunrise. It was the first frost of the year and the fields were stunning. I had to stop the car and just gaze for a few moments. The green…
OH, TO BE A SAINT!
What does it mean to be a saint? An appropriate question, don’t you think, for the solemnity of All Saints, celebrated by the Catholic Church this year on Nov. 1. If asked, most people would refer to the official saints,…
EDITOR Q&A: FIFTY IRISH LIVES IN CANADA, 1661 TO 2017
This fall, Novalis published Fifty Irish Lives in Canada, 1661 to 2017, edited by Eamonn McKee and Mark G. McGowan. This rich and inspiring collection by a range of highly respected authors offers a wonderful panorama of the story of…
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
“Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). With similar words, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each offer this same invitation. This sacred task is placed before us. No borders, no boundaries,…
A CHRISTIAN REFLECTION ON WORLD FOOD DAY
Today, on October 16, the United Nations invites the world to pause to mark World Food Day, calling us to unite against hunger. This notion deeply resonates with the heart of the Christian faith. World Food Day reminds us that…
THANKSGIVING: A DISCIPLINE OF GRATITUDE
“There is always, always, always something to be grateful for.” That is the phrase that I use for my annual Thanksgiving Facebook post. I believe in its truth profoundly. Indeed, I think that a sense of constant and radical gratitude may…
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
October 4 is the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, who I believe to be, the best-known saint in our secularized society. He was born sometime in 1181 or 1182, died 1226, and then was canonized quickly in 1228…
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: A DAY FOR ALL OF US
September 30 is a painful day in so many ways as we remember and honour the Indigenous children who didn’t return home from residential schools, the survivors, their families and their communities. We also acknowledge the ongoing trauma Indigenous people…
ARCHANGELS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL
To the dismay of his pacifist and non-violent parents our son Patrick has always had a fascination with toy guns, swords and anything that has to do with such. Patrick is named after a dear friend of mine who died…
WORLD DAY FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES AND THE JUBILEE OF MIGRANTS
Many years ago, when I was sitting in the room in Ottawa to officially become a Canadian citizen, I was struck by the diversity of people in the room. There were probably 40 or 50 people there, many of those…