BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Most of us cradle Catholics do not remember our baptism. Taken to the church in a white garment, we were sprinkled with water from the font and blessed with the oils of salvation. We grew up knowing who our godparents were,…

BLESSED THANKSGIVING

In Mary Jo Leddy’s book Radical Gratitude, she introduces the following phrase for reflection: “It would be enough if….” This is a wonderful way to fall into a spirit of gratitude. It would be enough if I owned a house…

ST. PIUS OF PIETRELCINA

Today, we celebrate the feast day of the man affectionately known as Padre Pio. We ponder the gifts, graces and lessons his life might offer.  Well known for carrying the stigmata – bearing visible wounds similar to the excruciatingly painful…

ST. MATTHEW

When you enter into a church off the Piazza Navona in Rome called San Luigi dei Francesi, a series of chapels culminate with the Contarelli Chapel which holds three huge depictions of key moments in Matthew’s life: the calling, the…

THE PALLIUM MASS

I am fortunate to be in Rome studying this summer with a group of students from Regis College and St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto. And I am supremely fortunate to have been here on June 29, the feast of…

ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL

I suspect that almost everyone knows who Sts. Peter and Paul were. These leaders of the early Church are known from Scripture, especially from the Acts of the Apostles and from Paul’s letters. Both were Jewish before they became Christian.…

WE ARE WITNESSES: EASTER SUNDAY

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! After the 40 days of Lenten prayer, fasting and almsgiving, after the three intense days of the Triduum, here we are at the empty tomb, rejoicing! Today’s gospel is action packed. Mary Magdalene…

ANNUNCIATION

Are you one of those people who never takes down your Christmas lights? Or maybe you’re the neighbour scowling at one of those people? Exactly nine months before the birth of Jesus, we celebrate his conception. Today’s solemnity of the…

ST. JOSEPH

I often think of St. Joseph as the patron saint of shy men. In the little we read of him in the Gospels, he says nothing, but when called upon by an angel messenger from God, he does his duty:…

ST. PATRICK

What do you know about St. Patrick? That his favourite colour was green? That he banished all the snakes in Ireland? That he was Catholic? So little is known fact about St. Patrick because he lived sometime between 389 and…

SOFTENING OUR HEARTS THIS LENT

I admire those of you who keep steady and committed Lenten observance.I feel like my work in music ministry keeps me mindful, but if I wasn’t singing, I might get distracted and fall off the journey. I have no problem…

LIVING LENT

It’s a mark on the forehead that means so much. A gym full of children listen to the readings, sing hymns and receive their ashes. They are a bit silly, asking each other about what the cross looks like on…

SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD

The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship by Peter E. Fink, SJ states that God’s word is more than“mere external utterance or intellectual discourse. It is the self-communication of God to creation.”This is where we encounter God. The logos — Jesus…