PAUL'S (ECOLOGICAL) CONVERSION
What colour was the horse off which Saul was knocked on the road to Damascus? The Bible doesn’t say. In very fact, the Bible doesn’t mention a horse at all. […]
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
Each year on January 24, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Church, patron of journalists, writers and the deaf. In an […]
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY: JAN 18-25
In some ways, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity seems kind of old-fashioned, something we thought more about in the 60’s. But the more I think and read about […]
ANOTHER TIMELY BOOK!
Do you agree or disagree with each the following? Science proves that there is no God. Scripture challenges scientific theories and laws. The world was created in 6 (24-hour) days […]
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
The feast of the Baptism of Our Lord marks the end of the Christmas season. It often feels like a transitional time, maybe a bit sad and boring for little […]
THE MAGI TEACH US THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO CHRIST BY A VERY LONG ROUTE
When I was little, I loved the three Advent rituals we did at our house: the Advent calendar with its little cardboard doors that opened one day at a time […]
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The reforms of the liturgical calendar after Vatican II were an attempt to prune things back and keep Christ at the center of things. When it comes to January 1, […]
HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
When I think “holy,” I often think “perfect.” So the Holy Family can be a bit intimidating. How can our families ever measure up? Part of the issue is that […]
This Christmas…
The Christmas scene inside a church is joyful and glittering. It is a warm environment with welcoming smiles and lots of hugs (and, of course, the heat is on!). Although […]
INTERVIEW WITH GLEN ARGAN, AUTHOR OF CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART
What has been your goal in writing Create in Me a Clean Heart? I found the standard examinations of conscience based on the Ten Commandments did not help me to […]
NEVER A TIMELIER BOOK!
A review of How Not to Read the Bible: An Authentic Catholic Approach to Scripture Today “The Bible should come with a warning label on the cover. ‘Warning: Misreading this […]
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Many years ago, my co-worker – a priest from Czechoslovakia – and I were leading a group of candidates for initiation. It was Advent and we decided to explore some […]
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Immaculate Conception is a relatively new feast (established universally in 1854), and so there isn’t a long tradition of devotions and customs for this day. Evidently in 1854 people […]
SEASON OF ADVENT
The world has forgotten Advent. We go from Thanksgiving and Halloween directly to the “Holiday Season,” with Christmas Day as its culmination. It is all tinsel and chimes and Hallmark […]
CHRIST THE KING: A PARADOXICAL SOVEREIGN
Shepherd. Worthy Lamb. Firstborn of Creation. Beloved Son. Suffering Servant. Mocked. Mortified. Crucified. And risen from the dead! This is certainly no ordinary King! The Sovereign of the Universe is […]
INTERVIEW WITH LEAH PERRAULT, AUTHOR OF MY HEART OF FLESH AND LIVING GENTLY THROUGH STRUGGLE
What inspired you to write My Heart of Flesh? In 2011 and 2012, I struggled my way through postpartum depression toward recovery. As I shared that story with others through […]
REMEMBRANCE DAY
I have never been a soldier, nor have I ever been to war. The closest I have come personally to warfare is having an uncle in the navy during the […]
ALL SOULS DAY
November 2 should be a great day in the life of the Christians. We are the ones who are supposed to have a positive attitude towards death, that “life has […]
ALL SAINTS DAY
When I was growing up, one of the books we had at home was both intriguing and somewhat macabre – The Lives of the Saints. What wonders could be found […]
STEVE BELL’S PILGRIM YEAR SERIES – FOR PILGRIMS OF ALL KINDS
I didn’t know of Steve Bell when I first came across his Pilgrim Year series. Each of the seven books explores one of these rich liturgical seasons: Advent Christmas Epiphany […]
REMEMBERING ST. JOHN XXIII
I sometimes wonder what went through Pope John XXIII’s mind before he announced the Second Vatican Council on January 25, 1959. What an amazing and bold step to take for […]
WHEN WE’RE MADE TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE…
In the 1200s, Francis of Assisi made people feel uncomfortable about their lavish lifestyles and disregard for the poor. He got into much trouble for his prophetic lifestyle. Eventually, he […]
MAY ST. THÉRÈSE’S “LITTLE WAY” INSPIRE US TODAY
Have you seen the October cover of Living with Christ yet? It is graced with a beautiful image of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux) whose […]
HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY!
I’m not a grandparent, but I’ve spent a lot of time observing grandparents over the years – my own and other people’s. I’ve decided it’s a pretty good gig: you […]
CONTEST!
Novalis Publishing wants to hear how God has been active in your life. Wisdom from our life stories can often be a powerful encouragement to others. If you would like […]
THAT OUR WORK MAY BEAR GOOD FRUIT
It’s a little ironic that Labour Day — an occasion to honour the sweat of our brow and the work of our hands — is actually a holiday. Nice touch! […]
WHEN SUFFICIENT IS NEVER ENOUGH, PRAYER IS REQUIRED
Pope Francis has slated September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. And we will certainly need all the prayers we can muster. The state […]
ST. MONICA AND THE POWER OF PERSISTENT PRAYER
As the mother of a son, I have always felt a connection with St. Monica. I mean, sometimes all you can do is pray! Her eldest son, Augustine (354–430), was […]
“A GREAT SIGN APPEARED IN HEAVEN: A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN, AND THE MOON BENEATH HER FEET”
Most years on August 14, my wife Nora and I make the one-hour drive northeast from Edmonton to the Marian grotto at Skaro to participate in the vigil Mass of […]
WHAT SPARKS JOY IN YOUR LIFE?
Although not observed this year, August 11 is generally recognized as a feast day of St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253). Born into a noble and wealthy Italian family, at 17 […]
BEEN HOPING WE MIGHT MEET AGAIN
People have asked me a few times over the last couple of months about a particular title we published. It is Been Hoping We Might Meet Again: The Letters of […]
“JESUS TOOK WITH HIM PETER AND JOHN AND JAMES, AND WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAIN TO PRAY…”
Probably, most Catholics do not link Jesus’ Transfiguration on the mountain with the Exodus of the Old Testament. For us, it is a stand-alone, unique event which reveals Jesus as […]
“THAT WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL THE MOST ALIVE….THAT IS WHERE GOD IS.”
Faith development and spiritual growth almost always require change. We are called by God to be consistently a work in progress. It is important to remember that God speaks and […]
St. Martha
Are you a Martha or a Mary? I ask myself this question from time to time. After all, both types are necessary: without the “doers,” no one would get fed […]
ST. ANNE AND ST. JOACHIM
Being raised in Quebec, I knew early on who St. Joachim and St. Anne were. My grandfather was born in a town called St. Joachim in the Eastern Townships and […]
THE WITNESS OF MARY MAGDALENE
July 22 used to be a memorial of St. Mary of Magdalene. Two years ago, Pope Francis raised that celebration to the level of a feast. There are now calls […]
REST AND RECHARGE THIS SUMMER
How is your summer going? Are you as busy as always, or have you had some time to re-charge? Do you have any special plans coming up? Rest is important […]
INTERVIEW WITH BETH PORTER, AUTHOR OF ACCIDENTAL FRIENDS: STORIES FROM MY LIFE IN COMMUNITY
Beth Porter has been a member of the L’Arche Daybreak community for four decades. Here she answers some of our questions about her recently released book. 1. What was your […]
NOVALIS BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ THIS SUMMER
As an editor, I read books for a living. Dream job! I love suggesting books to people, hoping that a new author or title will grab their attention and help […]
A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM IS GOOD
I teach environmental studies for a class of 500 students at University of Toronto (when I am not publishing books). I present students with the scary facts about climate change […]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANADA!
The older we get, the faster that birthdays breeze by. When we were young, they proceeded at a stately pace. Now they’re just a blur. Canada is 152 years old […]
SINNERS AND SAINTS…AND BOLD PROCLAMATIONS
It seems that God couldn’t have chosen two people more different in background for his ministry than Simon (Peter), an uneducated fisherman, who led a fairly uneventful and quiet life, […]
SACRED HEART OF JESUS
When I was growing up, we often had Sunday dinner at my grandparents’ house. My grandmother was a wonderful cook, and we all looked forward to our visits there. There […]
CORPUS CHRISTI – A CELEBRATION OF LIFE ABUNDANT
Simon Appolloni, Associate Publishing Director My query, and appropriate I think, considering we are celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi, is this: if the Eucharist truly is the body and blood of […]
A REFLECTION ON FATHERHOOD
A lot of fathers I know really don’t know what to do with Father’s Day. We don’t need more ties. Golf paraphernalia, T-shirts and other odds and sods, while sometimes […]
JESUS – THE STARTING POINT FOR UNDERSTANDING THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY
Trinity Sunday is often depicted as the most difficult feast on which pastors must preach. That could be the case if one expects preaching to be a theological discourse which […]
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WHAT DOES HE DO?
The Holy Spirit is often characterized as an independent agent, a sort of whimsical fairy who goes about doing good, all the while thumbing his/her nose at authorities, especially those […]
BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF LOVE
From time to time, the Catholic Church turns its spotlight on contemporary issues in order to offer some wisdom drawn from the richness of our religious tradition. On June 2, […]
