A PERFECT SAINT
Last week, a relatively young friend of mine died after a long battle with cancer. As his close friends, my wife, Christine and I were asked to offer words of reflection at his memorial service. As Christine spoke of her…
Novalis Seeds of Faith
Q&A WITH MATTHEW R. ANDERSON, AUTHOR OF PAIRINGS: THE BIBLE AND BOOZE
From apple cider (Genesis) to bloody Caesars (Revelation), Matthew Anderson’s offering of vintage biblical texts paired with alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks reveals a rich complexity of scholarship while remaining satisfyingly easy on the palate. Pairings opens up generous undertones of…
WORLD FOOD DAY – OUR DAILY BREAD
Each year since it was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1979, World Food Day is honoured. It is a day countries throughout the world focus on celebrating the foods we eat in…
ST. TERESA OF AVILA
Teresa of Avila, also known as Teresa of Jesus, was a remarkable woman of her time. She was practical and no-nonsense kind of woman. She worked at reforming the Carmelites with St. John of the Cross. Her spirituality is profound and calls…
A TIME FOR MOURNING TOGETHER: INTERNATIONAL PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS AWARENESS DAY
Miscarriage and infant loss touch many couples and the people who love them: in Canada, around one in four pregnancies ends in loss. In our neighbourhoods, at work and in our parish communities, we are crossing paths with families who…
A THANKSGIVING LITANY
It seems of late, at least to me, that Canadians are getting slightly less tolerant, more testy, impatient and even grumpy. I count myself as one. The pandemic with all its related woes has gone on for far too long,…
REPAIRING OUR HOUSE WITH ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
If ever there was a time to rediscover the beautiful ministry and wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi, it is now. While we face the crisis of climate change, our devastating history of residential schools and even our anxiety in the…
DON’T FORGET YOUR WINGMAN!
The liturgical tradition does not have a ready ceremony for every scenario of loss but it does offer a rich ritual repertoire from which we can draw inspiration and hope. From September 2021 through June 2022, I aim to explore…
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
Today, on September 30, people across Canada observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On this day we invite you to spend some time in prayer, reflection and education. Below is a special prayer we would like to share…
ST VINCENT DE PAUL
We recognize the name of this popular saint because of the stores that bear his name. Here in Ottawa, the St. Vincent de Paul Society has two thrift stores in the west end of the city as well as an impressive…