Christmas Already?
Once again we come to that time of the year when we hear some people lament the early appearance of Christmas decorations in stores and holiday commercials on TV. More often than not the objections are either that the season…
Novalis Seeds of Faith
We Remember…
Let us pray today for all those who gave of their lives in service of our country. “Almighty ever-living God, hear our prayers for those who died in defence of country and freedom; grant them eternal rest, and peace to us…
Friday Favourites: Getting to Know the Gospels Series
I wonder if anyone remembers SparkNotes. SparkNotes were big back in middle school—they were more or less the same thing as Cliff’s Notes. At first it was a website where you did quizzes like “How evil are you?” and “Who’s…
Prepare for Christmas: Books for the Advent Season
Daylight comes late and ends early in November. The cooling temperatures and shorter days are harbingers of the looming winter, but also of the spiritual season of Advent. This pre-Christmas period is a time of preparation, of “making straight” the…
St. Charles Borromeo
Ambrose. Charles Borromeo. Alfredo Schuster. Giovanni Montini. Milan has witnessed some of the greatest bishops in Church history. Of its bishops, two have been elected pope. Dozens of saints have sat in the cathedra of that great and historic diocese.…
The Universal Call to be Saints
Dorothy Day, the renowned founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, once said in her later years: “Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed so easily.” Years after her death, she must be looking down from heaven,…
Friday Favourites: A Year with Pope Francis
At the time this was written, Friday of last week, my coworkers and I were attending When Faith Meets Pedagogy up at the International Plaza Hotel in Toronto. It’s a very big and very busy religious education conference, with over…
Galaxies and God: Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down
In honour of tonight’s launch of Do Monkeys Go to Heaven? by Fr. John McCarthy, we share this short excerpt from the book for you to enjoy. If you’re in the Toronto area this evening, join us at Regis College. We will…
Bridge Builders
Last weekend I went on retreat with about 30 people from across Ontario. We were a diverse group, with women and men of all ages, vocations and very different views about God and faith. Despite our seemingly radical differences, we…
Greening Your Church
In 1930, an Englishman named Edmond K. Blyth was driving home from a visit to Liverpool Cathedral. He’d been a soldier in the First World War, and three of his friends from when he was a cadet—John Bennett, Arthur Bailey…