REMEMBRANCE DAY
Remembrance Day started out as a means to remember all those who died in World War I. It was to be the war to end all wars. Why did it not work? There are 32 armed conflicts going on at…
Novalis Seeds of Faith
ADSUMUS SANCTE SPIRITUS: A REFLECTION ON SYNOD 2021-2024 IN ROME
Adsumus Sancte Spiritus. We stand before You, Holy Spirit! October has been an unprecedented month for the Catholic church. Delegates from around the world have been called together by the Holy Father in synod – from the Greek syn (together)…
ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS CELEBRATE THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
My father died recently. He was 94, of sound mind, and had what is euphemistically known as “a good death”: in his sleep, in his own home, with family members there. One of the most touching moments in our family’s…
OUR FATHER: A GUIDE FOR LIVING
The Our Father is one of the world’s best-known prayers, recited daily by millions of Christians around the world. For Catholics, it holds a special place in our Eucharistic liturgy, spoken by the entire congregation with reverence. But how many…
ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST: A TESTAMENT OF FAITH AND COMPASSION
What the world needs now is deep compassion. Religious faith is too often used to condemn, harm and judge others. In the name of faith, families exclude and cause great harm to members who identify as sexually or gender non-conforming.…
NEVER-ENDING LOVE: WORLD PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY
October 15 was World Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. In honour of lives lost, as well as to offer hope and encouragement to those whose lives were touched by such losses, our Novalis Managing Editor Anne Louise Mahoney offered…
NEVER-ENDING LOVE: WORLD PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY
Most of us have been touched by miscarriage or infant loss – either personally or through someone we know. This all-too-common loss (around 1 in 5 pregnancies ends in miscarriage) is often unseen and unmourned by the Catholic community. Perhaps…
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. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
St. Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite saints. The example of his very simple, humble and generous life leads us straight back to what is essential in the Gospel: to trust in God’s providence, praise him for his…
WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
This past July I was fortunate to travel to Darien, Illinois to participate in a Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph collaborative event. My friend and I travelled in a climate-controlled vehicle, with a connected GPS and lots of good…