CHANGE OUR HEARTS
Ash Wednesday tends to sneak up on me. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that we took down the Christmas decorations? With COVID-19, civil unrest and war dominating the front-page news, it can be hard to focus on the…
Category Prayer
THE WEEK (AND WORK) OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
Most of us have neighbours, family members, colleagues or friends who are Christian but not Catholic. It turns out we may (perhaps without realizing it) be working toward Christian unity through those relationships. As an Anglican priest once said to…
DEC 12: NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER IN SOLIDARITY WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
“The Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council, founded by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in 1998, proposes that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) be a National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples. All are invited…
PRAYING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH DEPRESSION
Winston Churchill referred to it as his “black dog.” American writer and educator Parker Palmer speaks of “the snake pit of the soul.” Whatever we call it, depression is a hard thing – and incredibly common, though often not spoken…
TAKE ME TO THE MOVIES!
The liturgy does not have a ceremony for every loss but it does offer a rich ritual repertoire from which we can draw inspiration and hope. From September 2021 through June 2022, I will explore with you here on this…
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…
BACK TO SCHOOL IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES
When the pandemic began 18 months ago, I regularly thought of myself as living in extraordinary times. I am struck by how very much we have adapted. That which was unprecedented in human history has come to feel almost normal…
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION
Since Pope Francis offered the world his reflections in the encyclical Laudato Si’, my consciousness of caring for Creation has been notched up. I have always thought that by not littering, recycling, reusing, reducing, composting, not wasting food, etc, I…
HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL (AGAIN)
If “back to school” is starting to feel like a regular occurrence, that’s no surprise. Canadian families and educators have had countless stops and starts to the school year since March 2020, and plans for the weeks and months ahead…
IN PERSONA CHRISTI
In a patriarchal society, to be a father is, by definition, to hold power. Pater is Latin for “father” and “patriarchy,” literally meaning “rule of the fathers.” Ancient Israel was patriarchal in its organization, as is the Catholic Church. In…