My parish church, some time ago, switched from packaged communion wafers to substantial bread. Normally, we’d make do with wafers that looked and tasted like styrofoam cutouts, but after they started using the substantial bread at special occasions, it became…
Last Sunday I met with a group of catechists and faith formation volunteers who serve in various parishes in the Toronto area. Each of them shared their experiences of serving as a catechists. Their stories of teaching and sharing the faith…
Much of what we believe about Jesus of Nazareth testifies to his uniqueness. Divine, Son of God, miracle worker, healer, wise teacher. But on the Feast of the Holy Family we are reminded of how much he held in common…
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…
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.…
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,…
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…
Anyone even mildly aware of global events at the moment could be forgiven if they indulge in a bit of despair. Threatened by pestilence, war and environmental destruction, the world could use a large dose of hope. The Exaltation of…
When we think of Mary, we usually cast her in one of two roles: that of the quiet but consistently supportive mother or as the young virgin who answers God’s call to motherhood. Today, however, we celebrate Mary’s birth, an…
I first encountered St. Augustine’s Confessions as an 18-year-old university student. My professor, a kind and gentle priest from China, Fr. Peter Wong, extolled the work’s place in Christian history and its relevance for us today. Sadly, my friends and I were…