Although not observed this year, August 11 is generally recognized as a feast day of St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253). Born into a noble and wealthy Italian family, at 17 years of age, upon hearing a young man (Francis of…
Faith development and spiritual growth almost always require change. We are called by God to be consistently a work in progress. It is important to remember that God speaks and we respond. Our response can be varied in how we…
Are you a Martha or a Mary? I ask myself this question from time to time. After all, both types are necessary: without the “doers,” no one would get fed and nothing would get done. And without people who focus…
Being raised in Quebec, I knew early on who St. Joachim and St. Anne were. My grandfather was born in a town called St. Joachim in the Eastern Townships and my grandmother was born a bit further east in a…
July 22 used to be a memorial of St. Mary of Magdalene. Two years ago, Pope Francis raised that celebration to the level of a feast. There are now calls to raise it to a solemnity. That could be a…
It seems that God couldn’t have chosen two people more different in background for his ministry than Simon (Peter), an uneducated fisherman, who led a fairly uneventful and quiet life, and Saul (Paul), who had the very best of education,…
By Anne Louise Mahoney, Managing Editor Like many boys of his generation, my dad was given the first name “Joseph,” but was called by his second name. He wasn’t a carpenter, but his father was – I have always smiled…
Joseph Sinasac, Publishing Director Why do we love Christmas? Why do we spend so much time, energy, money and angst in preparing for this single day? For many reasons, I suppose, but at its heart, Christmas responds to our deep…
By Joseph Sinasac, Publishing Director The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated every year on Dec. 8, holds a special place in the hearts of those who work here at Novalis. While we join the Catholic world in celebrating the…
By Anne Louise Mahoney, Editor It was October 1958. Pius XII had died after 19 years as Bishop of Rome. Canadian Catholics, like Catholics around the world, were anxiously waiting to hear who their new pope would be. The conclave,…