ST. ANDRE BESSETTE
How do you feel when someone opens the door for you? You probably feel that the person is kind and considerate. Imagine a saint who touches the lives of thousands of people by his kindness, his faith and opening doors. This is…
OUR FAMILY’S EPIPHANY TRADITIONS
In our family, the feast of the Epiphany has become a treasured tradition and way to end our Christmas season. At first, our observance of the Magi’s arrival consisted of a simple house blessing. We would snip off a branch…
JANUARY 1 – AN ABUNDANCE OF CELEBRATIONS!
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022! Today, January 1, is a day that offers much to celebrate. Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Mary was the first apostle to her Son. She said “yes” to God’s…
ALL OUR CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TO YOU!
If you think you’ve had it rough this year, what with covid-19 morphing into the Omicron variant and new restrictions on our freedom looming, you have our sympathy. We have all had a tough year and we need a break.…
LITURGY, LABOUR AND HOLINESS
The song “Seasons of Love” from the hit musical Rent asks, “How do you measure a year?” For people living in medieval times, the year was measured by the work they did. Calendar pages in the Book of Hours –…
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…
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER
On the finger of my right hand is a gold ring with a large X on it. It serves as a constant reminder that back in 1988, I graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. It is…
SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY!
We begin a new liturgical year. The God of Light comes into our darkness. Our hope is renewed. Advent calls us to slow down and reflect on the beautiful mystery of our faith and the awesome gift of the Incarnation. Come, Lord Jesus.…
“NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US!”
These words find expression in the introduction to Moira McQueen’s new book, Walking Together: A Primer on the New Synodality. For many lay Catholics, they underlie their own attitude to how the Church ought to arrive at its decisions. Moira adds:…
ADVENT BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, encompassing the season we call Advent, our scripture readings at Mass have for centuries inspired some of the world’s most famous paintings. Every significant artist has tackled at one time or another the…