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Showing posts from December, 2014

Seeking silence | Crux: Boy, can I relate with this column!

You wouldn't have guessed it if you were around me as a kid, but I've come to appreciate the true value in silence in my life. (I talked so much as a kid that my siblings thought I had been vaccinated with a phonograph needle!) One of the greatest gifts of my life as a priest is that silence is rarely hard to find at various points in my daily routines. It's always close at hand whenever I need some time of private reflection or quiet prayer to re-connect and re-orient myself with God's will in my ministry and life and to listen for his guidance and direction. What role does silence play in your daily routines and prayer life? If you want help in answering that question in your life, this might be the article for you. Seeking silence | Crux

New Year, New Laws: Everything you need to know about this year's big bills in Canada| CTV News

From immigration to abortion and smoking to euthanasia, there are a by number of big issues that our country will confront in 2015. Here's a summary from CTV news that looks at many topics that Canadians will have to deal with in the coming months. New Year, new laws: Everything you need to know about this year's big bills | CTV News

My sentiments exactly!!

Stephen Colbert retires his 'Report'

Stephen Colbert retires his 'Report' - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News

‘Not a controversial issue in Canada anymore': Majority support assisted suicide, poll finds | National Post

" Not controversial ?" I doubt that very much. The die is not yet cast when it comes to people's opinion on this issue, especially in light of recent statements reported by some in the mainstream media by some medical ethicists. They advocate that after reaching a certain age (75 Yrs was proposed) citizens should no longer have access to medications or procedures that are aimed to extend their life. Be kept pain-free and comfortable? Yes. But their argument asserts that once you hit a state established age you will be deemed to be no longer a "productive member" of that society. Thus, you should be denied any procedure or medication that would extend a life past that point.  The simple act of permitting what had been considered to be a major crime (the taking of a human life by another person) to now become accepted, state-sanctioned law will soon lead to it being declared mandatory for citizens down the road. It is wrong to give the government the power t

This is what happens when 'legal' replaces ethics in the public square!

The Pope’s gift to faithful: A five finger prayer - Vatican Insider

The Pope’s gift to faithful: A five finger prayer - Vatican Insider

Russell Saltzman’s Continuing Catholicity | Matthew Schmitz | First Things

My old friend Fr. Richard Neuhaus is stilling winning converts for the Church years after his death! Welcome to the Catholic Church Russell Saltzman. You are walking in the footsteps of a great man!! Russell Saltzman’s Continuing Catholicity | Matthew Schmitz | First Things

A book review from the National Catholic Register on 'Prayer Works' by Matthew Leonard

"Prayer Works! is an essential and comprehensive primer on prayer, which is helpful to both the experienced as well as the novice pray-er. It is an upbeat and joyful way to commune with God and to grow in holiness." Sounds like a good Christmas gift to share within a family! Remember, Jesus told us to only sow the seeds and not worry about if they germinate and grow. Stocking stuffers like these can become real aids later in life when the trials and travails of life grow difficult. Never a bad item to have on the bookshelf to pull down and read in a time of need. I'll wager that's there's more that can be gained with such a gift than just the temporary pleasures that come with the latest electronic toy.  NCRegister | Primer on Prayer

Four ‘awesome’ facts about Our Lady of Guadalupe | Crux

Four ‘awesome’ facts about Our Lady of Guadalupe | Crux

This is how we really should keep Christ in Christmas!!

Is it right that such a child can be killed in every province in Canada?

Linus, and Saint Luke, Say It All | The American Catholic

Linus, and Saint Luke, Say It All | The American Catholic

A short book review: 'Theophilos' by Michael O'Brien

Book Review: Theophilos by Michael O’Brien Michael O’Brien is arguably the best English Catholic writer alive today. From contemporary apocalypses and science fiction to historical fiction his erudite exploration of Catholic belief is second to none and ranks him among the greats, Tolkien, Lewis, and Chesterton. ‘Father Elijah’ has become compulsory reading whenever I begin my annual retreat. So illuminating are the spiritual nuggets buried within the story that it functions as a fruitful agenda for my reflections throughout a week of silence and prayer. Theophilos could be just as inspired a choice for my next one. The protagonist who lends his name to this work of historical fiction is familiar to anyone who has picked up a Bible.   He is the person addressed in the Gospel of Luke (Loukas) and subsequently the Book of Acts, who provides “an accurate account” of the life of Christ and the apostolic church.   O’Brien sets them together as members of the same family, both phys

What makes the Church happy? Seeking lost sheep, Pope says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Today I'd need a shovel to find those poor lost sheep given the amount of snow that's blowing around outside!!! Hopefully, others are not suffering such a fate in other places. What makes the Church happy? Seeking lost sheep, Pope says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Chaplain punished for sharing his faith in suicide prevention class | Fox News

Good Grief!!  They brought in a Catholic priest chaplain to address a topic and then punished him for daring to offer a religious response to the question of suicide? What the hell were they expecting?  The world is indeed a stupid place at times.... Chaplain punished for sharing his faith in suicide prevention class | Fox News

Pope Francis: ‘All Animals Go To Heaven’

Mateo - during his 'dog show' phase I have had the honor of sharing my life with quite a few animals, each of them that arrived at my door already named. The strange thing is that they all had expressly religious names: Moses, Abraham (cats), Linus, and Mateo (dogs). Hopefully, the Pope is correct in this assumption as it would be great to be with them all (and their name-patrons too) in heaven. Pope Francis: ‘All Animals Go To Heaven’

10 reasons to look on the bright side of winter – Cottage Life

Still not enough reasons IMHO to like winter!! I've often said that if I could find a corner of the world where the snow would arrive on December 21st and depart on January 2nd, I'd move there. This list of reasons to like winter is not enough to make me change my opinion!! How about you? Winter: love it, hate it, or just grit your teeth and endure it? 10 reasons to look on the bright side of winter – Cottage Life

How the right to deny the existence of God is under threat globally - World Politics - World - The Independent

Partisans of the 'New Atheist' movement are often spouting that ' freedom of religion means freedom from religion ', an annoying, trite, but nevertheless  true meme. If religious believers claim the right to believe and practice their faith as among the first of our human rights, then we need to be concerned about the rights of individuals not to believe as well. In that spirit, I offer this article which illustrates that non-believers around the globe are just as likely to be persecuted for their convictions as are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, etc. If we as Christians insist on our right to believe and practice our faith in the public square, then we must also stand up for those on the opposite side of the 'God Question' too.  So irrespective of which side of the belief/atheist divide an individual stands, let's not forget to work to ensure the freedom of everyone for the denial of anyone's rights to believe what they want about religious matt

A wonderful quote from a Jesuit priest during the time of the Nazis in German on the subject of euthanasia

This quote is from Fr. Alfred Delp, a Jesuit priest murdered by the Nazis nearly 70 years ago.This is what he had to say about euthanasia: “A community that gets rid of someone—a community that is allowed to, and can, and wants to get rid of someone when he no longer is able to run around as the same attractive or useful member—has thoroughly misunderstood itself. Even if all of a person's organs have given out, and he no longer can speak for himself, he nevertheless remains a human being. Moreover, to those who live around him, he remains an ongoing appeal to their inner nobility, to their inner capacity to love, and to their sacrificial strength. Take away people's capacity to care for their sick and to heal them, and you make the human being into a predator, an egotistical predator that really only thinks of his own nice existence.”

French cardinal: Christians must condemn Islamist violence | Crux

ERBIL, IRAQ — Facing the menace of Islamic radicalism in various parts of the world, many Christian leaders follow one of two basic strategies. Either they stress that most Muslims are horrified by the atrocities committed in their name and insist that Islam at its core is a religion of peace, or they take a harder line and demand that mainstream Muslim leaders confront the cancer in their community. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin , archbishop of Lyon, France, is widely considered one of the most influential Catholic prelates in Europe. He said the right answer is that Christians need to do both – clearly acknowledging, he says, the internal contradictions within Islam. “Very few [Christians], even among the bishops, speak about both – the danger of the violence, and the deep sense of God and the man of faith that we see in many Muslims,” he said. By bringing both into clear relief, he said, “it’s possible for us to live together.” Click on link below to read entire story: French cardina

End-of-life debate turns to newborns: ‘Postnatal abortion’ morally acceptable in some cases, ethicist says | National Post

Another demonstration of the creeping culture of death. The previous article says that it’s OK to deny health care procedures designed to ‘prolong life’ after attaining the age of 75 or older. This one argues that we should terminate the life of children born with severe handicaps a.k.a. ‘post-natal abortions’. Still think that we pro-lifers are exaggerating when we assert that life is being threatened at both ends of the spectrum? Sadly, stories like these make it clear that we’re not. End-of-life debate turns to newborns: ‘Postnatal abortion’ morally acceptable in some cases, ethicist says | National Post

Renowned doctor Ezekiel Emanuel says 75 is good age to die - Health - CBC News

And so it begins... Another 'rational' position that life isn't worth preserving or prolonging for the marginalized. First we normalize the state taking the life of marginal people (sick, handicapped etc.). Then comes the rationale for 'triaging' and allocating scarce resources to those who 'merit' it as producing members and denying it to those deemed unworthy. The position taken by this doctor is a bit of an anomaly right now. But wait and see how long it takes before his proposal takes flight and health care procedures will be denied seniors and those deemed unfit to be treated. Given the ever increasing rapid change in our society, it won't take too long. Renowned doctor Ezekiel Emanuel says 75 is good age to die - Health - CBC News

My sermon for the 2nd Sunday in Advent... and a message of hope to a family in need of consolation and comfort

I shared in a horrible experience today as I gathered with a family in the old parish cemetery to bury the body of an infant child. Morris Vaillancourt, the son of Stephanie Morris and Raymond Vaillancourt, who died a few short hours after his premature birth in Ottawa earlier this week, was laid to rest. It’s not the first time I’ve had to do this as a priest. Sadly nor will it be the last. But every time I gather with a family in such sad circumstances, I can't help but note that the grief of a parent at their child’s grave has a darker, deeper, more forlorn quality to it than it does for others. When one is cheated out of all the anticipated joys and wonders of raising a child, being given only a few short hours of life in place of the hoped-for years together, then a cemetery is about the coldest spot on the planet that one could stand, no matter the season or weather. The challenge earlier on in my priesthood was to know what words of comfort I could offer on such a sad oc