Pope Francis more highly respected than the Catholic Church itself

Pope Francis more highly respected than the Catholic Church itselfFrancis is pushing for long-needed changes but is facing a great deal of criticism within the church’s walls Pope Francis is perhaps the most loved and respected world leader, particularly in the global south. That love and respect were again demonstrated on his visit to two of the world’s most troubled countries, the Democratic Republic…

The powerful legacy of Pope Benedict XVI

The powerful legacy of Pope Benedict XVIHe wanted to make the world a better place When the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict XVI passed away on Dec. 31, 2022, it was a sad moment for Catholics around the world. More than 50,000 people reportedly attended his funeral. The public is currently able to visit his tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica –…

Enjoying the beauty of Christmas lights

Enjoying the beauty of Christmas lightsAcross traditions and time, there is a longing for light to brighten the darkness of winter I had a striking visual of light in darkness early one morning this month. A bright light, probably the planet Venus, shone with extraordinary clarity and pierced an otherwise black sky. Given my Christian faith and the time of…

Faith brings out the best in us

Faith brings out the best in usThose with faith are far more likely to help their fellow man By Ray Pennings and Andrew Bennett Christmas is one of the few times in Canada that religion makes a public appearance. Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ pop up on lawns. Radio stations belt out sacred music among generic holiday tunes.…

Was Jesus a socialist, or a capitalist?

Was Jesus a socialist, or a capitalist?It doesn’t matter. The essence of his message is that we must all live with integrity There is an interesting online debate taking place as to whether Jesus of Nazareth was a socialist or a capitalist. Some of the arguments are rather thought-provoking, but others are just silly. For example, a commentary on the PragerU…

Any violation of human rights is a crime against humanity

Doing a little isn’t good enough, especially when we ignore abuses

Any violation of human rights is a crime against humanityPrince George, B.C., officials recently decided to change the name of O’Grady Road, named after a former Catholic bishop of Prince George, to Dakelh Ti, meaning First Nation Road in the language of the Lheidli T’enneh. I knew Bishop Fergus O’Grady fairly well and I don’t think anything would have made him happier. The decisions…

Some ‘Christians’ deserve our anger and contempt

But filtering our anger through our spirituality becomes a powerful force for good

Some ‘Christians’ deserve our anger and contemptAnger can be a powerful force for good. It can also be extremely destructive, both to ourselves and the world around us. The key is to understand the anger within and to direct it in a way that will bring about positive change. Anger comes from a place of fear. We know deep inside that…

Who was Pontius Pilate, the man who sentenced Jesus to death?

Pilate consciously misused his power to curry favour

Who was Pontius Pilate, the man who sentenced Jesus to death?As a Catholic schoolboy in 1950s Ireland, Easter was a mixed bag. Yes, we got a week and a half off school, which was never something to be sneezed at. And the days were visibly brightening, indicating the departure of winter. But that was about it. In contrast to Christmas, the lead up to Easter…

Hippity hoppity: following the trail of the Easter bunny’s origins

What do bunnies and eggs have to do with the religious celebration of Easter?

Hippity hoppity: following the trail of the Easter bunny’s originsThe community Easter egg hunt was fun until the Easter bunny showed up. My granddaughter took one look at the hairy hare, and the bliss of savouring a chocolate egg turned to terror. My grandson carried on happily eating his treat until the Easter bunny approached him, at which point he too began to cry.…

Only by embracing humanity as sacred can we end bloodshed

When we embrace the humanity of one another, borders don't matter and enemies become friends

Only by embracing humanity as sacred can we end bloodshedSince the end of the Cold War, there has been almost endless war and genocide. This century has seen Afghanistan and Iraq torn apart by violence. We’ve watched the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world continue in Yemen year after year, and we’ve yet to see an end to the conflicts in Syria and the…
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