He 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 –…
Across 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…
Those 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.…
The Pope’s face lit up and he smiled when presented with On the Eighth Day There is high praise indeed for a new book co-written by University of Alberta professor Matt Hoven. Almost the highest there is, in fact. It took a few seconds, but once Pope Francis realized what he’d just been handed by…
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…
We all need to continue to pressure Pope Francis and the Catholic hierarchy to rescind the Papal Bulls of Discovery
Self-development specialist Brian Tracy says, “People with clear, written goals accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could even imagine.” When I first read Call to Action 58 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, I thought it was an unrealistic pipe dream. It called on the Pope to…
But filtering our anger through our spirituality becomes a powerful force for good
Anger 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…
Hereditary dynasties could not survive the industrial revolution. Well, except for one
Last week’s column drew from British historian Dominic Lieven’s current book about emperors and empires. Called In the Shadow of the Gods, it’s an exploration of the characteristics that contributed to dynastic success or failure. Lieven’s penultimate chapter deals with the challenges modernity posed to hereditary dynasties. As the environment changed rapidly, the crowns adorning…
Being recognized as divinely anointed didn’t guarantee acquiescence, but it was still a huge asset
Dominic Lieven is a British historian who has written extensively on European, particularly Russian, history. His latest book, In the Shadow of the Gods, is about emperors and empires. It examines their historical scope and the characteristics that contributed to dynastic success or failure. At over 400 densely written pages (excluding notes), the book is…
When fathers are actively involved with their children, the children thrive
The first Father’s Day was observed in Spokane, Wash., on June 19, 1910. Since then, the role of a father has evolved to include greater participation in a child’s day-to-day life. According to the Library of Congress Wise Guide, Sonora Dodd gets the credit for the day on which we honour fathers. Dodd’s father –…