Michelle Brylowski is Associate Director, RCIA and Liturgical Formation, for the Office of Formation for Discipleship. Below, she helps us prepare for Ash Wednesday.
1. What do the ashes on the forehead represent?Biblically, ashes symbolize mourning, mortality and penance...
Dr. Cynthia Cameron is Assistant Professor of Religious Education and the Patrick and Barbara Keenan Chair in Religious Education at the Faculty of Theology. Below, she shares a snapshot of the religious beginnings of Valentine’s Day.
1. What...
Helen McGee is the President of the National Association of Catholic Nurses-Canada. As we approach World Day of the Sick on Sunday, February 11, she reflects on the special vocation of nurses and how the organization helps to foster...
Catholic lawyer Catherine Pawluch JD, DCHS, served as the president of the Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Toronto from 2020 to 2022. Below, she shares insights into the mission of the Guild.
1. What is the history of the...
Lito and Arlene Martin have been married for 40 years. Members of the “Bukas Loob sa Diyos (BLD) Covenant Community” – a Catholic charismatic community – the couple reflects on how their marriage has been enriched by participation...
As we make our Christmas preparations, plan holiday activities and catch up with old friends, our hearts are filled with memories of the past and our minds draft fresh resolutions for the future. We anticipate. We are hopeful. We feel...
Dr. Adriana Bara is the new national director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in Canada (CNEWA). Until her appointment, Dr. Bara directed the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism in Montreal, a not-for-profit organization founded in...
Kasia Ryba is a Catholic wife and mother who belongs to her local Catholic Moms Group. She has been a speaker at ‘Calling All Girls: An Evening for Mothers and Daughters’ and has spoken on Midday Moms, a...
While Advent is the start of a new liturgical year, it has evolved to become many different things for different people. What is the real meaning of Advent? How can I allow this season to bring me closer to God...
How has the pandemic affected the well-being of priests? Three priest researchers from the Southdown Institute in partnership with an economics researcher from the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt in Germany studied the implications of priests as frontline workers...
During the month of November, we pray for all the souls of the faithful departed. The bereavement ministry is a ministry of care. Parish bereavement ministers reach out to parishioners who have had a loved one die in the past...
In light of the annual Shepherds' Trust collection for retired priests taking place this weekend (Nov. 12/13), here's a look at how Fr. Vitaliano Papais continues to serve the community as a faithful shepherd.
Retirement is typically...
Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s annual Red Wednesday campaign — taking place on November 16 this year — aims to shed light on the persecution and discrimination of Christians around the world. ACN&rsquo...
To mark the 25th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death, the Knights of Columbus produced the film Mother Teresa: No Greater Love – a tribute to this spiritual icon. Below, Director and Writer David Naglieri weighs in on the...
The leadership at St. Augustine’s Seminary is designing a Licentiate program in Patristics – it will be the first program dedicated to Patristics in Canada when it rolls out in the 2023-2024 academic year. Fr. Robert John...
St. Ann’s Food Bank is a ministry run through St. Ann’s Parish in downtown Toronto that assists those in need both within the parish and the surrounding area. A member agency of the Daily Bread Food...
September 30 marks the 50th anniversary of the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Deacon Steve Pitre, Coordinator of Diaconal Ministry, reflects on this special milestone.
1. What celebrations are planned to commemorate this milestone anniversary?
We will...
The Federation of North American Explorers (FNE) is a Catholic youth movement in the scouting tradition. FNE is formally recognized by the Holy See as a Catholic lay movement. Founder Paul Ritchie shares an overview below.
1. What is the...
The Catholic Teachers’ Guild is a lay association in the archdiocese that aims to strengthen teachers’ vocations through formation events, study groups, lectures and mutual fraternal support. As the new school year kicks off, President Andrew Hume reflects...
With wedding season in full swing, some newlyweds are starting their marriage off in a special way – with a visit to the Vatican to receive a blessing from the Pope. The sposi novelli blessing for newlyweds takes place at...