The same-sex “marriage” controversy is once again heating up newspaper columns. And once again, some in the liberal press are mocking people of faith. Columnists have led the charge, for it would seem that on the whole, editors show more restraint. A recent striking example was an attack piece written by Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette published on August 5. To [...]
In an advisory ruling on Dec. 9, 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada decreed that same-sex couples have an unequivocal equality right to marry under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ontario government followed up on Feb. 22, 2005 with Bill 171, an omnibus act to eliminate all references to traditional marriage in 73 Ontario statutes, by replacing words such [...]
On August 8, I marked an important anniversary – it was five years to the day I was hired as the editor of The Interim. The special day came about a month after another anniversary, my tenth wedding anniversary. Both my wife Christina and I have noted that after ten years it has seemed both a lot longer and a lot shorter [...]
In a statement on June 27, the Rt. Rev. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, presented a plan for expelling the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church of the United States from constituent membership in the worldwide Anglican communion. Specifically, Williams suggested that any Anglican church that unilaterally flouts Anglican doctrine should be reduced to the status of [...]
I borrowed $10 from my wife, Ileen, for a Liberal party membership in order to pick the new leader of the federal Liberal party at the convention Nov. 29-Dec. 3 in Montreal. She objected to doing so. She felt all new members should put up their own money. She said that I wasn’t a sincere Liberal. I was just going down there [...]
In recent years, Father Raymond Gravel has been well known in Quebec for his dissident views as a Catholic priest. He differs on abortion, same-sex “marriage,” homosexual priests, married priests, homosexuality, women priests, contraception and many other topics. He is almost a caricature. He is, however, often invited by the Quebec media to comment on church affairs. He is almost an official [...]
Pro-lifers have good reason to be elated by the thousands of youngsters who turned out in May for the largest annual pro-life march ever to take place in Ottawa. This event is symptomatic of a persistent trend toward greater awareness among Canadian youths of the sanctity of unborn human life. The parents and grandparents of these youngsters were told in their youth [...]
I have asked a number of Christian friends if they have seen the Da Vinci Code. Some have, but many haven’t and don’t intend to. Some indeed simply brush it off as being full of false teaching and rehashed attacks on Christ and so they aren’t interested. I think such an attitude is shortsighted. Christians can adopt a more positive outlook and [...]
A recent flyer depicted a nesting hen saying, “We’ll pray for you,” and a pig saying, “We love you”. It described a vegetarian diet as “compassionate, noble” and spoke of “the gruesome sacrifice of billions of our sweet domestic animals.” Each year in Canada, there’s a more gruesome sacrifice of 100,000 sweet baby humans – but that’s considered a woman’s right. Promoters [...]
To those not familiar with the Gospels, the title “Doubting Thomas” may appear strange. But Thomas, who was one of the Apostles, earned it. At the Last Supper, when Jesus said to the Apostles that He was “going to the Father,” it was Thomas who said, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” [...]
So far, Canada’s new Conservative government has done precious little to promote the sanctity of human life, but pro-lifers should not give up on the Conservative party. There is good reason to hope for major pro-life gains from the Harper Conservatives after the next federal election. Consider what Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already accomplished. Thanks mainly to his leadership, the formerly [...]
All saints are extraordinary, but St. John Vianney, known as “The Cure of Ars,” was most extraordinary. He was born at Dardilly, near Lyons, France. His father was a farmer and John spent most of his youth herding cattle and feeding pigs. He received virtually no education and joined the French Army, but deserted in 1809. The only thing he wanted to [...]
It's remarkable how theologically conservative Catholics and Protestants have come to appreciate over the past 30 years, that on many theological and moral issues, they have much more in common with each other than with liberal members of their own respective churches. Underlying this church-wide dividing line is a difference of opinion on the interpretation of Holy Scripture. Conservative Catholics and Protestants [...]
Commonly known as Don Bosco, St. John Bosco was born in Italy on Aug. 16, 1815. His father died two years later and he was reared in poverty by his very holy mother, Margaret. In 1841, he became a priest and took on as his principal work - the training of young boys to be good Christians, mainly through his own example. [...]
One day recently, I burst into Premier Dalton McGuinty's office in Queen's Park, hotly pursued by a number of his aides. "I've come to save you, Dalton!" I yelled. "Sir, it's that Frank Kennedy - he just stormed by us," some flunky explained to the premier. "I'm afraid he's become unhinged. Shall I call security?" "No," said the premier putting down a [...]