The Supreme Court of Canada began hearing a case on Oct. 14, about whether voluntary prayers at city council meetings as well as displaying religious symbols in city buildings infringe on a person’s freedom of religion. The court will examine whether Mayor Jean Tremblay and the City of Saguenay, Quebec, discriminated against Alain Simoneau, a non-Christian, when he prayed at city council [...]
In the last edition of The Interim I wrote about the noted atheist and enemy of the pro-life movement A.C. Grayling. But if Grayling is a problem, Richard Dawkins is a horror. In April, 2010 he announced an initiative to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested when the Pontiff made an official visit to Britain later that year; the ostensible reason being his [...]
Mother Theresa, together with her fellow nuns from Toronto with Father Green sitting in the living room of St. Bartholomew's rectory. Mother Theresa presented Father with a Rosary. Father Greene spoke to CLC about Freedom and Democracy, his close relationship to Fr. Ted Colleton, Linda Gibbons, and spending the day with Mother Teresa Father Robert Stuart Harvey Greene, served as [...]
Hobby Lobby, Conestoga Wood not forced to supply contraception in employee medical insurance benefits On June 30, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Hobby Lobby, an American hobby supply chain, and Conestoga Wood, a custom cabinet maker, cannot be compelled to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their insurance plans. The 5-4 majority decision in Hobby Lobby Stores v. Burwell and [...]
Four leading Catholic bishops have spoken out against Justin Trudeau’s announcement that individuals who hold pro-life views will be banned from running as candidates for the Liberal Party, a policy that does not apply to sitting pro-life Liberal MPs. The bishops have chastised Trudeau for excluding faithful Catholics from seeking elected office under the Liberal banner, promoting abortion while presenting himself as [...]
Originally from Quebec, Fr. Luc Payette was ordained to the priesthood in 1992 for the Hamilton Diocese in Ontario. He has served at several parishes in the Diocese and is currently the pastor at Mary Immaculate Parish in Chepstow, Ont. He is the Spiritual Director for Business for Life, a not-for-profit association of Canadian business and professional people who are committed to [...]
On January 31, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child released a report castigating the Vatican for its moral teachings. The committee, which provides oversight to the 1990 Convention on the Rights of the Child, focused on the Catholic Church’s handling of cases of abuse of children by priests, but in its 16-page report it also took the liberty [...]
New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan has come out saying that it’s the “other side” that is “obsessed” with abortion, not pro-life advocates. “They’re so obsessed with it that they want to expand it even more!” Dolan told National Review in advance of the national March for Life in Washington. Speaking about his opposition to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Women’s Equality Act,” [...]
In my new book The Future of Catholicism (Signal Books/Random House) I devote the longest chapter to the issue of same-sex marriage, and other chapters to abortion, euthanasia, and contraception. But, some critics have argued, why spend so much time on these issues when the book is about the future of the Catholic Church? Simple. Because this is precisely the future of [...]
Despite media spin that Pope wants to change Church focus, he said nothing new Pope Francis gave a long interview to a Jesuit magazine and the media seems to be picking up on a tiny portion of it and misrepresenting what he said. In an interview with the magazine La Civilta Catholica, and reprinted in other Jesuit publications including America, [...]
In late August, the Parti Quebecois government of Pauline Marois began leaking the details of their proposed Charter of Quebec Values, which would severely limit religious and cultural expression in state-run workplaces. If the bill, which will be introduced to the National Assembly later this Fall, becomes law it would ban the wearing of religious attire by state employees, including crosses and [...]
An influential Indian Cardinal says he “fully” support the efforts of a Canadian pro-lifer who is serving time in jail for entering abortion facilities to rescue unborn babies. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, was recently tapped by Pope Francis to join an eight-cardinal advisory board charged with assisting the Pope in reforming the Roman Curia. He also serves as president of [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell “It’s a creative approach to saving souls,” Dingwall said. “What is?” I asked. “Invincible ignorance,” Dingwall replied. Although we often talked about Church teaching, this was the first time he had mentioned invincible ignorance. “I’m not sure I understand,” I said. “Invincible ignorance is a deficiency of knowledge that you can’t reasonably overcome and consequently [...]
There are many ways to contribute to the pro-life movement – political action, education, fundraising – but these would not be possible without prayer. In his book I’m Still A Radical, the late Father Ted Colleton wrote: “Prayer and sacrifice ... must be the foundation which underpins all other activity.” Enza Rattenni, executive director of Aid to Women, a Toronto-based organization that [...]
Raymond Gravel Questions abound regarding Fr. Raymond Gravel, the Quebec priest and former Bloc Quebecois MP who is suing LifeSiteNews.com. Questions, but no answers. It all stems from a few basic facts on which there is general agreement. On June 29, 1986 Raymond Gravel was ordained a Catholic priest for the diocese of Joliette, Quebec. In 2006, Gravel plunged into [...]