News/Toronto-GTA
TORONTO - The St. Patrick Centre in Northern Ireland aims to not only instill peace at home, but also change the perception of Irish culture abroad, which it will now do in Canada through partners based in Toronto.鈥淚t鱿鱼视频app important because there鱿鱼视频app a large connection between Northern Ireland and Canada, especially in Ontario,鈥� said Dr. Tim Campbell, the centre鱿鱼视频app director in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland.
Campbell said there are too many pre-conceived notions abroad about Northern Ireland and hopes the centre can help people to understand that Irish culture and St. Patrick鱿鱼视频app legacy aren鈥檛 about shamrocks and green beer.
Sharon DiCecco, the centre鱿鱼视频app Toronto chapter director, discovered the centre online while researching St. Patrick for one of her 鈥淐ommunity in Concert鈥� programs on Toronto鱿鱼视频app HMWN Radio Maria last year. She started a 鈥淵oung Friends of St. Patrick鈥� club at Our Lady of Peace parish where聽 she meets monthly with a group of children ages four-10, teaching them about the different saints and engaging them in charity projects. She also connected 26 children in her parish who were preparing for their First Communion with first communicants in Downpatrick, where she visited in May.
Canadian Council of Churches rejects violence as protest
By Catholic Register Staff
The faith leaders meeting to discuss the G8 and G20 agendas are absolutely not going to bomb any banks and have rejected violent protest, said the in a news release.On May 18 activists bombed a Royal Bank of Canada branch in Ottawa causing $500,000 damage. A group calling itself FFFC-Ottawa claimed responsibility.
鈥淚n light of the recent acts of violence in Ottawa and Toronto by those protesting the upcoming visit of the G8/G20 to Canada, the , a member of the 2010 InterFaith Partnership, reiterates its belief in the importance of dialogue and conversation and rejects violence as a medium of protest,鈥� said the release sign by CCC general secretary and 2010 InterFaith Partnership chair Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton.
Catholic Civil Rights League turns 25
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - The same-sex marriage debate. A controversial sex-ed program aimed at elementary students. YouTube videos exposing the desecration of the Eucharist.These are some of the issues the (CCRL) has dealt with in its mission to combat Catholic defamation in the media and public square over the past 25 years.
The league celebrated its silver anniversary at a June 10 gala in Toronto.
Established in 1985, the league is a national lay Catholic organization that works with media to ensure a fair hearing for Catholic positions on issues, lobbies the government and intervenes in court challenges supporting laws and policies that reflect Catholic understanding of the common good and human nature
G20 Summit will affect, but not close, Toronto parishes
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - Catholic parishes in the downtown core plan to keep their doors open during the upcoming G20 summit in Toronto on June 26 and 27.鈥淲e do not anticipate having to cancel any spiritual services," said John McGrath, the archdiocese's chancellor of temporal affairs, in a June 1 letter to all Toronto parishes. "It is important for those parishes in areas impacted by the summit to communicate effectively with parishioners that may be inconvenienced ie. weddings, funerals, etc. held on the weekend of the summit. Reminding all involved to leave ample time for travel, anticipate delays, etc. is an important part of our ongoing communication.鈥�
Sisters find honour in serving God, aiding priesthood
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - Sr. Mary Emmanuel Escobedo and Sr. Danielle Paz carefully measure some polyester fabric for a priest鱿鱼视频app cope and humeral veil, worn for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, in their brightly lit work room on a sunny end-of-May day. A big order, 16 deacon vestments, has just been completed, but the Sisters鈥� work continues. On this day, they, along with Sr. Mary Immaculate Fournier, are back to work cutting, measuring and sewing priestly garments.
They are three of nine members of the in Toronto whose apostolate is to serve priests. In Canada, the congregation also works out of Montreal, with about 15 members. The Sisters have houses in 31 countries around the world and their ministry involves service to the Eucharist, the priesthood and the liturgy.
Toronto diaconate grows by 16
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - Deacon Rudy Ovcjak says being in a hospital room and sharing the hope and love of God to patients, like a woman whose faith was shaken while battling an illness, has provided an excellent training ground for his new ministry.Ovcjak, 47, was ordained with 15 other men as a deacon for the archdiocese of Toronto on May 29 at St. Michael鱿鱼视频app Cathedral. More than 500 people were in attendance at the packed cathedral to witness the ordination by Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Nguyen, the archdiocese's Vicar of Deacons.
Diabetic volunteers need threatens health care study
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
A St. Michael鱿鱼视频app Hospital doctor and researcher trying to save millions of Canadians from an early death, blindness and organ failure can鈥檛 rustle up enough volunteers to complete a study. Dr. David Jenkins needs 400 people with type two diabetes 鈥� the kind people normally get over the age of 45, but is increasingly showing up among overweight young people. After months of advertising, Jenkins has recruited fewer than 70 volunteers to take on special diets and monitor their health.
Lawsuit seeks answers in infant鱿鱼视频app death
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - Annie Farlow would have turned five on May 25. She died in 2005, 80 days after being born with a congenital genetic disorder called Trisomy 13.Five years later, Annie鱿鱼视频app parents are still fighting to get answers about how their baby died.
Tim and Barbara Farlow, the parents of nine children, filed suit in small claims court against Toronto鱿鱼视频app Sick Kids Hospital in 2007. It has since become a medical malpractice lawsuit that was transferred to Ontario鱿鱼视频app Superior Court of Justice last September.
New Toronto clergy appointments
By Catholic Register Staff
The following clergy appointments have been announced for the Archdiocese of Toronto, effective June 30 - July 1, 2010.
ShareLife campaign in stretch run
By Carolyn Girard, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - Raising money for ShareLife not only fulfills the call to be charitable but also helps build community, say members of parishes that were among the top donors to last year鱿鱼视频app annual campaign.All say they are aiming to exceed their totals from last year.
Real estate 'lie' killing affordable housing
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
TORONTO - People are homeless because we鈥檝e chosen to believe a lie, or perhaps chosen to believe more in the real estate market than the Gospel, says Dion Oxford.The first lie that rules out affordable housing is 鈥渢he real estate lie,鈥� said Oxford, who runs the Salvation Army Gateway shelter on Jarvis Street in Toronto.
The Toronto obsession with real estate values and the idea that middle class families can make a killing selling their homes every four or five years is killing our sense of home, neighbourhood and community, said Oxford.