ANCORAIMES, BOLIVIA – BoliviaöÏÓãÊÓƵapp Rio Desaguerdo stretches 320 km south from scenic Lake Titicaca to the parched salt flat of Lake Poopo.

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is offering something for nothing until Oct. 20 — membership in one of CanadaöÏÓãÊÓƵapp biggest and oldest social justice organizations.

With the final numbers in, the Canadian government is kicking in $21.3 million to protect 20 million people in Africa and Yemen from imminent starvation, but CanadaöÏÓãÊÓƵapp Catholic development agency is continuing to collect more funds even as Ottawa closes down its matching fund program.

The sudden departure of David Leduc has left the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace searching for a new executive director for the second time in less than 12 months.

A long-anticipated trip to Ireland, researching ancestors, a poignant story about children playing with a potato, even the name Barack Obama, all eventually led me to pondering the plight of Syrian refugees and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.

OTTAWA - As peace continues to elude wartorn Syria, Canadian Catholics are being asked to remain in solidarity with those ravaged by the conflict.

MONTREAL - The Canadian bishops' development agency has named its newest leader.

Ten years of fighting off friendly fire attacks from the pro-life movement and politically motivated budget cuts from Ottawa has left outgoing Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace executive director Michael Casey feeling inspired, consoled, hopeful and at peace.

Internal e-mails, briefing notes and memoranda obtained by The Catholic Register reveal that a government decision to cut funding to CanadaöÏÓãÊÓƵapp Catholic development agency went against the advice of almost everyone consulted, including its own bureaucracy.