A very special family vacation
My parents had stumbled across the place after years of vacationing at housekeeping cottages. It cost more, but it was a real treat not to have to pack groceries, bedding and towels for six, along with each family member鱿鱼视频app personal items, and try to cram them all into the car. And how wonderful it was to have someone else preparing, serving and cleaning up after meals and organizing activities. It was truly a time of relaxation and fun.
- By Lisa Petsche
Catholic schools have made great contributions
In his Aug. 11 column, Jim Coyle of spoke of the courage of NDP leader-wannabe Michael Prue鱿鱼视频app invitation to the membership to enter into 鈥渁 grand dialogue鈥� regarding the economic effectiveness and justice of a policy/convention/tradition that continues to fund a separate Catholic school system. Why are we surprised? Especially, given the often furious and polemical debates surrounding the last provincial election and John Tory鱿鱼视频app advocacy of 鈥渇aith schools.鈥�
Envisioning Canada without poverty
Celebrating St. Paul Ecumenically
{mosimage}Ecumenists were particularly delighted when, in his first address to the College of Cardinals following his election, Benedict XVI clearly put the Roman Catholic Church on notice that he would work without sparing energy to bring about the unity of the Christian church. It proved nothing short of embracing ecumenical continuity, giving testimony to an endeared legacy of his predecessor Pope John Paul II.
To date evidence of that energy has clearly manifested itself throughout the early years of Benedict鱿鱼视频app active pontificate.
It's always something
I have a disease. It started in a finger on my left hand and within a couple days moved to a finger on my right hand. I first noticed the unusual pains a few months after my 40th birthday.
By that summer, I was practically bedridden. A misdiagnosis didn鈥檛 help. In fairness to the doctor, he didn鈥檛 have much to go on. In fact, even a couple of years later a specialist was still saying maybe you do have arthritis and maybe you don鈥檛.
Unborn would benefit from Bill C-484
{mosimage}In the past year there have been a number of high-profile cases where pregnant women have been attacked and killed. And in each of those cases the perpetrators were charged with only one murder, that of the mother.
Bill C-484, a private member鱿鱼视频app bill, was introduced in Parliament in the fall of 2007. The proposed legislation 鈥� An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (injuring or causing the death of an unborn child while committing an offence) 鈥� is also known as the Unborn Victims of Crime Act. The bill has now passed second reading and has been sent for study to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, where it now sits.
Conscience next victim of liberal agenda
{mosimage}A pro-life doctor friend recently told me that if things get really bad here in terms of religious freedom, he鈥檒l move to the United States. Not so fast: his dream escape is dissipating before his eyes.
Parish youth ministry needs to be a priority
{mosimage}My two daughters spent a week at camp this summer 鈥� in the mountains of northeast Georgia. That鱿鱼视频app a long way to travel, I know, 990 kilometres to be exact. But it鱿鱼视频app an experience they couldn鈥檛 get around here, at least not to my knowledge.
The camp, , is operated by Life Teen, a non-profit, Eucharist-centred Catholic ministry focused on leading teens into a closer relationship with Christ. Originally a single-parish program in Arizona, Life Teen can now be found in more than a dozen countries.
- By Lisa Petsche
You鈥檒l always be baby to me
{mosimage}There was a crib set up at my church. It wasn鈥檛 someone鱿鱼视频app version of a crying room and it wasn鈥檛 going to replace the manger. This crib was meant to encourage donations for an organization that assists unwed mothers and their babies. People were encouraged to bring baby clothes, diapers and baby food.
I was excited about shopping for baby items. I had seen an ad for the cutest little sleeper sets and chattered away about my shopping plans to my husband as we drove away after Mass. 鈥淲hy wouldn鈥檛 you just give money?鈥� asked my husband the accountant, 鈥渁nd then you could get a tax receipt.鈥�
Church is also where laity are
In much of the news coverage relating to the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States last spring, it was noted that he 鈥渂onded鈥� with the American people, even though some had expected to feel negative towards him.
Religion, morality have a place in public debate
The British House of Commons was supposed to once again wrestle this summer with the Human Embryology Bill, a piece of legislation ostensibly designed to bring the legal framework of Britain into line with the realities of genetics research. But Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided to once again postpone the end state of the debate.