The parents of a terminally ill woman who was transferred to another facility to be euthanized after St. Paul’s Hospital refused to allow the procedure on its premises are suing the provincial government and Providence Health Care, the Catholic health-care provider that operates St. Paul’s. The couple’s lawsuit says their daughter’s Charter of Rights and...
Month: June 2024
Beyond ideology: Revamped pro–life expo guides students toward ‘engaging with their personhood’
The annual Catholic schools’ pro-life conference got a fresh coat of paint this year in the form of the Youth 4 Life Expo. Organizers urged students to engage with pro-life ideas on their own terms. They transitioned from a traditional conference format, where content is presented to students, to an expo format, allowing students to browse...
Controversial Online Harms Bill Debated in Parliament
More than 100 days after its introduction, Bill C-63, The Online Harms Act, which immediately sparked passionate reactions of furor or support, was debated for the first time in the House of Commons June 7. Minister of Justice and Attorney General Arif Virani said during his sponsor’s speech that the legislation will reduce exposure to...
New Canadian podcast features personal vocations of ordinary Catholics
Special to Canadian Catholic News Embrace the opportunity to work in ministry if you can, says Mike Landry, youth chaplain at Evergreen Catholic Schools in Spruce Grove, Alberta. “The fact that the daily Mass and prayer … can be a part of your life and your routine — that’s a gift,” he says. Landry was...
Moncton monastery closes after nearly 125 years
For 122 years, the monks who called the Cistercian-Trappist Monastery of Our Lady of Calvary in Rogersville, N.B., home bonded over their devotion to God and a love of agriculture. The Cistercian monks arrived in 1902 at the invitation of local parish priest Fr. Marcel‑François Richard, who wanted to provide refuge for the brothers from...
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition granted intervenor status in assisted death case
The Court of Appeal of Alberta has granted the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) intervenor status in the controversial case of a 27-year-old Calgary woman with autism seeking approval for medical assistance in dying (MAiD) against her father’s wishes. On May 17, the non-profit that opposes assisted suicide submitted a five-page application to intervene containing legal...
Muslim family who worked in Gaza with Mother Teresa’s sisters now long for safety in Canada
By James Risdon Amal Khames illustrates the complex religious and cultural reality of the war-torn Holy Land. A Muslim woman, she worked with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in the Gaza Strip. Now, she is trying to rebuild her life in Port Coquitlam while helping her sisters, who remain stranded in Egypt after fleeing the...
Toronto palliative care forum seeks a ‘narrative of hope’
Amplifying advocacy and pastoral care efforts, bolstering educational resources and championing life-affirming legislation are among the recommendations emerging from an international interfaith symposium on palliative care staged in Toronto late last month. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) bestowed health care, medicine, ethics, legal and pastoral care...
Victoria Catholic picks up support while showing solidarity for Israel
Sometimes, a free afternoon is all you need to start a counter-protest. Catholic pro-life organizer and retired journalist Steven Weatherbe was visiting Vancouver with his wife, who was attending a conference. He was at a loss for what to do with his afternoon, and then he saw a pro-Palestinian rally forming at the Vancouver Art...