Although he was deeply immersed in fashioning a life-sized bronze tribute to future saint Blessed Carlo Acutis, Canadian Catholic sculptor Timothy Schmalz keenly kept abreast of the discourse at the 10th U.S. National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. In a nation, indeed a world, that has become so polarized, the congress was a breath of fresh...
Author: Quinton Amundson
Schmalz to unveil latest work, an homage to Carlos Acutis
another in the long line of Christian art by renowned Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. Schmalz will be among the attractions as he crafts one of his sculptures live and on-site. He will render an immersive monument to Blessed Carlos Acutis, the late Italian Catholic web designer poised to become the first millennial canonized as a...
Liberals caught in C-11 ‘disinformation’ web
The federal government’s own bureaucrats have exposed that with Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, Justin Trudeau’s government has engaged in a “campaign of disinformation.” So says Peter Menzies, a former vice-chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Menzies is among those who have been contradicted and criticized by Liberal MPs for articulating that...
Pro-life group challenges ban from Klondike Days
Edmonton Prolife has filed a lawsuit against the Explore Edmonton Corporation — the local government’s visitor economy and venue management organization — for banning its booth from the city’s Klondike Days (KDays) in July. “Edmonton Prolife’s application seeks relief for Explore Edmonton’s violation of its section 2(b) Charter right to ‘freedom of thought, belief, opinion...
Calgary diocese adapts in face of water emergency
Adaptability is the name of the game for the Diocese of Calgary and the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) during the ongoing state of emergency sparked by a rupture in the city’s water main on June 5 and the discovery ten days later of five additional hot spots requiring repair. Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions...
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...
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...
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...
Former trustee feels vindicated by dicastery’s dignity document
Reading the passages about gender theory written in the new Vatican document Dignitas Infinita (Infinite Dignity) offered Francine Champagne, a former school trustee in Winnipeg, a feeling of vindication. “The document supports what I have been saying all along: We are born male or female,” said Champagne. “God makes no mistakes.” The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith...