St. Paul's Basilica, Toronto
Our Faith Alive
-
Hung for Our Salvation"Behold the word of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world". These are the words said by the priest or deacon on Good Friday as the Holy Cross is shown to the people. Good Friday is a...Thursday, March 29, 2018 -
In Service to All"O God, who have called us to participate in this most sacred Supper, in which your Only Begotten Son, when about to hand himself over to death, entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity, the banquet of...Wednesday, March 28, 2018
-
Making Sense of the Chrism MassThe annual Chrism Mass never used to make sense to me. It seemed rather disjointed. There is the renewal of priestly promises and then, the reason Chrism Mass is called Chrism Mass, the blessing of the oils and consecration of...Monday, March 26, 2018
-
A Story Worth Hearing - Palm SundayPeople who study these sorts of things tell me that story telling is becoming a lost art. We just don't have the attention span to sit, to listen, to be with a story. It makes us uncomfortable because it...Friday, March 23, 2018
-
The Story of St. Joseph - 5th Sunday of LentMarch 19 is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. His day is one of the two Solemnities in Lent (the other being the Annunciation, which this year will actually fall after Easter). The only thought I use to give this fact...Friday, March 16, 2018
-
Is It Pink or Rose?"Priests don't wear pink, we wear rose". So starts almost every introduction to the Mass or homily I've heard on the Fourth Sunday of Lent. That is because the color of the day can be rose, even if...Saturday, March 10, 2018
-
Belief Brief - ConfessionsWhy do I have to confess my sins? Can I not tell my sins directly to God, rather than a priest? With confession in mind, this week's Belief Brief looks directly at the Sacrament of Confession. In this week...Thursday, March 08, 2018
-
Journeying in Faith This LentIf you spend time with and around the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, you might know that the third Sunday of Lent is the time appointed for the First Scrutiny. The scrutinies, which take place on the third, fourth...Saturday, March 03, 2018
-
Reflecting on the ResurrectionThe end of the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent finds Jesus telling Peter, James and John not to tell anyone about what they witnessed, about Jesus' transfiguration, "until after the Son of Man has risen from the dead...Friday, February 23, 2018
-
Belief Brief - What is Prayer?What action is at the heart of a faithful person? Prayer. With prayer in mind, there's no better topic to look at when beginning a new catechetical series here in Our Faith Alive. As a result of a months...Tuesday, February 20, 2018
-
Find a Healthy Measure of Hope in LentHope is one of the theological virtues (along with faith and charity). It isn’t some pie-in-the-sky sort of wish for something that may or may not be likely: “I hope it doesn’t...Friday, February 16, 2018
-
Putting the "Lent" in Valentine's DayIt's starting to seem like the Church's calendar and the secular calendar have gotten together and decided that 2017/2018 will be the year of inconvenient dating. First, Christmas and Mary, the Mother of God were both on...Tuesday, February 13, 2018
-
Reaching God Through Pen and PaperEarlier this week, I noted that the online world had marked January 15 as "Blue Monday," believed to be the most depressing day of the year. As we get into the rhythm of a New Year, you might still be...Wednesday, January 17, 2018
-
Discerning Our GiftsThe following post is contributed by Mary Kay Boase, the Director of New Evangelization at Holy Family Parish in Whitby. Our parishioners are on a journey, rediscovering what faith means in our lives – and who we are as a...Wednesday, December 27, 2017
-
The Good News of ChristmasIt is finally here! It is finally Christmas. All the waiting and preparing has paid off, Christ is born! Now we can sit back and rest in the peace of Christ….right? Well, maybe not. The first reading for...Monday, December 25, 2017
-
The Angelus - Advent Week #4"Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to...Friday, December 22, 2017
-
Make the Path Ready - Advent Week #3"Among you stands one whom you do not know…" That is how John the Baptist refers to Jesus when he is speaking to those who had been sent to him by the Pharisees. Imagine that, Jesus Christ is in...Monday, December 18, 2017
-
Forming Faith-Filled Young MenTim Haynes is the president of the Conquest Boys Club (St. Bernadette's chapter) in Ajax. In Ontario, there's a growing number of boys participating in Conquest, with chapters in Hamilton, Milton, Oakville, Ottawa and Cornwall. Worldwide, there are...Friday, December 15, 2017
-
The Good News - Advent Week #2The Good News (Gospel) in the Gospel of Mark starts with a call to preparation found in the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist. I know I normally think of John as calling for preparation in the...Monday, December 11, 2017
-
The Second Coming - Advent Week #1My mother had a bumper sticker that said "Jesus is coming, look busy!" This is a busy time of the year, Christmas is right around the corner and we're doing everything we can to get ready for it. The...Friday, December 08, 2017
