Everyday For Life Canada: November 2020

First Sunday of Advent : "And what I say to you I say to all: Watch."

For the first week of Advent, we post the mediation of the day from the Magnificat. It was written by John Cardinal O'Connor who was the Archbishop of New York from 1984 until the year he died in 2000. Advent is the time of the liturgical year to pray and prepare for the birth of Jesus. It's four weeks to remind ourselves that our entire lives, this human pilgrimage which began with Original sin, is our advent. The domestic church, the family, this year must be more central than ever to our waiting, watching and celebration. Parents are called to spiritually lead their children to Jesus. They can no longer count on schools or the parishes, which remain closed because of a political pandemic,

to do so. The Gospel instructs us to "Take heed, watch" and be prepared to meet our Redeemer.

Nov

Archdiocese of Toronto: don't cancel the live celebration of Mass during Advent and Christmas

We agree with blogger Vox Cantoris that the shutdown of churches in the Archdiocese of Toronto is unwarranted. There is no need for another total cancellation of the in person celebration of Mass in all parishes again. The laity went through this lock-down during Easter, and now, unless the decision is reversed, the imposed closure will be true for Advent and Christmas. These draconian measures are unprecedented.

Nov

Happy Thanksgiving Day to our American Neighbours

Today we post the meditation of the day from the Magnificat. It's worth considering that the post-modern Western can no longer even think of making such a Christian based statement. This reveals a lot about how much we have detached from out Christian roots. In Canada, our PM Justin Trudeau would not even dream of making a similar proclamation. We wish our American neighbours a very happy Thanksgiving Day.

Nov

The Star editorial: just another attack to end Catholic education

This week the Toronto Star, published an opinion piece critical of the Separate School Boards in Ontario and the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on human sexuality. It's titled, "Debate about Toronto Catholic District School Board is overdue" and written by Rev. Michael Coren."

Mr. Coren was a Catholic convert and was for years a strong defender of Catholicism. He has written books on the subject, and used to speak about the faith at parish events and conferences.

Nov

The evil side of Canada's "End of life care"

Rather than dealing with another lock-down and more isolation, 90-year-old Nancy Russell living in a retirement home chose to be euthanized. Canadian law makes it all legal. One report described the event as "normal," as family members gathered around her bed and sang as the doctor killed Nancy.

What is so sad is that Nancy had to choose death to have people with her for the last time, otherwise she faced long days of loneliness and more isolation.

Nov

Celebrating Christ, the King of the Universe

Today we celebrate Christ's kingship and His universal Kingdom. We post a reflection by Pope Pius XI who reigned from 1922-1939. The citation comes from the Magnificat. It's from his encyclical Quas Primas published during the Holy Year of 1925. It's an instructive document worth reading, especially today as we mark this great liturgical Feast of Christ the King.

Nov

Letter from Cardinal Collins to TCDSB: uphold the teaching of the Church

We post the letter Cardinal Thomas Collins sent to Joe Martino the chair of the TCDSB. He reminds the trustees that they took an oath to defend and promote Catholic teaching. At the board meeting of November 11, one parent addressing the board was censored by the chair and three other trustees from quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Nov

The real propaganda is coming from Radio-Canada, not a high school writing contest

Radio-Canada posted a distorted article in French by Zacharie Routhier titled, ("Hundreds of Ontario schools invited to anti-abortion writing contest"). It's about Niagara Region Right to Life sponsoring the Father Ted Colleton Scholarship Program essay contest for high school students, in grades 11 and 12.

Nov

Cardinal Collins to Toronto Catholic trustess: You can't censor the Catechism and be a good Catholic trustees

We post today the editorial from the Corriere Canadese. The editor Joseph Volpe has provided a great service to the community in covering the very divisive school board meetings about revising the Code of Conduct to include gender identity. He deserves a thank you for a job well done.

Nov

Dr. Roger Hodkinson on COVID-19: "It’s politics playing medicine, and that’s a very dangerous game.”

"Dr. Roger Hodkinson is the former Chairman of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons committee in Ottawa, he was once CEO of a large private medical laboratory in Edmonton, Alberta, and for the past 20 years has held the position as Chairman of a Medical Biotechnology company based in North Carolina currently tasked with selling a COVID-19 test.