“I did not think of God today until I saw you.”
​
A man crossing my path to the recycling blue bins here in Calgary said this to me. It really touched my heart, and I was grateful to God for my vocation to the Religious life that drew someone to think of God.

I suspect that other Religious Sisters, Brothers, and Priests have comparable stories to tell of brief encounters with someone who is touched by the sight of a Religious. I know that the Friars Minor in their brown habits have been repeatedly asked if they are Jedi Knights who, if you know the stories of Star Wars, are the selfless defenders of what is right and good in the galaxy. I think that the Friars fit that description quite well.

Often my students in high school told me that I was the only Religious Sister that they had ever met. Happily, some students told me that they had had a Sister teach them in elementary school. I was glad to hear that I was not the only example they had because there are many different communities of Religious, each with its own charism and mission in the Church.

Charisms are the gift of the Holy Spirit to the founder of the community and to all those who subsequently follow Jesus in the same spirituality. This gives the community its particular way of living the Gospel, such as Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit, Marian, Carmelite, Benedictine, Precious Blood, etc..

Once someone senses the call of the Lord to give oneself totally for Him in the Religious life, a further discernment is needed to identify which of the spiritualities in the Church attracts that person. Identifying one’s own charism enables one to discern to which community the Lord is calling. There is a sense of deep resonance between the individual and the community, something that can be hard to put into words, but yet is very real. This is because the community and the individual share the same charism from the Holy Spirit.

Frequently I have conversations with people in the grocery store, people that I am meeting for the first time or ones that I see often when I go to shop. They speak to me of their concerns with their lives and ask me for prayers. Some share openly of their faith in Christ simply because they know that they are talking to someone who also believes. Think about how beneficial it would be to have ten times more Religious around us!

People seem to know instinctively that there is something special in their midst when they encounter a Religious man or woman. In Vita Consecrata, Pope St. John Paul II wrote:

Written by Sr. Dianne Turner, OSE - Associate Director for Office of Vocations - Consecrated Life. Call 403-218-5500 or email Sr. Dianne at [email protected]

In every family and community, there are quiet struggles we may not always see. Mental illness touches many lives, often closer than we realize. In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience it: a friend, a colleague, a loved one.
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We invite the Catholic community to respectfully contact their local Member of Parliament (MP) to request their support for Bill C-218, the Right to Recover Act, currently before the Parliament of Canada.

Bill C-218 proposes an amendment to the Criminal Code to make it illegal to provide Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to individuals whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. It recognizes the importance of recovery and ensures that help can be offered, not harm. 

Why this matters

• Every life is precious. As Catholics, we believe in the sanctity of every human life, from the moment of conception to natural death.
• A desire to die can be a symptom of illness. Suicidal thoughts are frequently part of mental illness itself, raising serious concerns about whether consent can ever be truly free and informed.
• Mental illness is often treatable. Many conditions improve over time with proper care, therapy, medication, and support. Recovery remains possible, even after long periods of suffering.
• Gaps in mental health care remain unresolved. Long wait times, limited access to psychiatrists, and uneven services mean some may seek to end their lives due to system failure, not medical necessity.
• There is an increased risk to vulnerable Canadians. Individuals navigating mental health challenges are more likely to experience poverty, trauma, isolation, disability, or lack of access to care — factors that may pressure individuals toward assisted suicide.

Background on Bill C-218
Bill C-218 is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in Parliament by an individual Member of Parliament. It has been introduced by Tamara Jansen, MP for Cloverdale–Langley City, British Columbia.

To pass, the legislation will require support from more than one political party. Many Members of Parliament have expressed concern about the rapid expansion of MAiD in Canada, particularly for those whose primary underlying condition is mental illness. MPs are being asked to vote according to their conscience, regardless of party affiliation.
The difference in passing this bill could be just a few votes in the House of Commons. If the legislation does not pass, new laws are set to take effect on March 17, 2027, allowing MAiD for those whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.

Take action
You are invited to visit HelpNotHarmCanada.ca, where you can send an email directly to your local Member of Parliament in under 3 minutes.

As Catholics and Canadians, we are called to offer care, hope, and protection to those who are suffering.

​Source: HelpNotHarmCanada.ca (Archdiocese of Toronto)

St. Joseph is a quiet saint, to whom no words are attributed in the gospels, but whose actions resonate with tectonic effect. Since March is considered St. Joseph’s month, a worthy tribute to this universal saint would be to pray the Litany of St. Joseph. To help you do so, consider using a recently released book, Prince, Patron and Patriarch - The Litany of St. Joseph and the Dogma that Makes it Strong by Ian Mahood (2026 Sceptre Publishing).

This small devotional is extensively researched and rigorously based in Scripture, papal documents and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Despite the weight sometimes associated with the word “dogma,” this book is neither complicated nor boring. Dogma simply refers to truths that the Church holds and proclaims, and it is a relief to know that every word is attested to by Church scholars, some of whom offer glowing testimonials on the book’s back cover.
 
Ian Mahood was formerly a seminarian for the Diocese of Calgary. He now lives with his family in Edmonton. Born in Red Deer, he was raised Evangelical. Ian credits his parents with providing him a solid grounding in the Bible and “for teaching me to love God”. He commended their openness to other Christian traditions as well.

In his late teens, Ian desired a more sacramental life and felt attracted to liturgy. He was baptized an Anglican in 2010 and converted to Catholicism in 2014. While articling as a law student in Calgary, he felt a call to explore the priesthood. So he applied to the Diocese of Calgary, was accepted into the seminarian formation years, and was sent to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. It was there his thoughts first took shape as he prayed the Litany of St. Joseph each week. “I didn’t set out to publish a book,” Ian said, “I just wanted to write a devotional that would satisfy me.” His life would be changed by his time at the seminary, an experience he describes as “excellent, very good formation.” In time, however, he discerned that his vocation was to family life, and he is now married to Heidi, and they are expecting twins.
 
Ian works full-time as a corporate-commercial litigator but still found time to write this book in three months, working for an hour early each morning. “I would think about the Litany throughout the day and focus on one of St. Joseph’s titles at a time,” he said, “It’s meant to be a devotional, a slower read.” Slow perhaps, but deep.

The book is rich in spiritual insights, e.g., “Obedience is the best sacrifice because obedience is a sacrifice of the will.” Each mini-meditation is based on one line of the Litany and unpacks its meaning in plain language. I particularly enjoyed the way Ian brings Bible passages to life when retold in a novel-like or story-like manner. The meditations close with ways one can practice that quality in everyday life.
 
Ian's years in seminary are evident in his liberal use of Latin - albeit followed by English translations - and the technical overtones. However, his sense of humour defuses any stuffiness, e.g., “We love chastity the way a fat man loves his weight-loss program.” Ian readily admits his book is “a bit dense,” but says it’s not intended as a scholarly work and will appeal to anyone seeking a more reasoned and doctrinally sound handbook.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus.
He made him the lord of his household
And prince over all his possessions.

O God, in your ineffable providence, you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever.

St Joseph, pray for us.

Written by Alice Matisz for Faithfully.

Someone very close to me has been away from the Church since we were teenagers, and for many years I have prayed for a return to the healing love the Lord holds in His heart. The two of us never did agree on much, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember. Over the years, we have learned to avoid certain topics to keep the peace, and that has worked because we care about each other very much. 
​
We all have people in our lives that we would so dearly love to come home to Jesus and His Church.  For the most part, we are called to pray and fast for them. Because of how close we are to them (and often the baggage that goes with that) it is likely that we are not the ones the Lord will send to share the Good News with them. He will send another. We are called to pray and fast. 
​
However, it is also likely that the Lord wishes us to reach someone else’s loved one, someone with whom we are called to share the Gospel.

Written by Ryan Schmidt, Director of Renewal, Diocese of Calgary.

“May the Lord give you peace.”

Pope Leo highlights this famous greeting of St. Francis of Assisi and places the notion of “Peace” at the heart of this Jubilee year of grace. In his prayer to St. Francis asking for his special intercession, the Pope recalled that St. Francis was a person who sought and lived peace:

“Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man of peace, intercede for us before the Lord. You recognized true peace in the Crucified of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all Reconciliation that breaks down every wall. You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries. In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers: unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ. Amen”

This Jubilee year of grace invites us to find inspiration in the life and witness of St. Francis for our own journey of faith, so that we, too, become models of holiness and constant witnesses of peace.

Francis was a particular witness of peace in his time: born into a life of privilege, he renounced all to follow the way of the Crucified Saviour, allowing Christ to be his source of peace. In humility and simplicity, he became detached from all desire for power, possessions or social status. Not needing to defend or protect anything, he went to the margins of society and served those in whom he recognized the face of the suffering Christ. Desiring to proclaim the message of reconciliation and peace to all people, he crossed boundaries and, through his respectful witness, engaged with Sultan Malik Al-Kamil, earning the Sultan's high regard and favour.

It is fitting in this Jubilee year that the Pilgrim Church of Christ be reminded that we, too, follow in the footsteps of Jesus and are called to conform our lives to his, just as St. Francis did. As Francis told his followers as he was close to death, “I have done what is mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours.”

And what does Christ teach us? How do we live from a heart filled with the peace that only Christ can bring? The first requirement is receive the Good News proclaimed by Christ and to do as Francis did: be receptive to the grace that changes our lives – metanoia. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news!” (Mark 1:15) We, like Francis, are called to cling no longer to that which does not lead to peace in Christ: greed, inordinate ambition, arrogance, self-righteous judgments against others, pursuing our own selfish interest and desires without due regard for the needs and dignity of others. At his lowest point, Francis recognized his poverty before God and opened himself to becoming a vessel that God could use to advance the kingdom of peace. We are invited to recognize our own poverty, placing all in the hands of Christ to do with us as God the Father wills for us – discovering our unique mission of peacebuilding and peacemaking.

St. Francis did not see himself as a saint. He, in fact, understood himself to be a sinner, forgiven and in constant need of God’s grace and mercy. The life of penance he embraced was motivated by his love of God and desire to be a willing instrument in God’s hands.

God’s mercy is a constant focus within Church teaching. Recalling God’s indulgent mercy, Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, which published a decree on God’s indulgence available this Jubilee year, reminds us that God’s grace can transform even our greatest weaknesses. God’s indulgence makes it possible to free the heart from the burden of sin and to purify and heal the harm sin causes.

The Church developed its teaching on indulgences from this notion of God’s mercy, which is more than we can fully take in or comprehend. In its essence, an indulgence reaffirms the forgiveness of sins and the healing and purification of the heart from the consequences of sin that comes as one allows God’s grace to transform one’s life. God’s indulgence is always available to us. “It is essential to understand that indulgence is first and foremost an encounter with God, and that its power lies not in our human efforts, but in the grace of God that transforms hearts… All penitential practices – such as confession, Communion, pilgrimage, prayer – are instruments of preparation that facilitate the encounter with God, but they do not replace the experience of grace itself. The authentic fruits of indulgence appear when a person consciously opens themselves to God’s transforming power, allows God to act in their heart, heals relationships, forgives, and is converted.” (Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, quoted from “Indulgence is an Encounter with God, not a Spiritual Shortcut,” by Fr. Marek Weresa, Vatican News, January 16, 2026)

While the Church has established common practices which give expression to one’s interior desire to detach from sin, surrender to God’s mercy and be receptive to God’s grace  – including sacramental confession and participation in the Eucharist and reception of Holy Communion – “at the heart of the practice of indulgences is God’s love, always calling us to grow in holiness. Living out indulgences is not just about fulfilling a list of requirements; it is an opportunity to open our hearts to divine grace and to the intercession of the saints.” (Bishop Lucia, “Indulgences Explained,” from The Catholic Sun, April 10, 2025)

God moves in our hearts at all times and everywhere. During this Jubilee year of St. Francis, we are invited to find meaningful ways to grow in our relationship with God and in the love of our brothers and sisters, which reflects the path of St. Francis. Some of the particular ways may include making a pilgrimage to a place of worship dedicated to St. Francis, praying with the same words he used before the crucifix at San Damiano – “O most high, glorious god, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me a right faith, a certain hope and a perfect love, understanding and knowledge, O Lord, that I may carry out your holy and true command”; praying the Way of the Cross which became associated St. Francis after he promoted this devotion on his return from the Holy Land; praying before the Blessed Sacrament, mirroring the same desire of St. Clare of Assisi of giving yourself totally to the One who gave himself totally to you; meditating prayerfully (Lectio Divina) on a passage that reflects the spirit of St. Francis; finding concrete ways to serve the poor Christ in the suffering and marginalized; becoming an unarmed and disarming peacemaker in your home, community and workplace; spending time contemplating creation and the many ways it reflects God’s goodness and beauty; praying the Seven Joys of Mary, a particular Franciscan rosary which honours the joyful mysteries of the Virgin Mary’s life. During Lent, the Seven Sorrows of Mary are prayed; uniting your personal suffering, difficulties, illness, and diminishment in the same spirit of St. Francis, who wrote the Canticle to the Creatures, which exhort God’s praise, all while blind and close to death.
​
As you take advantage of this Jubilee Year of St. Francis, may you hear St. Francis’ blessing addressed to you: “May the Lord bless you and keep you; May He show His face to you and have mercy on you; May He turn his countenance to you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6: 24-26)

Written by Susan Campbell, Mount St. Francis. 

It started with a handshake.

Not a debate. Not an argument. Just an invitation.

On a recent episode of Heroic Hotline, I sat down with longtime friend and ministry leader Richard Beaulieu to follow up on a conversation about what we call “handshake outreach,” the simple, human act of inviting a man into something meaningful.
​
What followed was a story neither of us planned to tell, but one that captured exactly what that outreach can look like when it is patient, relational, and rooted in trust. 

A tap on the shoulder

Richard spoke about a friend he had known for years, a self-described atheist. “He would say he was an atheist,” Richard said, “but he would also tell these childhood stories.”

The stories always returned to one memory in particular, his grandfather, a Russian Orthodox priest, with long vestments and a long gray beard. “He would talk about it like it was nonsense,” Richard said. “But there was something endearing about the way he told it.”

The friend also spoke of a fleeting moment with Jesus as a young man, an experience that came and went, and later joining a church baseball team. Once the season ended, so did church.

Richard did not push his friend. He did not argue theology. He simply listened.

And then came the tap. 

“I just thought, maybe if he walked into a Catholic church again,” Richard said, “he might feel that love he sensed when he was a kid.” So he bought him a ticket.
​
An invitation to come and see

The invitation was to the God Squad Men’s Conference. “Come,” Richard told him. “What’s the worst that can happen? You get a free lunch.”

The conference that year carried a weighty theme, Memento Mori, remember your death. Speakers included Father Raymond de Souza and Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, whose invitation to “come home to the Church” left a deep impression.

“For him,” Richard said, “it was a mountaintop experience.” 

“All of a sudden, the fog breaks, and there they are.”

​Walking with him after the high

Richard knew the experience could not stand alone. “You don’t leave a man floundering after that,” he said. “You journey with him.”

So the next invitation came, an Alpha program at their parish. Dinner included. No pressure. Still, something had shifted.  

The man was not ready to be prayed over. He was not ready for RCIA. But he was hungry. “I want more,” he told Richard.

He began attending RCIA just to explore. Then Mass. Then blessings during Communion. “A year earlier, he said, ‘No, it wouldn’t feel right,’” Richard said. “Now he was going up.”

Eventually, he said the words Richard had been waiting for, “I want to receive.”

At 70 years old, after a long RCIA process that included canonical complications, the man was baptized at the Easter Vigil on April 19, 2025.

“He used to call himself ‘one of the others,’” Richard said, referencing the labourers in the vineyard who arrive late but receive the same wage.

“He felt guilty about that,” Richard said. “Until he began to understand God’s unfathomable mercy.”

Memento Mori

That joy was soon tested.

In August, the man was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. By October 18, he had passed away. “He was part of the Church militant for six months,” Richard said.

His wife later told Richard that without faith, he would have been an angry patient, frustrated with doctors, with her, and with the world. “Instead,” Richard said, “he had peace. All the time.” A supernatural peace. “The only kind that can be inspired by faith.”

Richard connected the story to an account from the French Revolution, of religious sisters who went to their deaths with peace and forgiveness. “Only a faith inspired by courage could allow them to die that way,” he said.

The same courage, he believed, marked his friend’s final months. 

“Memento mori,” Richard added. “Remember your death.”

One more soul

The message Richard left with listeners was simple. “I always pray for one more soul,” he said. “Just one more than yesterday.”  

“Who’s the man in your life you need to tap on the shoulder? Buy him a coffee. Invite him. Walk with him.”

Submitted by Sean Lynn, God Squad / Heroic Men Canada.

​At its heart, the recent newsletter from the Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration carries one clear message: Eucharistic Adoration changes parishes.

March, devoted to St. Joseph, the Passion of Our Lord, and the institution of the Eucharist, is a fitting time to return to the heart of our faith: Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church has long taught that worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass is not secondary or optional. As St. John Paul II wrote in Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

Likewise, Redemptionis Sacramentum urges that Eucharistic adoration be diligently fostered “with the participation of the people.”
​
The message is simple and direct: if we desire renewal in our parishes, we return to the Lord in the Eucharist.

What we are seeing in our Diocese

Last year, parishes across the Diocese of Calgary took up that invitation in a concrete way through the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocations.

At St. Mary’s Cathedral and in parishes throughout the diocese, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for extended hours. Parishioners signed up for time slots, many of whom returned more than once. Some came late at night. Others brought their children. Students in Catholic schools also participated, adding dozens of hours of adoration across chapels and classrooms.
​
At Holy Spirit Parish in Calgary, 378 adorers were formally registered, with participation likely exceeding 500. Many described the experience as calm, peaceful, and holy. One recurring question that surfaced afterward was: When can we do this again?
​
The numbers matter less than what they represent: a hunger to remain with the Lord.

The Heart of Adoration
​St. Teresa of Calcutta expressed it plainly:

Her words echo what many in our own diocese have experienced: silence before the Lord brings clarity, strength, and peace. It deepens love for Jesus and, from there, love for one another.

​Pope Benedict XVI, in Sacramentum Caritatis (§66), highlights its intrinsic link to the Mass: "In the Eucharist, the Son of God comes to meet us and desires to become one with us; eucharistic adoration is simply the natural consequence of the eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church's supreme act of adoration... The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself."

Why Adoration Matters​

​The newsletter cites a striking statistic: 70 percent of seminarians come from parishes with Eucharistic Adoration. While statistics never tell the whole story, they suggest something profound: where Christ is adored, vocations flourish.

Adoration draws us into sustained contact with the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It strengthens faith in the Eucharist. It deepens reverence for Holy Communion. It fosters repentance, intercession, and reparation.

40 Hours Devotion for Vocation

​In our own Diocese, the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocations revealed a real hunger for time before the Lord. Parishes reported strong participation, including overnight hours. Students, families, and seniors alike came to pray. ​

Adoration is not an extra devotion. It is a wellspring of renewal for the Church. And it begins with one hour.

Where to find Adoration hours?

• Check the parish-submitted schedule for Parish Adoration in our Diocese.
• Join the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocation - and commit for one hour.

I have procrastinated sharing my testimony. Not because it’s unimportant, but because I know that it is. I’ve started a handful of times, and then I stop because I’ve gone off track, or I’ve said too much or too little, or I don’t know where to go next. So what you are reading now may have grammatical errors or rambling, and it may not contain everything important, but what’s important is that you’re reading it. I come to you as a work in progress, not in perfection.
 
By the amazing grace of God, I was baptized last year on April 19, 2025. This event was a long time coming. From meeting my Catholic husband in my teens, to marriage prep in our 20’s, to our son born in 2020 – God (and my mother-in-law) were working to bring me here. Of course, God was working far before that. When I was conceived in a 13-year-old who had the option of abortion, but chose life (thank you, God). When I was a preteen and panicked because I knew that there was something far bigger than myself, but I couldn’t put a finger on it (and my firm atheistic household couldn’t confirm my feelings). When I was driving home through the mountains, my car almost took me over a cliff (and I knew someone had saved me). When I was severely but quietly struggling with my mental health, I had a plan to end my life, and a pair of headlights changed my actions (my God, you show up in so many ways). God was there, quietly working, quietly calling – waiting.
 
God’s call got me to RCIA the year before I was baptized. I left in February because I couldn’t commit to writing my name in the book to indicate baptism. I was worried about how my mom and my friends would react. I was worried because I didn’t have all the answers. I didn’t know if I truly believed in God. 

I was okay with leaving for a while. It hadn’t felt right and so I floated, trying to see what did. I had already experimented with other religions – when my husband and I started marriage prep, I identified as Buddhist. Then in the summer, I decided “once and for all,” that I was getting off the fence and I was going to live life happily as an agnostic. I wouldn’t go back and forth with anxiety about what to choose, I could be free! … Well, I started RCIA again in September.
 
This time, RCIA was much different. I wasn’t trying to decide if there was a God. I was trying to get to know Him. I was running towards the Eucharist and the Living Water. My consistent prayer was, “Jesus, DO NOT let me go.” I had been back and forth so long that I was worried my motivation would fade yet again, and my doubt would creep back in. Over and over, forcefully and often tearfully, “Jesus, DO NOT let me go.”

A big obstacle I had to overcome was telling everyone in my life that I was leading a new life. Of course, my husband Damien’s family was thrilled, and Damien himself came back to the church. He went to confession and became my sponsor. My family and friends however, reflected the life I lived before. They have different values and perspectives that don’t align with the church. What if I told them and they left? What if I lost my village that I rely on in raising my son as a mostly stay at home mom? What if I tell my loudly atheistic mom and she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore? I had a lot to lose and I chose to risk it.

However, what came back wasn’t anger or abandonment, but love and understanding. I didn’t lose one relationship, but the one change that surprises me the most to this day, is my mom. She has asked me questions out of curiosity, but not one interrogation like I had imagined. She asks about church and even said she would come to a Christmas Eve Mass to watch our son in a choir.

With everyone supporting me, I moved forward. I had my feet washed by Father David, and a few days later, he poured the water over my head to change my life forever. I sobbed through the ceremony from, “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;” (Isaiah 55:1) to kneeling after the Eucharist. Kneeling, I heard a loud celebration in my head, “YOU ARE HERE,” over and over again. All I could say back was, “I KNOW! I KNOW!”

In discussions since, I’ve mentioned that I regret not committing earlier. If I had known all that this life would offer, I wish I had gotten here sooner. Yet every time, the person answers: “You got here right when you were supposed to.” I’ve prayed a lot on this: God’s timing. We have been experiencing infertility for almost 2.5 years, and honestly, it’s been one reason that I’ve procrastinated on this testimony. I imagined writing in here – ‘I gave my life to Christ, and we finally conceived!’ While I cannot give you that good news here yet, I can give you this news: God’s timing is never early, it is never late, but it is always on time. And no matter what you are going through – God is still good.

​“Do not fear, only believe.”  Mark 5:36

Written by Jade Hawkins, Holy Spirit Parish, Calgary.
Image: Google Gemini, Feb 23, 2026.

Over the years, I have also experienced profound personal suffering — the loss of my sons Andrew and Frederick -- surviving cancer multiple times, divorce, and the deep sorrow of losing my father, Deacon Renso Castellarin, and my sister, within weeks of each other. These experiences did not make me stronger in the way the world often speaks of strength. Rather, they made me more aware of my dependence on God and of my need for others. 

If I have been able to accompany others in their pain, it is only because I have been accompanied in mine by faithful priests, religious, health professionals, friends, and family who reflected Christ’s mercy to me. Their service allowed me to heal. Any service I now offer is, in many ways, simply a continuation of what was first given to me. 

Service, I am learning, is less about doing extraordinary things and more about saying “yes” in ordinary moments. It requires humility, boundaries, discernment, and the willingness to ask forgiveness when we fail. A servant must remain teachable. I fail often. I misunderstand. I grow tired. But God, in His patience, continues to invite me back. 

Recently, after a medical crisis in which I came close to death, I was reminded again that my life is not my own. If I am still here, it is not because of my strength or merit. It is because God, in His mercy, has given me more time. Time to love. Time to reconcile. Time to serve. 

As we journey through Lent, I am reminded that service is not a title or an identity to claim. It is a daily choice, often quiet and unseen. We do not need to be perfect. We are simply asked to make a sincere effort and to trust that God will complete what we cannot. 

If there is anything my life has taught me, it is this: God remains present, even in suffering. He wastes nothing. And He continues to call each of us, in ways unique to our own story, to serve with humility, gratitude, and love. 

One of my favourite hymns is the Prayer of St. Francis. It reminds us to be instruments of peace, love and service. 
May we all have the courage to say yes, again and again.  

Written by Angela Castellarin for Faithfully. 
Photo 1: ​Image: Google Gemini, 23 Feb. 2026.
​Photo 2: Courtesy of Angela Castellarin.

In December 2024, my husband Don was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His prognosis was “a few months to a few years”. I was determined that he should remain at home as long as possible, but it was a grim Christmas marked by draconian changes to our routines. Somewhere in my fog of anxiety and exhaustion, I registered the start of the Jubilee Year of Hope. I decided then and there that I could either sink into despair or cling to hope. I actually did both, embracing both sorrow and consolation, like the pilgrims on the Jubilee logo who clutch a cross while dragging an anchor. 2025 became a year of unexpected spiritual growth. I discovered there are dozens of people in similar circumstances to ours - adrift following some drastic event, trying to adapt whilst grieving. This is my story, but it is also our story, all of us pilgrims of hope, still journeying beyond the end of the Jubilee Year.

Weary time for God
Before Don’s illness, I never seemed to have time to rest quietly with God. My prayers would be hasty thanks and distracted petitions. Now, having dropped all extraneous commitments, there was time to sit down, whilst Don was sleeping. Unfortunately, my brain felt too numb to pray, so I just listened to the quiet house or the sounds of wind filtering in from outside. I allowed the Holy Spirit to communicate for me “with sighs too deep for words”. Into this silence peace would creep. I became aware of God’s nearness. Those moments of connection, however fleeting, refreshed me. I realized I was being sustained by my Creator.

A year later, Don is still around (thank you, God), but new challenges arise every week. I am tired but grateful for small mercies and for the support networks we have. I have learned that extreme circumstances are paradoxical - I am angry but also accepting, worried but optimistic. I fear, but I continue to hope.                       ​

Written by Alice Matisz (All Saints, Lethbridge) for Faithfully.

Written by Ryan Schmidt, Director of Renewal. Save the date: April 17-18 - Renewal Conference on Missionary Discipleship - with Bishop Scott McCaig - St. Michael's, Calgary. Details coming soon!

This message feels especially relevant today. Many of us communicate more than ever, yet still feel unheard or disconnected. Pope Leo invites us to pause and ask how we are using these tools, and whether they are helping us grow in relationship or quietly pulling us away from it.
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Read more

• Vatican News overview
• Full message from Pope Leo XIV

As a long-standing tradition, the Bishop of Calgary and the Office of Vocations have brought together the current seminarians and their parents for a Christmas supper. Last December, it was held at St. Cecilia’s church with a delicious meal provided by the Catholic Women’s League and the Knights of Columbus of that parish. This event, which honours both parents and their seminarian sons, demonstrates the importance of strengthening family life to support vocations to the priesthood in our Diocese.
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A particularly edifying part of this gathering is the speech by the parents of a recently ordained priest. This personal sharing of the experience of these parents is offered as a support for the parents of the current seminarians as they navigate their own son’s journey towards the priesthood. Knowing how other parents have successfully supported their sons over the many years of discernment and formation demonstrates that, as a local Church, we are here to help one another.

This year, the parents of the newly-ordained Fr. Peter An accepted this role for which we are truly grateful. Here follows the speech of Fr. Peter’s mother, Jinhee An. With her husband, Sungchan An, at her side, she described her experience as the mother of a son called by God to be His priest.

The second thing I would like to share is that Ron Huntley, who is currently journeying with our Parish Renewal Team leaders, has recently released a new book titled Road to Renewal: How Faith, Vision, and Courage Are Fuelling a Church Comeback. The book gathers the voices of twelve pastors and lay leaders who have led their parishes along the path of renewal. What emerges is not a model or a program, but honest voices from the field, people who are learning as they go and sharing what has helped them continue moving forward. The book is available on Amazon for those who are interested.

​As we begin this new year, I am thankful for the full year of the Jubilee of Hope we have just lived. My hope is that the grace we received continues to shape our daily faith and deepen the renewal already taking root across our diocese.

Written by Ryan Schmidt, Director of Renewal, Diocese of Calgary.

During our Pilgrimage of Hope, Leisha and I escaped the Florentine rain to pray a rosary in Santa Maria del Fiore. We had completed the first decade when a pilgrim group from Texas entered and prepared to offer a Mass in English, an unanticipated blessing!

​In his homily, Rev. Jean-Oscar Nlandu said: “The journey of faith goes through struggle. What is hope? Hope is a refusal to let suffering have the last word.”
 
My faith life flashed before my eyes.
 
When I was 16, I immaturely understood faith as a series of impossible propositions, like the Apostle’s Creed we had made to start the rosary. We believe in a Creator of Heaven and Earth who sent His only Son to be immaculately conceived, crucified, and buried. The Son descended into Hell and rose on the third day. We also believe in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life in a world to come. At 16, faith was a checklist, and I didn’t believe in everything on the list, so I didn’t have faith.
 
I then left my Father’s house and ventured into the wilderness. Years later, when I found myself eating pig slop and became curious about returning to my Father’s house, faith became a precious commodity. My main concern became figuring out what spiritual payment I needed to make to acquire this thing called faith?
 
Then, during marriage preparation 18 years ago, Deacon Botari said to me, “I don’t know any priest or deacon who doesn’t have a problem with aspects of the faith; that’s where they concentrate their prayer and contemplation.”
 
Precisely. Because the journey of faith goes through struggle. 
 
Here’s how I now understand that journey. Faith and hope work together like two wings lifting the soul toward divine union. Faith is propelled by God's revealed truths—the eternal reality whispered through Scripture. Faith soars beyond reason’s doubts to pierce the veil of the unseen, but (to mix metaphors) this is a turbulent flight, evidenced in Mark 9:24: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Faith does not eliminate doubt but places trust in the story of salvation already revealed — the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and the sacraments that continue to pulse with Christ's Blood. Faith enables me to struggle with the divine mysteries I don’t and will never fully understand. Prayer and contemplation are the tools of struggle that allow me to embrace the divine IS. I do not need to delay my trust. I can completely trust now, even if I don’t completely get it. 
 
If faith is the intellect’s assent to revelation, then hope is its active will. Hope is the irresistible longing that lifts me from the now to the not yet. Faith accepts truth, and hope yearns for the fullness of truth in the heavenly homeland amid and beyond our earthly trials. Hope, according to the Catechism, “sustains him during times of abandonment” (1818). When God feels absent, when the effort doesn’t seem worthwhile, hope continues to pull me toward the narrow gate. Hope resides, not in wishful thinking, but in actions that align with faith’s acceptance of the promise.
 
Here’s how this plays out in discipleship: I find the resurrection of Jesus easy to believe. My faith comes from core facts about Jesus that almost all scholars agree on. Jesus was crucified, and His tomb was found empty. His followers believed they had experiences with Christ after his death, proven by their willingness to suffer death for their belief that they had met the risen Christ. Not one of Jesus’s early disciples ever recanted, and as Beckwith suggests in Return to Rome, Jesus’s resurrection is the ONLY explanation that makes sense for the saints’ behaviour and the endurance of the persecuted church.
 
Jesus’s resurrection revealed the reasonable basis for faith when Doubting Thomas placed his fingers in Jesus’s wounds. After Jesus ascended, however, and the Apostles were alone on their pilgrim journeys in hostile lands, hope gave St. Bartholomew the willingness to be skinned alive, and St. Simon the Zealot the courage to be sawed in half. And just like the irony of exalting the cross, Michelangelo depicts a glorious Bartholomew carrying his skin like a tattered old costume, and a muscular St. Simon is the patron saint of lumberjacks. That’s what hope looks like; winking at the suffering involved in discipleship because suffering is not the last word.
 
I have struggled in my diaconal journey, but hope has kept my pilgrim feet keep walking. As the pilgrim’s scallop shell models, our individual journeys will eventually converge at that place where we are completely united to God and each other in love. No matter how far I walk, I always arrive at the beginning, and in the beginning was the Word. 

Written by Jason Openo for Faithfully. Photos courtesy of Jason Openo.

It may come as a surprise that long-standing protections for good-faith religious expression could be weakened under proposed changes to Bill C-9, raising concern that even sincere expressions of Christian belief could be misunderstood or challenged.

Bill C-9 has passed the first and second readings and is now undergoing review by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, with the latest proposed amendment referenced above, subject to a vote possibly as early as this afternoon.

Given all that could be at stake if the amendment passes, the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, with other government officials in carbon copy.

• In English
• In French​

What you can do right now
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• Contact your Member of Parliament today
  Tell your MP you oppose removing the religious-text exemption in Bill C-9. Share your concerns about how the amendment could affect preaching, teaching, pastoral care, and the Church’s public witness. Even a brief message makes a difference. Constituency offices track every call and email. Find MP
  
  
• Read and share the CCCB's Letter: in English or French
  
  
• ​Stay informed and inform others
  Parishes, schools, lay leaders, and Catholic organizations are encouraged to help the faithful understand the potential implications of Bill C-9. Accurate information dispels confusion and strengthens our collective voice.
  
  
• ​Stand with other faith communities
  Many religious traditions are united in their concern. Collaborate with other communities committed to safeguarding freedom of belief and expression.
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• Participate peacefully and constructively
  ​Sign petitions, write letters, join community discussions, and engage respectfully in democratic processes. These peaceful actions remain vital in defending constitutional freedoms.
  
  

Related articles:

• Catholics urged to take immediate action on Bill C-9 (Archdiocese of Edmonton)
• Canadian bishops ask prime minister to keep religious-text protection in hate-speech law (BC Catholic)

Source: CCCB & Archdiocese of Edmonton

Rerum Novarum Partners has secured a license to bring this film to Calgary as a community screening. Tickets will be approximately $7, and if the event generates any profit, half will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in support of those in need.

Screening Details
Triumph of the Heart - Introduction and Viewing
Sat, Jan 10, 2026, at 7 pm | Cardel Theatre – Quarry Park
180 Quarry Park Blvd, Calgary
​To get tickets, email [email protected]

This screening is an invitation to come together as a community to reflect on faith, courage, and the enduring power of love. Parish groups, families, and individuals are warmly encouraged to attend and invite others.

This Sunday, we celebrate the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the cathedral of the Pope and “mother and head of all churches in the world.” Built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, it was the first public church in Rome. This feast reminds us that every church building is a sign of the living Church and that each baptized person is a living stone in the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for the Pope, for unity in the Church, and for hearts renewed in faith.  

Ways to commemorate this feast with your family or parish community:

• Join the Sunday Mass in your parish church this weekend. Spend quiet time thanking God for the gift of sacred space and for all who built and serve in your parish.
• Children & family activities here (Unleash the Gospel -52Sundays.com)
  
• Renew your baptismal promises. The Lateran Basilica represents the place of baptism and the promise of heaven. Reflect on God’s mercy and our call to holiness.
• Pray for the Pope and the Universal Church. Unite your prayer with Catholics around the world in gratitude for the Holy Father’s leadership.
• Chant the Akathistos (Akathist) Hymn. This ancient hymn of praise to the Mother of God has been sung at the Lateran for centuries. Singing or praying it together deepens our sense of the Church as a living temple of the Holy Spirit. Youtube | Music
• Reflect on your role in the Church. Write down one way you can help build up your parish as a “spiritual house.”
• Celebrate your parish’s story. Share photos or memories of your parish’s dedication or renovations as a reminder of your connection to the universal Church.

On Tuesday, October 28, parishioners, families, clergy, and pro-life advocates filled St. Mary’s Cathedral for the Diocese of Calgary’s inaugural Mass for Life, a Eucharistic celebration devoted to honouring the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. 

Presided over by Bishop William McGrattan, the Mass invited all to rediscover the heart of the Church’s mission to defend life. In his homily, the Bishop reminded the faithful that the protection of life is not a political stance but a spiritual mission, one rooted in Christ’s sacrificial love. His words made a deep impact, encouraging each person to witness to the Gospel of Life with courage, charity, and compassion.
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Several pro-life and pastoral organizations were present, including  ALIES, the CCCB’s Horizons of Hope Palliative Care initiative, the Catholic Women’s League, 40 Days for Life, the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform, and the Calgary Pro-Life Association. Each offered practical ways for parishioners to learn, pray, and act in support of a consistent ethic of life. After Mass, attendees visited the display tables to ask questions and learn about new opportunities to serve. Organization representatives noted the high level of interest and engagement, describing the evening as a clear sign that this shared mission is sustained by faith and grace.

The Diocese will celebrate the Mass for Life annually, offering the faithful a chance to grow in faith and unity around the Church’s call to protect life. 

Photos by Bandi Szakony for the Diocese of Calgary.