Archive for November, 2009

To Fr. Raby, the person is important

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Catholic Register Special

On the matter of Msgr. Thomas J. Raby, I cannot be impartial. At the age of 91, and 64 years ordained, he is the proudest boast of the Kingston presbyterate — the faithful priest who even now, in his infirmity, lives his priesthood as best he can. (more…)

The most important Canadian in history

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

- in Quebec City -
This is Canada’s football weekend, and most eyes will be on Calgary for the Grey Cup on Sunday. Attentive readers will know that my attention will here in Quebec, for the university football championship Vanier Cup on Saturday. The Queen’s Golden Gaels, for whom I proudly serve as chaplain, will be taking on the University of Calgary Dinosaurs. (more…)

Keep them in the game

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

The campus is still buzzing about one of the great football games in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) history, Saturday’s Yates Cup victory by the hometown Golden Gaels over the visiting University of Western Ontario Mustangs. As chaplain of our Queen’s football team, I had a privileged place on the sidelines to watch not only the OUA championship victory, but also the conclusion to a great quarterback rivalry stretching back five years. (more…)

The Fort Hood double standard

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Add Fort Hood to the list. It’s getting longer: New York, Washington, Jerusalem, Bali, Madrid, London, Bombay. It’s the list of places where, we are told, it is important to be vigilant about anti-Muslim activity.

The phenomenon is by now well-established. An apparent jihadist visits death and destruction upon innocents, motivated in part by a violent brand of Islamic extremism, and soon the violence becomes an apt occasion to raise awareness about the danger of anti-Muslim thoughts, words and deeds. Violence by Muslims has a unique ability to spur a Canadian prime minister, British royal, or, as was the case this time, the American secretary of homeland security, to sound the alarm about violence against Muslims. (more…)

Immigration and Values

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Jason Kenney, the Citizenship and Immigration minister, told National Post columnist Father Raymond de Souza that one of the factors that encouraged him to rewrite the citizenship guide was a column, entitled Immigration and Values, that Fr. de Souza wrote in 2006.
Here is that full column: (more…)