In 2011 we asked the same question. That time it was about Iraqi Christians. Today the world’s attention is on Syria. It’s very hard to keep track of numbers, but in Syria alone, since the beginning of the war, more than half the Christians have been directly affected. On the one hand, why shouldn’t they ...read more

Every step of our pilgrimage in the Holy Land has left us in awe not only because of the historical and spiritual dimensions of the holy places we visit and which commemorate the life of Jesus but also because of the beauty of the landscape that surrounds us. On March 1, 2016, after having navigated the ...read more

Inmates hold a “pabasa” inside a jail in the Makati financial district in Manila, Philippines. The pabasa is a rendition of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus through songs and chants and is widely practiced during Lent in the largely Catholic nation. (CNS photo/Romeo Ranoco, Reuters) ...read more

A woman prays during Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Andrew’s Church in the Manhattan borough of New York. (CNS photo/Carlo Allegri, Reuters) (March 6, 2014) ...read more

Today, fifteen members of the S+L team depart for the Holy Land for a ten-day Lenten pilgrimage where we’ll visit the major Christian holy sites and film a number of programs. We’ll be joined by a larger group of pilgrims from across Canada and the US who are participating through our Blessed Journeys program. Few ...read more

People kneel during Ash Wednesday Mass at the cathedral in Guatemala City.(CNS photo/Jorge Dan Lopez, Reuters) (March 6, 2014) ...read more

A young volunteer displays food prepared for dinners served at a Friday evening fish fry at Sweetest Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Detroit. The Friday fish fry is a big event during Lent for many people in Catholic parishes and is especially popular in some regions of the United States. (CNS photo/Jim West) ...read more

A child dressed as a penitent takes part in a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession in Guatemala City. (CNS photo/Jorge Dan Lopez, Reuters) ...read more

In this video, Fr. Rob Galea talks about the Season of Lent. ...read more

Here is some of what we’ve been reading this week across the country: In Ontario, Catholic Crosscultural Services is helping government-assisted refugees settle into their home In Saskatoon, an elementary school has stepped up to sponsor a refugee family from Burundi. From Edmonton, we get this look at what Lent is and is not.   ...read more