Reflections on the heritage, life & work of faith communities in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, and the martyr’s feast day served as an opportunity for a choral Evensong featuring Matthew Larkin’s Caelis Academy Ensemble. The Evensong service on November 22 was also a coming together of Catholic and Anglican traditions. Fr. Doug Hayman, Rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed…
God doesn’t forget us, even when we forget Him. These words are not about a loss of faith; they acknowledge the quiet suffering of those struggling with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other forms of memory loss. It was the first time I ever heard a hymn speak so explicitly and movingly to those losing their ability…
Parishioners at St. Clement’s Parish in Lowertown and St. George’s Parish in Westboro may have been exposed to measles, Ottawa Public Health warned on October 22 in a public service announcement. Those who attended St. Clement’s at 528 Old St. Patrick Street on Sunday, October 12 between 10:20 am and 2:00 pm are advised to…
The Centretown Churches Social Action Committee held its annual “Walk for the Centre” event on October 5, and with a thoroughly ecumenical group of participants raised $40,000 to help address food insecurity in the heart of the nation’s capital. All proceeds support the Centretown Community Food Centre, a food bank operated by the Committee at…
With Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada no longer providing funding to house 130 asylum seekers in Ottawa hotels, people of faith in the nation’s capital have stepped up to assist newcomers facing homelessness. Volunteers and clergy from Kitchissippi United Church, including Council Chair Denise Bonomo and Reverend Daniel Addai Fobi, have helped 20 asylum seekers…
Two French-speaking Catholic parishes made the front page of this past Saturday’s Ottawa Citizen, as City officials move ahead with plans to designate Saint-François-d’Assise Parish in Hintonburg and Saint-Joseph Parish in Orleans heritage buildings. The municipal government’s committee charged with safeguarding Ottawa’s built heritage accepted a recommendation from city staff to apply designation to the…
The Ottawa Pastoral Care Training Program, an ecumenical initiative offering laity formation in pastoral care since 1979, has opened up registration for its Fall 2025 Basic Course. The course is geared to those who volunteer with church-based pastoral care teams. Participants can register for either the in-person course, hosted at St. Paul Presbyterian Church (971…
The St. Joe’s Supper Table, the community meal programme and food bank operated by St. Joseph’s Parish in Sandy Hill, is getting some help from a passionate teenager and parishioner — the 17 year-old Louis Jacques. The determined young man is running 1,500 kilometres between Ottawa and Prince Edward Island in a campaign to raise…