EDMONTON – In response to the city’s aging population, a shortage of beds for the acutely ill, and the closure of Alberta Hospital Edmonton, Covenant Health opened a new geriatric mental health facility Jan. 5. more . . .

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Bishop David Monroe of Kamloops was released from hospital before Christmas after a long, but shorter than expected, recovery.

REGINA — Atem Martino Kunjok’s story is not much different than others who have escaped the brutal terror of civil war, except in one way: a refugee from Sudan, he has returned to that country three times, once to get married and twice to give back some of the help he received from the Catholic Church. more . . .

OTTAWA — A deeply divided Supreme Court of Canada has delivered an opinion that could pave the way for transgenic research combining human genomes with those of other species. more . . .

The Western Catholic Reporter is by far the most important source of Catholic news for readers who completed the WCR’s readership survey in November. more . . .

EDMONTON — WCR readers see the Catholic Church as facing even more difficult challenges than it did 10 years ago. more . . .

EDMONTON – Most readers say news about the Church in Canada and around the world is the most important thing they want to see when they open the WCR. more . . .

As editor of the WCR, I wish to personally thank the hundreds of readers who completed our readership survey. more . . .

EDMONTON — Patricia Sirois was one of the first members of the secular institute Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and served for decades as a public health nurse in many parts of Alberta. She died Dec. 27 at age 93. more . . .

VIKING – Father Ted Rozmahel, a priest of the Edmonton Archdiocese for 50 years, died here Jan. 3. He was 79. more . . .