VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict will meet with families at a time when the institution of the family is under threat and many are still struggling with a worldwide economic crisis.

There's no time like the present, except of course the past. Dominican art historian Father Marius Zerafa knows the past and refuses to romanticize it.

The expected objection to the Canadian bishops' Pastoral Letter on Freedom of Conscience and Religion is that conscience rights cannot be given as high a priority as human rights. By allowing individuals to exercise their freedom of conscience in the public arena, so the argument goes, one is allowing them to infringe on the rights of others.

FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi

Recently a new expression has made its way into our theological and ecclesial vocabulary. There's a lot of talk today about the New Evangelization. Indeed the pope has called for a synod to meet this year for a month in Rome to try to articulate a vision and strategy for such an endeavour.

JOHN CONNELLY

Trinity Sunday
June 3, 2012

Occasionally, I reflect on the purpose of this column. So this is simply a personal meditation on the Word Made Flesh and our call to be disciples of Jesus.

GORDON SELF

On May 17, the Alberta March for Life event was held in Edmonton. I participated as a representative of Covenant Health. From the steps of the Legislature, I offered this selection of comments in solidarity with the marginalized, in particular those living with addictions and mental illness, a frequently overlooked and underserved population.

BISHOP FRED HENRY

Thomas, I'll have no opposition," warned Henry VIII in A Man for All Seasons. The scene in Robert Bolt's play takes place in Sir Thomas More's garden. Henry has just learned that More does not support his plans to unmake his marriage.

MARK PICKUP

Jesus' prayer in the John chapter 17 is often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer. In verse three we read "Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."

The Catholic Church's relationship to Judaism as taught by the Second Vatican Council and the interpretations and developments of that teaching by subsequent popes, "are binding on a Catholic," said the Vatican official responsible for relations with the Jews.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined about four dozen other national organizations in amassing more than 50,000 signatures on a petition asking for a change in the United States' "outdated" nuclear arms policy.