Articles — Fr. Raymond J. de Souza

The Church has to ditch the culture that sees no evil

This is not about Cardinal Ouellet, let alone Pope Francis or Benedict XVI. It is about a culture that sees no evil, hears no evil and speaks no evil.

Newman House ManagerJanuary 3, 2019Catholic Herald, Church Affairs

The morals, and money, of major junior sport

The U.S. collegiate system encourages athletes to stay in school. In Canada, that remains true for football, but not for hockey

Newman House ManagerJanuary 3, 2019National Post, Culture

Scandal, Loss of Confidence Contribute to a Heavy Spirit as 2018 Ends

The Catholic Church ends 2018 with a heavy spirit. It is not the series of scandals alone, but the loss of confidence in the traditional solution in times of crisis, namely recourse to Rome, as adequate to the task.

Newman House ManagerDecember 31, 2018National Catholic Register, Church Affairs

2018 was the year we learned Canada can't really build anything

Pipelines? Subways? 24 Sussex? Construction projects across the country have been fiascos

Newman House ManagerDecember 27, 2018National Post, Politics

In a noisy world, the true power is in a Silent Night

Peace, whether the absence of conflict or true 'heavenly peace,' is the desire of every human heart

Newman House ManagerDecember 21, 2018National Post, Culture

The CDF has been marginalised. Will Archbishop Scicluna’s appointment reverse that?

The CDF is an essential organisation in the fight against sexual abuse, but it has had its wings clipped in recent years

Newman House ManagerDecember 20, 2018Church Affairs, Catholic Herald

Advent's Moment of Meaning

We sometimes think of prophecy as predicting the future, a look ahead in chronos but it is more accurate to think of prophecy as kairos, revealing the deeper meaning of events.

Newman House ManagerDecember 20, 2018Convivium, Faith

Would the UN's human rights milestone of 1948 even be possible today?

The work of protecting and promoting human rights is ongoing. And it proves that history does not move in a progressive, linear fashion. The 1948 achievement of the UDHR would not be possible today.

Newman House ManagerDecember 20, 2018Politics, National Post

Solidarity Blessed by Blood

Reconciliation, mercy, healing – all is possible on the other side of the experience of evil and horrific violence. The monks of Tibherine especially demonstrated that the seeds of reconciliation are planted by those who refuse to be conquered by fear and hate.

Newman House ManagerDecember 13, 2018Convivium, Faith

Trudeau Liberals' abortion obsession remains in plain view

Like the dog in the Book of Proverbs that returns to its own vomit, the federal Liberals simply can’t get over their obsession with abortion politics. They are back at it again.

Newman House ManagerDecember 13, 2018Politics, National Post

How Joseph Ratzinger saw past the Church’s established structures

Benedict is more than a man of thought. He is a pastor searching for new methods.

Newman House ManagerDecember 13, 2018Catholic Herald, Church Affairs

Four friends (and authors) offer nice Christmas gifts

It’s been three years since I last recommended books for Christmas gifts, so it’s time again. Permit me to recommend four books this year, all involving friends of mine.

Newman House ManagerDecember 12, 2018Catholic Register, Faith

The values that defined Bush 41

Bush 41, unlike his son, remained uncomfortable with religion in political discourse. His largely unspoken faith remained a central part of his life.

Newman House ManagerDecember 6, 2018Catholic Herald, Culture

George Bush - Death of a Patriarch

Bush 41 was praised as a man of virtues that seem to have gone out of style – civility, courtesy, humility, service. He was also something that has nearly disappeared from our common life – a patriarch.

Newman House ManagerDecember 6, 2018Convivium, Culture

How George H.W. Bush Surprised Me at My Diaconal Ordination in St. Peter’s Basilica

George H.W. Bush became a “first father” and grandfather to the nation. But he was not the master political strategist in the background. Rather, he taught the nation something about fathers and sons, a cultural need more important that politics.

Newman House ManagerDecember 4, 2018National Catholic Register, Culture