FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi

Henri Nouwen was perhaps most popular spiritual writer of the late 20th century and his popularity endures today. More than seven million of his books have been sold worldwide and they have been translated into 30 languages. Fifteen years after his death, all but one of his books remain in print.

KATHLEEN GIFFIN

Fifth Sunday of Easter - May 22, 2011

A recent news article highlighted an evangelical pastor and author who was surrounded by controversy because of his unorthodox view of heaven. His theology includes the belief that one does not necessarily have to "confess with your lips and believe with your heart that Jesus is Lord" in order to gain admittance to heaven.

Catholics might easily feel a bit conflicted about celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden. That's as it should be.

On the one hand, it is right to feel relief at the killing of the man who is responsible for thousands of deaths of innocent people and who spearheaded a drive in the past decade that has made the world in no small way a more violent, fearful, hateful and costly place.

LISA PETSCHE

Lately my eldest daughter has been asking about her great-grandmothers. I've been digging out photos and telling her what I can about those on my side of the family.

Dilemmas and Connections: Selected Essays by Charles Taylor. Harvard University Press (Cambridge, Mass., 2011). 424 pp.

JOE GUNN

Like most teens these days, my daughter received the notice electronically. She was to sing at a benefit for the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace on a Saturday evening, and was anxiously awaiting the performance. For my part, I was looking forward to meeting the guest speaker from Mexico, Jesuit Father Luis Arriaga, director of the renowned Miguel Pro Centre for Human Rights.

In science, the outcome of natural processes is either random or determined by the laws of nature. And scientific inquiry has proven itself to be very powerful in explaining the world and how it came to be the way it is.

The hype would be ironic . . . if it weren't so desperately distressing.

With the recession beginning to fade from the Canadian economy, businesses are starting to worry about a shortage of skilled labour in this country. To make sure the bottom line doesn't suffer, we're looking at developing agreements with other countries, especially our neighbour to the south, to send us their trained unemployed.

VATICAN CITY - Nations and individuals have a duty to cut greenhouse gas emissions and enact policies that mitigate global warming, said a Vatican-sponsored working group.

"The business-as-usual mode will not be possible because of both resource depletion and environmental damages," the group said in a report released by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences May 2.

EDMONTON — The involvement of one of the Church's shepherds in "a heinous sexual crime" goes against everything the Catholic Church stands for, says Archbishop Richard Smith.

Catholics have a deep sense, "almost in our genes," of the beauty, sacredness and dignity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, Smith said in reaction to Bishop Raymond Lahey's guilty plea to a charge of importing child pornography.