EDMONTON – “My husband Darryl and I were both raised Protestants, and we were very devout. Then we realized that we are not saved by faith alone, and that’s a Protestant’s pillar,” said Julie Tymchuk, a catechumen from Vegreville.

BOB MCKEON

Thomas Lukaszuk, the newly appointed provincial minister of employment and immigration, announced this month that he was freezing Alberta's minimum wage. This is a major change in the policy enacted in June 2007 that linked the minimum wage to Alberta's weekly earnings. Since this policy was introduced, the minimum wage in Alberta rose from $8.00 to $8.80 per hour. If this policy had continued, this year, the minimum wage would have risen modestly by 12 cents per hour to match the 1.4 per cent increase in average weekly earnings for Alberta workers over the past twelve months.

Perhaps when we think of the Holy Spirit, our first thoughts are those of Pentecost. While it is true that the Spirit was poured out most abundantly following Christ's ascension, the story of the Spirit goes right back to the second verse of the Bible.

The Holy Spirit, according to the Second Vatican Council, is the source of the ongoing renewal that must take place in the Church. (Lumen Gentium) describes the Church as “ceaselessly renewing herself through the action of the Holy Spirit” (n. 9).

When St. Paul first came to Ephesus, he came upon a dozen disciples. For whatever reason, Paul asked them whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they became believers.

The Holy Spirit, according to the Second Vatican Council, is the source of the ongoing renewal that must take place in the Church.