On a Friday night, just as many were putting the work week behind them and easing into a more relaxed pace for the weekend, I walked into the Capital Courts gym to meet Coach William Davenport — the 23 year old man who was still at work and fully engrossed in his interactions with a… Read more »
The Carp Fair is quite the operation. You park your car in a rolling green field off Carp Road and then take one of the shuttle buses running every few minutes to the fair grounds located two kilometres away. After having been shuttered by the pandemic in 2020, the fair — established in 1863 —… Read more »
Hate crimes increased by 25 percent in the first quarter of 2021 and this follows a 57 percent increase in such incidents in 2020. Last year, Ottawa Police Services logged 182 hate crimes in the city. The issue was brought to the forefront again this weekend when the Ottawa Citizen’s Matthew Lapierre reported on the… Read more »
Jewish Family Services established its StreetSmarts outreach to the homeless twenty years, in 2001, thanks to the initiative of Pete Cassidy, who at the time was a recovering addict and a passionate member of the community. The programme’s volunteers journey through the streets of downtown Ottawa, handing out refreshments, toiletries, emergency clothing and sleeping bags.… Read more »
Established in 1985, the Ottawa Book Awards has a long history of showcasing local authors and often serving as a springboard for emerging talent. This fall, the City of Ottawa announced a total of 19 finalists for 2021, featuring authors of both English and French-language books. The publishers of these new books range from small… Read more »
This Sunday, as we gather and open our hearts to the Word of God, we continue to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. A few weeks ago, we heard that to be a disciple of Jesus, one needed to deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow him. An invitation… Read more »
St. Joseph’s Parish in Ottawa marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th with a display of Indigenous art and a special reflection and prayers at noon Mass, celebrated by Father Jim Bleackley OMI. In praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased children found at former residential schools,… Read more »
Ward 21 is a sprawling area in Ottawa’s southwest that happens to be named after a nineteenth century British politician and slaveholder. Henry Goulburn (locally, his name appears to be spelled more commonly as Goulbourn), an undersecretary of state, was very much the unrepentant sort of slave owner; even after Great Britain abolished slavery in… Read more »
The Catholic Bishops of Canada, gathered in Plenary this week, took the opportunity to affirm and acknowledge to the Indigenous Peoples the suffering experienced in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. Many Catholic religious communities and dioceses participated in this system, which led to the suppression of Indigenous languages, culture and spirituality, failing to respect the rich… Read more »
The Book of Wisdom Chapter 2 reveals the way in which scheming minds work. Look at the “Just One,” they say. He thinks he is so wonderful. He accuses us of breaking the law. Well, let’s take his high opinion of himself and test it. He thinks he is so holy. Let us see how… Read more »