Canada

Picture of the day Devonshire Lodge (Low-Martin House), Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Commissioned by the rum-runner Harry Low in 1927, the building was designed in the style of a Cotswold cottage and completed in 1928. It served as the home of Member of Parliament Paul Martin Sr. for almost three decades. It was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2008. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Devonshire Lodge (Low-Martin House), Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Commissioned by the rum-runner Harry Low in 1927, the building was designed in the style of a Cotswold cottage and completed in 1928. It served as the home of Member of Parliament Paul Martin Sr. for almost three decades. It was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2008. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Devonshire Lodge (Low-Martin House), Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Commissioned by the rum-runner Harry Low in 1927, the building was designed in the style of a Cotswold cottage and completed in 1928. It served as the home of Member of Parliament Paul Martin Sr. for almost three decades. It was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2008.
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Lunar Occultation of Venus – On Wednesday, June 17, skywatchers across the United States—and parts of Canada—enjoyed a rare event: a daytime lunar occultation of Venus. A lunar occultation occurs when the Moon moves directly in front of another celestial object from our viewpoint on Earth, briefly hiding it from sight.
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Lunar Occultation of Venus – On Wednesday, June 17, skywatchers across the United States—and parts of Canada—enjoyed a rare event: a daytime lunar occultation of Venus. A lunar occultation occurs when the Moon moves directly in front of another celestial object from our viewpoint on Earth, briefly hiding it from sight.

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On Wednesday, June 17, skywatchers across the United States—and parts of Canada—enjoyed a rare event: a daytime lunar occultation of Venus. A lunar occultation occurs when the Moon moves directly in front of another celestial object from our viewpoint on Earth, briefly hiding it from sight.

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Bishops from Mexico, U.S., Canada see urgent need to speak ‘with one voice’ #Catholic “It is increasingly urgent that the Catholic Church in the Americas speak with one voice,” stated Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), following the Mass celebrated Aug. 30 at the cathedral in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which marked the beginning of a meeting among Mexican, U.S., and Canadian bishops.Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) was the main celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrating alongside various priests, along with Flores, were Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, addresses the congregation at the conclusion of the Mass at Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca In a brief message, Flores expressed gratitude for “Bishop Ramón’s inspiration in inviting us to this gathering to strengthen this ecclesial communion.”“In the times we are living through, it will become increasingly important — indeed, urgent — for the Catholic Church in the Americas to speak with one voice, defending the honor of Our Lord and the dignity of the human person — especially the poor and immigrants, who often have nowhere to lay their heads, just like the Lord Jesus himself,” he said.“We need to preach together and united as one Church, under the guidance of our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and in communion with all the bishops of the world,” he added.3 distinct countries ‘but one and the same faith’In his homily, Castro highlighted that this meeting of leaders from North American episcopal conferences is “the first of its kind in our history.”“We are three distinct countries. We are three Churches with different histories and realities, yet we share one and the same faith, one baptism, one Eucharist, and one mission,” the Mexican prelate affirmed.Regarding the role of bishops, Castro emphasized that “before being leaders, we are disciples,” and “before having responsibilities, we are men called by the Lord.”“Perhaps this can be the profound spirit of this gathering of the Church in North America: for all of us to place ourselves once again behind Jesus.” Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, Mexico, right, and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Canada, pray during the consecration at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca ‘Enormous challenges’The president of the CEM emphasized that “our peoples face enormous challenges, particularly Mexico,” and pointed to issues such as “violence, demagoguery, corruption, loneliness, secularization, individualism, materialism, polarization, wounded families, and young people seeking reasons for hope.”He further noted that “perhaps one of the most common themes among the three of us as countries and conferences is migration.”“Over the coming days, we will have the opportunity to share our perspectives on these realities, not in a spirit of judgment or confrontation but rather out of the pastoral responsibility that falls to us as shepherds,” the bishop of Cuernavaca said. The faithful attend Mass at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca “We want to better understand the lives of our people. To what end? To be able to serve them better,” he stated.Castro emphasized that “migration must not be reduced to statistics, public policies, or economic obligations,” because “behind every migrant there is a face, a story, a family, a hope, and, unfortunately, often many wounds.”“The Church must view these people as brothers and sisters whose dignity must be recognized and protected,” he said.The Mexican bishop also expressed his wish “that from Cuernavaca we might send a simple yet powerful sign to our churches, churches on pilgrimage in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Bishops from Mexico, U.S., Canada see urgent need to speak ‘with one voice’ #Catholic “It is increasingly urgent that the Catholic Church in the Americas speak with one voice,” stated Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), following the Mass celebrated Aug. 30 at the cathedral in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which marked the beginning of a meeting among Mexican, U.S., and Canadian bishops.Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) was the main celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrating alongside various priests, along with Flores, were Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, addresses the congregation at the conclusion of the Mass at Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca In a brief message, Flores expressed gratitude for “Bishop Ramón’s inspiration in inviting us to this gathering to strengthen this ecclesial communion.”“In the times we are living through, it will become increasingly important — indeed, urgent — for the Catholic Church in the Americas to speak with one voice, defending the honor of Our Lord and the dignity of the human person — especially the poor and immigrants, who often have nowhere to lay their heads, just like the Lord Jesus himself,” he said.“We need to preach together and united as one Church, under the guidance of our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and in communion with all the bishops of the world,” he added.3 distinct countries ‘but one and the same faith’In his homily, Castro highlighted that this meeting of leaders from North American episcopal conferences is “the first of its kind in our history.”“We are three distinct countries. We are three Churches with different histories and realities, yet we share one and the same faith, one baptism, one Eucharist, and one mission,” the Mexican prelate affirmed.Regarding the role of bishops, Castro emphasized that “before being leaders, we are disciples,” and “before having responsibilities, we are men called by the Lord.”“Perhaps this can be the profound spirit of this gathering of the Church in North America: for all of us to place ourselves once again behind Jesus.” Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, Mexico, right, and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Canada, pray during the consecration at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca ‘Enormous challenges’The president of the CEM emphasized that “our peoples face enormous challenges, particularly Mexico,” and pointed to issues such as “violence, demagoguery, corruption, loneliness, secularization, individualism, materialism, polarization, wounded families, and young people seeking reasons for hope.”He further noted that “perhaps one of the most common themes among the three of us as countries and conferences is migration.”“Over the coming days, we will have the opportunity to share our perspectives on these realities, not in a spirit of judgment or confrontation but rather out of the pastoral responsibility that falls to us as shepherds,” the bishop of Cuernavaca said. The faithful attend Mass at the Cuernavaca Cathedral on Aug. 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Cuernavaca “We want to better understand the lives of our people. To what end? To be able to serve them better,” he stated.Castro emphasized that “migration must not be reduced to statistics, public policies, or economic obligations,” because “behind every migrant there is a face, a story, a family, a hope, and, unfortunately, often many wounds.”“The Church must view these people as brothers and sisters whose dignity must be recognized and protected,” he said.The Mexican bishop also expressed his wish “that from Cuernavaca we might send a simple yet powerful sign to our churches, churches on pilgrimage in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The bishops discussed the pastoral challenges facing the Church in North America as a whole and concelebrated a Mass on Aug. 30 in the Cuernavaca, Mexico, cathedral.

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Last Chinese Trappist monk to survive Maoist persecution dies at 108 #Catholic Father Benedict Chao, the worldʼs oldest Trappist monk and the last survivor of the community that suffered communist persecution in China, died at the age of 108 on July 31 in Lantau, Hong Kong.The Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance reported that Chao was born in 1918 in Chengting, Hebei Province, China. He entered the monastery in Hebei in 1941, made his solemn profession in 1947, and was ordained a priest in 1949.He lived as a monk for 79 years and as a priest for 77. His funeral is scheduled for Aug. 14.According to AsiaNews, Chao also served for more than 20 years as superior of the Trappist community on Lantau.TweetPersecuted by communistsIn 1941, at the age of 23, Chau entered the Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, also known by its French name, “Liesse,” meaning “jubilation.”According to AsiaNews, the monastery was occupied by Japanese troops in 1937 and several monks were imprisoned and killed.However, the worst was yet to come when the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong took control of the region.In 1947, the same year Chao made his solemn vows, the Abbey of Our Lady of Consolation in Yangjiaping was attacked. The monks were tortured and forced to leave the monastery.A year later, six monks were executed by firing squad following a peopleʼs trial. Among them was 29-year-old Father Chrysostom Chang, the communityʼs sub-prior.Those who were killed during the persecution are commemorated as the 33 martyrs of Yangjiaping, comprising 30 Chinese monks and three foreign religious, according to AsiaNews.Exile and new monastery in Hong KongThe Liesse community, where the young Chao was living, also came under attack, leaving the monks no choice but to seek refuge in another city.As the persecution intensified, some monks were sent out of China. Among them was Chao, who arrived at the monastery of Notre-Dame-des-Prairies in Manitoba, Canada.In 1951, the Xindu community also had to close due to communist persecution. The monks who had managed to leave China then began preparing to rebuild their community in Hong Kong.With the support of the then-bishop of Hong Kong, Enrico Valtorta, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, the monks were granted a plot of land in the highlands of Lantau Island.There, eight monks built the new monastery, which was inaugurated in 1956. In 1999, the Cistercian order recognized the Lantau community as an autonomous abbey, and in January 2000, it reclaimed the name Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, the same name the community had in Hebei.With Chao’s passing, the abbey bids farewell to the last survivor of that generation of Trappist monks who were persecuted by Mao but managed to reestablish a monastery in Hong Kong.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Last Chinese Trappist monk to survive Maoist persecution dies at 108 #Catholic Father Benedict Chao, the worldʼs oldest Trappist monk and the last survivor of the community that suffered communist persecution in China, died at the age of 108 on July 31 in Lantau, Hong Kong.The Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance reported that Chao was born in 1918 in Chengting, Hebei Province, China. He entered the monastery in Hebei in 1941, made his solemn profession in 1947, and was ordained a priest in 1949.He lived as a monk for 79 years and as a priest for 77. His funeral is scheduled for Aug. 14.According to AsiaNews, Chao also served for more than 20 years as superior of the Trappist community on Lantau.TweetPersecuted by communistsIn 1941, at the age of 23, Chau entered the Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, also known by its French name, “Liesse,” meaning “jubilation.”According to AsiaNews, the monastery was occupied by Japanese troops in 1937 and several monks were imprisoned and killed.However, the worst was yet to come when the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong took control of the region.In 1947, the same year Chao made his solemn vows, the Abbey of Our Lady of Consolation in Yangjiaping was attacked. The monks were tortured and forced to leave the monastery.A year later, six monks were executed by firing squad following a peopleʼs trial. Among them was 29-year-old Father Chrysostom Chang, the communityʼs sub-prior.Those who were killed during the persecution are commemorated as the 33 martyrs of Yangjiaping, comprising 30 Chinese monks and three foreign religious, according to AsiaNews.Exile and new monastery in Hong KongThe Liesse community, where the young Chao was living, also came under attack, leaving the monks no choice but to seek refuge in another city.As the persecution intensified, some monks were sent out of China. Among them was Chao, who arrived at the monastery of Notre-Dame-des-Prairies in Manitoba, Canada.In 1951, the Xindu community also had to close due to communist persecution. The monks who had managed to leave China then began preparing to rebuild their community in Hong Kong.With the support of the then-bishop of Hong Kong, Enrico Valtorta, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, the monks were granted a plot of land in the highlands of Lantau Island.There, eight monks built the new monastery, which was inaugurated in 1956. In 1999, the Cistercian order recognized the Lantau community as an autonomous abbey, and in January 2000, it reclaimed the name Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, the same name the community had in Hebei.With Chao’s passing, the abbey bids farewell to the last survivor of that generation of Trappist monks who were persecuted by Mao but managed to reestablish a monastery in Hong Kong.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Father Benedict Chau survived the period of communist persecution by Mao Zedong and ended his days at the reestablsihed monastery of Our Lady of Joy on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

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