Has The Church Failed Persons With Developmental Disabilities?

Last updated on: May 15, 2019 at 9:32 am By René Albert

Having a sibling with a developmental disability certainly gives you a different perspective of the world. Much of my early family life revolved around ensuring my brother with low-functioning autism was receiving adequate care and support through school and at home. Though the struggle to maintain his quality of life has been ongoing to this very day. Many of my peers in school considered my family to be somewhat abnormal. While some complained about fighting with their siblings, my relationship with my brother... Read more

Why I Choose To Pray The Rosary

Last updated on: May 9, 2019 at 11:37 pm By René Albert

A Terrifying Experience I remember playing with my cousin in my aunt’s basement when I was around 8 years old. We used to chase each other around and try to scare each other for fun. I hid around the corner at the bottom of the stairs after chasing her around the rooms. I peered around the corner for a split second. I was certain I saw a tall, scrawny, ghoulish figure nonchalantly passing directly in front of me. I remember... Read more

Why Purgatory Makes Sense

Last updated on: April 29, 2019 at 9:43 pm By René Albert

“If heaven is for clean people, it’s vacant.” — ‘Load Me Up’ by Matthew Good Band I remember when I was 21, I was going through a stressful time as a third-year apprentice carpenter. After leaving one job to start another, my former boss withheld my paycheque and continued to call and harass me for quitting. My mind was in a constant clutter while figuring out how to make ends meet with outstanding wages. While driving home one evening, I had... Read more

Rebuilding Notre Dame versus Caring For The Poor?

Last updated on: April 29, 2019 at 8:05 pm By René Albert

In the wake of the Notre Dame fire, it seems the internet has moved from the shock stage of grief to anger. Within 24 hours, some high-profile millionaires have already collectively pledged over $1 billion towards the restoration of the burned cathedral. But this move has not come without controversy. Catholics and non-Catholics alike, have been taking to social media about how people ought not to contribute to such causes like building restoration or beautification. Much of the virtue-signalling has especially... Read more

Reading Chronicles of Narnia During Easter

Last updated on: April 23, 2019 at 11:05 pm By René Albert

My kids have always loved listening to stories. Over the past year they have gotten old enough to appreciate more complex stories. Last year we read Tolkien’s The Hobbit. I watched as their imaginations took off skyward. Their playtime included hiking up the Lonely Mountain, lurking through spider-infested forests and slaying fire-breathing dragons. After finishing The Hobbit, the boys couldn’t wait to see where the next adventure would take them. They wanted to continue on to read The Lord of... Read more

The Fire of Notre Dame and the Theology of Architecture

Last updated on: April 16, 2019 at 10:39 pm By René Albert

In recent news, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France had caught fire and sustained significant damage. Although tensions are high in France due to an increase in terrorist attacks and anti-Catholic church vandalism, initial reports believed the source of the fire came from the construction site of the building. The 860-year-old church had been undergoing long-overdue restoration as it began to show its age. This horrible event reminds me of an incident that hit close to home more than a decade... Read more

A Reflection on Palm Sunday and Election Season

Last updated on: April 17, 2019 at 11:45 am By René Albert

As we near Easter weekend, my neck of the woods is in the midst of a provincial election. I’ve noticed many fellow Christians have grumbled about how the government cares little for religious days of obligation. But in reflection of Palm Sunday, it suddenly dawned on me the timing of the election couldn’t be more appropriate. For those unfamiliar with Catholic feast days, Palm Sunday celebrates the moment Jesus was welcomed by the people of Jerusalem. The passage in Scripture... Read more

Stop Treating Evangelism Like A Sales Pitch

Last updated on: June 26, 2019 at 10:23 am By René Albert

As a cradle Catholic, I made a number of friends in high school who were Evangelical Christians. This was a pivotal influence when I had abandoned Catholicism to become an Evangelical Protestant. What led me to make such a dramatic decision were the persuasive arguments from certain friends who believed the Catholic Church was an evil institution as well as following Jesus in a whole new, exciting way. Although some of these friendships lasted to this very day, a significant amount were... Read more

10 Christian Metal Bands Who Don’t Suck

Last updated on: September 13, 2019 at 4:44 pm By René Albert

I understand that some of my readers are probably not into the same music I enjoy. Rock and heavy metal aren’t everybody’s cup of coffee, and that’s totally fine with me. But given that my articles usually revolve around issues of morality, theology and politics, I think it’s time for me to break it up a little bit and talk about something different. I’ve written other articles about my critique of the Christian music industry and how Christian culture views rock and... Read more

Are The Apparitions Of The Virgin Mary Real?

Last updated on: September 13, 2019 at 4:43 pm By René Albert

“And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” – Revelation 12:1 RSV Biblical Evidence For Spiritual Appearances? In an age so far removed from ancient times, it’s difficult to wrap our minds around events considered supernatural or miraculous. For those of us who identify as Christians, it’s easy to accept everything in the Bible at face value. But it’s another thing... Read more