Inauguration ceremony for the new St. Albert the Great priory. Montreal, Qc.

The Chapter Experience of the Order and the Synod
Testimony of Bro Carlos Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, OP, Archbishop of Bahía Blanca

Bro Carlos Alfonso Azpiroz Costa, OP, Archbishop of Bahía Blanca, Argentina, who participated in the work of both sessions of the 16^th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” presents us with some insights for Dominican and synodal life in an extensive article that we are publishing in two parts. However, you can read or download the full article here.

The Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) and the Office for Interreligious Dialogue, Archdiocese of Toronto came together with Muslim friends and community members for a meaningful Iftar experience on March 13.

Ramadan Strengthens Muslim-Christian Bonds, “We Muslims and Christians are called to open ourselves to others, knowing and recognizing them as brothers and sisters,” reads the letter from the Vatican. “In this way, we can tear down walls raised out of fear and ignorance and seek together to build bridges of friendship that are fundamental for the good of all humanity.”
Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam, is marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, ending each day with Iftar, a shared meal that brings people together in faith and community.

Professor Gilles Routhier is currently the Superior General of Seminary of Quebec. For 30 years he was Professor of Theology at Laval University, where he also served as Dean. Prof Routhier has made significant contributions in the fields of ecclesiology, the reception of Vatican II, and more recently synodality. He has been actively involved in the synodal process initiated by Pope Francis. In 2021, he was appointed to the theological commission in preparation of the Synod on Synodality; to the writing team for the Continental Document for North America from 2022-2023. Routhier was appointed theological expert to the Synod’s 2023 assembly and Pope Francis appointed him Consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod in 2024. He is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada.

The Pope has appointed two new bishops in Burundi: Abbé Léonidas Nitereka as head of the Diocese of Rutana and Dominican Father Emmanuel Ntakarutimana for the Diocese of Bubanza.

Journey of Bishop Emmanuel Ntakarutimana, O.P.

Religious Commitment – Order of Preachers (Dominicans)

• First profession: September 28, 1981, in Ibadan, Nigeria.
• Perpetual vows: 1984 in Rweza, Burundi.
• Priestly ordination: August 23, 1987, in Gitega

Responsibilities Held

• 1986-1989: Professor of Fundamental Theology at the Grand Seminary of Gitega.
• 1988-1990: Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace.
• 1991-1993: Master of Students at the Inter-African Dominican House of Formation in Kinshasa.
• 1993-1999: Advisor to the Superior and Coordinator for Africa of the Dominican Order.
• 2001-2015: Coordinator of the Ubuntu Center for the Promotion of Peace and Reconciliation in Bujumbura.
• 2015-2021: Director of the Episcopal Conference Bureau for Evangelization.
• Since 2021: Coordinator of the Council for the Creation of the Catholic University of Burundi.

Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal has inaugurated its new reception pavilion, a modern space designed with a boutique, a cafeteria, multi-purpose rooms with a capacity of 300 people and other areas. This project is part of a vast redevelopment plan to preserve and enhance the site’s historical and spiritual heritage. Thanks to the support of government and private partners, this project underlines the cultural and tourist importance of the Oratory.

Congratulations to the Brothers of Holy Cross for their commitment and dedication to preserving and promoting this emblematic site!

“It’s a joy to finally inaugurate this new reception pavilion, which will enable us to welcome pilgrims and visitors in an environment that showcases Saint Joseph’s Oratory, our sanctuary that combines beauty and rich heritage, while respecting the legacy left to us by Saint Brother André. We invite all citizens to visit us in large numbers, whether this is their first visit or they are regulars at the sanctuary”.

Bernard Antoine, c.s.c., rector of Saint Joseph’s Oratory.

SOURCE Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal

Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

Happy Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas!

On Monday January 27, 2025, Professor Stephan van Erp (KU Leuven) presented the annual Aquinas Lecture at Regis St. Michael’s College, at the invitation of the Dominican Institute of Toronto. The title of the lecture was “A Temple for a Complex World: the Dominican Institute of Toronto”. According to Van Erp, universities can be seen as temples where openness to truth is practiced, and where plurality and openness in research and education are protected. He described Catholic universities as laboratories where different disciplines, cultures and traditions engage and interact. In this way, universities are spaces where the catholicity of reality is contemplated, enabling them to become communities in search of their Catholic identity.