World Day for Social Justice

On this World Day of Social Justice, I've decided to highlight a troubling practice at the heart of capitalism, that is, the practice of socializing losses and privatizing gains. While it is certainly not the only inequitable pattern in capitalism, this flow of money from the government (public) to private corporations and wealthy citizens underlies many social injustices. For instance, it undermines the government's capacity to create strong social protections such as robust systems for health care, pharma care, dental care, education, child care, senior care, and work inspections.  

Here's the thing. Privatizing profits and socializing losses means that a company's profit earnings can go to shareholders while passing part (or all) of the losses to society (to taxpayers).  It's a practice that often occurs through government interventions such as bailouts, subsidies or cost-sharing arrangements for infrastructure projects where the public takes on the risks of any losses. Some examples include subsidies to the oil sector, the government paying for environmental clean-ups, and financial supports to banks during the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis.

Let's take a quick look at the Financial Crisis. Although Canadian banks remained relatively stable, the federal government still provided billions of dollars in support by purchasing mortgage assets from banks. This action seemed to be based on the assumption that allowing banks to collapse would cause widespread economic downturns and have much worse impacts on the working population than the rescues. However, the fact that banks continued to pay dividends to shareholders and award executive bonuses during this time, seems to suggest that this was about more than simply lessening any impact on the working population.

Maybe it's time we all do a little more thinking about how our economy works. Then we might be motivated to act for change.

-Sister Sue Wilson, CSJ

Image: Greg Rosenke @greg_rosenke/Unsplash

Embracing the Journey of Lent

First Week of Lent 2026

Embracing the Journey of Lent

A Scriptural Reminder

Matthew’s gospel sets the tone for the first week of Lent by recalling that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Mt 4:1). During this time, Jesus fasted, prayed, and faced numerous temptations over forty days. Through steadfast fidelity to the Father, He overcame each challenge. Maintaining such fidelity can be difficult, but it remains essential in our spiritual journey.

Patrick Fore @patrickian4/Unsplash

Invitation to Reflection and Growth

As Lent begins, we too are called to listen intently to the Spirit and allow ourselves to be guided to spaces of reflection and growth within our daily spiritual lives. The invitation extends to fasting, prayer, and performing acts of kindness. These practices are gifts—gentle reminders to focus on what matters most, even as daily life becomes hectic and crowded with news, routine tasks, work, studies, parenting, and the distractions of social media.

Responding with Enthusiasm

Let us respond wholeheartedly to God, who desires to draw us closer. Through this journey, we can deepen our understanding of ourselves and our relationships and recognize God’s presence both in our neighbors and in our own lives. The effort is always worthwhile.

Timo Volz @magict1911 / Unsplash

Scriptural Encouragement

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice” (Psalm 104:3)

-Maureen Condon, CSJ Associate

Lent: A New Focus

Welcome to Lent!  Lent can be a wonderful time of renewal and refreshment if we put the time to good use. Although Lent can be seen, in part, as “do good and avoid evil” it is more than that. More also than give up something bad or add something good.

We can consider new attitudes and refocus our lives and efforts and resources. We can see where we stand in life and make efforts to "steer the ship "carefully .

Finally, we can let go of grievances, regrets, illusions and renounce what maybe holds us back or holds us down in life .

-Father Daniel Vere, Guest Blogger

Father Dan hails from Stratford and is the Priest-Chaplain of the London Health Sciences Centre and St Joseph’s Health Care. He works as on-call chaplain at the 4 London hospitals and occasionally at hospice.

Re-Igniting The Fire: An Invitation for Ash Wednesday

A couple of days ago, on a drive to Toronto, I found myself thinking of ashes (not my usual sort of thought on the 401!). I was thinking in this vein as I pondered Ash Wednesday upcoming. In Christian Tradition, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent; a journey of some 40 days with Christ through cross to resurrection culminating in the celebration of Easter. Historically, marking with ashes in our various churches has been associated almost solely with repentance, but this association, while important, is far from the full invitation of the Lenten season. So back to my thoughts on ashes!

My mind wandered first to a distant memory of childhood when my grandmother would have me help her gather the ashes from the open fire grate to spread on her lovely English garden to enrich the soil for new growth; an act of faith and possibility. Lent is not about becoming stuck in an “ash heap of sinfulness” and negativity toward the self but rather a reaching out to God, for mercy, new growth, for transformation and conversion of heart. In a beautiful poem, “Blessing the Dust”, Jan Richardson reminds us of this hopeful reality and divine invitation. She writes:

All those days
you felt like dust, like dirt,
as if all you had to do was to turn your face
toward the wind
and be scattered to the four corners
or swept away
By the smallest breath
as insubstantial -
did you not know
 what the Holy One  
can do with dust?

What can God do in me as I open myself once again to the graces of Lent? The very existence of ashes pre-supposes earlier fire, fire that has the capacity to purify, energize, and comfort with its warmth. What about the fire in my life and faith now? Has it grown lukewarm or been extinguished perhaps by struggle, doubt, suffering, loss, simple neglect, busyness, or the negativity and division that exist in Church and society today? Perhaps Lent, is above all, an invitation, with God’s love and mercy to rekindle the fire in my spirit, for God, the world and neighbour, near and far. In his 2026 message for Lent, Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion, Pope Leo says,

“Lent is a time that invites us to place the mystery of God back in the centre of our lives, to find renewal in our faith and to keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life.” It is, he says, a call to restore “the quality of our relationships and dialogue” by listening to the Word of God and to the cry of those who are oppressed.

This is what “constantly challenges our lives, societies, political and economic systems, and not least the Church.” In the spirit of the ‘ever ancient, ever new’, Lenten traditions of prayer, fasting and charitable works, he invites us to the practical, to a deeper prayer and to respectful listening and caring action. He suggests a more profound fasting - a fast from “words that offend and hurt our neighbour”. As we consider the world at this present time how important that is.

May my Lenten practices, this year be prayerful acts of respect, kindness, dialogue, integrity of relationship. On this Ash Wednesday might I first ask myself, “is there warmth in the ashes still?” If so, I pray, rekindle in me the fire of Love.

 -Sister Mary Rowell, csj

Image: Pablo Martinez @pablomp/Ahna Ziegler @artzUnsplash

Feast and Famine

To speak of feasting in these days of famine—especially in war-torn lands—can be a stark reminder of the disparity God calls us to address. Yet, feasting can be a sacred act—an offering of gratitude for the blessings we’ve been given and a call to celebrate. Shrove Tuesday calls us to gather in community, to enjoy the richness of food and fellowship not as indulgence, but as gratitude—using what we have with humility as we prepare for the reflective season of Lent. Feasting becomes a way to remember how deeply we’ve been blessed, and how those blessings can overflow toward neighbors near and far who live with far less.

This day also invites us to rediscover simple joys together—sharing meals, laughter, games, or quiet companionship. As we reflect on our own abundance, we’re gently asked: how might we share from what we have, and how might our feasting open our hearts to those who hunger?

Shrove Tuesday is also “pancake day” when in the Christian tradition, rich foods like eggs sugar and butter are used up by making pancakes.

So let us join the dance of feast and famine, being very mindful of where we dance, why we do so, how we dance and with whom we partner.

WHERE this might happen: in a neighbourhood, in a church gathering, in homes.

WHY we dance: to very intentionally celebrate the many gifts we have been given.

HOW might we dance? We might just decide to loiter with intent with someone with whom we have not spent time in a long while.

With whom might we dance? It might be with a grandchild playing a child’s game or an elderly person playing an elderly person’s game or it might be just talking with someone and listening to their story.

-Sister Kathleen Lichti, CSJ

Image: Milana Burlo @milanana444/Calum Lewis @calumlewisUnsplash