When It’s Time to Go
Linda Couture
August 8, 2017
As the geese skim the waters edge, photographer Linda Couture reflects on the power of nature to signal a shift in time.
Something cautioned, "frost ...
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Joy at Buddha Beauty
Mary Dumka
August 4, 2017
August 6 is Canada’s National Day of Prayer and Mindfulness, an initiative of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers across the country. On the day, Albertan Mary Dumka reflects on how learning simply Buddhist mindfulness practices have helped her in the moment and in the world.
About half way through the lecture I suddenly realized that I was listening to the speaker! Of course, that was my goal: to get to the conference on time and listen to the speakers Then I remembered what I'd been taught in the meditation workshop and turned my attention from my distressed thoughts, ...
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George Parkin Grant
William Christian
August 4, 2017
George Parkin Grant once said that “faith is the experience that the intellect is enlightened by love.” After a life-changing moment one December morning, Grant was determined to understand the meaning of the truth he felt in that moment.
When George Grant arrived at Oxford in October 1939 as the Rhodes Scholar from Queen’s University in Kingston, it was his plan to study law and to then return to Canada to work as a constitutional lawyer In 1947, Grant accepted a position at Dalhousie University to teach philosophy, and by 1951 he w...
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A New and Beautiful Encounter
Daniel Freeman
August 4, 2017
In a new collection of essays by Father Julián Carrón, reviewer Daniel Freeman finds an enriching approach to evangelization, one born of humility and bearing great hope.
As a missionary and leader with Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), I was eager to learn from another movement dedicated to the mission of evangelization Carrón’s descriptions of the experience of conversion, the transformation that takes place in relationship with Jesus, and the role of apostolate i...
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Answering I Kissed Dating Goodbye
Jessica Walters, with Brittany Beacham, Keith Dow, Paul Oleniuk
August 4, 2017
Four Convivium readers whose young lives were shaped by Joshua Harris’ influential book respond to Hannah Marazzi’s interview with the author.
I was angry reading even the title I Kissed Dating Goodbye, I was angry at Joshua Harris, and the more I read of the article, the angrier I became (despite Harris’ willingness to reevaluate his own book) and what has shaped my dating life, engagement, and now marriage, is Joshua’s urgent request tha...
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Debating Data on Gay Marriage
Peter Stockland
August 4, 2017
Convivium Publisher Peter Stockland reveals a new direction in the recently released family Census data.
On the positive side, the outcome is exactly as gay marriage advocates predicted: a decade of over 60 per cent growth still leaves same-sex marriage short of peeping over the one per cent mark for all Canadian couples The paradox is that the new data gives equal validity to those who opposed the cha...
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Inspired by God and Hockey
Owen Grootenboer
August 3, 2017
Grade 8 student Owen Grootenboer shares how Jerome Iginla's faith, career, and generosity offer inspiration.
Jarome was athletically talented at a young age, and from the time he was seven he has always wanted to be in the NHL Kidsport is for all sports, and Jarome believes that all sports are good for children Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is a member of the Los Angeles Kings, an NH...
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Petal to the Metal
Raymond J. de Souza
August 3, 2017
Ottawa spends $50 million on showpiece gardens in Winnipeg. Yet Churchill's lone rail line can't be repaired. From Confederation to now, Canada began to go seriously off track.
On July 18, the company that owns the railway, OmniTRAX of Denver, Colorado, said that the rail line can be repaired before October – when construction season ends in the north – but at a cost of about $60 million Over the years, both federal and provincial governments have put millions into the lin...
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A Giving Hand Like Grandpa’s
Amanda Kleinikkink
August 2, 2017
In her Golden Thread submission, Amanda Kleinikkink shares the story of her grandfather, whose faith overflowed into the way he lived his life.
Whether he was serving as a youth elder, was part of welcoming newcomers, instigating the road clean up for Community Christian Reformed Church, bringing people to his house after church, or as part of the outreach program and Vacation Bible School, you could tell that there was something special ab...
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A Special Message From Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier
August 2, 2017
Jean Vanier, Companion of the Order of Canada and founder of L'Arche on the occasion of Canada's Sesquicentennial Anniversary.
The child of two of Canada's most remarkable figures, Georges and Pauline Vanier, he used the manifold spiritual and intellectual gifts they bequeathed him to develop the global L'Arche community, first in Trosly-Breuil France and then, over the course of 53 years, in 147 centres spanning 37 countri...
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God Beyond Instagram
Sean Hedley
August 2, 2017
Convivium contributor Josh Nadeau wrote this week of the opening to faith available to digital nomads, who roam the world rooted yet untethered. Today, Calgary lawyer Sean Hedley brings the complement: faith expanding through culture from a fixed place called home.
But since then I have learned to engage my mind, my heart and my hands in many other spheres of society, and discovered the richness to be gained from practicing public faith in all dimensions of culture In his book Public Faith, Miroslav Volf writes that the community of believers has fundamentally...
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A Love Louder Than Noise
Marlena Loughheed
August 1, 2017
"In the midst of a good life in Canada’s noisiest city, that gentle voice continued its lifelong pursuit of my heart. This pursuit became increasingly personal and powerful. As I made more intentional time to listen, suddenly that voice became louder than all the other noise in my life."
My life is an embarrassment of riches, yet I still find myself asking bigger questions: What is the appropriate outlet for my life and my love? How am I called to attain Heaven for myself and those around me? How can I best use my gifts to bring Christ to the world? In His great mercy and personal l...
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Don’t Try This at Home
Rachel Feddema
August 1, 2017
From coliseums to Kardashians, watching questionable entertainment is nothing new. What is new is how little privacy we’ve come to expect from our stars – and ourselves.
Alfie Deyes, a prominent YouTuber, recently shared the downsides to living an online life, stating that fans use his regular social media updates (as well as those of his girlfriend and fellow YouTube star Zoe Sugg) to figure out his schedule On top of the noisy shenanigans, Jake Paul openly shares ...
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The Rooted Wanderer
Josh Nadeau
August 1, 2017
The advent of digital nomadism, Josh Nadeau writes from experience, opens the door to home becoming pilgrimage, and roots becoming spirit to stretch instead of matter that restrains.
Whether you’re on a weekend getaway, heading on a short pilgrimage, taking your kids for a volunteer month abroad, or are living the life of a digital nomad, you can angle yourself to be reacquainted with the beauty of the world, the terror of the unknown, the humility of being small and outside you...
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