This was originally prepared as a reflection for a youth ministry session at St. Anthony of Padua parish. The word “love” in English is used to mean so many different things these days. For example, when I say “I love pizza”, does the “love” in that statement equate to a husband saying “I love you” to his wife? In other languages we find different “types” of love have different words. For example, in Greek, four main types of love are: storge – familial love, love between parent and child philia – friendship or bonds between people with common values or Continue Reading
Cycling the Whistler Valley Trail
The Valley trails in Whistler, B.C. provide over 40km of maintained multi-use trails connecting Whistler Village to Green Lake to the north, and Function Junction to the south. The trails are a mixed of gravel and paved paths which make cycling on them easy for anyone. The trails run through different settings such as within forested areas, alongside a road or lake, or in a meadow like along the hydro cut. The shade provided by the trees along most of the trails make the bike ride reasonably comfortable especially on a warm summer day. Here are a couple time lapsed Continue Reading
Charisms: Gifts from the Holy Spirit
We each have our own individual strengths and limitations. It’s sometimes easy for one person to accomplish a certain task than another. For one person, mathematics might come easily and naturally, whereas for another person it may be difficult and frustrating to apply, although not impossible. In the mission of the church, God has equipped each of us with unique gifts to carry out specific tasks within the mission. It isn’t impossible for us to do other tasks, but it won’t be as easy as others that are aided by the charisms with which we have been gifted. Last Saturday Continue Reading
Beauty of a church
In Fr. Justin’s homily this past Sunday, he preaches that we find the best place to pray by looking at what is subjectively best for us and what is objectively best. I’ve been going to Mass at St. Anthony of Padua parish for just over a year and half now. The church is nestled in a residential neighbourhood, but very close to major thoroughfares in all significant directions; in clear traffic conditions, it’s about a 10 minute drive from my home. It’s not a large church, nor new, nor excessively ornate, but there’s something about the simple beauty that I Continue Reading
Driving the British Columbia Coast Mountain Circle Route
This past B.C. Day, I wanted to get out of Metro Vancouver, where I’ve been “stuck” for the past five months, but I only had the one day free to do it. I was debating whether to do a trip up north to Whistler, or to the east to Manning Park (pretty much the only two directions one can drive from Vancouver. However, I’ve been to both of these places. I wanted to explore something new. I remembered that I had wanted to do the Coast Mountain Circle Route, the smallest “loop” that one can make going out of Metro Continue Reading