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The Shrine Blog

Gain insight into Martyrs' Shrine through interviews, videos and more.

  • Answering the Call To Be Here, Now, With Him.

    Posted by Allex Laurin on August 31, 2019

    Christopher Spiegel was born in London, Ontario, and grew up in Florida. He is currently discerning a vocation to the Society of Jesus, Canada Province, and will be staying through […]

  • From the Gate Looking Out

    Posted by Allex Laurin on July 20, 2019

    What I’ve learned from my time at Martyrs’ Shrine I’d like to start with a surprising (or perhaps not surprising) fact, the Church here at the Martyrs’ Shrine isn’t a […]

  • Reflection of Your Purpose

    Posted by Allex Laurin on July 6, 2019

    In our generation today, an average life span of a person is 75 – 80 years old. Imagine that you are now 35 years old, how do you plan to […]

  • A Look Into the Shrine Gift Shop

    Posted by Allex Laurin on June 29, 2019

    On the surface, the Gift Shop would appear to be just that – a place to purchase religious items for one’s self, and gifts for another. Scratch the surface, and […]

  • Spiritual Exercises and Corporate Leadership

    Posted by Allex Laurin on June 22, 2019

    A fundamental component of Jesuit Spirituality or, often called, Ignatius Spirituality, is the Spiritual Exercises. These exercises were developed by the founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius Loyola, […]

  • Solemnity of Pentecost

    Posted by Allex Laurin on June 8, 2019

    ‘The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said, alleluia.’ Are the words of the entrance antiphon, and how […]

  • A Year of Spiritual Renewal In Ireland

    Posted by Allex Laurin on June 1, 2019

    A year ago, almost to the day, I returned to Canada from a year of spiritual renewal in Ireland. That experience, called Tertianship (referred to, among Jesuits, as the “Third-Year”), […]

  • Journeying with the Catholic Clergy of Tomorrow

    Posted by Allex Laurin on May 25, 2019

    For the 2nd year in a row, I’ve been given the privilege of being a spiritual director to seminarians of St Augustine in Toronto as they quietly pray through the […]

  • The Spiritual Exercises and Seminarians

    Posted by Allex Laurin on May 18, 2019

    I’m at the Martyrs’ Shrine for the month of May. I feel privileged to be here. I’m a Jesuit based at La Storta Jesuit community in Pickering (which for many […]

  • Glorify to Parents and Caregivers

    Posted by Allex Laurin on May 11, 2019

    As the only begotten Son of God Christ Jesus would have obeyed in full the commandments of God, such as that in the heading of this article. Not satisfied with […]