Top 5 B.C. Catholic Stories of 2024
At the end of each year, The B.C. Catholic looks back at the top stories that resonated most with our readers. We crunched the numbers, and here are the top local stories as measured by the most hits on bccatholic.ca in 2024.
5. Nineteen laypeople and clergy named to receive papal honours (1,484 views)
In September, 16 laypeople and clergy in the Archdiocese of Vancouver were awarded the Benemerenti Medal for exceptional service to the Catholic Church. Three others received the prestigious Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.
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4. Father Larkin, who encouraged his flock’s cultural identity, dies at 86 (1,944 views)
Among the clergy who passed away this year was Father Terrance Larkin, who died on Sept. 10 at the age of 86. Father Larkin was a long-time reader and supporter of The B.C. Catholic, occasionally sending appreciative emails. His most recent said, “All Brave Heart personnel at BC Catholic are doing a super Brave Heart good job.”
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3. Finding Mass and confession times just got a lot easier (2,086 views)
In March, the Archdiocese of Vancouver launched massfinder.rcav.org, a new tool for Catholics to browse nearby confession and Mass times. Since its launch, the Mass Finder has been used by more than 20,000 people, making it a hit among local Catholics. Read the full story
2. Catholic-seeking-Catholic: The online reality (3,265 views)
For Valentine’s Day, we published a story about the challenges and successes of finding love as a Catholic through online dating. Contributor Tim James shared his experiences with platforms like Bumble, Catholic Match, and Christian Mingle, as well as attending young adult events to meet other singles.
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1. Family sues over hospital’s religious exemption for euthanasia (3,754 views)
Our top local story of 2024 was about a Vancouver family’s lawsuit against St. Paul’s Hospital for refusing to euthanize their daughter. The case reignited debates on religious freedom and ethical considerations of medical assistance in dying (MAiD), making it one of the year’s most discussed topics both locally and in the broader Catholic community.
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Some of our opinion columns also gained significant attention, even surpassing some of our most impactful news stories. We would be remiss not to highlight these contributions.
Catholic athletes who walk the talk (4,610 views)
During Lent, author Pat Macken wrote about the growing trend of professional athletes openly expressing their faith, particularly in the NFL and NBA. The overlap between popular culture and Catholic faith sparked interest beyond the Vancouver region.
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Decluttering adds sparkle and shine, and calms the brain (6,264 views)
Our top column of 2024 was from Lisa Yanko on the topic of virtue and maintaining an organized home. Her reflection on the spiritual growth that comes with tidying up a physical space resonated with readers in Vancouver and beyond.
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Thank you for supporting The B.C. Catholic by reading and sharing our stories. Your support helps us share how the Holy Spirit is working in our communities and tell stories that reflect our Catholic faith. We look forward to bringing you even more in 2025 during the Year of Jubilee by celebrating the faith and life of our local Church.
Matthew Furtado is communications director for the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
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