Finding Magic in the Cathedral

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Emma and I were walking in the park by Holy Rosary Cathedral in Regina, and she pointed to the towers of the cathedral, tall twin spires that mark the western skyline of the city, and said in French, her first language, "Look at the castle, Grandpa!"

My first reaction, as an adult speaking with a three-year old, was to correct her. "Emma, ma chore, ce n'est pas un chateau, c'est une cathedrale." But I decided against that, and she and I and Grandma walked on to the swings and the slides, our real goal.

Later in the day I began to think about the perception that a church could be mistaken for a castle. Certainly many medieval cathedrals dominated their surroundings as …