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Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
B.C. Catholics react to death of Pope Francis: 'A beacon of hope'
The archdiocese of Vancouver says a memorial mass will be held soon to honour the legacy of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday after a lengthy battle with lung disease. 'It is with great sorrow that I join the faithful of the archdiocese of Vancouver, and Catholics around the world, in mourning the passing of our Holy Father, Pope Francis,' said J. Michael Miller, the apostolic administrator for the archdiocese that serves nearly 400,000 baptized Lower Mainland Catholics. The pope was a socially conscious leader who rankled some conservatives with his calls for a worldwide response to climate change and criticisms of unchecked capitalism. 'Pope Francis was a tireless shepherd of the church, a beacon of hope, and a champion of the gospel,' said Miller in a statement released Monday. 'His deep love for the poor, unwavering commitment to peace, and bold witness to Christ's message of love and reconciliation have inspired millions of people everywhere.' Miller said it was Francis's outreach to the world's Christian conscience that will be remembered here. 'The most significant legacy left to the archdiocese of Vancouver by Pope Francis is undoubtedly his heart for evangelization,' he said. Miller said Francis's call for missionaries in 2019 led to the archdiocese launching Proclaim, 'a movement that awakens disciples to proclaim Jesus. 'The Pope's challenge to embrace missionary discipleship continues to guide our evangelization efforts today.' Miller said a date for a memorial mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver will be announced soon. Miller is acting as the pope's representative while the archdiocese awaits the installation of recently appointed Archbishop Richard W. Smith. Smith assumes his duties on May 23. READ MORE: The Cardinals said to have a chance at becoming the next Pope jruttle@ 'Pope Francis was a voice of moral clarity, spiritual courage, and boundless compassion. He was in many respects the world's conscience — never hesitating to challenge the powerful on behalf of the vulnerable.' — Prime Minister Mark Carney, at a campaign stop in Charlottetown 'There have been countless millions of Catholics and non-Catholics that have been inspired by his leadership in faith and other domains, and our prayers are with all Catholics as they lay to rest the head of the Catholic Church.' — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, at a campaign stop in east Toronto 'Pope Francis showed the world that faith can be a force for justice. He spoke plainly about poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis. I attended his visit in 2022 where he offered an apology for the Catholic church's role in residential schools. For many survivors, this apology was not enough. For others, it was a step towards recognition of the harm and trauma they experienced. His passing is a loss and his example will not be forgotten.' — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, on social media. 'Our Catholic family worldwide is in mourning following the death of our spiritual father, Pope Francis. Since 2013, our shepherd has guided the flock lovingly and served as a global ambassador of peace, hope and love. The Holy Father's humility, compassion and care for others, most especially the poor and marginalized, has served as a powerful witness and a reminder of our daily call to reflect the face of Jesus to all those whom we encounter.' — Cardinal Frank Leo, Archbishop of Toronto, in a written statement 'The differences that we have between each other are not an obstacle. They are a blessing. And to see the value of the other is also to learn to view the difference as a blessing for our own lives. So that's why Pope Francis's message of the value of encounter, the value of togetherness, so that we can enrich our life and enrich our peace, is so important today. Let us be together in solidarity and sadness and in the building of peace and building a civilization of encounter.' — Rev. Christian Lepine, Archbishop of Montreal, in a video statement Pope Francis dies at age 88 on Easter Monday Easter: The peril and power of religious imagery
CNN
11-03-2025
- Health
- CNN
Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System review: A high-tech alternative to flossing
Flossing sucks. This seems to be the tagline for an array of popular oral health products. From old-school water flossers to more recent electric flossers like Flaus and Slate, it seems we're all just too sexy for traditional floss. Offering another approach to this public outcry of putting fingers in mouths, Proclaim's Custom-Jet Oral Health System is a pricey new device that claims to offer a simpler, faster and more efficient way to clean between your teeth using a seven-second blast of water. And though water flossers, like our best-tested choice, the Waterpik Ion, allow you to angle a stream of water into your teeth, Proclaim combines a custom mouthpiece and 60 powerful water jets in the hope to replace your flossing with a nearly hands-free solution. Or at the very least, greatly improve upon it. Yet, with a steep price tag of nearly $600, you'll have to be ready to commit to a whole new oral health process. Is it worth it? I spent the past three months reviewing the Custom-Jet Oral Health System, and, well, it's complicated. Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System The Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System is a high-tech device designed to replace traditional flossing with a quick, seven-second jet of water through a custom-fitted mouthpiece. While it offers convenience and accessibility, especially for those with mobility issues, its bulky size, high price and additional costs for Oral Infusion Concentrate make it a costly investment. It's quick I'm going to have to go back to my original thought here: Flossing sucks. First, you have to find the floss (it's never where you left it). Then you have to rip off just the right amount and stick your fingers in your mouth, over and over until that nasty piece of string gets between every tooth. And you're supposed to do this at least once a day, according to the American Dental Association. Which is probably why dentists are constantly berating us — and don't even get me started with my kids' habits. Proclaim is meant to stop the madness in less than 10 seconds. The Custom-Jet Oral Health System is made up of a bulky body called a Hydro Station with a hose that attaches to a customized mouthpiece (which must be scanned in person by a participating dentist). You use it after you brush by first combining water and a capful of the company's Oral Infusion Concentrate (you get one bottle for free) in the round plastic cup that sits atop the Hydro Station. Then you stick the mouthpiece in your trap and press the button on the handle. A violent jet of water is released for seven seconds to clean your mouth, targeting between the teeth and below the gumline, with the now-dirty water exiting down an included funnel and directly into the sink. Quick and clean — not bad, if I do say so myself. Great for accessibility issues Now, I hate to come down on conventional flossing once again, but if it's annoying for most of us, it can be nearly impossible for those with mobility and accessibility issues. Proclaim can help with that, since all you need to do is stick the mouthpiece in your mouth and press a button. In this case, I'd say it could be worth every penny. It's way too big This system is … not small. I'd say it's about the size of one of the more compact Nespresso coffee makers. Which means it takes up a ton of real estate by my sink. And I live in New York City. Unless you have a giant bathroom with tons of counter space, this is not easy to keep handy. Sure, you can store it somewhere, but that defeats the purpose of having it close to use daily. Water temperature is hard to regulate This is something I hadn't considered when I set it up, but I now think about it every time I use it. If you, like me, have sensitive teeth, you'll want to have the perfect temperature when you fill it with water. At first, I used cold water, and that was gnarly. As a result, I now have to adjust my taps so it's not making my teeth ache but also not filling my mouth with uncomfortably hot water. Sometimes I get it just right, but frequently I don't. And quite frankly, that's annoying. It doesn't reach my back teeth I'm not a dentist, so one of my biggest problems with the device is that I can't tell if it's working the way it claims. Specifically, I don't feel like it reaches all the crevices in the back of my mouth, which means I have to floss back there as well … which tends to defeat the purpose. More fuss with the mouthpiece As mentioned above, to use the Custom-Jet Oral Health System, you must first visit a participating dentist and get a custom-made mouthpiece using a 3D intraoral scan. It doesn't take long, but it is an extra step to factor in. Plus, if another person in your household wants to use the system, they will have to fork over an extra $400 for their own mouthpiece. It's really expensive Lastly, there's the initial investment in the device itself. At its current price of $599, the Custom-Jet Oral Health System is down by $200 from its original $799 price tag, which, I assume, did not go down well with the average consumer. Adding yet another cost to an already pricey system, you then have to buy the company's Oral Infusion Concentrate once you finish the bottle included with your initial order. This is not cheap, with a single bottle going for $20 and a three-pack available for $45 with a subscription discount. All this is especially concerning since the only clinical study available to back its claims of significantly better oral health is from Proclaim itself. It is, however, HSA- and FSA-eligible, which could save you about $50 if you qualify. The Proclaim Custom-Jet Oral Health System is an ambitious device. In theory, it offers an innovative way to more effectively clean your mouth with its powerful jets of water and Oral Infusion Concentrate. Yet, without an independent study the company can point to, it's hard to promise cleaner, healthier results. Plus, the $599 price tag is a lot to invest in what can essentially be seen as a standalone product in oral health. However, if you have accessibility or movement limitations, it might be worth the cash. For me, however, the bulky size, initial price and constant addition of monthly concentrate does not justify replacing traditional flossing. Though if I am going to spend extra cash, I'll stick to my handy, ergonomic Flaus electric flosser for just $119, thank you very much. CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have a skilled team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We also talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately and speaking to the pros and cons of each item. Health, fitness and food editor Tobey Grumet Segal has been reviewing tech and lifestyle products for over two decades. For this article, she spent three months testing the device to come to the best, most helpful conclusions.
