The Catholic Sun

Bishop John Dolan released a pastoral letter today (Nov. 21) entitled El Camino Real, delving into year two of TILMA, his seven-year pastoral plan on evangelization leading up to the 500th anniversary of Our Lady of Guadlupe’s apparitions to St. Juan Diego in 2031. 

Six Catholic bishops and over 50 priests representing 11 dioceses gathered for Mass on Tuesday evening (Nov. 18) at All Saints Catholic Church in Mesa, Ariz., to kick-off the bi-annual Leadership Council gathering of the National Association of Filipino Priests-USA.  The Mass also marked the 30th anniversary of Fr. Joevensie “Jovi” Balang’s ordination to the priesthood.   Bishop John Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares of Phoenix were joined by Archbishop Rex Alarcon (Archdiocese of Caceres - Philippines), Auxiliary Bishop Rey Bersabal (Diocese of Sacramento), Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Celino (Diocese of El Paso) and Auxiliary Bishop Andres Ligo (Diocese of San Jose) for the special occasion.  

Applications have officially opened for the 2026 cohort of Engage Your Equal (EYE), a service immersion program that fosters global solidarity among young adults, cross-cultural dialogue and a deeper understanding of the universal Church. This marks the second consecutive year of the program. 

Just a few blocks from St. Agnes Catholic Church and School in Phoenix, there’s a small building others may not even know exists. For those inside, it’s sweet relief from the heat and misery they’ve left behind.  Desert Terrace Healthcare houses and cares for mostly elderly patients in poor health who come from difficult circumstances. Traffic whizzes down the busy street in front of the facility as men and women experiencing homelessness push battered grocery carts and beg for money under the shade of a nearby freeway overpass. 

Because of the Virgin Mary’s intercession, “I am here today because as a mother she wants the best for her children,” says Miguel Dominguez. Coordinator of Católicos en Acción at St. Augustine Parish in Phoenix, Dominguez pondered what his life would have been like if he and his family weren’t part of the Church or saved by Christ. “The Virgin Mary has shown me that humility, obedience and will that you need to give to the Lord.”

Over 240 people gathered in downtown Phoenix on Sunday morning (Nov. 16) at the Diocesan Pastoral Center for the second annual breakfast fundraiser for the Nazareth Seminary, raising over $2.5 million dollars. The event more than doubled the inaugural event efforts from last year ($1.2 million dollars). Monies raised will support all needs of the Nazareth Seminary, including tuition, room and board, retreats and missions, transportation and facility upkeep. Two anonymous donors​​ generously matched​​ all donations raised at the breakfast.

When asked what it was like watching his father become a deacon in the Catholic Church in 2020, Nathan Blanchard reflected on what he...

Courtesy of OSV News (OSV News) — “When the Church speaks tenderly about mental health, people listen,” said Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix, whose mental...

One Gilbert, Ariz., parish food bank has an urgent yet gentle request: more friends. St. Anne Friends of the Needy has seen unprecedented growth and...

Bishop John Dolan visited with Pope Leo XIV this morning after his weekly General Audience before St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Tonight, and tomorrow, Bishop Dolan will be one of the keynote speakers at an international conference in Rome on mental health. The three-day conference is organized by the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers (ACMHM) under the patronage of the Pontifical Academy for Life. People from all over the world involved in the pastoral care of mental health have gathered for the conference in Pius X Hall, located on via dell’Ospedale. Today’s talk from Bishop Dolan will be on his personal reflection on Our Holy Father’s November Prayer Intention and tomorrow he will share practical approaches on mental health, specifically tied to the historic Office of Mental Health Ministry in the Diocese of Phoenix, which opened in December of 2022.