Charismatic conference
Catholic Renewal Ministries of the Diocese of Phoenix is hosting its annual conference for Catholics Feb. 28-March 1 at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third Street. Fr. Christopher Crotty, a full-time mission preacher with the Fathers of Mercy, will be the keynote speaker.
Registration is $25 in advance and $35 at the door. For info: www.catholicrenewalministries.net or call Maria at (623) 465-2604 or email penfriend@msn.com.
Hanning joins U-Mary
Ryan Hanning, the former director of Parish Leadership Support for the Diocese of Phoenix, accepted a new role with the University of Mary’s site located at Arizona State University in Tempe.
Hanning is the new assistant vice president for strategic partnerships and director of cultural advancement. He is responsible for assessing partnerships with ASU and other academic partners to meet the needs of students, donor development, and bringing the Catholic intellectual tradition to ASU students. Hanning said he believes that education is never about learning just one subject, but about integrating knowledge with the big questions of life.
Holy Land pilgrimage
Fr. David Kelash, pastor of Immaculate Conception in Cottonwood, Deacon Jim Brown and 18 other pilgrims took an 11-day journey to the Holy Land Feb. 3. Tekton Ministries organized the pilgrimage.
They visited Caesarea where St. Peter preached and was imprisoned, the Jordan River, Jericho, Jerusalem and other New Testament cities. They prayed in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, processed past the tomb of Christ left empty at His Resurrection and walked the Way of the Cross.
Ecumenical prayer
Five churches from west Phoenix and Glendale gathered for an ecumenical prayer service Jan. 19 to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Members of the five churches, Arizona San Sung Church, Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, St. John’s Lutheran Church and The Episcopal Church of St. Mary gathered with pastors, choirs and congregations at St. Louis the King Parish.
The service began with the hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy” and opening remarks by Fr. Joseph Bui, parochial administrator of St. Louis the King. Following a reading of Scripture, each community offered prayer and song in their respective traditions. The service concluded with “Lift High the Cross” as all processed out of church for a reception in McFadden Hall.
This was the third year the ecumenical service was held at the Glendale church and organizers said pastors of the faith communities involved are looking forward to next year’s event. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity dates back to 1908. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches both promote the event.
Higher education
Local Catholics are two steps closer to expanding the Catholic college options available to them. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted took part in the blessing of the new St. Xavier University campus to be built in Gilbert with classes for liberal arts, business and nursing degrees beginning as early as next spring.
Across the Valley, the College of St. Scholastica announced the opening of a branch campus at the Communiversity at Surprise. Initial online programs will offer bachelor and master degrees in science in health information management.
Correction
There was a typographical error in the “2013 Annual Stewardship Report” (The Catholic Sun, Jan. 16). In the accounts receivable column under 2012, the figure of $54,681,467 was inadvertently printed. The correct figure is $4,681,467. The Catholic Sun regrets the error.
