The Catholic Sun

Every year, thousands of couples are married in the Catholic Church. Many would say maintaining that union’s strength depends ultimately on devotion to God....

For 110 years, the Claretian Missionaries carried on the spirit of their founder — St. Anthony Mary Claret — in spreading the Gospel in...

Nods of appreciation and the shuffling of feet filled the room as hearty servings of spaghetti were ladled next to fresh-cut salad and slices of bread on multi-colored plastic trays. It was another ordinary evening at Andre House, an outreach mission that serves those in extreme poverty in downtown Phoenix, as more than 800 guests made their way through the dinner service line.

PHOENIX – The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s mission statement is, “a network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.” Those guiding words of the 191-year-old organization – one of the most well-known both inside and out of the Catholic Church – was among the themes reflected in a message to SVdP members from across the United States Saturday, the final day of their annual conference.

The second annual “Catholic Night” at Chase Field is set for Friday, September 27, as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Diego Padres at 6:40 p.m. The Diocese of Phoenix invites the community to join in this special event, that blends community spirit with America's favorite pastime. Tickets are available now and include a co-branded D-backs – Catholic Night baseball cap. Additionally, $5 from every ticket sold through the official link will benefit Catholic School Support 365, supporting families in need within the diocese’s Catholic schools.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Knowing that one is loved by God and loving God in return provides a firm foundation for building healthy relationships and healthy communities even in a world that seems dark and threatening, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When receiving the Eucharist, Catholics should respond with gratitude and awe that Jesus offers himself as nourishment and salvation, Pope Francis said. Jesus "becomes true food and true drink," the pope said. "Thank you, Lord Jesus! Let's say, 'Thank you, thank you' with all our heart," he told visitors and pilgrims who joined him in St. Peter's Square Aug. 18 for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer.

As Jean Loudenslagel filled a pitcher with fresh homemade lemonade, she looked around at those who filled her dining room table and smiled. The diverse group of believers, from the 30-year-old young professionals to the 80-year-old widows and widowers, laughed and connected with ease as they shared a meal together.  Loudenslagel never could have imagined that these fellow parishioners, who had been strangers six weeks prior, would become like family.  And it all started with a stirring from the Holy Spirit and a simple invitation. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God will not judge people by how many university degrees they earned, but by how well they cared for the poor, Pope Francis told a group of priests and religious women. "The Lord won't ask us, 'What did you study?' 'How many degrees do you have?' 'How many works did you accomplish?' No, no. The Lord will say, 'Come with me because I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was persecuted and you protected me,'" the pope said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Prejudices and preconceptions can block people from finding faith, Pope Francis said, even to the point of making them unable to recognize God standing before them. In the Gospel, the Judeans, who were "scandalized" when Jesus told them he came down from heaven, "are obstructed in their faith by their preconception of his humble origins, and they are obstructed by the presumption therefore that they have nothing to learn from him," the pope said before praying the Angelus in St. Peter's Square Aug. 11.