Bishop Dolan

More than 1,300 candidates and catechumens, those who will enter into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, were personally welcomed by Bishop John Dolan this month as they enter the final stages of their preparation. The encounters took place at the diocesan Rite of Elections, an integral part of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) that is celebrated annually during the Lenten season. Over the past two years, due to the vastness of the Diocese of Phoenix, Bishop Dolan has celebrated the liturgy in multiple locations for the opportunity to personally welcome more of the individuals who are entering the Catholic Church.  

“Pope Francis has been a tireless shepherd, leading the Church with compassion and humility. In this time of illness, we lift him up in prayer, asking the Lord to grant him strength and healing. May the Blessed Mother, whom he so deeply loves, intercede for his swift recovery. As a global family of faith, we stand united in hope and trust in God’s providence.”

Every Sunday all eight of us Dolan kids would pile out of the van and head into Mass while my dad parked the car. “I’ll meet you in the church,” he’d say. At that time, I was so small that I couldn’t see above all of my siblings. As I shuffled along, I remember thinking, how will my dad be able to find us? If I can’t see over the crowds, he probably can’t either.  Of course, spotting a row of eight kids as an adult wasn’t too hard, but as a little kid every time he slid into the pew, I remember thinking, “Wow, my dad is awesome! How did he do that? He always finds us!” I really thought he was a superhero. I still do.

I am so excited to share with you that the Together Let Us Go Forth ~ Juntos Sigamos Adelante magazine has undergone a name change. It’s the same high-quality magazine with a new name, well—kind of! If you’ve received Diocese of Phoenix-related news over the last 40 years, you’re probably familiar with The Catholic Sun—the official news source of the Diocese of Phoenix. In the 80’s it began as a newspaper that told exciting stories of folks encountering the living Christ and it was sent to every registered parishioner household in the Diocese of Phoenix. That’s more than 121,000 newspaper copies printed and delivered every month.

It was not even a month after being declared a pilgrimage site in 2000 that St. Anthony Mission in Sacaton, Ariz., was up in flames, the fire caused by arson. Because of the fire, St. Anthony did not have that year of pilgrimage. Now, 25 years later, the new St. Anthony Mission Church stands as a beacon of hope not just for the Gila River Indian Community but for the whole Diocese of Phoenix.  It was at the dedication Mass in June of 2024 that Bishop John Dolan announced that St. Anthony Mission would be a pilgrimage site during the 2025 Jubilee year of hope.  

With descriptions such as “wonderful,” “beautiful” and “exciting,” worshippers formally welcomed Bishop John Dolan’s seven-year pastoral plan on evangelization and the opening of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee year in the Diocese of Phoenix on Saturday night at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix. Bishop Dolan presided at the first of six opening Masses throughout the diocese, launching his blueprint and ushering in the Jubilee year of hope declared by Pope Francis earlier this year. 

Saturday, Dec. 28 will be an exciting day for the Diocese of Phoenix, as Bishop John Dolan celebrates the first of six opening Masses to kick-off his seven-year pastoral plan on evangelization throughout the diocese and officially open the 2025 Jubilee Year. The inaugural Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix in tandem with Pope Francis’ decree for every diocesan bishop to “celebrate Holy Mass as the solemn opening of the Jubilee Year” in every cathedral and co-cathedral throughout the world that same weekend, which he announced in his encyclical Spes non confundit. 

There is a Hebrew term “shalom” which is often translated as “peace” and is spoken as a phrase of greeting and blessing. But it holds a much more profound meaning at its core – it portrays a concept that means “wholeness,” “restoration to fullness” and “completeness.” In Biblical times, if someone stole a loaf of bread from their neighbor, shalom was not simply making things right by replacing one loaf of bread with another. Rather, after taking this step, there would be an active effort on the part of both parties to restore right-relationship and to work together so that everyone had enough bread to go around.  

Almost 500 years ago, a poor peasant wearing a simple cloak came face-to-face with a heavenly reality in the hills of Mexico – changing the lives of millions of people forever. When Juan Diego, a native Aztec and Christian convert, set out for catechism class one morning in December, he heard a voice calling him by name. He climbed the nearby Tepeyac hill and encountered the most beautiful woman he had ever seen – Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

We would like to express our solidarity with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), numerous ecumenical and faith leaders, and many others, in their recent and continued support for immigrants. As your bishops, we remain concerned for the safety and welfare of all our flock, including migrants presently facing immense challenges.  Be assured that the Church will continue to advocate for the dignity and just treatment of migrants and will accompany them as much as we are able during this stressful time.