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I can remember the first time I truly recognized God in nature. I was 16 years old and was white water rafting. Being equally terrified and thrilled by the rapids, I found so much joy in the adventure and anxiety at the thought of falling out of the raft (which, of course, happened). After several hours of mixed emotions, the rapids slowed and we were floating down the calm river.  

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. 

Hundreds of people joined Bishop John Dolan in Nogales, Mexico, on Saturday where they took part in the rich tradition of Las Posadas along the U.S.-Mexico border wall as part of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a group comprised of six Catholic organizations whose vision is “Migration with Dignity.” The event was the 15th binational posada sponsored by four Catholic dioceses, including Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales and Sonora. Las Posadas, which is widely celebrated in the Hispanic culture, commemorates Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Comprised of a procession that goes from one designated stop to the next, participants take part in the Holy Family’s experience of being told “there is no room for you in the inn” (Luke 2) in a unique way. At each of the five stops, passages of Scripture are read, and Christmas carols are sung.

It wasn’t four in the morning, the food wasn’t being sold at tables outside the church, and no one was heading off to work in a farm field last Sunday. But for hundreds of Filipino Catholics, the first-ever diocesan-wide celebration of their native Christmastime tradition, Simbang Gabi, was just like “tahanan.” “It feels so good, like we’re back home. It feels like you are in the Philippines,” beamed Ferlyn Junge, her eyes lighting up, as a broad smile grew even wider across her face. 

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. 

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just a few weeks away. Advent is a wondrous gift of our Church. We sit waiting with anticipation the birth of Christ anew in our lives. Thousands of years ago the Holy Family made a pilgrimage, a journey, to Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph went with faith and trust where they were called. I remind myself often that this faith and trust doesn’t mean they weren’t afraid, concerned or anxious. Nevertheless, they journeyed forward along the path that brought them to the unassuming town of Bethlehem and a humble shelter shared by animals.

Last week, Students at St. Mary Basha Catholic School (SMB) spread Christmas cheer at the annual SMB Santa Shop, a unique experience that shifts the focus from receiving gifts to the joy of giving for our students. During the school day, students shop with their homeroom classes, selecting thoughtful gifts for their loved ones. This allows them to surprise their families on Christmas morning with presents they've chosen themselves. The shop, transformed into a winter wonderland, offers a wide variety of affordable, high-quality items, including toys, candles, mugs and ornaments. 

Jesús Cabrera took a bus with 49 other parishioners from St. John Vianney Parish in Sedona, Ariz., to participate in this year’s Honor Your Mother Celebration Dec. 7. The Grupo Guadalupano Juan Diego danced for the fourth time this year in the annual procession honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Cabrera’s group joined thousands of others at the event, which included a Mass, celebrated by Bishop John Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares, and a procession that showcased music and colorful costumes representing cultures from Latin America, Asia and Africa. 

Jesus’ earthly life was all about encounter. We see it in every verse of the Gospels—from the personal invitation of each apostle to follow Him and the countless meals shared with Pharisees and outcasts alike, to the laying on of hands and the numerous accounts of personal and intentional healing. Jesus lived his days meeting people exactly where they were along the journey, entering into their very realities and inviting each soul into a deep and abiding relationship. He accompanied others, and the impact was deeply personal, wildly abundant and ultimately, life changing. This month the Diocese of Phoenix’s Office of Mission Advancement released the 2024 Impact Report, which is filled with the stories of countless individuals and families who have experienced this very love of Christ through the services of numerous wide-reaching ministries, charities and organizations in the diocese.