LOCAL NEWS

The Diocese of Phoenix remembered Pope Francis in its Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, part of a 9-day period around the world for Catholics to mourn his recent passing.   Bishop John Dolan led an estimated 1,000 worshippers at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, telling the congregation that Pope Francis followed Jesus’ example by sharing and living the truth that no one is beyond God’s love and mercy, nor should anyone be excluded from hearing that message.  “Francis reminded people there were no barriers to God’s love, no person God did not want to reach or could not reach,” Bishop Dolan said in his homily. 

On the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, the Catholic Church recognizes and celebrates men who live a vowed religious life and are known by the title “brother.”  While men in religious life may be called brother during their years of formation on the road to the priesthood, May 1 particularly commemorates vowed religious men whose vocation is a life of non-sacramental service and the immense gift they are to the universal Church.  

When Christ prayed to His Father in Scripture, He often went out into nature — withdrawing to a deserted place, climbing up a mountain or praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Young adults throughout the Diocese of Phoenix have been following suit, encountering God in creation and being drawn deeper into their faith along the way.   Their road map? Care for Creation, one of the seven pillars of Catholic Social Teaching.   “Catholic Social teaching is the part of the teachings of the Church that focus on the holistic human dignity of each and every person,” explained Abigail Standish, coordinator of Catholic Social Teaching for the Diocese of Phoenix.   

Black ribbons and half-roundels adorned the outside of St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix and its adjacent courtyard April 22 as a sign of mourning for Pope Francis. The Diocese of Phoenix celebrated the life of the Holy Father with a Remembrance Mass that evening, mourning the death of the pope.  During his homily, diocesan Vicar General and basilica Rector Fr. John Muir recalled meeting Pope Francis a year and a half ago. 

For the first time in more than 50 years, one of the Diocese of Phoenix cornerstone ministries is undergoing an exciting brand refresh. The Foundation for Senior Living (FSL), a leader in providing holistic support for under-resourced individuals, families and caregivers, announced today its official rebrand to AllThrive 365. The transformation reflects the nonprofit organization's continued commitment to helping individuals age safely, independently and with peace of mind — now with a fresh, modern identity that resonates with the community's evolving needs.

“With deep sorrow, yet with enduring hope in the Resurrection, we mourn the passing of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. A shepherd to the world, he was a man who listened—truly listened—not only to the faithful within the Church but to people of all faiths and goodwill. He reminded us that even those without faith in God could offer their kind thoughts, and he humbly welcomed them.

The family, the heart of evangelization, has been called the Domestic Church (“Lumen Gentium,” 11), the first place where we encounter God. It is within the family that we begin to learn who God is and how to prayerfully seek His will for our lives. It is the primary and perhaps singular place for many of us to evangelize and spread the message of God’s love. 

They came in droves from all over the Diocese of Phoenix for a day of inspiration, training and commitment with an eye toward a Synod of Young Adults that will begin this summer in the diocese.  More than 100 young adults, including college students, working professionals, religious sisters, seminarians and youth ministry leaders, took part in a daylong event aimed at training them to facilitate listening sessions for the upcoming synod.

More than 180 priests from around the Diocese of Phoenix — the largest turnout in more than a decade — gathered with Bishop John Dolan, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares and Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix on Monday to concelebrate the annual Chrism Mass. The ceremony drew a standing-room-only crowd.   The liturgy, which is a rich tradition dating back to the year 200 AD, revolves around the bishop blessing the oils that will be used for the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders this year throughout the diocese. 

It all began with a startlingly frank question David Bates posed to a colleague at work one day. “What religion are you and what do you believe?” Not exactly your standard water-cooler conversation, but that’s when things got interesting. Neither one of them knew it then, but Joe Bashford’s answer would spur a two-year journey that would lead to deeper faith for both men — and their wives. “I told him I was Catholic,” Bashford said. “And then he goes, ‘Oh. So, you're not saved and you don't believe in Jesus.’