LOCAL NEWS

One of the most striking stories of healing in the Gospels is that of the bleeding, or hemorrhaging woman.  Having suffered immensely for 12 years, she not only lived with physical pain, but she was also considered unclean according to the Mosaic law. This would have made her an outcast and someone to be avoided at all costs. No matter how many doctors she sought out, she only grew worse with time, spending her whole life savings along the way.  

At the mental health ministry in our diocese people hear these words daily - “You are not alone.” This is something for us all to be incredibly proud of. Peoples’ lives are being positively changed and God is transforming hearts. Because this ministry is so desperately needed by so many experiencing struggles, the positive echoes are reverberating around the globe, which can be seen in the numerous dioceses, and even countries, that are turning to our ministry as an example.  

Almost from the time she met Bishop John Dolan, Barb Rechterman sensed that one day she would work with him. One of 10 children, Rechterman lost her oldest sister to suicide in 1998. In the time leading up to her death, Rechterman recalls how, as she describes it, her sister “lost God in the process” of her mental-health struggle. 

Catholics from parishes throughout the Diocese of Phoenix took to the streets Oct. 14 carrying a 50-foot rosary to pray for the protection of unborn babies and the defeat of Proposition 139. A 25-foot Winnebago wrapped in messages that warned of the dangers of the ballot proposition travelled alongside the peaceful prayer march that snaked its way through East Valley morning traffic.  “Prop 139 allows late term abortion” and “Prop 139 will increase child trafficking” were among some of the bold wording featured on the RV.

Fr. Estevan Wetzel is taking on two very different roles this fall; one he planned for, one he didn’t. Both involve a core aspect of any priest’s mission: sharing Jesus and the beauty of the Catholic faith, seeing the Lord water those seeds and helping others experience the peace, joy and fullness of a walk with God in this life, amid their joys and struggles. Neither of his new ministries fall within the traditional church setting.

“Who doesn’t want to be a superhero?”   These were the words of Fr. Kurt Perera, director of Vocations for the Diocese of Phoenix and formator at St. Mary’s House, who spoke to a packed church during a special vocations Mass earlier this month at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe, Ariz.   The congregation was brimming with young boys and men.  During his homily, Fr. Perera spoke about the reality that God calls ordinary men to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom through the priesthood, and he boldly invited everyone present to be open to the possibility that the Lord might be calling them or someone from their own family to this profound way of life.

In a heartfelt celebration of nearly a century of service, Catholic Charities Community Services marked its 91st anniversary with a special Mass presided by Bishop John Dolan at Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Parish in Scottsdale, Ariz., last week. The occasion highlighted the organization's ongoing commitment to instilling hope in the lives of Arizona's most vulnerable residents since its founding in 1933. 

Standing at the corner of 27th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix, Barb Small scans the sidewalks and passing traffic for anyone responding to the 2-by-3-foot sign she holds, asking in large letters, “Can I pray for you?” Several other women and men, each wearing a white shirt or blouse with dark trousers or blue jeans, stand nearby with similar signs, smiling and waving at the passing vehicles.

On the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian who founded the religious order of the Franciscans and was known for his patronage of animals, Bishop John Dolan visited St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix to bless residents’ animals and the new Marion and Bob Auray Companion Animal Clinic. Housed at St. Vincent de Paul's newest interim housing communities, Rosalie’s Place and De Paul Manor, the clinic will provide care for the pets of guests and neighbors in need.

Adults in the Diocese of Phoenix looking to learn more about the faith, now have more options with a promising new agreement between Loyola University New Orleans’ Institute for Ministry (LIM) and the Diocese of Phoenix. Tracey Lamont, director of LIM, is a professor of religious education and young adult ministry. She visited the Phoenix Diocese recently to discuss the program with diocesan leaders. The program developed, Lamont said, as a response to Vatican II.