NEWS

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. 

Yancy Evans was participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation but thirsted for even more knowledge about his budding Catholicism. The Institute of Catholic Theology was there for him. “I wanted to understand my faith better,” Evans said. He started with a course on Scripture and moved on to systematic theology and Catholic Social Teaching. “For me, it was just a well-rounded formation tool that helped me get into the get into the faith deeper and have a better understanding of things.” 

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.   

The first-ever breakfast fundraiser for the Nazareth Seminary was a roaring success, raising $1.2 million dollars thanks to a matching grant from The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation.   Held on Sunday, Nov. 17, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale, Ariz., the brunch included a live auction, music, tours and guest speakers.

It’s 4 o’clock in the morning on Christmas Eve and little dots of light begin to dapple the pitch blackness that covers the surrounding hills. Local Filipino farmers, not getting a break even for the holidays, dress for another days’ work and grab their lanterns as they set out. But they aren’t on their way to the fields, not yet—first, they travel in droves to morning Mass, worshipping before dawn when they will begin their daily labors. These are the humble roots of Simbang Gabi (pronounced: Sim-BAHNG Gah-BEE), a wide-spread and vibrant nine-day Filipino Catholic Christmas tradition, which is 355 years old—and for the first time in Diocese of Phoenix history it will be celebrated at a diocesan-wide event this Advent.  

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Christian faith that does not disturb the powers that be and cannot generate a serious commitment to charity becomes an innocuous devotion, Pope Francis said. "Christian hope, fulfilled in Jesus and realized in his kingdom, needs us and our commitment, needs our faith expressed in works of charity, needs Christians who do not look the other way," the pope said Nov. 17, celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor in St. Peter's Basilica.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Mary is a model of the kind of openness to the Holy Spirit that all Christians should have, an openness that allowed her to say "yes" to God's plan for the salvation of the world, Pope Francis said. "Let us learn from her to be docile to the inspirations of the Spirit, especially when he suggests to us to 'arise in haste' and go to help someone who needs us, just as she did immediately after the angel left her," setting out to visit her cousin Elizabeth, the pope said Nov. 13.

Xavier College Preparatory, a Phoenix-based girls’ Catholic high school from the Diocese of Phoenix, captured both the girls Class 6A state volleyball championship and the Division 1 girls’ golf state title this month. The No. 1 seed, Xavier Prep avenged their lone regular season loss on November 16th at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, defeating Corona del Sol High School in four sets, 25-16, 25-16, 17-25, 27-25 to win the Class 6A championship. Sophomore Tessa Larkin led Xavier with 22 kills while Elle McCreery and Vivian Hickman combined for 26 kills.  Entering the match ranked 15th nationally by MaxPreps, Xavier’s only AIA regular season loss was on Oct. 29 at Corona del Sol, 3-1.  This marks Xavier Prep’s 14th state volleyball title.

This past Friday, Pope Francis appointed the Rev. Artur Bubneyvch, of the clergy of Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, as bishop of the same eparchy. He previously served as a parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Albuquerque, N.M.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Before Pope Francis presides over Mass Nov. 17 for the World Day of the Poor, he will bless 13 keys to represent the 13 new houses he has pledged to pay for in Syria during the Holy Year 2025, the Vatican said. The Famvin Homeless Alliance, a network of religious orders and charitable organizations inspired by St. Vincent de Paul, said the 13 keys also represent the 13 countries where they will build houses for the homeless. The countries are: Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chile, Costa Rica, Italy, Tonga, Senegal, Syria, Tanzania, United Kingdom and Ukraine.