Together Magazine

Spring is here. The birds are singing, the pools are warming, and the kids are running in the sprinklers. We look forward with hope to the end of another school year and our summer fun ahead. The world is filled with awe-inspiring beauty, laughter and love.

My heart is drawn to the profound significance of the Easter season—a time to immerse oneself in the beauty of the sacraments, a time for spiritual renewal and a time to uplift those embarking on their own sacramental journeys. It is during this period that we, as a faith community, come together to reflect on the promises made, the names bestowed, and the divine missions entrusted to us.

When a friend asked former professional hockey player Jim Nahrgang why he was becoming a Catholic, he gave a sports analogy. His son John had already converted and was in seminary, studying to become a priest. “If your son or daughter was a college athlete or a professional athlete and they were playing their games in your hometown, would you like to go to watch or would you not? Would you like to participate or just kind of stand on the sidelines and not acknowledge that this is what they’re doing?” That’s where the desire to become Catholic began for Jim.

When we share stories of loved ones or historical figures we usually start with their birthday. We include significant events in their life and if they have died, we include that too. The summary of a human life- birth, life, death. But as Christians, every Easter, we get to glimpse the mysterious and holy experience of a do-over. We get a chance to be reborn into the life that God has imagined for us but that every year we fall short of living. This is both beautifully unique and blessedly communal.

The Lord heals the brokenhearted is not only the theme for this year’s Charity and Development Appeal (CDA), it could be the motto of First Way Pregnancy Center, says Glynnis Weston, who is the head peer counselor. The center accompanies women in their pregnancies, providing spiritual and emotional support. The center offers educational classes to mothers and fathers, medical grade pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, diapers, clothing and more.

Silvia Starrs is a prison ministry volunteer and knows the incarcerated and their families by name. She accompanies them, meeting their spiritual, physical and emotional needs. “In prison, there's lots of broken hearts. Not just the prisoners, but also their families. We love meeting their needs, helping to build bridges back to the families.” One child that Starrs mentored through prison ministry really touched her heart. At the time, she didn’t know how she’d mentor Angelina while working and raising her children, but the Lord had a different plan. “God put her there. I knew that was love at first sight. When you say ‘yes’ to our Lord, He works all things out.”

Miranda Maciel was a senior at Bourgade Catholic High School when the opportunity to be interviewed on The Bishop’s Hour popped up. The Diocese of Phoenix’s weekly podcast producers were looking for students who could attest to the many benefits of Catholic education.“ And I actually wanted to say no at first because I thought, well, I’m not super Catholic,” Maciel says. Then she found out she’d miss math class if she agreed

I am embarrassed to say I approach Christmas with a bit of dread. It is NOT my favorite season. As a mom with kids at home, Christmas means there is so much more to do. Kids are home from school. The schedule is discombobulated. My life seems out of balance. I strive to do more (baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, entertaining -- oh my) and yet seem to have less time to do it. My son’s words and the orientation of his heart are what I want this year. I want to be excited about Christmas - just because of Jesus.

Things did not go as planned the first Christmas. Probably right around the time Mary and Joseph were settling in to wait for the arrival of their newborn baby, Ceasar Augustus announced that a census was taking place, and Joseph took Mary to the city of Bethlehem for their family to be enrolled. As we know, while they were there Mary went into labor and gave birth to the King of kings in a stable because there wasn’t room for them anywhere else.

Dr. Christina McShane accompanies men discerning priesthood. A perfect example of how God’s divine providence works in the lives of His faithful can be seen in the life of Catholic psychologist, Dr. Christina McShane, who serves the Office of Vocations. A native of the Diocese of Phoenix, she accompanies seminarians of the diocese as they discern their vocation during their time of formation at Nazareth Seminary. McShane has traveled a providential route of joy, sadness, and self-discovery to arrive at her current destination as she guides men along the path to the priesthood.