First in her family to graduate college, Bourgade grad now assisting others to obtain,...

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

What really matters for Advent

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.

Finding Hope on the Advent Journey

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.