The Catholic Sun

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.

In remembrance of those individuals served by Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Homes in January 2024

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will go to Venice in April to visit a women's prison where the Holy See has set up its pavilion for the Venice Biennale, a major international contemporary art exhibition. The pope will make the one-day trip April 28, according to a joint press release Feb. 13 from the Dicastery for Culture and Education and the Patriarchate of Venice. He will visit the Holy See pavilion at the Giudecca women's prison, and he will meet with the church community of the patriarchate, it said. Details of the final program were to be "announced soon."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Artisans teach the world that every material thing contains beauty, and that work gives people a little share in the creative action of God, Pope Francis said. Artisans bring together "the abilities of the hands, the passions of the heart and the ideas of the mind," the pope said Feb. 10 as he met with some 7,000 members of Confartigianato Imprese, an Italian confederation of artisans and small businesses.

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.”

PHOENIX -- It was a day that changed Peter McSparran’s life. “I was aboard a submarine,” the U.S. Navy veteran, 61, of Sun City West...

Nearly 100 people from 25 different congregations gathered at St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix on Friday night for a special Mass in celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life. This marked the 28th consecutive year the Church has dedicated February 2nd as a day set aside to recognize the men and women who live a life consecrated to God. This includes their public pronouncement of the evangelical councils of poverty, chastity and obedience in their specific religious communities’ charism and mission or through promise to live in service to God through public consecration.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics around the globe will have blessed ashes applied to their foreheads as a sign of repentance. This practice, taken from the ancient Jewish practice of penance and fasting, is one of the most beloved liturgical practices of the year. As ashes are given, the priest or other minister says, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Alternatively, the words are, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

Brophy College Preparatory presented Dr. Maria Chavira, the Chancellor and Vice Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Phoenix, with the prestigious Inés Pascual Award on Saturday at a special breakfast in downtown Phoenix. The award, established in 2017, is named for the Spanish noblewoman who came to the aid of Ignatius of Loyola as he began his physical and spiritual journey that led to the founding of the Society of Jesus — the Jesuits. Sra. Pascual met Ignatius when he was a soldier injured from battle, traveling from Montserrat to Manresa. She provided food, shelter and medical care, and later served as a fundraiser and businesswoman on his behalf.

Father Shea Bowora, parochial administrator of St. Daniel the Prophet, knows all about healing hearts.  “[Priests] are literally in the business of healing hearts. That's what we do seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Jesus does the heavy lifting. He's specifically healing souls, broken souls. It's Christ Himself who's setting that person free.” In his own walk with the Lord, Father Bowora noticed the Lord healing him and showing him love. He even owes part of his journey to the priesthood to the CDA.