The Catholic Sun

PHOENIX – The Matthew 19:14 Project., a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide Catholic schools in Arizona with the funding, support and resources...

Four Catholic Tax Credit Organizations are continuing their visits to parishes across the Diocese of Phoenix in October to raise awareness and educate taxpayers on their ability to redirect their taxes to the charitable causes of their choice. Catholic Charities Community Services, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, FSL (Foundation for Senior Living), and Catholic Education Arizona are sharing how their organizations change lives using Arizona Tax Credits.

As the death toll in Israel continues to rise, surpassing 1,200 as of Tuesday evening, Fr. Craig Friedley, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Queen Creek, is now back home unharmed after a harrowing few days abroad. He and a group of about 20 parishioners, along with dozens of travelers from other parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix, had just begun their tour of the Holy Land when war broke out.

SCOTTSDALE - - The Diocese of Phoenix is hosting the annual Province of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe meetings this week at the Franciscan Renewal Center.   Bishop John P. Dolan and Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares of the Diocese of Phoenix were among a group of six bishops at the gathering that began on Tuesday afternoon.

Tom McGuire has a front row seat to seeing the Holy Spirit at work. As the Director of Mount Claret Retreat Center for the...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Terrorism, violence, barbarism and extremism undermine the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. "War is always the defeat of dignity and an occasion for not reaching any solution," he said, hoping that all weapons would be silenced and reason prevail so that there can be pause to reflect on the right way to achieve peace in Israel and Palestine.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "War is a defeat," Pope Francis insisted as he called for prayers for peace in Israel and Palestine. Speaking to thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square Oct. 8 for the recitation of the Angelus prayer, the pope said he is following events in Israel and Gaza "with apprehension and sorrow." A day earlier, militants in Gaza launched a massive attack on southern Israel, firing rockets and breaching the border.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christian life is a battle each person must fight against the temptation to be self-sufficient and against a paganism disguised as sacredness, Pope Francis said in an introduction to a small book distributed to participants at the synod on synodality. Such "spiritual worldliness," he wrote, "though it be camouflaged with the appearance of the sacred, it ends up being idolatrous because it does not recognize the presence of God as Lord and liberator of our lives and of the history of the world. It leaves us prey to our capricious desires."

Catholics from around the Diocese of Phoenix showed up in big numbers this past Friday night for the first-ever Catholic Night at Chase Field, as the Arizona Diamondbacks hosted the Houston Astros. It was a night of fellowship and fun, while raising money for Catholic Schools 365 along the way.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and a St. Thomas More parishioner is handing out free Bibles, rosaries and other Catholic materials at the Arizona State Fair. For the last seven years, Pasquale Lombardo and other volunteers have operated the Love of Jesus booth in the exhibit hall at the state fairgrounds. From Thursday through Sunday, Lombardo stands offering freebies to passersby. “Jesus — He’s the Way, the Truth and the Life,” he tells them. “Here, have a rosary. What color do you like? ”The exhibit hall opens at noon and doesn’t close until 10 p.m. Lombardo admits the long hours are taxing, but the returns are, well, heavenly.