The Catholic Sun

PHOENIX -- Nearly six and a half years ago, Paula Cooper’s husband left for work --- just as he had on so many previous occasions. But on this day, he never returned. Paula and Robert Cooper had been married 25 years when he took his life, also leaving behind two children. A master sergeant in the Marines, Robert was a veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis prayed that Catholics and members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church would recognize the wounds of division they have inflicted on Christ's body, the church, and come to celebrate the faith together.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis called for solidarity and concrete assistance for all those affected by a devastating earthquake in Morocco. At least 2,100 people were killed and more than 2,400 people were injured after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck central Morocco near Marrakech Sept. 8 after 11 p.m. local time. The World Health Organization estimated more than 300,000 people have been affected in the region.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God chooses certain people not to exclude others, but always to include everyone by way of the missionary and social outreach of his disciples, Pope Francis said." This is an important warning for our times, in which ever-increasing currents of separation dig ditches and build fences between individuals and between peoples to the detriment of the unity of humanity, which suffers as a result, and of the body of Christ," he said at the Vatican Sept. 7.

A capacity crowd enjoyed the annual Respect Life Luncheon, presented by the Office of Respect Life Ministries for the Diocese of Phoenix, on Friday at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix.  The program included remarks from Bishop John Dolan, a legislative update from Ron Johnson, the executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference, and the keynote speaker, Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, Ph.D.  In addition, Sr. Bethany Madonna, S.V., provided an update on their mission.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Being a Catholic does not destroy or replace a person's culture, and wanting to share the Gospel message does not mean wanting to take someone's allegiance away from their nation. Visiting Mongolia Sept. 1-4, Pope Francis encouraged the nation's tiny Catholic community to grow in faith and charity, but the visit also was designed to reassure the government that it has nothing to fear from the Catholic missionaries who arrived in the country in 1992.

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (CNS) -- Like the land struck by a "zud," the human heart has a thirst and longing that can be alleviated only by the God of love, Pope Francis told Mongolians gathered for Mass in Ulaanbaatar's Steppe Arena. Countless generations of Mongolians have feared the "zud," an extreme weather event of drought or impenetrable ice, that decimates herds and flocks.

Stephanie Gray has worked at the Aid to Women Center for eight years and recently, found herself in the midst of a hard week. She had encountered women who didn’t seem to want to choose life for their babies and some women who she’d been walking with had pregnancies that ended in miscarriage. Gray was feeling discouragement seeping in when she answered a call at the center. It was a woman who had come to Aid to Women Center a few months ago when she was considering all her options, one of them being to terminate the pregnancy.

Bishop John P. Dolan will begin a series of Masses celebrating the Diocese of Phoenix’s religious orders with a special Mass next month honoring and thanking the Jesuits. Bishop Dolan will celebrate the special Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 17.

Before seminarians from the Diocese of Phoenix head back to formation this month, several men took part in some final summer activities, including move-in days and camping, as they prepared for the new school year ahead.