The Catholic Sun

An abundance of flowers filled our living room, the refrigerator was stacked with homemade casseroles from friends and neighbors, and kind words of condolence were spoken. After my brother Tom died by suicide, there was an outpouring of support from the community, which got us through those initial hard days.I was just about to start eighth grade as my parents, seven other siblings and I went through this profound loss. In those first months after the funeral, there was a lot of what I call “incidental accompaniment”—people would share a kind word or gesture, “we are praying for you” and “our hearts go out to you,” but it was often one-time or in passing. After all, people don’t usually know what to say to someone who has lost a loved one by suicide.

Gabriella, nearly 3 years old, sits quietly working in a corner of what’s known as the atrium. The learning environment features child-sized furniture and tiny liturgical items fashioned after the sacred vessels used in the Mass. Welcome to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) for toddlers. Eighteen families at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale bring their little ones each week to the Precious Pearl Atrium for two hours of reverent work.

Before a standing room only crowd on Saturday morning, 14 men were ordained to the permanent deaconate at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Scottsdale, Ariz. This was the largest cohort of deacons in recent years for the Diocese of Phoenix. Leading up to the day of ordination and lifelong call of service, candidates went through a rigorous formation program, including five years of study along with the two-year Kino Catechetical Institue program as part of their discernment.  

There aren’t any tests or papers to turn in but make no mistake: Courses through Franciscan at Home’s Catechetical Institute are rigorous and designed to be both informative and transformational. Dr. Mark Ginter, strategic partnership liaison fellow for the Franciscan, said the primary focus of the institute is to help form disciple-makers. That’s done through something he calls “true video workshops” in four languages.

When the first round of the Arizona Interscholastic Association's (AIA) state football playoffs kick-off on Friday night, three local Catholic high schools will be among the contenders fighting for the coveted state championship.  Seton Catholic Prep, making their first playoff run since 2019, will play at Arcadia High School in Class 4A, while Brophy College Prep hosts Boulder Creek High School from Anthem in Class 6A, and Notre Dame Prep travels to Verrado High School in Buckeye for Class 5A action.

We, the Catholic Bishops of Arizona, wish to congratulate those recently elected officials who have been chosen by the people for public office.  We also wish to thank all those who served as candidates.  Public service is a noble calling and at the very heart of our democracy and citizenship.  With the conclusion of the recent elections, it is important to remember that we must always put our faith in God before all else and maintain a spirit of hope.   While harmful Arizona ballot propositions relating to abortion and immigration were unfortunately approved by voters this November, we need to be steadfast in our commitment to life and remain confident in God’s love.

Acanthus Development announced on Friday that it has reached an agreement on five ground leases to build and manage senior housing communities on parish campuses throughout the Diocese of Phoenix.  St. Benedict Catholic Church in Ahwatukee, a southern suburb of Phoenix, is slated to be the first of five planned locations for senior housing in the diocese, with construction anticipated to begin in April of 2025.  

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The guiding principle of love extolled by Jesus cuts through confusion around how to uphold God's commandments to humanity, Pope Francis said.Reflecting Nov. 3 on the day's Gospel reading from St. Mark in which Jesus responds to the question, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" the pope said, "Jesus gives us the answer, putting together two commandments that are the primary ones: the love of God and the love of neighbor." "This is the heart of our faith," he said before praying the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter's Square. "Jesus tells us that the source of everything is love, that we must never separate God from man."

ROME (CNS) -- Pope Francis prayed at the graves of children and of miscarried babies on the feast of All Souls before concelebrating Mass with several hundred mourners. The pope traveled Nov. 2 to Rome's Laurentino cemetery, which has a special section for children who have died and, nearby, a section called the "Garden of the Angels" where parents who have experienced a miscarriage can opt to have their children buried rather than having a hospital dispose of the remains.

Ted Ebner, coordinator of prison ministry for the Diocese of Phoenix, has words of advice for any adult interested in deepening their faith through Kino Catechetical Institute. “If you’re thinking about doing Kino, just sign up for it, because it’s a win, win, win,” Ebner said. “A win for you, a win for your journey and a win for your family.” After years of working in the insurance business, Ebner said he felt a tug on his heart for deeper formation in his Catholic faith. A friend at his parish, Ascension in Fountain Hills, Ariz., is a Kino graduate and encouraged him to take the plunge.