The Catholic Sun

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis had a 40-minute private meeting at the Vatican with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel. Holding banners calling for the release of political prisoners and respect for human rights in Cuba, a dozen people rallied at the end of Via della Conciliazione, the main boulevard leading to St. Peter's Square, as the pope was meeting Díaz-Canel in the studio of the Vatican audience hall June 20.

As a priest for 16 years, Fr. Paul Sullivan has presided over thousands of Masses, providing a daily Eucharistic encounter between Christ and the people of God. He has spent hundreds of hours listening and advising in the confessional before extending his hand in absolution. He has been present to the faithful through dozens of weddings, baptisms, anointings, and funerals, accompanying his flock in the great joys and sorrows of life.

If St. Mary’s Basilica can be called the “mother parish” of the Valley, then certainly the Franciscan Friars who have served there since the end of the 19th century can be called the Fathers of the Church in Phoenix.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., - - It may have been a record for the number of concelebrants gathered around the altar at Holy Trinity Newman Center in Flagstaff near Northern Arizona University. More than 20 priests concelebrated a special Mass with Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix June 9.  

St. Andrew the Apostle in Chandler celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the Ordination of Fr. Joe Hennessy on Saturday with a special Mass. A native of Ireland, Fr. Hennessy was ordained on June 8, 1963, and is the founding pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle.

Approaching his first week at Rome's Gemelli hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery June 7, Pope Francis' days were dedicated to working, reading, resting, praying and respiratory therapy, the Vatican said.

 AVONDALE, Arizona --- When Fr. William Kosco arrived at St. Henry in 2006 to pastor the Buckeye parish, he was so impressed by the catechetical knowledge of one of his parishioners, he thought the man had been in seminary. 

Over 20 priests, representing three Arizona counties, joined Bishop John P. Dolan on Friday in Flagstaff for the installation Mass for Rev. Matt Lowry as Episcopal Vicar of the North.  The special Mass took place at Holy Trinity Newman Center.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the retired archbishop of Naples, celebrated his 80th birthday June 2 and, consequently, became ineligible to enter a conclave to elect a new pope.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis named Tracey Rowland, an Australian theologian; Justin Farrell, a U.S. sociologist; and Tongdong Bai, a Chinese philosopher, to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.