The Catholic Sun

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., reminded us that there is no “faking our life in Christ,” said Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, archbishop...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Every level of Church leadership must strengthen and improve its ability to listen to everyone, especially to victims of sexual...

When I entered the Catholic Church in my 30s, I was very much a spiritual infant — cradling a real baby in my arms and holding a preschooler by the hand.  My conversion followed reasonable research, a bit of drama and a lot of prayer, but it left me with the realization of how little I actually knew. I had embraced the sacraments with open arms and found myself at the beginning of a lifelong journey of transformation. I wasn’t just learning about the Catholic faith; I was being called to holiness, which would take more than a moment. It wasn’t a one-time decision, but a daily, sometimes hourly, call to surrender. All I could do was ask God to grant me the grace to grow, change and become the kind of mother who could pass this treasure on to her children.

David Portugal remembers the first time he met Esmeralda Avila and Delila Baca. The two young women were teens when they first started attending the religious education classes he was teaching.  Portugal, director of evangelization at St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear, Ariz., has worked at the parish for more than 20 years. He’s seen young people cycle through the community over the years, many of them transformed by an encounter with Christ in the Eucharist. Often, that encounter then propels them into service in the Church.  That was certainly the case with Avila and Baca, who have worked alongside Portugal at St. John Vianney serving in youth ministry and religious education. 

Santa Teresita Parish in El Mirage, Ariz., has doubled the number of students attending their English classes this past year with the help of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development Local Grant. Organized by the diocesan Catholic Social Teaching team and local grant committee, the grant supports local non-profits in their work towards breaking down barriers of poverty and injustice within marginalized communities. The classes, led by Amanda Orozco and Eva Mendoza, are designed to help individuals grow in their knowledge and use of the English language in everyday life. “We invite everyone,” said Orozco. “It doesn’t matter if you attend Santa Tersita or not.”

Bishop-elect Peter Dai Bui, who was appointed as the second auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix on Dec. 19 by Pope Leo XIV, will be ordained a bishop on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Avondale, Ariz. Due to limited seating capacity, the ordination Mass is by invitation only. Vespers for clergy, religious and immediate family will take place the night prior (Feb. 16).  The ordination Mass will be live streamed on the Diocese of Phoenix’s YouTube and Facebook platforms and will include a 30-minute program beginning at 9:30 a.m., featuring a four-part video series on getting to know Bishop-elect Bui. The series will include his story of fleeing Vietnam with his parents and nine siblings as a four-year-old, his priestly service involving the Amazon jungle, his heart for the poor and some of his hobbies and personal interests.  

Cardinal Gregory reflects on Rev. King’s legacy today Last year, Cardinal Wilton Gregory became the first African American to participate in a papal conclave, which...

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The powerful and violent cannot control, suppress or commodify God's grace, friendship and will to usher in a new dawn,...

St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, canonized on Sept. 7, 2025, is known for using technology to glorify God. St. Carlo seems to be a guiding force behind the growing young adult community in the Diocese of Phoenix, particularly through a WhatsApp group chat with over 1,300 members.   With vast numbers of Catholic young adults being transplants to the Phoenix area, a way to connect was needed. Giorgio Navarini, founder and director of Floriani, a sacred music men’s vocal ensemble, recognized this need and desired a Catholic online community that would bring people together in person. Young adults in the diocese used to connect via the Signal App. When it was becoming apparent that the app didn’t have the features needed for such a large group, Navarini suggested a switch to WhatsApp, which would provide a space to share upcoming events and also have other subgroups where young adults could connect based on shared interests.   

According to the data recently released in the 2025 edition of The Official Catholic Directory, the Diocese of Phoenix is now the second largest Catholic diocese in the United States, passing the Archdiocese of New York and the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Official Catholic Directory is published annually by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  Per the 2025 publication, the nation’s five largest U.S. dioceses are the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (3.79 million), Diocese of Phoenix (2.01 million), Archdiocese of Chicago (1.95 million), Archdiocese of Boston (1.79 million) and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (1.70 million).