The Catholic Sun

"ln response to recent comments by Donald J. Trump regarding His Holiness Pope Leo XlV, I would like to offer a few reflections rooted both in truth and in our faith. First, The Holy Father is elected through the sacred process of the conclave, carried out by the College of Cardinals under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is not a political appointment, nor is it subject to influence by any head of state. The Church entrusts this moment to prayer, discernment, and divine guidance. Second, we have just celebrated the great mystery of Easter. ln the Upper Room, the Risen Lord Jesus Christ-appeared to His apostles, showed them His wounds, and spoke the words, "Peace be with you." He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them. This moment is not only the foundation of the Church, but also a profound reminder that peace-not power, not force, not victory in worldlyterms-is the gift Christ gives to His people.

A book bearing the title The Trojan Horse in the Catholic Church and published by the group Catholics for Catholics arrived in the mailboxes of Catholic bishops across the country this past winter, warning them of hidden forces reshaping the church from within. The book's central claim is stark: that the synod on synodality, Pope Francis' three-year global process of listening and discernment that concluded in October 2024, is a calculated effort to dismantle the church's hierarchical structure and overturn its moral teaching on sexuality and the family.  The book's author has given no name, only the pseudonym "Enoch" borrowed from an Old Testament prophet who, tradition holds, never died and will return at the end of the world to fight the Antichrist. Its foreword was written by a participant in the very synod it condemns — one voice among more than 300 in that assembly whose account of what took place is directly and specifically contested by others who were present in the same room.

Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares was presented a Faith in Action Award on Wednesday (April 8) during the 2026 Civic Champion Dinner at the Phoenix Country Club.   The event, hosted by The Arizona Democracy Resilience Network and Mormon Women for Ethical Government Arizona, seeks to recognize faith in action by honoring exceptional individuals and organizations that exemplify what is means to be a civic champion. 

When I told my husband I was going to become Catholic, he was quite shocked. Before he could respond, I added, “So will you be my sponsor?” We were driving down Rural Road in Tempe, Ariz., on the way home from Mass, with our 2-year-old buckled into the back seat. Although we were married in the Church and committed to raising our children Catholic, I had never before expressed a desire to enter the Church myself.  My call to Catholicism had come privately, and I chose to discern my response to that call largely on my own. One thing, however, I knew for certain: I wanted my husband to join me on this journey. We began OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (then called RCIA), in the fall and attended the evening classes together, turning them into a kind of weekly date night — sometimes even managing to secure the babysitter early enough to grab a small bite to eat beforehand. 

Cassock flaring in the wind behind him, Fr. Emmanuel Galvez, IVE, briskly pulled up on an electric scooter and parked on Monroe Street in front of St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix.   Fr. Galvez was there to join several other priests of the Diocese of Phoenix to offer the sacrament of penance to NCAA basketball fans who flooded downtown during the Women’s Final Four Basketball Tournament last weekend (April 3-5). 

The Diocese of Phoenix announced a new role established to support the human, spiritual, physical and emotional wellbeing of priests — the vicar for priestly life and ministry. After more than 13 years as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (OLPH) in Scottsdale, Ariz., Fr. Greg Schlarb will step into the position on July 1, and he will work in tandem with Bishop Peter Dai Bui, who currently serves as the vicar for clergy. While Bishop Bui’s role focuses on practical support for priests such as priestly assignments, day-to-day personnel management and support when problems arise, the new role will take on a more proactive and personal approach.

When I was a kid, Easter mornings were always exciting. The night before, all of us Dolan kids would line up our Easter egg baskets in front of the fireplace. When it was morning, we would race out to see what goodies filled them. But we didn’t simply receive whatever was given to us — we spent the morning counting. Every single one of us looked in our own baskets, and each other's, to make sure we all had the exact same number of Easter eggs and jellybeans. Looking back, I can’t help but laugh. We just wanted an equal share in the excitement of the morning, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But we also needed to do some growing; we eventually would need to get out of our own selfish way to start considering those around us. I think the same can be said of the spiritual life, especially during the Easter season. 

The Diocese of Phoenix’s historic Together Let Us Go Forth ~ Juntos Sigamos Adelante campaign officially came to a close March 31, after nearly nine years of impact.  The $100 million initiative, which launched in 2017 under the visionary leadership of Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted, emphasized discipleship and evangelization through building, renovation, beatification and development projects across a myriad of parishes, schools and ministries within the nearly 44,000-square-mile diocese.    What started as a diocesan-wide study indicating the need for a new high school in the West Valley, soon turned into a full-fledged campaign, which carried the potential for a much broader impact.  

Bishop John Dolan visited the new construction site of St. Thomas the Apostle (STA) grade school in Phoenix on Tuesday (March 31). The $25 million project will provide a brand-new K-8 academic building — a 76,000 square-foot, three-story structure with a basement. In addition to classrooms, the build will include a cafeteria, theater stage, science lab and collaborative common spaces for group learning and projects. 

Nearly 200 priests from around the Diocese of Phoenix — the largest turnout in more than a decade — gathered with Bishop John Dolan, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares, Auxiliary Biship Peter Dai Bui and Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix on Monday (March 30) to concelebrate the annual Chrism Mass. The liturgy drew a standing-room-only crowd.