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One of the most successful softball coaches in Arizona high school history, Jerry Mullin, announced his coaching retirement today after 38 years of leading theSeton Catholic Preparatory softball program. Mullin arrived at Seton Catholic, located in Chandler, Ariz., in 1985 and took over the softball program for the 1986-87 school year, transforming it into a small-school powerhouse by the mid-1990s. He won 10 AIA State Championships over a 15-year span from 1996 to 2010, including two periods of four consecutive state titles (1996 to 1999 in Class 2A and 2002 to 2005 in Class 3A). Mullin was a perfect 10-0 in state championship games.

Bishop John Dolan ordained Jacob Chavez and Connor Companik to the transitional diaconate during a special Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix on Sunday, May 26. The Mass was televised live across the Diocese of Phoenix on CW7. 

PHOENIX -- In the mid-1970s, when Phoenix was a much smaller city, the area near 7th Street and Dunlap Avenue west of the current Route 51 freeway was a mix of single-family houses and small businesses. Area Catholics attended Most Holy Trinity Parish and sent their children to its elementary school. English was the majority language, but by the mid 80’s, the demographic was shifting, and Spanish became the dominant dialect.  

St. Gerard’s Outreach Ministry, a new initiative of the Office of Natural Family Planning at the Diocese of Phoenix, which serves couples in the season of infertility, welcomed 13 couples to their inaugural “Cherished” retreat at Mt. Claret Retreat Center in Phoenix on May 11.  It was a “total success,” said Ana Luisa Martinez de Carillo, facilitator of Spanish Programs for Natural Family Planning, “Couples were grateful that the Church is acknowledging them. The evaluation comments were very meaningful to us, often expressing the couple’s thankfulness at not feeling alone in their struggles”. 

It’s been a winding road, at times even international in scope. On June 1, transitional Deacons Elijah Delello, Jesús Martinez and Joseph Nguyen will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix. Configured to Christ, each of the three young men has had a unique path to priesthood. What follows is a peek into their vocation journey. 

Sunday was a momentous day for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish community in Tempe, as Bishop John Dolan celebrated Mass and installed the much-beloved Fr. Robert Aliunzi as pastor of the parish. After Mass, Bishop John was present for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel outside of the church.

AVONDALE, Ariz. --- They came to the Diocese of Phoenix from the other side of the country, the other side of the border and the other side of the world. But as different as the geographical origins and the paths of Elijah DeLello, Jesus Martinez and Joseph (Huy) Nguyen, each found a common destination here and a shared point in their lives divinely ordained long ago, to begin shepherding God’s people, teaching them the Catholic faith and guiding souls to Christ. Surrounded by family, friends, the faithful and an assembly of Diocesan priests, DeLello, Martinez and Nguyen (pronounced wihn)  were ordained by Bishop John P. Dolan during a Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church Saturday. 

After the joyful celebration of the ordination of three new priests this year, I find myself reflecting on the significance of the priesthood and the journey leading to it. As Nazareth Seminary expands to keep our seminarians close to home, I cannot help but marvel at the way God weaves together the threads of nature and nurture, of personal calling and communal support. 

On Wednesday, Catholic Climate Covenant, a national nonprofit that guides the U.S. Church’s response to climate change, awarded the Victory Noll Sister's Small Grants to four Diocese of Phoenix organizations with grants.  Creation Summit, Franciscan Renewal Center, St. Mary-Basha Catholic School and St. Francis Xavier Parish were among the 91 recipients nationally from U.S. Catholic parishes, schools, dioceses and other Catholic organizations who are dedicated to advancing Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical entitled “Laudato Si.” 

Members from the Knights of Columbus from across Arizona gathered for their annual state convention last month in Tucson, Ariz. In addition to Mass celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of the Diocese of Tucson and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares of the Diocese of Phoenix, the 117th annual convention featured moments of prayer, community, and celebrating the accomplishments of attending Knights of Columbus Councils.