NEWS

As a pilot, Dcn. Jeff Pooley used to soar through the clouds. Now as a priest, he’ll guide others toward heaven. Receiving his call to...

Bishop Peter Dai Bui attended the Housing for Hope — an affiliate of Catholic Charities Community Services — grand opening of the third and final phase of Acacia Heights Apartments, an affordable housing complex near 7th Avenue and Camelback in Central Phoenix. He blessed the newly developed property and took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday (May 19). Acacia Heights III, the new five-story building, features 35 one-bedroom units, 18 two-bedroom units and 15 three-bedroom units, ranging in size from 596 to 1,231 square feet. The addition of Acacia Heights III expands the complex by 68 units, bringing the total number to 212.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV said a proposal to create an AI-version of him so people could have a virtual audience with the pope pretty much horrified him. "If there's anybody who should not be represented by an avatar, I would say the pope is high on the list," he said in an interview with Elise Allen, a journalist and author.

As the United States prepares for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the Diocese of Phoenix joins the broader Church in turning toward the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In preparation for the Semiquincentennial, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will join countries such as Portugal, Spain and Poland in consecrating their nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In anticipation of the U.S. consecration, which will take place on June 11 at the Summer 2026 General Assembly in Orlando, the bishops have created prayer resources guided by Pope Francis’ encyclical on the Sacred Heart, Dilexit Nos (He Loved Us), and Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation Delexi Te (I Have Loved You). Included in the resources is a special novena — a nine-day preparatory prayer — to the Sacred Heart. Each day inspires reflection on a different aspect of Jesus’ Heart, such as “aflame with love for us,” “patient and full of mercy” and “source of all consolation.”

Bishop John Dolan celebrated the ordination to the transitional deaconate of Dcn. Lawrence Hogue, F.H.S., on Saturday (May 16) at St. Anthony Catholic Mission Church in Sacaton, Ariz. “I really feel like the Lord has called me here to serve this beautiful community.” Dcn. Lawrence said. As a Franciscan Friar of the Holy Spirit, he is entrusted with the pastoral and spiritual care of the Native American communities in the Diocese of Pheonix, on which he has already made a positive impact. Bishop Dolan said Dcn. Lawrence has “the greatest gift that he is going to create”, which is joy.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9) Nearly 2,000 years after St. Paul wrote those words to believers in Galatia, they are ringing true — along with the bells of a brand-new church — at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish in Anthem, Ariz. Over two decades after its first gathering in the home of Bob and Alana Bush, the parish opened its new building of worship with a dedication Mass celebrated by Bishop John Dolan Wednesday (May 13).

We deeply regret that the State of Arizona has now set a date of May 20 for the execution of Leroy McGill. The Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC) remain steadfast in our opposition to the death penalty, especially in this modern era where a life sentence for those who are a threat to society is an alternative.  In doing so, we are united with Pope Leo XIV who has advocated for a global end to capital punishment. 

Dcn. Simon Ortiz never thought he was going to be a priest when he grew up — he had his eye on becoming a sports reporter. But a retreat during his sophomore year of high school changed everything. Press play to hear Dcn. Simon’s journey to the priesthood, and ultimately how he can’t wait to serve the people of God, sharing in their joys and sorrows of life.

This week hundreds of Catholic faithful from across the country — including bishops, diocesan leadership and those directly involved in child and youth protection — are gathered in downtown Phoenix for the Child & Youth Protection Catholic Leadership Conference 2026. Running from May 10-13, the annual gathering serves as a platform for networking and sharing best practices on safe environment ministry across the country. This is the first time the Diocese of Phoenix has organized and hosted the event, which was first held in 2006.

I write to you as a pastor and as a fellow disciple of Jesus Christ, one who shares your concern for the moral challenges of our time. As Archbishop of Santa Fe, I have prayed deeply about the continued existence of nuclear weapons and what our faith requires of us in response. I am convinced that this issue is not peripheral to our Catholic life—it goes to the very heart of who we are as a people committed to the Gospel of peace. The Church teaches, and has always taught, that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 1700). From this foundational truth flows the absolute dignity of human life. Nuclear weapons, by their very nature, stand in direct contradiction to this dignity. Their destructive force is indiscriminate, incapable of distinguishing between combatant and noncombatant. As the Catechism reminds us, “every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities… is a crime against God and man” (CCC, 2314). Nuclear weapons represent the extreme embodiment of this moral disorder.