BRIEFS

On Friday, Bishop John Dolan joined leaders, donors, volunteers and residents for the official opening of De Paul Manor and Rosalie’s Place, St. Vincent...

70 years is a long time. Since its humble beginnings in 1954, Seton Catholic Preparatory (SCP) in Chandler, Ariz., has been dedicated to providing students...

As a show of Christian unity and a plea for peace during this election season, seven Christian denominations in Arizona are teaming up for a series of prayer services over the next two months.   Themed “Faith over Fear,” the first prayer vigil will take place on Sept. 9 at 4:45 p.m. at Our Lady of the Angels Church at The Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale.  The second vigil, “Harden Not Our Hearts,” will take place on Oct. 14 at 6:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Tuscon. The final prayer service, “Loving Our Neighbor,” will take place on Nov. 4 at 12:00 p.m. at Sun City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Sun City.  All are invited and encouraged to attend these services.

St. Mary-Basha Catholic School, which provides Catholic education for preschool-8th grade students in Chandler, Ariz., was recently designated as an Apple Distinguished School for...

This morning Bishop Dolan celebrated a special Mass with a two-fold significance at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix. August 22, which is the feast of the Queenship of Mary, also marks the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the Loreto Sisters of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Diocese of Phoenix.

Chandler, Ariz. – St. Mary-Basha Catholic School successfully wrapped up its second annual #SMBFlatJesus project this summer. Inspired by the children’s book “Flat Stanley,” the project brought the school community together through shared faith-filled adventures. At the end of the 2023-24 school year, each St. Mary-Basha student received a Flat Jesus cutout to decorate and accompany on their summer travels. Families captured and shared photos of SMB Flat Jesus’ journeys at various locations, both near and far.

This fall, 15 new seminarians were accepted to Nazareth Seminary bringing the total number of men discerning the priesthood to 50, an all-time record for the Diocese of Phoenix. “This milestone is a testament to the foundation set before us by Bishops Olmsted and Nevares and Fr. Paul Sullivan and Fr. Matt Lowry, ongoing efforts in seminary formation, outreach opportunities and the collaboration with the laity who support our seminarians through their prayers and outreach,” said Fr. Kurt Perera, vocations director for the Diocese of Phoenix. 

The U.S. Crosier Fathers and Brothers have elected Fr. Alex Juguilon, osc, as their new conventual prior for a four-year term. The election was...

As a new school year begins, parishes around the Diocese of Phoenix are also welcoming religious education students plus those who might be interested in becoming Catholic. In a video message directed to the millions of those who live within the diocese’s boundaries, Bishop John Dolan noted that the Catholic Church is the “biggest family on Earth” and issued an invitation: “If you’re interested in becoming Catholic, or if you were baptized but never confirmed, I want to personally invite you to visit our website, dphx.org. That's where you'll find out what you need to know about OCIA, the process by which people are brought into the Catholic Church,” Bishop Dolan said.

On Sunday evening, Bishop John Dolan and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares held a special Mass for eight seminarians and their families as they celebrated the biannual liturgy of the Institution of Lectors and Acolytes at St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix. Instituted Acolytes are trained and formed as assistants to the priest and deacon in their roles within the celebration of the Mass. They may purify the sacred vessels and are to assist with the distribution of Holy Communion when needed. Lectors are instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture during Mass.