Bishop Dolan blesses newly developed affordable housing units
Bishop John Dolan attended Housing for Hope’s, an affiliate of Catholic Charities Community Services, grand opening of the second phase of Acacia Heights Apartments, an affordable housing complex near 7th Avenue and Camelback in Central Phoenix, where he blessed the newly developed property and took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony. On Jan. 23. Acacia Heights II, which features 66 units of varying sizes, joins more than a dozen affordable housing projects Catholic Charities runs throughout Greater Metro Phoenix and Northern Arizona.
NEWS BRIEF: Bishop Dolan honors consecrated religious serving in the Diocese of Phoenix
A crowd gathered at St. Francis Xavier parish in Phoenix on Saturday for a special Mass to celebrate the more than 100 consecrated men and women that live and serve locally in the Diocese of Phoenix.
The Eucharistic liturgy, celebrated by Bishop John Dolan, took place on February 1 for the Feast of the Presentation, which Pope St. John Paul II established as the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life in 1997. This is a special day set aside to recognize and pray for men and women who publicly live a life consecrated to God through the public profession of the evangelical councils of poverty, chastity and obedience.
NEWS BRIEF: Diocese celebrates Catholic Schools Week
Students from Catholic schools across the Dioceses of Phoenix and Tucson gathered last Thursday morning for Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Students participated in the liturgy, which included a diocesan choir comprised of students from 12 different Catholic schools. At the conclusion of Mass, 12 teachers from the Diocese of Phoenix were recognized for 25 years of service, and Sr. Lynn Winsor of Xavier College Preparatory was honored for 50 years of service.
André House marks major milestone of service
André House celebrated 40 years of service to the Phoenix area in January.
A place of hospitality serving those experiencing homelessness, André House welcomes guests from all backgrounds, providing fresh meals, clean clothes, showers, laundry facilities and most importantly, a warm welcome.
NEWS BRIEF: Workshop retreat to form new Catholics a big success
Nearly 100 people, representing 42 parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix, took part in a day-long retreat featuring speakers and workshops at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Phoenix on Saturday, that was designed to help parishioners and staff evangelize and form new Catholics. Attendees, including formation leaders, catechists and Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) team members listened to keynote speakers Fr. Kwame Assenyoh of the Diocese of Oakland and Fr. Ron Oakham, a member of the Carmelite Order.
BRIEF: Bishop Dolan begins the 2025 Jubilee Year by traveling around Arizona
Last week, Bishop John Dolan kicked off the 2025 Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Phoenix by celebrating six special Masses throughout the state. He was joined by hundreds of parishioners and pilgrims from around the diocese at each of the Masses, which had overflowing crowds and were celebrated at the Jubilee pilgrimage sites decreed by Bishop Dolan in October 2024.
NEWS BRIEF: Bishop Dolan celebrates Las Posadas in Mexico with Kino Border Initiative
Hundreds of people joined Bishop John Dolan in Nogales, Mexico, on Saturday where they took part in the rich tradition of Las Posadas along the U.S.-Mexico border wall as part of the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a group comprised of six Catholic organizations whose vision is “Migration with Dignity.” The event was the 15th binational posada sponsored by four Catholic dioceses, including Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales and Sonora.
Las Posadas, which is widely celebrated in the Hispanic culture, commemorates Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus. Comprised of a procession that goes from one designated stop to the next, participants take part in the Holy Family’s experience of being told “there is no room for you in the inn” (Luke 2) in a unique way. At each of the five stops, passages of Scripture are read, and Christmas carols are sung.
NEWS BRIEF: St. Mary’s girls win first-ever 4A flag football title, while Brophy Prep advances...
St. Mary's Catholic High School freshman Ava Gonzales kicked the game-winning field goal, a 19-yarder with 46.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Knights a 10-7 victory over Prescott High School in the Arizona Interscholastic Association's 4A flag football state championship on Saturday. Held at Chandler High School, the win completed a perfect season for No. 1 seeded St. Mary’s at 14-0 under Head Coach Chris Horn.
NEWS BRIEF: First-ever Nazareth Seminary Breakfast Fundraiser a Huge Success
The first-ever breakfast fundraiser for the Nazareth Seminary was a roaring success, raising $1.2 million dollars thanks to a matching grant from The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation. Held on Sunday, Nov. 17, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale, Ariz., the brunch included a live auction, music, tours and guest speakers.
Xavier Prep Gators capture state titles in volleyball and golf
Xavier College Preparatory, a Phoenix-based girls’ Catholic high school from the Diocese of Phoenix, captured both the girls Class 6A state volleyball championship and the Division 1 girls’ golf state title this month. The No. 1 seed, Xavier Prep avenged their lone regular season loss on November 16th at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, defeating Corona del Sol High School in four sets, 25-16, 25-16, 17-25, 27-25 to win the Class 6A championship. Sophomore Tessa Larkin led Xavier with 22 kills while Elle McCreery and Vivian Hickman combined for 26 kills. Entering the match ranked 15th nationally by MaxPreps, Xavier’s only AIA regular season loss was on Oct. 29 at Corona del Sol, 3-1. This marks Xavier Prep’s 14th state volleyball title.