BRIEFS

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.

In early June, the Legacy Foundation Christine Stamper Center for Help & Hope, a Catholic Charities operated shelter that provides emergency housing for families, individuals and veterans in Bullhead City, Ariz., welcomed six young Diocese of Phoenix seminarians for a three-week poverty immersion experience. The young men arrived eager and ready to live among and walk in the footsteps of some of Bullhead City’s most vulnerable community members. Each seminarian was allowed limited resources: $50 to last the entire three weeks, a backpack with clothes and a cell phone. No other electronic devices were permitted during this experience.

More than 50,000 Catholics from across the U.S are descending on Indianapolis, Ind., for the National Eucharistic Congress, part of the three-year Eucharistic Revival grassroots effort.The five-day conference is being held July 17-21 in Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis and features well-known speakers such as Bishop Robert Baron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries; Fr. Mike Schmitz, famous for his Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts; and Jonathan Roumie, the actor who portrays Jesus in the blockbuster television series, The Chosen.

Seton College Preparatory named Ian Rodgers as the school’s new head softball coach, replacing Arizona High School Hall of Famer Jerry Mullin, who retired in May. Rogers will begin his role for the Chandler, Ariz., based high school for the 2024-25 school year. “We couldn’t be more happy to have Coach Rodgers as part of our program here at Seton Catholic,” Athletic Director Jim Shewbridge said. “He has been a part of building strong club programs here in the East Valley and, most importantly, is a man of integrity that plans on building upon the legacy that is Seton Catholic Softball.”

For the second consecutive year, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix received high honors from their employees, being named one of the “2024 Top Workplaces,” according to a special report in The Arizona Republic newspaper this past Sunday. The result of an employee survey given to over 5,300 organizations across Arizona, the Diocese of Phoenix ranked 22nd in the “Large Companies” category. “This is as much a reflection of our culture across our parishes, schools, missions, seminary and pastoral center, as it is about the people with Christ being in the center,” said Bishop John Dolan, the fifth bishop in the 54-year history of the diocese. “We are honored to receive this accolade and I thank the people who are devoted to work for the common goal of the mission.”