LOCAL NEWS

Laughter can be some effective medicine that heals the souls of audience members and the fearful hearts of moms facing an unplanned pregnancy with the help of Life Choices and the H.O.P.E. Mobile clinic.

Fr. McGaffin, who most recently served as pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Sun City until respiratory problems surfaced last fall, passed away Feb. 12. He was 52.

Coast to coast, here in the desert, a little farther north in the mountains or in cyberspace, local Catholics continue to stand up for life issues.

Ecumenism is everybody’s responsibility. That was the message shared by two nationally-renown speakers at the annual Prayer for Christian Unity, held Jan. 23 this year at St. Mary’s Basilica.

As a child Sr. Noreen, SNDdeN, always dreamed of going to Arizona and running a cattle ranch. She finally made it, but it wasn’t livestock she wrangled. Her first assignment in the state was as a kindergarten teacher.

Innate teacher and professional musician Sr. Louise Szkodzinski, BVM, who served as music director at St. Catherine of Siena Parish and as a music teacher at the parish school in the '80s and '90s, passed away Jan. 16 in Dubuque, Iowa. She was 95.

More than 1,300 men stood shoulder to shoulder Feb. 4 to examine and to improve upon the relationships in their lives as husbands, fathers, friends, leaders and witnesses for Christ.

If you've been to any of the Phoenix Catholic Women's Conferences, you've witnessed the fruit of one woman's passion for helping fellow Catholic women along the path toward holiness.

The annual diocesan Charity and Development Appeal, which kicks off in parishes and missions the weekend of Feb. 11-12, is getting personal.

The installation of a new statue at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery depicts a scenario of motherhood often repeated with young children.