NEWS

St. John Bosco Catholic School in Phoenix celebrated the momentous occasion of being recognized as a 2025 National Blue Ribbon School this week (Sept. 26) with a school-wide assembly, community prayers of thanksgiving and a sweet on-theme treat: Blue Ribbon ice cream bars. The nomination was the first in the school’s history and St. John Bosco (PreK-8) was the only private-school honoree from Arizona this year.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV, the object of dozens of "deepfake" videos, has chosen "Preserving human voices and faces" as the theme for the Catholic Church's celebration of World Communications Day in 2026. The Dicastery for Communication announced the theme Sept. 29. Just two weeks after his election in May, the dicastery warned people about "deepfake" -- AI-generated -- videos of the pope as well as manipulated or wholly AI-generated photos and quotes.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV announced he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the church Nov. 1 during the Jubilee of the World of Education. Speaking after Mass Sept. 28 for the Jubilee of Catechists, the pope said St. Newman "contributed decisively to the renewal of theology and to the understanding of the development of Christian doctrine." The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints had announced July 31 that Pope Leo "confirmed the affirmative opinion" of the cardinals and bishops who are members of the dicastery "regarding the title of Doctor of the Universal Church which will soon be conferred on Saint John Henry Newman, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Founder of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in England."

Ryan Everson, a fifth-year seminarian, will debut Receive Their Souls, a sacred music composition, on All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) at St. Anne Parish in Gilbert, Ariz., at the 11 a.m. Mass and St. Bernadette in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the 10 a.m. Mass, which will be performed by the parishes’ vocal choirs. This will be the fifth piece Everson has composed through his non-profit, Angelico Sacred Music, alongside pieces like Our Father and The Act of Contrition. A graduate from Arizona State University School of Music in 2019, Everson felt prompted to use his classical training to compose music for the Church. After noticing a gap in the sacred music landscape, Everson founded Angelico in October 2024, with the mission to create Neo-Renaissance-style compositions of popular Catholic prayers in the English language.

My grandmother’s name was Josephine, though she was affectionately called “Jo” by her friends and “Gramma” by us grandkids. When I was growing up, she lived at home with us. Gramma was quiet and helpful in the house. I still remember her holding me in her lap, reading to me in my earlier years and how she loved to watch the Padres on television, keeping score and stats on each of the players during the game. As she aged, my parents made the difficult, yet important decision for her to move into an assisted living facility. As you can imagine, there were a lot of ups and downs, as well as struggles and reliefs that came with this decision.

Catholic Education Arizona awarded tuition scholarships to 4,100 Catholic School students in the Diocese of Phoenix in September, including 140 scholarships to students with disabilities and 18 students in the foster care system through the AZ Disabled/Displaced Corporate Tax Credit. Through AZ Individual and Corporate tax credits, thousands of students are able to attend Catholic schools who would not otherwise have the opportunity. “Education scholarships for students in grades K–12 are truly life-changing and community-transforming,” said Nancy Padberg, MBA, president and CEO of Catholic Education Arizona. “We believe every family deserves the opportunity to choose the education that best fits their children’s needs.”

Morning Star OB/GYN celebrated 20 years of providing holistic and life-affirming reproductive care to women in Gilbert, Ariz., on Monday (Sept. 29) with Mass at the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center chapel. Dr. Clint Leonard, founder of the practice, and Dr. Erica Kreller, his colleague, provide medical care that combines respect for fertility with unique technology that honors God’s design for women. The chapel was filled with family members of the physicians, friends and individuals present to celebrate and support the achievement.  

Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more at Christ in Our Neighborhood - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)   This coming Sunday, we celebrate All Souls’ Day. Check out the question the Christ in Our Neighborhood reflection poses: Can you trust that Jesus will not reject the one you’ve lost — or the one you’ve become?

NOTE: Christ in Our Neighborhood is a parish-based program consisting of small Christian communities that gather in the home weekly to prayerfully discuss the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. It’s easy to form a community and you can find out more at Christ in Our Neighborhood - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (dphx.org)   This coming Sunday, we celebrate the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Check out the question the Christ in Our Neighborhood reflection poses: Where are the poor in your life?

Church of the Ascension in Fountain Hills, Ariz., kicks off a year-long celebration this week in honor of the parish’s 50th anniversary. Beginning on Sunday, Nov. 9, and carrying the theme “Reflect, Rejoice, Renew,” the parish will honor this milestone with a series of expanded outreach programs, intentional opportunities to learn about the church’s history and mission and celebratory events designed to honor the parish’s past, celebrate it present and look forward to its future. The jubilee year celebration will culminate with a Mass celebrated by Bishop John Dolan in October 2026.