The Catholic Sun Magazine

When Jeannie Buggle walks through the door, it’s the highlight of Marilyn Grimaldi’s week. Marilyn, 89, is bedridden and unable to attend Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) in Tempe, Ariz., where she’s been a faithful parishioner since the early 1960s. She watches the weekly TV Mass broadcast from Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral on CW 7, but it’s just not the same as being at her beloved parish. That’s where a soft-spoken, cheerful Buggle comes in. She’s been leading the Ministry of Care at OLMC for the last two years, bringing the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist to hospital patients and the homebound every week. People like Marilyn.  

I’ll never forget the day I yelled at God. I was in seminary, and I had recently lost my sister, Therese, and my brother-in-law, Joe, to death by suicide on the same day. This came years after my brother, Tom, had died by suicide when I was in eighth grade. I was hurting, I was angry and I had no idea why God let all of this suffering take place. At the time, I was studying at the University of San Diego. I went for a walk in my unrest and found myself at a large, empty field that overlooks Mission Bay.

I had the opportunity recently to attend a very powerful ceremony: the consecration of the new altar in the chapel of St. Mary’s House, located next door to St. Mary’s Basilica in downtown Phoenix — one of the four houses that make up Nazareth Seminary here in the Diocese of Phoenix. It was an intimate and moving experience.   During his homily, Bishop John reminded us that while altars and chapels are important, they are not the Church. We are. The living, breathing Body of Christ, the communion of saints and our loved ones who have gone before us. It’s a reminder of why we are here on this earth, and that the life we live doesn’t just touch the lives of those in our immediate vicinity, but the Church as a whole.  

As parents, one of the most important tasks we can undertake is helping our children discover their purpose in life. This is not only about guiding them toward a specific career path or success but about nurturing their understanding of who they are and how their unique gifts fit into God's plan. Helping children find their purpose involves helping them discern God's will, recognize their natural gifts and understand that their purpose might be found in both the big and the small things of life.

Mother Teresa was one of the most well-known figures in the world.  At just under five feet, her small stature and blue-striped sari were recognized across cultures, oceans and belief systems. She's especially known for spending much of her life serving the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India. It was in these overcrowded, unsanitary and severely underserved neighborhoods that she spent her days accompanying the dying, tending to the wounded and feeding the hungry. 

In this Jubilee Year, one of Pope Francis’ 10 hopes is for youth and young adults to experience the joy and beauty of living the Gospel. Four young adults share the stories of their unique journeys to finding hope and fulfillment in God. 

One day at lunch with colleagues, we were discussing the story of the fig tree. Yes, it’s what we do — working for the Church has its perks! In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells a parable about a barren fig tree that hasn’t produced fruit for three years. Now that’s annoying! By definition, a fig tree is created to give forth fruit, that is its purpose. Not only has the fig tree not produced a harvest, but it has likely been actively tended for three years — symbolic for “plenty of time.” The owner of the land is understandably ready to uproot this waste of resources.

The presence of Jesus is peaceful when walking through the doors of the new 24-hour adoration chapel at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (OLMC) in Tempe, Ariz. Upon entering Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, one’s gaze cannot help but fall upon the consecrated Host, nestled within the glowing, gold monstrance. For the 450 signed-up adorers, and anyone else who decides to stop in, the chapel will serve as a sacred space to experience the love and grace of God. Plans to construct the chapel began in 2021, and were eventually entrusted to Fr. Robert Aluinzi, the current pastor of OLMC, upon his arrival at the parish. He was excited and personally invested in the project from the beginning.  

The smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the air and you’re greeted by a warm smile as you walk through the door of the Upper Room coffee shop at Holy Spirit Parish in Tempe—except it feels less like a coffee shop and more like a home, where the smooth granite countertops display a variety of homemade baked goods and the face of the person across the counter lights up with genuine delight that you are here.   The fireplace, gallery wall of sacred art oil paintings, soft color scheme and cozy steel-blue leather couch only enhance the feeling of welcome. 

The family, the heart of evangelization, has been called the Domestic Church (“Lumen Gentium,” 11), the first place where we encounter God. It is within the family that we begin to learn who God is and how to prayerfully seek His will for our lives. It is the primary and perhaps singular place for many of us to evangelize and spread the message of God’s love.