September 28, 2026

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Local News

Inspiring local Catholic news from around the Diocese of Phoenix

Extravagant love

One of the most well-known stories in Scripture is the Good Samaritan. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear about a man who is beaten, robbed and left for dead. Religious men of high standing...

Record attendance at 2026 Priest Convocation

More than 190 priests from across the Diocese of Phoenix are gathered in Flagstaff, Ariz., this week for four days of prayer, fellowship and formation during the annual 2026 Priest Convocation. The event began Monday...

World-renowned Catholic musician Matt Maher returns to Phoenix for concert tour

Never underestimate the power of a simple invitation. For nine-time Grammy nominee and three-time GMA Dove Award Winner Matt Maher, who will soon be in concert in Phoenix, that’s especially true. In 1995, he left...

JPII High School celebrates first-ever scholarship celebration

St. John Paul II High School in Avondale, Ariz., was abuzz with energy and excitement on Monday (Sept. 21) as students and faculty gathered for a scholarship celebration. Through a new partnership with VU Scholarships,...

Auxiliary Bishop Bui goes to school in Rome

Auxiliary Bishop Peter Dai Bui spent eight days in Rome this month for a time of formation alongside 147 other new bishops from five continents, all of whom, like himself, were ordained in the past...

Bishop Dolan leads 1,000 worshippers at diocese’s fifth annual Mass of Remembrance

More than 1,000 worshippers gathered inside Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix as the diocese celebrated its fifth annual Mass of Remembrance for those who have died by suicide on Sunday (Sept. 13). Led...

Annual Diocesan Respect Life Luncheon honors parish leaders and ministries

The Office of Respect Life Ministries for the Diocese of Phoenix celebrated its Annual Diocesan Respect Life Luncheon at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Phoenix this past Friday (Sept. 11). The luncheon brought together more...

More than 3,500 Catholics celebrate Catholic Night at the ballpark

More than 3,500 Catholics gathered at Chase Field on Friday night, (Sept. 11) setting a new Diocese of Phoenix attendance record for the 4th Annual Catholic Night. The crowd watched the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the...

Phoenix Education Center opens for seminarians and mental health

The Diocese of Phoenix’s visionary Nazareth Seminary and groundbreaking Mental Health Ministry, in collaboration with the University of Mary (U Mary), have launched an innovative partnership to educate future priests in the growing diocese, while...

St. John Bosco Catholic School celebrates 25 years

Celebrations will soon be underway for St. John Bosco Catholic School in Phoenix as the community celebrates 25 years. From three students throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Chase Field during the 4th Annual Catholic...

Avila launches second year in West Valley as newest Catholic university in the Diocese of Phoenix

The Diocese of Phoenix’s expanding faith-based higher-education options are alive and well as Avila University Arizona welcomed its second-ever class of students earlier this week. The Missouri-based Catholic university opened its Goodyear, Ariz., campus in...

Pray with Pope Leo XIV, September 2026

Abigail Poole, the coordinator of Catholic Social Teaching for the Diocese of Phoenix, steps in for Bishop John Dolan this month to share a personal video reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s September 2026 prayer intention:...

Choose to love

At one of my bridal showers back in the 1990s, I received a litany of marital advice. I was young, the first of my siblings to get married, and I listened with sharp attention. Now,...

One Church, one Lord, one mission

For the first time in diocesan history, a bishop will be leading a group of Diocese of Phoenix young adults to World Youth Day, an international gathering of millions of young Catholics from around the...

The joy of love: A vision for marriage, family life and spirituality

For Jose Antonio Martinez, his first and best catechism teachers were his parents. Now married for 29 years with three children of his own, the love and accompaniment he experienced growing up now pours into...

Seniors find joy serving at the altar

Some parish ministries have a target age range built into their names — youth and young adult ministry. Others cast a wider net — choir members, lectors and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. Yet wider...

Diocese hires new assistant superintendent of schools

With the new academic year in full swing at seven Catholic high schools and 29 Catholic elementary schools across the Diocese of Phoenix, the Catholic Schools Office has hired Camryn Friel as the new assistant...

Mass honors Fr. William Wasson and thousands of lives he impacted

Bishop John Dolan celebrated a special Mass on Sunday (Aug. 16) at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, honoring the legacy of Fr. William Wasson. Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of Fr. Wasson's death...

4th Annual Catholic Night; A night of celebration and giving back

Faith, fellowship and baseball are coming together in downtown Phoenix on Friday, Sept. 11, as the Arizona Diamondbacks are set to host the 4th Annual Catholic Night at Chase Field. The matchup against the Texas...

Love grows here; Mentoring friendship strengthens marriages

“How many of you know three couples who have the kind of marriage you want? They’re happy, they’re faithful, they love each other, they have a sense of humor, they’re open to life?” It’s a...

Love that endures

When Richard and I married 39 years ago, our wedding day was joyful, beautiful and full of hope. Like most young couples, we looked forward to building a life together and believed we understood what...

Catholic Community Foundation awards over half-a-million dollars to local Catholic school students

The Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) recently celebrated 43 students receiving a combined $521,000 in scholarships for the 2026-2027 school year during its Scholarship Awards Ceremony at St. Francis Xavier in Phoenix earlier this month. Scholarship...

Auxiliary Bishop Bui preaches to 80,000 in Missouri

Auxiliary Bishop Peter Dai Bui celebrated Mass and preached to the largest crowd of his life on Friday (Aug. 7), addressing an estimated 80,000 Vietnamese Catholics during his first-ever visit to Marian Days, an annual...

Mourning the passing of Bishop Dolan’s father

The Diocese of Phoenix mourns the passing of Gerald “Jerry” Francis Dolan, father of Bishop John Dolan. We offer our prayers and deepest condolences to Bishop Dolan and his entire family. Jerry entered into eternal...

Bishop Dolan celebrates Mass and Rite of Investiture

Bishop John Dolan celebrated a special Mass on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 6), to welcome three women into the next stage of their religious formation at the Carmelite Missionaries of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus...

Diocesan-wide listening sessions on the sacraments set to kick off

On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was walking to catechism class in modern day Mexico City, when an encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary on Tepeyac Hill changed his life — and the lives of...

A transformative encounter

When I was a pastor at St. Rose in the Diocese of San Diego, we established a program for engaged couples called “Engaged in Love.” For four weeks, couples would attend Mass together, then gather...

Phoenix priest to be honored for transforming the lives of thousands of abandoned and orphaned children

The Diocese of Phoenix is holding a special Mass this month to commemorate the anniversary of the passing of Fr. William Wasson, whose single act of compassion toward a young thief more than a half...

Diocese encourages ‘radical hospitality’ in evangelization

More than 100 formators, administrators and parish staff members representing nearly 48 parishes from the Diocese of Phoenix gathered at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday (Aug. 1) to receive...

Fourteen new leaders ready to impact Catholic education

With the new academic year beginning this week at seven Catholic high schools and 29 Catholic elementary schools across the Diocese of Phoenix, the Catholic Schools Office has hired 14 leaders who are ready to...