The Catholic Sun

When Bishop John Dolan needed to staff St. Augustine Parish in Phoenix almost three years ago, he knew where to turn. The author of the Diocese of Phoenix’s bold seven-year pastoral plan, whose broad themes are tied together through evangelization, contacted the Society of the Divine Word’s (SVD) Western USA Provincial Superior, Fr. Jon Kirby, SVD. Having become good friends with Fr. Kirby while serving in the Diocese of San Diego, where SVD serves a number of California parishes, Bishop Dolan became familiar with their robust pastoral interaction. He also knew their mission: to "proclaim the Word of God in diverse ministries, focusing on the poor and marginalized. Committed to unity in diversity, we are bridges among peoples.” 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a Jubilee year dedicated to hope, Pope Leo XIV and Christian leaders will commemorate "new martyrs and witnesses of the faith" -- people whose lives were signs of hope to the people around them and who died firm in the hope of being welcomed into God's presence, said the secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Archbishop Fabio Fabene, dicastery secretary, told reporters Sept. 8, "Pope Leo hopes the blood of these martyrs will be seeds of peace, reconciliation, fraternity and love."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The greatest risk in life is to waste it by not seeking to follow God's plan, Pope Leo XIV said, proclaiming two new saints -- two young laymen of the 20th and 21st centuries. "Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upward and make them masterpieces," the pope said Sept. 7. "The simple but winning formula of their holiness," he said, is accessible to everyone at any time. "They encourage us with their words: 'Not I, but God,' as Carlo used to say. And Pier Giorgio: 'If you have God at the center of all your actions, then you will reach the end.'"

St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City spilled over with thousands of spectators on Sunday, Sept. 7 as Pope Leo XIV canonized two young men, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis — the first canonization of Pope Leo’s pontificate. Local Catholic, Christine Minch of Mesa, Ariz., was in Rome during the canonization. She was part of the crowd that waited in line for several hours before the doors opened in the early morning, and she found seats in the center third row, where she experienced the two-hour Mass.

The line of worshippers carrying white carnations stretched from the altar to an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe inside Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix along the length of church’s main center aisle. While the congregation sang, “Christ, Be Our Light,” tears could be seen on a number of faces. As they reached the altar, each person placed their flower into one of several large vases that were then blessed by Bishop John Dolan. Minutes earlier, the bishop had begun the procession by laying his own four flowers down — one each for three of his siblings and a brother-in-law who died by suicide. Now, he stood at the side of the altar, smiling warmly at some worshippers, nodding to others and embracing those who reached out for a hug.

Bishop John Dolan visited the Perryville state prison complex in Goodyear, Ariz., on Wednesday night (Sept. 3), to celebrate Mass and administer the sacrament of confirmation for female inmates. Three women were confirmed in the Catholic Church and several women also went to confession. Bishop Dolan was accompanied by Fr. Estevan Wetzel, the director of Prison Ministry for the Diocese of Phoenix, who heard confessions, and Ted Ebner, the coordinator of Prison Ministry for the diocese.

Bishop John Dolan continues to elevate the importance of mental health outreach. Earlier this week he toured Valleywise Health’s 192-bed behavioral health hospital in Maryvale, Ariz. Valleywise Health is one of the largest providers of behavioral health services in Arizona, Ariz. Valleywise Health’s Maryvale facility is one of the organization’s three behavioral health hospitals, with a combined licensed capacity of 412 inpatient beds — the only provider of court ordered evaluation in Maricopa County, and the largest provider of court ordered inpatient treatment to individuals challenged by serious mental illness.

The Diocese of Phoenix has a record number of 55 seminarians this year and many more men are in active conversation about stepping into discernment.

ROME (CNS) -- Twelve years after ending two terms as prior general of the Augustinian order, Pope Leo XIV encouraged his confreres in the order to pray to the Holy Spirit for the gifts of listening, being humble and promoting unity. Presiding at a Mass of the Holy Spirit Sept. 1 to open the order's general chapter meeting, the pope had a prepared homily in Italian but chose to speak first in English." For those of you who understand English but don't understand Italian," he said, "pray for a gift of the Holy Spirit."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Participating in the ecumenical Season of Creation, Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for the month of September is "for our relationship with all of creation."In his monthly video, distributed Sept. 2 by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, Pope Leo prays to God: "Help us to discover your presence in all creation, so that, in fully recognizing it, we may feel and know ourselves to be responsible for this common home where you invite us to care for, respect and protect life in all its forms and possibilities." The Season of Creation, a time of Christian prayer and commitment to safeguarding the earth, runs from Sept. 1 through the Oct. 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology.