The Catholic Sun

Fr. Estevan Wetzel, director of The Office of Prison Ministry and Restorative Justice, celebrated the first annual Silver Mass in honor of correctional and detention officers on Wednesday (May 6) at Sacred Heart Parish in Phoenix.   “The daily work of the men and women who serve as correctional and detention officers requires strength, integrity and sacrifice, often carried without recognition,” said Fr. Wetzel. “We hope this time allows those present not only to be spiritually refreshed, but also to enjoy community and appreciation.” Refreshments and an opportunity for fellowship followed the Mass. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Three Jesuit astronomers and the 16th-century pope who commissioned the Gregorian calendar have recently been honored with having asteroids named after them. The new additions include: "562971 Johannhagen," honoring Austrian Jesuit Father Johann Hagen, who was serving as director of the Georgetown University Observatory when Pope Pius X called him to Rome in 1906 to be the first Jesuit director of the new Vatican Observatory; "551878 Stoeger," honoring U.S. Jesuit Father Bill Stoeger, a cosmologist and theologian who died in 2014; and "565184 Janusz," honoring Polish Jesuit Father Robert Janusz, a philosopher and physicist on the staff at the Vatican Observatory. A working group of the International Astronomical Union also approved of the designation of "560974 Ugoboncompagni," honoring Ugo Boncompagni, who was elected Pope Gregory XIII in 1572.

“Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” These words from Jesus are the foundation of The Matthew 19:14 Project (TMP), a non-profit organization in Phoenix that supports Arizona Catholic schools in accommodating children with special needs.   Founded in 2020 by Dr. Lisa Fischer — inspired by her own experiences as a deaf student — and Dr. Colleen McCoy-Cejka — a parent of a child with autism and then-superintendent of Catholic schools, TMP provides “mini grants” to local Catholic schools, typically ranging from $300-$5,000. This support is designed to provide specialized tools, materials and furniture, or to pay for one-time training webinars to address needs within an individual classroom.  

Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix broke ground on a 12,000-square-foot facility on Tuesday (May 5), expanding its uniquely Catholic Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Bourgade is the only Catholic high school in the Diocese of Phoenix offering students targeted career skills in CTE programs with a Catholic worldview. Construction technologies will be the fourth CTE program at Bourgade since the school began offering career and technical programs to its students during the 2023-24 academic year.  Other CTE programs offered to students include Introduction to Healthcare Professions & CNA, Business Management and Digital Communications. 

As spring comes into full bloom, Catholic Schools throughout the Diocese of Phoenix are busy preparing special festivities to honor Our Lady during the month of May, traditionally a time of special focus on the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church. Prayer and Practice For more than 20 years, St. Agnes Catholic School in Phoenix has celebrated the tradition of May crowning, the placing of a wreath or crown on a statue of Mary in veneration. The crowning, which is a joyful and cherished tradition in the community, will take place on May 1. “It is a beautiful expression of the school community’s love and reverence for the Blessed Virgin Mary,” explained Kelly Aranowski, the principal of St. Agnes Catholic School.

Eight seminarians from the Diocese of Phoenix’s Nazareth Seminary were part of the largest graduating class from the University of Mary on Saturday (April 26) in Bismarck, N.D. The eight graduating seminarians, the first group from the Nazareth Seminary to do so, are Bobby Balser, Jacob Barnett, Chris Lukaszewski, Julian Mena, Jose Munoz, Br. Damien Van Amerongen, Alexander Vinciguerra and David Wilmowski. Saturday began with a baccalaureate Mass, celebrated by university President Msgr. James Shea in the campus chapel, followed by the commencement ceremony at the Bismarck Event Center where an all-time high 1,081 graduated. Fr. Kurt Perrera, the vice rector of Nazareth Seminary, Fr. Jesús Martinez and Fr. Peter McConnell from the Diocese of Phoenix were also in attendance.

The young St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School girl’s eighth grade basketball team clenched the Catholic Youth Athletic Association (CYAA) championship on Thursday (April 23). The Avondale, Ariz., team, comprised of only six eighth graders, was assisted by classmates in fifth and sixth grade to fill out their bench. While one player has club basketball experience, the majority of the team has learned to play basketball from their time on the Wildcats school team.

Bishop John Dolan made his first-ever visit to Circle the City, a Phoenix-based nonprofit healthcare group that works to meet the needs of men, women and children facing homelessness in Maricopa County, on Thursday (April 23) for a tour of multiple facilities around the valley. Circle the City was founded by Sr. Adele O’Sullivan, CJS, MD, and her community, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. After her initial career as a pharmacist in the 80s, Sr. Adele noticed a lack of sanitary conditions for wound care, challenges with medication management and the lack of a place for rest and recovery after a serious illness or injury for those experiencing homelessness. She earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona in 1984 and returned as a doctor to care for people living on the street. In 2012, Circle the City was founded.

Bishop John Dolan celebrated a baccalaureate Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Phoenix on Monday evening (April 20) for the first-ever graduating class of local seminarians from The University of Mary. The graduates are part of Nazareth Seminary, the historic, fully local seminary in the Diocese of Phoenix.  Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares, Auxiliary Bishop Peter Dai Bui, Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted, Vicar General Fr. John Muir and Rector of Nazareth Seminary Fr. Paul Sullivan concelebrated the Mass. Family members of the seminarians, seminary formation staff members and 14 additional priests — including Vice-Rector of Nazareth Seminary Fr. Kurt Perrera and Director of Vocations Fr. Will Schmid — were also in attendance. 

Students, faculty, families and alumni gathered at All Saints Newman Center at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Ariz., on Monday (April 20) for Mass and the dedication of the new organ by Bishop Emeritus Thomas Olmsted.  After Mass, tours showed the organ’s internal works. Visitors played the organ with John Peragallo IV — whose family has serviced over 400 instruments across the United States —while John Peragallo III explained its mechanics and pipes, ranging in size from 16 feet to the size of a pencil. There was also a concert featuring performances by John Peragallo III, Lindsey Johnson, Mary Pendleton-Hoffer and Gavan McVey.