The Catholic Sun

Members from the Knights of Columbus from across Arizona gathered for their annual state convention last month in Tucson, Ariz. In addition to Mass celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of the Diocese of Tucson and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares of the Diocese of Phoenix, the 117th annual convention featured moments of prayer, community, and celebrating the accomplishments of attending Knights of Columbus Councils.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Sitting in the Vatican Gardens with the dome of St. Peter's Basilica as a backdrop, Pope Francis told cardinals and diplomats, including the ambassadors of Israel and Palestine, "Every day I pray that this war will finally end." With a representative of Rome's Jewish community and a representative of the city's Muslim community in attendance June 7, the pope repeated his call for a cease-fire, his appeal to Hamas to release all the hostages it kidnapped Oct. 7 and his plea that Israel protect civilians in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to reach them.

ROME (CNS) -- Pope Francis led his "School of Prayer" outside on a concrete driveway leading to a series of parking garages under a 30-family condominium on the outskirts of Rome. "The church begins to take shape in the community, seeking together, listening to the word of God, speaking well of each other," he told about 60 residents of the apartment building: children, teenagers, adults and older people. A group of women from Senegal, an Orthodox man and the district president were also present, Vatican News reported. "What matters is respect for others, and with that respect you go forward and build up the church," making sure to include and accompany children and the elderly, he said during the visit June 6, a portion of which was released in video.

On Wednesday, Catholic Climate Covenant, a national nonprofit that guides the U.S. Church’s response to climate change, awarded the Victory Noll Sister's Small Grants to four Diocese of Phoenix organizations with grants.  Creation Summit, Franciscan Renewal Center, St. Mary-Basha Catholic School and St. Francis Xavier Parish were among the 91 recipients nationally from U.S. Catholic parishes, schools, dioceses and other Catholic organizations who are dedicated to advancing Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical entitled “Laudato Si.” 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Workers need spaces in which they can come together, form a sense of community and advocate for the marginalized, Pope Francis said.m"In the context of a fragmented society and an individualistic culture, we have a great need for spaces in which people can experience a creative and dynamic sense of belonging," the pope told 6,000 representatives of Italian Christian workers' associations June 1. Such spaces, he added, help people move "from 'I' to 'we'" and to "develop projects for the common good together, and find ways and means to achieve them."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholics, especially young Catholics, who feel that society is adrift should find inspiration and encouragement in their Christian calling to advocate for the poor and marginalized, Pope Francis said. Across cultural and ideological backgrounds, modern people "sense there is something wrong with humanity and the world, that we cannot simply go on as we have been doing, that there is a need for a conversion, a new effective orientation," the pope said in a message to German Catholics released May 29.

After the joyful celebration of the ordination of three new priests this year, I find myself reflecting on the significance of the priesthood and the journey leading to it. As Nazareth Seminary expands to keep our seminarians close to home, I cannot help but marvel at the way God weaves together the threads of nature and nurture, of personal calling and communal support. 

AVONDALE, Ariz. --- They came to the Diocese of Phoenix from the other side of the country, the other side of the border and the other side of the world. But as different as the geographical origins and the paths of Elijah DeLello, Jesus Martinez and Joseph (Huy) Nguyen, each found a common destination here and a shared point in their lives divinely ordained long ago, to begin shepherding God’s people, teaching them the Catholic faith and guiding souls to Christ. Surrounded by family, friends, the faithful and an assembly of Diocesan priests, DeLello, Martinez and Nguyen (pronounced wihn)  were ordained by Bishop John P. Dolan during a Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church Saturday. 

Sunday was a momentous day for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish community in Tempe, as Bishop John Dolan celebrated Mass and installed the much-beloved Fr. Robert Aliunzi as pastor of the parish. After Mass, Bishop John was present for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Divine Mercy Perpetual Adoration Chapel outside of the church.

It’s been a winding road, at times even international in scope. On June 1, transitional Deacons Elijah Delello, Jesús Martinez and Joseph Nguyen will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix. Configured to Christ, each of the three young men has had a unique path to priesthood. What follows is a peek into their vocation journey.