The Catholic Sun

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India has appealed to Catholics to mobilize funds and materials to augment church relief work in northern Jammu and Kashmir state, devastated by torrential rains and floods. Nearly 250 people have perished in the foothills of the Himalayas and more than 700,000 people have been marooned on rooftops, trees and hills since Sept. 7.

Serving Christ through those who are sick, suffering or less fortunate has always been a part of the Church's mission and Nicole Gehret, a 15 year old sophomore at Seton Catholic Prep, lives out that message in an active way.

The emotion poured out of Bryan Neale when he learned that the dream he had pursued for 25 years had finally come true.

"The joy and satisfaction in administering the sacrament of holy orders is a high point in the life of any bishop, but to have the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament for one who is so much looking forward to ordination but faces the certainty of death made it the more poignant," Bishop David R. Choby said.

There are days that will be remembered, detail for detail, in our minds. And for many of us, Sept. 11, 2001, is undoubtedly one of those days. We, as a nation and as a world, saw the worst in humanity. We witnessed bloodthirsty men, corrupted by hatred, fueled with one desire -- death, chaos and destruction.

Pope Francis mourned the deaths of three Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary, who were murdered in two separate attacks in their residence in Burundi.

Joe Manfreda was in his mid-20s when his father died suddenly from a heart attack. For 30 years, Manfreda buried the grief deep inside himself, unable to even read his father’s death notice.

"There are reminders across our nation today that the embers of racial discrimination still smolder," the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Bishop Cirilo B. Flores of San Diego died Sept. 6 of complications from prostate cancer. He was 66.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- When a mother has a birthday, children send their greetings and love, so make sure to do the same thing on the feast of the Nativity of Mary, Pope Francis said.