The Catholic Sun

The Catholic Community Foundation hired Rick Frisch as its new president and CEO April 1. Frisch will spearhead foundation efforts that support the Church’s mission and deepen its current donor base.

The 68th graduating class from Xavier College Preparatory will turn over their tassels and toss their mortarboards this morning. Their graduates have earned distinctions beyond campus in recent weeks.

On Pope Francis' first trip to the Holy Land, May 24-26, his agenda will focus on the search for Christian unity, particularly between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. But inevitably, in a region so rich in history and so fraught with conflict, he will address other urgent issues, including dialogue with Jews and Muslims, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the plight of the Middle East's shrinking Christian population.

The first Asian Conference on the Family explored the challenges that traditional families face with the growing acceptance worldwide of same-sex marriage and the ready availability of contraceptives and legalized abortion. Young adults, including a Philippine basketball star, also weighed in on what they value about their families and shared the positive contributions they have made to help keep a "happy home."

Brophy College Preparatory's Raj Vatsa was named both a Presidential Scholar and a Coca-Cola scholar. A different Xavier student joins him in each category as the top three or four Arizona students in respective groups honored for academic achievements.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- If individuals and nations are serious about protecting human rights and promoting peace, they must do much more to curb...

A Harvard University student group's plan to conduct a satanic ritual "black mass" May 12 on campus brought a public outcry, leading to its formal cancellation and an apparently impromptu off-campus version of the event, as well as a well-attended alternative Catholic holy hour. The planned event had drawn wide criticism from religious leaders as well as students, alumni and faculty at Harvard.

The Gatorade Company, in partnership with USA Today High School Sports, named Adam Mosharrafa, a senior at Brophy College Preparatory, as its Arizona Boys Soccer Player of the Year. He is the sixth Bronco to hold this honor, but the first forward/defender to do so.

More than 2,000 years ago the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the Upper Room and has been guiding the Church ever since.

On April 24, the Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die at 1:46 a.m., after spending 101 days in session. Like last year, the number of bills introduced was somewhat lower than normal with just over 1,300 pieces of legislation offered this session, about 300 of which actually became law.