Deacon Thomas O’Donnell keeps returning to one word – “powerful” – to describe a weeklong experience in Rome where he literally was steps away from a historic papal transition.
Vocations
‘He’s always been a brother to us’: Villanova Augustinian prior reflects on future Pope Leo XIV
Augustinian Father Robert Hagan said that fellow order member Pope Leo XIV has “always been a brother to us” — one who encouraged him from his early days to his own leadership role in the order.
Pope Leo prays for vocations, for peace and for mothers on Mother’s Day
With a huge and festive crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV led his first Sunday recitation of the “Regina Coeli” prayer and urged all Catholics to pray for vocations, especially to the priesthood and religious life.
Archbishop Lori ordains five transitional deacons
During the ordination, each new deacon promised to respect and obey the archbishop as well as his successors. Archbishop Lori laid his hands on each of them to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit and the five were vested.
Archbishop Lori to ordain five transitional deacons May 3
Archbishop William E. Lori will ordain five men transitional deacons during a special 10 a.m. Mass May 3 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. The liturgy marks the final step before their anticipated ordination to the priesthood next year.
All the pope’s women: How Francis’ legacy is shaping the next chapter of the church
While much of the world’s attention is on what will happen in the Sistine Chapel and the men who will choose the church’s next leader starting May 7, the enduring legacy of Pope Francis is seen in the women whose voices helped shape — and carry forward — his vision.
Bishop Adam Parker celebrates 25 years of priesthood
Here in Western Maryland near the Appalachian Mountains, Bishop Parker began his priesthood as an associate pastor at St. Peter 25 years ago. Bishop Parker returned to what he called “his number one assignment” to celebrate his silver jubilee with an April 27 Mass.
Oldest religious sister in U.S. turns 112; ‘Her presence, her joy’ is real, says prioress
Having turned 112 on Easter at Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Dominic in Amityville, N.Y. — a supercentenarian for two years, and a member of her order since 1931 — she is, like all members of the body of Christ, still able to participate in the ministry of presence.
Clericalism was chief target of Pope Francis’ teaching
From the moment he took the helm of the Catholic Church’s sprawling hierarchy, Pope Francis positioned himself as a pastor close to the people he served, and he called out the behavior of priests who were distant from and thought they were superior to their flocks.
Complexities of U.S. immigration visa system impact the church’s pastoral mission
America’s tumultuous immigration system is again impacting nonordained religious workers from other countries — including Catholic religious sisters and brothers.
By ministering to people on streets and on campus, seminarians gain pastoral skills
Missionaries from the Denver-based ministry Christ in the City had visited the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 2021 to train St. John Vianney seminarians.
In historic move, burgeoning Phoenix Diocese opens new Nazareth Seminary
In an era of vocations undeniably impacted by a statistically declining priesthood, it’s perhaps among the rarest of Catholic news headlines: Seminary opens.