When Hamilton Okeke stepped into his room at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park for the first time, the enormity of what he was doing seemed to hit him in the gut. He was alone, literally and figuratively, as he was about to hand his life over to God. No one in his inner circle supported his desire to become a priest.

The Catholic Review won seven awards for excellence in journalism and advertising from the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada during the Catholic Media Convention, held May 27-29 in Anaheim, Calif.

Saying Baltimore’s Archbishop Curley High School was following in a long Catholic tradition, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien helped break ground on the school’s $4 million arts facility May 19.

It’s no accident that St. Peter the Apostle in Libertytown has five men in formation to become archdiocesan priests and one woman preparing to take her vows as a Daughter of St. Paul.

One week after she began the novena at her parish, Heibel’s cancer disappeared. Gone were tumors in both lungs, her liver, back and sternum. When Dr. Michael Gibson, her doctor at Hopkins, called with the news, Heibel couldn’t believe it.

“He was a good, good boy,” said Mr. Canzi, pausing to compose himself as his eyes moistened and his voice cracked. “I know he was a saint. I know his day will come.”

When 49-year-old Christopher Gunty takes the helm of The Catholic Review as associate publisher and editor, July 1, the Chicago-area native will bring with him nearly three decades of experience in Catholic journalism.

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien announced April 17 that Christopher Gunty will serve as associate publisher and editor of The Catholic Review and chief executive officer of the paper’s parent company, The Cathedral Foundation, replacing Mr. Daniel Medinger who resigned in February after leading the paper for more than 20 years.

Every Easter Vigil, deacons throughout the archdiocese face one of the most challenging yet spiritually rewarding duties of their ministry: chanting the Exsultet.

Mercy Sister Paula Marie Phelan always began the first day of class as director of Mercy Medical Center’s School of Medical Technology with an admonition: If students wanted to make it through the session they would have to work hard – very hard.