Christopher Gunty speaks with Missionary of Jesus Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, about immigration, poverty and the Catholic call to welcome the stranger.

Seeking a way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Partners In Excellence scholarship program, Roxanne Fiddler, director of the program, and her fellow PIE board of advisors brainstormed an idea especially fitting for the fall season.

Ss. Philip and James doesn’t measure its last five years in numbers, its pastor says. But the numbers tell a story anyway: Mass attendance has more than doubled, young families are filling out its ministries and the historic Charles Village parish posts one of the highest attendance rates for a Catholic church in Baltimore City, with more than 600 people at Sunday Mass when The Johns Hopkins University is in session.

For generations, the Catholic parish was understood as a spiritual home for everyone who lived within its boundaries. But in an increasingly disconnected culture, parish leaders may not even know who lives in the houses just beyond their church doors.

As St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Ijamsville celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Frederick County faith community has received a property donation from Tom Natelli, president and CEO of Natelli Communities, with an estimated value of $1 million.

During an Oct. 3 prayer service, Archbishop William E. Lori reminded those gathered at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City that while the service commemorated the death of St. Francis of Assisi 800 years ago, the evening was really about hope.

In this Oct. 4, 2026, episode of Catholic Review Radio, host Rita Buettner explores the life, legacy and enduring spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of his death. Through conversations with Conventual Franciscan Father Michael Heine, provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province, and Conventual Franciscan Father Gary Johnson, vicar provincial, listeners gain fresh insight into one of Christianity’s most beloved saints.

Taking only three months to complete, the Sacred Space Project gave the 40-year-old parish much needed updates, including new flooring, better lighting and new paint, according to Father Kline, pastor. Adjustments to the sanctuary’s framing and platform were also completed.

The breakfast, sponsored annually by PIE to support Catholic students in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, invites local business leaders to network, hear about the impact on students and schools, and – the organizers hope – contribute to the cause.

Behind prison walls, unexpected encounters are changing lives. For incarcerated men and women seeking hope and the ministers who accompany them, prison ministry is a powerful source of faith, healing and human connection.