Sister Jean, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and longtime chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team, died Oct. 9. She was 106.

Even as he approaches his 90s, Midwestern entrepreneur and philanthropist Tom Monaghan said he still has some unfinished work as he looks back on his business successes and philanthropic projects in Catholic education, media and investing.

Good coaching, even at the highest level, isn’t about winning championships, John Harbaugh said. “It’s about becoming a champion for the people you coach.”

America needs the example of a real hero: a dedicated hero who enhances natural talents by hard work and takes pride in a craft; an unselfish hero who places team above self.

With the blast of a horn, the dragon boat races paddled off Sept. 13 in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. A fundraiser for Catholic Charities, the biennial race featured local businesses, nonprofits and college teams competing for the coveted dragon trophy while raising money for the nonprofit and its many programs.

Sister Jean captured the hearts of college basketball fans when, as team chaplain, she inspired Loyola University of Chicago to a Final Four berth in the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

Since Aug. 22, Chicago White Sox fans have been able to easily spot the stadium seat where Pope Leo XIV sat when he watched the first game of the 2005 World Series.

Since 1998, the Dragon Boat races have been a biennial tradition, except for a pandemic pause. The event was born from a visit to China by Hal Smith, a former executive director of Catholic Charities of Baltimore.

Calvert Hall’s Tyler Ward is among coaches at four area Catholic high schools who will be trying to get their new teams to the highest level. In addition to Tyler Ward, Richard Holzer will take over at Loyola Blakefield in Towson; Rich Stichel Jr. at Archbishop Curley High School in Northeast Baltimore; and Josh Ward (not related to Tyler Ward) at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Essex.

Politics can unite instead of divide as long as it refuses to settle for propaganda that feeds on creating enemies, Pope Leo XIV said.