Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Blessed Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows! Let us pray to Our Blessed Mother for her intercession, and let us follow her example since she suffered immensely with the Passion and death of her Son, embraced all her suffering, and knows the true joy of the Resurrection. Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us.
Michelangelo’s Pieta, St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy (1499).
Yesterday, September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Diocese of Phoenix celebrated the launching of its invigorating Capital Campaign, “Together Let Us Go Forth – Juntos Sigamos Adelante.” The introductory video of the Campaign is great: http://www.togethergoforth.org/en/home-grid/
This day we celebrated the memory of the very special visit of St. John Paul II.
St. Pope John Paul II kisses a baby during his visit in Phoenix, September 14, 1987.
A special Mass to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Saint John Paul II’s visit to Phoenix on September 14, 1987 was held at St. Mary’s Basilica at noon.
Sr. Maria Crucis, RSM reads the First Reading at the Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica. Happy Feast Day, Sister!
Our journey as Catholics is not yet complete – God has much more in store for us! He calls us to step out in faith, to deepen our walk with Him and to bring others to an encounter of His love: to become Disciples and to Evangelize through our words and lives. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has laid out a comprehensive plan to accomplish this mission of evangelization, which gives each one of us the opportunity to engage in our faith by helping the church meet the extraordinary needs we face… now we must respond!
At the Celebration of Hope, Bishop Thomas Olmsted gives an inspiring address.
Listen to Bishop Olmsted’s remarks for the launching of the Capital Campaign:
Tuesday, September 12, Sister Chris, CSST the Superior General of the Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa from Kerala, India came to visit. She has assigned three (3) of her Sisters to teach at St. Mary-Basha School in Chandler. Sr. Tessy, CSST is the first to arrive, and she is the local superior of this new foundation here.
Sr. Chris, CSST, Superior General of the Carmelite Sisters of Saint Teresa, India.
Sr. Tessy, CSST is teaching 7th and 8th Graders at St. Mary-Basha Catholic School in Chandler.
Bishop Olmsted and Sr. Chris are conversing.
Bishop Olmsted receives beautiful gifts she brought from India and their African missions.
The Sisters had a special lunch together with their Pastor, Fr. Dan McBride and his Parish Office Manager, Cherise. Fr. Nelson Libera, a judge in the Tribunal, is a good friend.
Sunday, September 10, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima that is touring the world with the relics of Saints Jacinta and Francisco came to our Cathedral. We were given the great gift and privilege of venerating them and praying before them with particular intentions for world peace, healing and sanctification.
Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us!
On Saturday, September 9, at the Magnificat Luncheon held at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Sun City, Sr. Margery Harkin, PVMI gave her vocation story, sharing with us the goodness of God made manifest in her beautiful life.
Sr. Margery Harkin, PVMI gave a marvelous vocation testimony about her Magnificat to the Lord’s goodness to her.
On Friday, September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Blessed Mother, we had the privilege of listening to the moving testimony of Dr. Gianna Molla, daughter of St. Gianna Molla, at the “Celebrate and Respect Life Luncheon at the DPC.”
Dr. Gianna Molla, daughter of St. Gianna Molla of Milan, Italy.
On Tuesday, September 5, the Feast Day of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, there was a special Mass for this occasion at Our Lady of Fatima Mission in Phoenix. The Missionaries of Charity, invited all their friends and benefactors to a Mass celebrated by Fr. Fred Adamson, the Vicar General of the Diocese. After Mass, we all enjoyed a beautiful skit by the children on the life of Mother Teresa who was played by Mrs. Plummer, Superintendent of Schools Harry Plummer’s wife. A beautiful shrine with a relic of Mother Teresa was displayed for veneration.
The Missionaries of Charity’s service here is a great gift!
If you know of a woman open to discerning Religious Life, please invite her to:
May God bless you and keep you always.
With love and prayers,
Sister Anthony Mary Diago, RSM
Director of the Office of Consecrated Life
Waking Up the World 