DENVER – Since 2004, more than 13,000 college students, chaplains and FOCUS missionaries have served on more than 1,000 FOCUS mission trips around the world, making FOCUS Missions the largest Catholic missions program. During this past year’s program, despite pandemic restrictions, FOCUS Missions sent more than 1,100 participants on more than 60 trips, many of which were in the United States.

BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. church today is called more than ever to carry out its centuries-long evangelizing mission at a time of spiritual awakening rising from “under the clouds of the pandemic” and the country’s uncertain future, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told his fellow prelates.

BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops’ focus on the significance of the Eucharist in the life of the church isn’t just about on the statement they approved at their fall meeting.

BALTIMORE (CNS) — The U.S. bishops approved their statement on the Eucharist with 222 “yes” votes Nov. 17, the second of two days of public sessions during their Nov. 15-18 fall general assembly.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. bishops have assigned a feast date to St. Teresa of Kolkata.

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Diocese of Tulsa and Saint Gregory's Abbey launched Thursday a new project to better understand the history, educational value and experiences of Native students in Oklahoma Catholic boarding schools from 1880 to 1965. The Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project seeks to understand the history of Catholic Indian boarding schools in Oklahoma by gathering oral histories from former students and their descendants, studying documentation on Catholic Indian boarding schools from parishes, religious orders, tribes, the U.S. Department of the Interior and other reputable sources. The information collected through documents and oral histories will be compiled into a report.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic leaders spoke out against the execution of John Grant Oct. 28 in Oklahoma — the first execution carried out by the state in six years.

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO – El cardenal Mario Grech, secretario general del Sínodo de los Obispos, dijo que en el proceso de crear una iglesia más sinodal, en la que todos los miembros contribuyen y todos se escuchen, "estamos tocando algo divino, y la oración es esencial".

Archbishop Coakley opens synod in archdiocese

Veterans Day Nov. 11

Veterans Day Nov. 11

EDMOND – Keaton Barrón was only 8 years old when he lost his battle to leukemia. While in the hospital, Keaton started the "K Club," a place where kids and adults could choose random acts of kindness to help others. As a result, Keaton's family is carrying on its mission of changing the world through small acts of kindness, making a significant difference in many lives.

The story of the “Five Moons,” the American Indian dancers from Oklahoma who took the world of ballet by storm from the mid-1940s until the 1960s, is even more fascinating when one realizes that three of these five remarkable women were Catholic (the other two were Rosella Hightower and Moscelyne Harkin).

SHAWNEE – Saint Benedict Catholic Church in Shawnee celebrated its 125th anniversary Oct. 9-10. The parish named the celebration the “125 Plus One Anniversary Celebration,” since they couldn’t celebrate the actual anniversary this past year because of the pandemic.

In his new book, “Things Worth Dying For,” Archbishop Charles Chaput has provided us with an inspiring book of hope as we ponder on the meaning of life and death.