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WASHINGTON — It’s too early to tell the extent of Hurricane Ian’s damage in the Catholic dioceses of Venice and St. Petersburg or the rest of the Sunshine State for that matter, but President Joe Biden in a Sept. 29 news conference said it is likely to rank as “one of the deadliest hurricanes in Florida history.”

VATICAN CITY — The Gospel of St. John tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with a man who was born blind. Upon seeing him, the disciples asked Jesus if the man’s blindness was due to his sins or that of his parents.

The Feb. 17, 2023, dedication of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine will have something for everyone. Many inspiring and carefully chosen pieces of art will be waiting to welcome pilgrims from near and far.

Kathy Rooker, from Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Oklahoma City, was named the 2022 Educator of the Year during the 2022 Education Institute held on Sept. 16 at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Oklahoma City. 

Mary Dresel, from Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Sulphur, was named the 2022 Catechist of the Year during the 2022 Catechetical Conference held on Sept. 17 at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Oklahoma City. 

The Center of Family Love’s Gift of Love Gala is what brought a new vision to light. “We think all of our residents are heroes because of their individual untapped talent, and we are hoping to infuse that into our society,” Debbie Espinosa, Center of Family Love president and CEO, said.

Father Denis Statham, O.S.B., was an educator par excellence, a devoted monk and a beloved curmudgeon. Underneath what seemed to be a sometimes blunt and crusty personality, Father Denis possessed a big heart, but did his best to make sure it wasn’t seen on a regular basis.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Konawa hosted a Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Honor Dance on Saturday, Sept. 10. Planning began several months in advance with Esther and Kendra Lowden, the Southside Potawatomi Family and Friends and several members of Sacred Heart.

The Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women hosted a luncheon with Archbishop Coakley on Sept. 23 at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Oklahoma City to celebrate the works and service of Catholic women. Archbishop Coakley praised the faith and support shown through the acts of love and leadership at the parish, diocesan, state and national level.

Beautiful music filled Saint Peter Catholic Church in Woodward on a recent Sunday afternoon. The source was a pipe organ concert celebrating the dedication of the church’s newly refurbished instrument.

Most Rev. Eusebius Beltran’s tenure as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City saw a strengthening of the Catholic Church in Oklahoma. Nowhere was that more evident than with one of his hallmark achievements – the opening of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Youth Camp in 2000.

Therese Martin was born into a middle-class family on Jan. 2, 1873, in Alencon, France, and died on Sept. 30, 1897, in Lisieux, France. She entered the Carmelite monastery in Lisieux at the age of 15, on April 9, 1888.

Americans have many reasons to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II, one of the few truly noble figures on the contemporary world stage. 

WASHINGTON — Catholics across the country continue to feel wounded by the clergy abuse crisis, seek a more welcoming church in which their “lived reality” is prioritized over rules and regulations, and desire lifelong spiritual, pastoral and catechetical formation as disciples, according to a report synthesizing the 10-month synodal process in dioceses.

TORONTO — A date for a new papal statement on the Doctrine of Discovery, promised by Pope Francis on his way home from Canada to Rome, has not been announced. But whenever it happens, it is likely to address core concerns of Indigenous people in Canada and in many other parts of the world.

VATICAN CITY — Like Mary, who after the Annunciation went in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth, young Catholics are called to welcome Jesus into their lives and then to go out and share their joy with others, Pope Francis said.

CATONSVILLE, Md. — With an apron protecting her long, black religious habit, Sister Deborah Rose Rosado marveled at the steady stream of thick, golden goo she poured into a small glass jar.

PHOENIX — According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than twice as many people died in 2020 by their own hand than by someone else, and while the annual suicide rate actually dropped in 2019 and 2020 — the last year that figures are available — the rate has risen sharply since 2000.

Fr. Joseph Portzer, FSSP, Priest in Residence, St. Damien of Molokai Catholic Church, Edmond

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This issue of the Sooner Catholic includes several encouraging stories directly from clients, whose names have been changed to protect client confidentiality, who have been positively impacted by your support of Catholic Charities. These examples were chosen to showcase how each Catholic Charities program animates the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. We hope these true stories inspire your continued support as we launch the 2022 Catholic Charities Annual Appeal.