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CYO helped convert take the plunge

“Sport trains body and spirit for perseverance, effort, courage, balance, sacrifice, honesty, friendship and collaboration,” said St. John Paul II during a 1984 homily at the Olympic stadium in Rome.

And, sometimes, sports lead people home.
A new church for St. Anne

GRANTS PASS — It was a moving moment as Archbishop Alexander Sample took to the new ambo at St. Anne Parish — with joy in his eyes — looked at Father Bill Holtzinger in the crowd and spoke of the pastor’s work in building a new church for the faith community here.
WATCH: Be grateful to parents, never insult them, pope says

VATICAN CITY — Honoring mothers and fathers means being grateful for the gift of life and Christians should never insult anyone's parents, Pope Francis said.
WATCH: Training for catechists: Begin by deepening divine relationship

EUGENE — At regional trainings this summer, western Oregon Catholics who teach the faith heard that before they instruct, they must allow God deep into their lives.
Catholic hospital systems renew commitment to community health

When Cynthia, a single mom living in Portland’s suburbs, lost her job, she didn’t know where to turn. She found her way to a community resource desk at Providence Medical Center and learned about an apartment that she was able to move into fairly quickly. Now that she knew about the resource desk, she returned to the hospital for advice after she moved into the unit, which was clean but bare.
Faith in Christ isn't professed in words but in deeds, pope says

VATICAN CITY — True followers of Jesus profess their faith not through pre-packaged platitudes but rather through concrete actions of love for their neighbors, Pope Francis said.
Pope, in Sicily, honors priest martyred by Mafia

PALERMO, Sicily — Honoring a priest shot at point-blank range by the Mafia, Pope Francis insisted that true happiness and a real change in Sicilian society will come only when people love and care for one another rather than trying to grab as much money and power as they can.
‘God is foremost for Pat Casey’

Pat Casey is so Catholic that the University of Notre Dame tried to get him to coach their baseball squad and offered some serious money. But Casey is so dedicated to Oregon State University and his family that he refused the offer, even while it might have been a dream for this member of St. Mary Parish in Corvallis.
Carolinas brace for hurricane; seminary dedication is set to go on

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Carolinas, leaders in the Diocese of Charlotte leaders began taking precautions and staying in the loop with North Carolina emergency management officials.
A perky friend to God and humanity

ASHLAND — Janie Brown thinks of herself as the utility infielder of Our Lady of the Mountain Parish.
New Marist-hosted program helps homeless children read, dream

EUGENE — The drowsy cadence of “Goodnight Moon,” the drama of “Narnia,” and the everyday pests and life puzzles captured by Beverly Clearly are beloved chapters of childhood. Letters on a page are also a portal to facts about bugs and planets and the captivating lives of explorers and revolutionaries. Learning of all sorts is unequivocally bound to books and the ability to read.
Catholic schools plan

A strategic plan for the future of Catholic schools in western Oregon is moving from ideas to action. But the process will go deliberately.
Church officials in Philippines prepare 'surge team' for super typhoon

MANILA, Philippines — The social action arm of the Philippine Catholic Church has convened its "surge team" as super Typhoon Mangkhut threatened the country in mid-September.
WATCH: U.S. bishops tell pope abuse scandal 'lacerated' the church

VATICAN CITY — The leaders of the U.S. bishops' conference said they shared with Pope Francis how the church in the United States has been "lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse."
From tending flowers to earning trophies: Highlights from Valley Catholic School

BEAVERTON — Located on the campus of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon, Valley Catholic is a close-knit community of students, families and educators.
Pope to convene world meeting on abuse prevention with bishops' leaders

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is calling the presidents of every Catholic bishops' conference in the world to Rome Feb. 21-24 to discuss the prevention of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.
WATCH: Shop has spread the faith for 35 years

A veteran of the Catholic book, gift and supply business has retired. But Mary Dieringer found new owners for Gifts of the Spirit, a religious fixture in Southeast Portland for 35 years.
Former University of Portland president listed in grand jury clergy sex abuse report

A past president of the University of Portland, Holy Cross Brother Raphael Wilson, is listed in the recently released grand jury report investigating the widespread sexual abuse of children within Pennsylvania dioceses and the systemic cover-up by senior church officials.
Lucky there's a 'Catholic Guy'

MINNEAPOLIS (CNS) — Lino Rulli doesn't have any children of his own. Married two years ago, the 46-year-old and his wife, Jill, are hoping that changes soon.
Jesuit schools: Seeking God in all things

Before one of the most intellectually formidable religious orders and powerful spiritualities spread across the globe, the man behind them — a former playboy named Ignatius — formed a close circle of friends. The group included such holy tours de force as Sts. Francis Xavier and Peter Faber.
Build church unity, shun clericalism, pope tells new bishops

VATICAN CITY — The Catholic Church needs bishops who promote unity, "not soloists singing their own tune or captains fighting personal battles," Pope Francis told new bishops from the church's mission territories.
Another legal fight likely looms over child immigration detention

WASHINGTON — In what is likely to result in another legal showdown over immigration, the Trump administration is seeking to set down new rules that would allow government officials to detain children in immigration detention facilities -- this time accompanied by their undocumented parents -- for longer periods of time than currently allowed.
Holy Names Sisters celebrate golden jubilees

MARYLHURST — The Sisters of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary are celebrating the 50-year anniversary of four women in Oregon. The golden jubilarians are Sisters Maureen Oliver, Kathryn Knoll, Janet Marcisz and Mary Ann Martinmaas.
Prelates in Austria, Germany offer support to Pope Francis

Prelates in Germany and Austria have united to support Pope Francis in response to a former papal nuncio's demand for his resignation.
Italian Mass before festival: It’s a natural

Italians celebrate saints, miracles and the founding of their scenic villages — among other things. The commemorations involve days of food, music, dancing, sport and long speeches. But every festival in the old country begins with Mass.
Letter confirms Vatican officials knew of McCarrick allegations in 2000

VATICAN CITY — A top official from the Vatican Secretariat of State acknowledged allegations made by a New York priest in 2000 concerning Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, according to a letter obtained by Catholic News Service.
Church activities curtailed by smoke

MEDFORD — Catholic churches and homes in Southern Oregon are safe so far amid wildfires, but persistent smoke has suppressed activities — and spirits.

“It is horrible. It is absolutely grim,” said Ann Brophy, pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Church in Medford.
Immigration a moral matter, not a legal one

During an Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass in 2016 at St. Mary Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Northwest Portland, Archbishop Alexander Sample told the church full of immigrants: “It does not matter to me from where you have come, when you came, or whether you have the proper documents or not. You are loved.”
Cardinal Bo slams Myanmar military for brutality in Kachin

MANDALAY, Myanmar — Myanmar's military continues to persecute ethnic Kachin, the predominant Christian group in a conflict-torn part of the country, as well as Rohingya Muslims, said Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon, Myanmar.
At hearing, Kavanaugh highlights his Catholic Charities' volunteer work

WASHINGTON — During the second day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Sept. 5, U.S. Appeals Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh said his experience serving the homeless with Catholic Charities and tutoring at Washington Jesuit Academy has influenced him as a judge because of the importance of "standing in the shoes of others."
Social justice Catholic group's letter objects to Kavanaugh nomination

WASHINGTON — A Sept. 4 letter signed by more than 1,500 Catholic nuns, priests and other church leaders from around the country addressed to U.S. senators voiced concerns about Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a fellow Catholic, as he faced confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill in early September that may result in a seat for him on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Advice from survivors for fellow Catholics

The lacerating grand jury report on sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Pennsylvania and the alleged crimes of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C., have left many in and outside the church trying to discern what went wrong, who is to blame and where the church should go from here.
Archbishop Sample responds to abuse reports

Like many of you, I was shocked, angered, and discouraged by the recent revelations concerning former Cardinal and retired Archbishop of Washington, D.C., Theodore McCarrick. Then, on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, came the release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report on clergy sex abuse in six Pennsylvania dioceses, covering more than seven decades. These horrific revelations are particularly painful in light of what victims in our own Archdiocese have suffered and the impact that sexual abuse has had on the Church here in western Oregon. I am sorry beyond words for the harm that has been done.
Cardinal Wuerl addresses church's 'pain, confusion and disillusionment'

WASHINGTON — Addressing the clergy abuse crisis in the church will require "wider lay engagement, more realized accountability and evident transparency," said Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl at the end of a Sept. 2 Mass in Washington.
As homelessness surges, Blanchet House ministry is all the more vital

Valerie grew up in Montana on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Montana's unemployment rate — 4 percent — is one of the lowest in the nation, but joblessness remains a persistent problem across tribal communities with three or four times more people out of work than elsewhere.
Abortion campaign waged with information

“If abortion is a personal choice, why should it be funded by our tax dollars?”

That’s the question headlining the Facebook page of Oregon’s new Yes on Measure 106 campaign. The measure, which will be on the November ballot, would ban public spending on abortion. Oregon is one of only 17 states that allows such expenditures and has the nation’s most permissive abortion laws.
Holy Family celebrates its 70th anniversary

Holy Family School in Southeast Portland opened its doors Sept. 8, 1948. Enrollment was 27 students. In the ensuing 70 years, enrollment has increased substantially, but the mission of the school remains the same: guiding students to become self-aware and engaged learners, responsible decision makers, and faith-filled learners.