Images of seven Black Catholics placed at the altar during the Diocese’s Black Catholic Apostolate Mass shared a dual message for those in the congregation: remember and celebrate the good and holy works they did in their lives, and stand on their shoulders to continue sharing their light.
Angela Orisini, a volunteer in the Archives at the Diocese of Harrisburg since 2012 and a longtime friend of The Catholic Witness staff and author of the “Saint Spotlight” column, died on Feb. 1 at Carolyn’s House of Hospice of Central Pennsylvania.
What can I say? Susan Tassone has done it again! When it comes to prayer books with purpose, I have found Susan’s various titles to be a great go-to source.…
St. Bernadette Soubirous
Patroness of body illness, poverty, people ridiculed for their faith, and Lourdes, France
Feast Day – April 16
In Lourdes, France, a small town at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, Marie-Bernarde Soubirous was born on January 7, 1844. Her father was a miller and her mother a laundress. He became sick from the dust of the flour mill and had to rely on small jobs. The loss of money forced them to live in a long-closed, unhealthy, damp prison called Le Chacot. This affected the 4’ 7” Bernadette because of her asthma.
Marie François Thérèse Martin was born January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France. She did not fully comprehend what the Carmel was, but at 15 desired to enter. On September 24, 1890, she received her Carmelite veil in Lisieux as Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Although young, she was an accomplished artist, playwright/poetess, composer of prayers and avid letter writer. Knowing that she could not do great things, she adopted her “Little Way” – childlike surrender to God in everything, joyful humility, confidence and trust in His mercy and kindness, perseverance in prayer and love in all things.
Faith, excellence and service are the hallmarks of Catholic schools, and they were a particular emphasis of celebration this week at St. Columba School in Bloomsburg.
Catholic Schools Week activities for St. Columba’s students focused on this trifecta of values, particularly on Feb. 4, with a day of activities that centered on prayer, vocations and service.
As the March for Life commenced in our nation’s capital on Jan. 29, more than 130 miles away in Palmyra, the Respect for Life Ministry at Holy Spirit Parish led a pro-life witness through the neighborhoods and streets of town. Nearly 40 people endured the cold and windy weather to share their message of the dignity of human life to passersby.
St. Teresa of Calcutta School in Adams County offered a glimpse of the future on Feb. 3, as students dressed as their future career during a Catholic Schools Week celebration of vocations.
The PreK-3 through third grade classrooms at the Conewago campus were enlivened with future pizzeria owners, construction workers, veterinarians, professional gamers, firefighters, writers and Disney characters.
Delone Catholic High School students participated in a “Virtual March for Life” on Jan. 28, during all three lunch periods. The school’s virtual activities were held in conjunction with the national March for Life, which moved to a virtual event this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Pro-life activities in conjunction with the annual March for Life are typically large-scale at Lancaster Catholic High School. Traditionally, school administrators and teachers accompany several dozen students to the nation’s capital, where their purple and gold garb stands out in a sea of pro-life proponents. In school, students who don’t attend the March assemble for a pro-life speaker delivering an impactful message on the value of human life.
“It’s a total effort of witness and evangelization,” Timothy Hamer, school President, said of the complementary events. The March is significant for Hamer, whose mother worked alongside Nellie Gray, the event’s founder in 1974. Up until this year, Hamer hadn’t missed a March.
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