BEIJING – He’s known as “the black pope of China” – a play on the “black pope” title given to the powerful head of the Jesuits – and whether or not people like his methods, they all agree that he is one of the most powerful laymen in China’s Catholic Church. Anthony Liu Bainian, 73,...Read More

Third-grade teacher aide and lunchroom monitor Maureen Bodensteiner can still do splits and cartwheels, talents leftover from her days as a cheerleading squad captain. Wearing a 1960’s flip-styled hair and sporting pom-poms, she played cheerleader along with 11 other teachers during the first annual Resurrection/St. Paul School, Ellicott City, student and faculty/staff basketball game held...Read More

Where was 13-year-old Ashley Turnbull when the women’s top-ranked Duke Blue Devils had one-tenth of a second left on the clock in the NCAA quarterfinals March 24 and had the chance to win or tie by sinking either of her two free throws? Duke’s Lindsey Harding missed both shots, and the Blue Devils headed back...Read More

Although the entire room calls Dorothy Dixon “Grandma,” she has no grandchildren. The 91-year-old soup kitchen coordinator answers to the pet name from some 100 community members who visit St. Cecilia, Baltimore, on Thursdays to eat a hot supper. The lively Ms. Dixon, dressed from neck to foot in red including blazer, sweater, skirt and...Read More