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On Dec. 8, two minutes into the second half of a 52-35 non-conference basketball victory over Havre de Grace High School, senior Briana Grap hit a three-point field goal giving her 1,143 career points and the career scoring record for women at Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Middle River. Grap has twice been named to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland’s All- Conference team, and led the Cougars to the 2005-06 IAAM C Conference championship.

Aaron Wiggins may be homeless, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in discussing current events. Mr. Wiggins is among the six to 10 individuals who come weekly to St. Vincent de Paul’s Beans & Bread Outreach Center in Fells Point, ready to discuss the issues of the day. “A lot of the missions and shelters in the city don’t want you to be near their building until they are ready to let you in for the night, because the neighbors don’t want to look at us,” Mr. Wiggins said. “They want us to be invisible, like we don’t exist. At least here…, at this group, I don’t feel like I’m invisible. I feel like what I have to say matters.”

As David Tolar sat in the sun-filled lobby of St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Roland Park, the son of a Baptist father and Lutheran-baptized mother reflected on how far he has come in his journey to Catholicism and possibly the priesthood. Mr. Tolar joined three other men chosen by their pastors and pastoral life directors to attend the annual Discernment Retreat on Diocesan Priesthood Dec. 28-29 at the seminary. During the invitation-only event begun by Cardinal William H. Keeler 10 years ago, the men have the opportunity to get to know seminarians, Father Gerard Francik, director of vocations for the archdiocese and the cardinal on a one-on-one basis as they seriously consider their call to the priesthood.

TRENTON, N.J. (CNS) — Catholic officials have praised the recommendation by a New Jersey panel that the state abolish the death penalty in favor of life imprisonment without parole. The New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission, created in 2005, submitted its findings Jan. 2 to Gov. Jon S. Corzine. In their report commission members said they did not find compelling evidence in support of capital punishment and also found that it costs taxpayers more than it does to incarcerate prisoners for life. The commission voted 12-1 in opposition of the death penalty and said capital punishment is “inconsistent with evolving standards of decency, serves no legitimate penological purpose such as deterrence or retribution and is not worth the risk of making an irreversible mistake.”

Aaron Wiggins may be homeless, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in discussing current events. Mr. Wiggins is among the six to 10 individuals who come weekly to St. Vincent de Paul’s Beans & Bread Outreach Center in Fells Point, ready to discuss the issues of the day. “A lot of the missions and shelters in the city don’t want you to be near their building until they are ready to let you in for the night, because the neighbors don’t want to look at us,” Mr. Wiggins said. “They want us to be invisible, like we don’t exist. At least here…, at this group, I don’t feel like I’m invisible. I feel like what I have to say matters.”

Wearing a black tattered coat, gloves with a hole in the left palm and a knit skull cap, a homeless woman calling herself Miss L.A. shed a tear as Baltimore City political leaders called out the names of her fellow street dwellers who died in the past year. The 16th Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service held Dec. 21 at Baltimore’s War Memorial Plaza, drew about 200 candle-holding spectators and gave Miss L.A. ample opportunity to beg for change.