Home Page

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI said he hoped his first trip to France as pope would encourage greater awareness of Mary as a beacon of hope for all people, especially the young.

The toll our sluggish national economy has taken on the average American family is reported nearly every day by the news media and is evident in almost every aspect of our daily lives. It seems like everything costs more these days, from groceries to gasoline to the electric bill. For many people, the substantial increase in the cost of basic necessities has forced them to make very tough decisions about how they spend their money. For some families, even priorities such as tuition are no longer within their financial reach.

We all believe in life after death. But many of us still struggle with doubts. My favorite prayer from the Gospels is: “I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief!”

This fall the church family of St. Ann is celebrating 135 years on the corner of Greenmount Avenue and 22nd Street and praising God that our anchor still holds secure! Besides our “Anchors and Ancestors Ball” and Homecoming Liturgy on the weekend of Oct. 10-12, we wanted to find a way to renew and rejoice in our call to be a eucharistic community. A Liturgical Revival weekend at St. Ann promises to do just that!

St. Anthony of Padua, which is part of the Catholic Faith Community of Gardenville, will kick off its 125th anniversary Sept. 14.

SAN FRANCISCO – Responding to an invitation to meet with him to discuss church teaching on abortion and other topics, U.S. House Speaker Nancy House Speaker Pelosi said she would “welcome the opportunity” to meet with Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco “to go beyond our earlier most cordial exchange about immigration and needs of the poor to church teaching on other significant matters.”

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI sent a brief e-mail to more than 30,000 young people who attended World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, or have expressed interest in knowing more about the experience.