It was with some excitement that organizers of the 24th Men’s Rally in the Diocese of Palm Beach recently announced that Father Schmitz would be the main presenter at the next event Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025.
St. Joseph School in Stuart recently announced the opening of the Bongino Family Innovation Lab, made possible by a donation from the Bongino family and the support of many other families.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to Monday December 9, 2024.
During a recent Sunday Mass at Holy Family Parish in Port St. Lucie, 20 people were publicly introduced to the parish community, asking the faithful to pray for them on their spiritual journey of discernment toward the Catholic Church.
Time is running out for parishioners to contribute to the 2024 Diocesan Services Appeal, which funds local ministries that protect the most vulnerable in our communities. Dec. 31, 2024, will be the final day to make a difference this year in your parish and Diocese of Palm Beach.
The final fall 40 Days for Life event Nov. 2 featured a Mass at Miracle House with Father Daniel Donohue of St. Juliana Parish
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito presided and prayed for the faithful departed on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery in Royal Palm Beach.
In the spirit of the Gospel reading — in which Jesus says the second most important commandment is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” — Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito visited a beloved neighbor Nov. 3, 2024, to bless a new Marian icon at St. Nicholas Melkite Catholic Church in Delray Beach.
The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women honored 31 young women Oct. 26 at a Golden Rose Mass presided by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito and followed by a luncheon at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Catholics in Indian River County rejoiced Oct. 23, 2024, along with clients and supporters of A Caring Center for Women in Vero Beach as the pregnancy resource center officially embarked on its latest initiative, offering free medical services to women, most of whom are uninsured.
Susan Baldwin of St. Helen Parish in Vero Beach received the 2024 Pro-life Person of the Year Award from the Diocese of Palm Beach during the 37th annual Florida Culture of Life Conference Oct. 18-19 in Orlando.
Faithful of all ages participated in the seventh annual Butterfly Release event Oct. 27, 2024, at St. Helen Parish in Vero Beach, sponsored by the Respect Life ministry.
The hurricane was minor on Florida’s east coast in comparison to the destruction and deaths caused by the more than 45 tornadoes that struck the state in the afternoon and early evening. Many residents of the counties that comprise the Diocese of Palm Beach (Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Indian River) are working to get their lives back to normal.
The solemnity of All Saints, Friday, Nov. 1, when Catholics celebrate and honor the heroes of the faith, is a holy day of obligation, meaning the faithful are required to attend Mass.
The 2024-25 Lumen Christi Schools Appeal, which strives to meet the needs of the three Catholic preschools, 12 elementary schools and three high schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach, has begun under the banner of “Live the Light of Christ.”
Pope Francis' new encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus is being hailed as "a simple and powerful cure" for a fractured world, said the president of the U.S. Catholic bishops' conference -- and that sentiment was echoed by other experts on devotion to the Sacred Heart.
An annual Life March from St. Joan of Arc Parish’s Mercy Center to Sanborn Square Park in Boca Raton and back drew 100 people from surrounding communities.
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito has produced a video to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Diocese of Palm Beach in which he emphasizes the diverse expressions of faith, hope and love that have flourished since Oct. 24, 1984, when the first diocesan bishop was installed. In his 21 years as chief shepherd of the diocese, Bishop Barbarito says he has witnessed the vitality of the church, which exists for the celebration of the Eucharist. He prays for the protection of our patroness, Mary, Queen of the Apostles and asks God’s continued blessings on our diocese.
Former abortionist Dr. Haywood Robinson, who has been part of 40 Days for Life since its 2007 beginning in Texas, gave an inspiring talk Oct. 18 in the Family Life Center at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Members of the Council of Catholic Women lit up the hall at St. Helen Parish on Oct. 19 with their spirituality, friendship and joy. The occasion was the first Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Northern Deanery meeting for 2024-25, with the theme of “Be the Light.”
Members of the Junior Legion of Mary, Our Lady of Grace praesidia, honored Mary with a “living rosary of splendor” Oct. 12, 2024, at St. Rita in Wellington. Children with their families formed a human rosary in the church, with each participant leading prayer representing one bead of the rosary.
The Diocese of Palm Beach’s Office of Catholic Schools began a professional development program for new teachers Oct. 3 in the Family Life Center of the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Teams from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach continue to be in the communities they serve. On Oct. 14, staff assisted victims of Hurricane Milton in Martin County, then staff and volunteers, including board members and volunteers from St. Anastasia Parish, partnered with Mustard Seed Ministries to get needed relief to residents in the Fort Pierce area.
At the annual Steps for Life Mass and rosary walk Oct. 5 at Emmanuel Parish in Delray Beach, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito asked God to continue to bless the efforts of Catholic Charities and its Birthline/Lifeline pregnancy care centers to reach and support women and families in distressing circumstances.
At the three weekend Masses in which he presided Oct. 5-6 — Steps for Life, then the Red Mass and Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola — Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito made parishioners aware of the importance of their vote against Amendment 4
The Theology on Tap in Palm Beach County learned about Amendment 4 and the pro-life work of Catholic Charities from Deanna Herbst-Hoosac, Respect Life ministry director, Sept. 18 in Lake Worth Beach.
At least 300 volunteers, mostly from the parishes of St. Clare and the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, put their energy and enthusiasm into packing 60,000 meals for those in need Sept. 28 at St. Clare’s Parish Center in North Palm Beach.
For months, pro-life speakers have been sounding the alarm about the proposal to expand abortion access in Florida through a constitutional amendment.
The faithful came from far and wide Sept. 16 to venerate the relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) and ask for his intercession at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens.
As the 15th Haitian Charismatic Renewal Convention for the Diocese of Palm Beach was getting started Sept. 20, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito came to help lead the rosary and ask the Virgin Mary to bless and protect the more than 1,000 Spirit-filled Catholics expected for the weekend event.
The annual Blue Mass for people working in public safety is planned for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. The liturgy marks the feast of the Guardian Angels, Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, who are known as God’s protector, healer and messenger, respectively. Archangels are the patron saints of police officers and military personnel.
At Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, a Grandparents’ Ministry seeks to encourage grandparents to pass their Catholic faith on to their grandchildren with love and example, especially in an age of texting, social media and isolation.
“This is the 40th anniversary for two realities. It’s the diocese and the cathedral. The cathedral is the mother church of the diocese. So, all the churches are connected to the cathedral,” he said. “In addition, the diocese is made up of a lot of parishes. We want people to come and celebrate with us because it’s not just the cathedral celebration. It’s the entire diocese celebrating.”
The 2022 canonization of St. Titus Brandsma has left an indelible mark on people in the Diocese of Palm Beach. From the terminal cancer diagnosis for a beloved priest serving in the diocese, to the countless intercessory prayers prayed to then-Blessed Titus for the priest, to his healing and the diocesan investigation that supported the miraculous nature of the healing, it’s safe to say that St. Titus and the diocese are permanently linked.
Dion DiMucci, a pop music legend from the 1950s and 1960s, lifted spirits at an annual weekend retreat for adults with physical disabilities Aug. 2-4 at the Duncan Center in Delray Beach. He moved participants with songs and stories that described his life, his path to Christ and his Catholic faith.
John Carroll High School broke ground Aug. 16, 2024, for its new athletic field house that will be a hub for athletic excellence, providing students with a premier space for sports, events and activities.
“This is a little piece of heaven.” That is how one pilgrim in a group from St. Paul of the Cross Parish in North Palm Beach described the scene as clergy and laypeople filed in with the Real Presence of Jesus during the National Eucharistic Congress from July 17-21, 2024, in Indianapolis. Their journey to Indiana with more than 60,000 other Catholics was full of blessed moments like that.
Summer break is over, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach are open for business and classrooms are bustling with activity. On some campuses, newly appointed administrators have taken their positions and are getting comfortable with their faculty, staff, students and families.
Members of the Knights of Columbus Our Lady of Lourdes Council 11241 donated a check for $3,400 to Birthline/Lifeline Pregnancy Care Centers July 27. The money came mostly from the sale of religious items at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Boca Raton.
The Palm Beach Diocesan Council of Catholic Women officially began its 2024-25 year Aug. 3, with the Council Enrichment Institute day of appreciation in the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Family Life Center. It was an opportunity to recognize and thank the council women for their steadfast service.
In a continuing effort to educate local Catholics on Amendment 4, which will be on Florida’s Nov. 5 General Election ballot, and equip them to spread the word on the extreme and deceptive abortion proposal, the Diocese of Palm Beach and its parishes are hosting informational meetings. The latest events were in Delray Beach Aug. 14 and in Vero Beach Aug. 15.
On Aug. 7, shortly before the start of the School of Christian Formation’s 2024-25 year, the program’s instructors were invited to Mass and dinner in appreciation of their work.
St. Clare Parish marked multiple milestones during a liturgy with Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito on Aug. 11. The North Palm Beach faith community celebrated the installation of Father Nick Zrallack as pastor at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on the feast of the parish’s patron, St. Clare of Assisi, which is also Father Zrallack’s birthday.
Growing up in communist Cuba, isolated from different cultures and discouraged from religious practice, learning and living the Catholic faith wasn’t easy, said Armando Garcia, coordinator of Hispanic ministry for the Diocese of Palm Beach. He shared the lessons he has learned while speaking at a Theology on Tap gathering July 24 in West Palm Beach.
On Aug. 22, 1994, the life that then-Father Gerald M. Barbarito knew in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, changed forever. On that day 30 years ago, he was ordained a bishop.
St. Lucie Parish in Port St. Lucie preempted its regular Respect Life monthly meeting July 16 to host a public forum on Amendment 4. The gathering drew attendees from 11 area Catholic parishes and three Protestant churches.
Twenty-five men in formation to become permanent deacons attended their annual formation retreat with their wives July 19-21, 2024, at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center in North Palm Beach.
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito marked the third installation of a pastor in the Diocese of Palm Beach for 2024 on July 28, handing the reins to Father Leonard Dim at St. Matthew Parish in Lake Worth Beach, following the November 2023 death of the founding pastor, Father Clem Hammerschmitt, who served there since 1992.
A retired FBI agent will head up the U.S. bishops' consultative safe environment body, while a clergy abuse survivor, a nursing professor and two clinical social workers are also among the board's Aug. 1 appointments.
Father Hilaire, who had served Sacred Heart for a year as parochial administrator, was appointed pastor, effective July 1. He was joined at the celebration by many fellow priests, along with a large number of parishioners, family members and friends.
June 24-28 was youth mission week for St. Lucie Parish in Port St. Lucie. It was for encouraging parish youth to perform corporal works of mercy by walking in the footsteps of Jesus and by living the Gospels by helping the less fortunate.
The Romeros have been ministering to married couples for 15 years, teaching the techniques that renew relationships and keep them strong. The retreatants have ranged from couples with just a few months of marriage under their belt to as many as 45 years.
With tears in his eyes at the end of the 11 a.m. Mass, he told parishioners, “This week, I began to think of my life and wish that my great-aunt and my mom would have been here today. But I know they’re here, not physically but in my heart."
Asked to speak in the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary on “The Meaning of ‘Communion’ with the Heart of Jesus,” he related how the word “heart” is used in the Bible more than 1,000 times in a variety of contexts. People in biblical times had an understanding of the physical organ, Father Campbell said.
While pilgrims from throughout the United States walk four routes with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, destined for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, July 17-21, groups and individuals in the Diocese of Palm Beach are getting ready to join in the celebration.
During a service June 22, 2024, for the committal of 100 souls, Father Gabriel Ghanoum, director of the No One Buried Alone ministry, presented a challenge to those in attendance: be nonjudgmental, especially toward the individuals whose ashes were being interred at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery.
To assist all Catholic Charities staff to recognize human trafficking, a presentation was held June 11 in the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Family Life Center. The main speaker was PBSO Sgt. Carlos Lisboa, who works with the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force and Catholic Charities to stop this modern-day scourge.
The Diocese of Rome on Friday officially closed the diocesan phase of the investigation into the life and virtues of Chiara Corbella Petrillo, a joyful 28-year-old wife and mother who died from cancer in 2012 in Rome.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach has joined a national branding campaign to promote the life-giving and inspiring work being done to aid vulnerable populations in the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
To help local Catholics understand Amendment 4 on Florida’s November election ballot, which would legalize full-term abortion and remove all protections for preborn children, a presentation was held on a rainy June 12 at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in partnership with the Diocese of Palm Beach and Catholic Charities.
"We must remain relentless in our pursuit of both equality and equity," said Bishop Joseph N. Perry, retired auxiliary bishop of Chicago and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Racism and the USCCB Subcommittee on African American Affairs.
After the first minute of “Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist,” viewers witness a stark background with the words of the Gospel of John 6:51: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” This documentary is in theaters two more days: June 18-26, 2024.
Speaking with the Florida Catholic before his May 4 priestly ordination, Father Martin, who was born in Ecuador and moved to the United States at 3 years old, recalled growing up in his Catholic family in Stuart and Palm City, preferring to be with his friends, playing basketball. Anything but going to Mass.
St. Vincent Ferrer in Delray Beach and Holy Family in Port St. Lucie honored the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 7, 2024, by making an effort to rekindle devotion to the Sacred Heart and making reparation for a world that has become lukewarm or indifferent to God’s abundant love and mercy.
Guest commentary from Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami. When the U.S. bishops convene in Louisville June 12-14 for their annual spring meeting, they will be reflecting on positioning the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) for the future.
Each year the Florida Catholic honors the graduates of Catholic high schools with a listing of graduates and the valedictorian and salutatorian of the school. Our 18-page special section offers a comprehensive look of those graduates from the 12 schools of the Dioceses of Palm Beach, Orlando and Venice.
Shortly before their May 4 priestly ordination, the Florida Catholic spoke with both men about their lives, hopes and dreams for furthering the faith and serving the church. (This week is Father Dubé’s journey to the priesthood. Next week, we’ll spotlight Father Martin.)
End-of-life care is too important an issue to delay making decisions about it, said Father Dennis Gonzales at a recent Luncheon 4 Life at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach.
The final Eucharistic holy hour in a quarterly series that began in June 2023 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola with Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito. In addition, parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach were encouraged to conduct their own holy hour at the same time the bishop is leading worshipers at the cathedral as a sign of unity. Check with your parish to see if a special holy hour is set then or at another time.
About 500 Hispanics and Latinos from throughout the Diocese of Palm Beach gathered as a Eucharistic family May 26, 2024, for the 36th Diocesan Encuentro at All Saints School in Jupiter. With a special emphasis on social justice, the event marked the 40th anniversary of the diocese and the National Eucharistic Revival occurring in the United States.
Speaking May 21 to the Jupiter-Palm Beach chapter of Legatus, Franciscan Sister Clare Hunter reflected on the value of manual labor and its relation to creation.
"Access to safe drinkable water," Pope Francis said in his milestone 2015 ecological encyclical "Laudato Si'," "is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights."
Bishop John Noonan will ordain two transitional deacons to the Order of Priest, Saturday, May 25, 10 a.m.-noon, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, 8300 Vineland Ave., Orlando. All are welcome either in person or via livestream on the Diocese of Orlando Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Cardinal Newman High School has announced that its newly renovated academic building will be named the Rocco A. Marcello Family Academic Building. The renovation, scheduled to be completed at the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year, signifies a transformative chapter in the school’s 63-year history.
Voting is an act of conscience and should be discerned as such, panelists said at a May 14 webinar organized by the U.S. bishops' conference and other Catholic groups. Although neither the church nor its officials endorse particular candidates for public office, the bishops' teaching document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" is meant to advise Catholic voters on how to apply church teaching to the decisions they make in the ballot box.
After achieving a 25-year strategic goal in 2023 by acquiring all properties between Seventh and Eighth streets east of Olive Avenue, Rosarian Academy kicked off the public phase of its Centennial Capital Campaign May 1, with a May crowning, ribbon-cutting and blessing of the new Stockard Learning Center.
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito recognized the dedicated service of five women and one man celebrating anniversaries of 25, 50, 60 and 70 years in consecrated life during a Mass May 11 at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
In his homily at the May 4 priestly ordination Mass, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito recalled the message of Pope Francis to Rome’s deacons becoming priests this year: “Pastoral life is not a manual, but rather a daily offering; it is not a desk job, but rather a ‘Eucharistic adventure.’”
The valedictorian and salutatorian at St. John Paul II Academy are alike in many ways. They’re both outgoing, funny, athletic, hardworking and planning to attend the University of Florida. They were also surprised to learn that they were at the top of their graduating class.
Sometimes, change doesn’t come easy. It has taken four years for St. Luke Parish and School to begin demolition on the parish center building and start construction on a school expansion.
The church stands tall in the city of Sebastian, located on U.S. Highway 1. It is surrounded by natural beauty, the Intracoastal Waterway, barrier islands, a state park and wildlife refuge. St. Sebastian also has a sister mission parish on the west side of Interstate 95, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Diocese of Palm Beach honors its Catholic high school graduates, particularly the valedictorians and salutatorians, with senior spotlights. In the second of three articles shining a light on excellence in Catholic education, the Florida Catholic spoke with the top seniors at John Carroll High School.
The annual School of Christian Formation retreat for graduating students was April 27 in the Family Life Center of the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
"I think my faith has gotten a lot stronger since starting this profession -- just given that it's dangerous and even more so than that, it's very emotionally taxing," he told Arkansas Catholic, Little Rock’s diocesan newspaper. "You can take it so personal, the outcome of a race, even when there's so many uncontrollable variables."
The pope's early morning touchdown by helicopter from Rome April 28 brought him first to a women's prison, then by wooden motorboat to the Basilica of St. Mary of Health, a 17th-century church built to honor Mary, invoking her protection and intercession to end a devastating plague that killed nearly one-third of the population in the 1630s.
A Philadelphia priest working in Haiti has followed through on his plans to return immediately to his longtime ministry in that nation's besieged capital after a brief visit to the U.S. for medical treatment.
More than 460 sixth-graders and chaperones from 10 local Catholic schools visited St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary April 19 for a day of retreat. Besides enjoying the physical and spiritual riches that comprise the Boynton Beach seminary campus, it was an opportunity to take stock and reflect upon God’s plan for their lives.
The Diocese of Palm Beach honors its Catholic high school graduates, particularly the valedictorians and salutatorians, with senior spotlights. In the first of three articles shining a light on excellence in Catholic education, the Florida Catholic spoke with the top seniors at Cardinal Newman High School.
U.S. archbishop has denounced the Biden administration's decision to resume deportations of Haitian migrants, given the rampant violence and instability in Haiti.
In the spirit of Easter, a local organization of Catholic health-care workers is looking to experience a resurrection of its own. The Palm Beach Physicians Guild of the Catholic Medical Association was formed in 2016 on the feast of its patroness, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as a forum for fellowship and guidance on complex biomedical and workplace issues.
The diocesan Office of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation and Youth Ministry sponsored its Spring Professional Development Day April 10 for directors of faith formation, youth ministers, and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults leaders and team members at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens.
Jude Okeke, who was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Palm Beach during the Mass at St. Joan of Arc Church in Boca Raton, said earlier that it was a special blessing to have his chief shepherd, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito, be the ordaining prelate.
As the White House responds to Iran's attack against Israel, Catholic experts said U.S. officials should seek to prevent further escalation in the region.
"I make a heartfelt appeal for a halt to any action that might fuel a spiral of violence with the risk of dragging the Middle East into an even greater conflict," the pope said.
An annual baby shower drive by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach is being held in April to provide new and gently used items to expectant mothers and families in need. Items are being collected at sites throughout the diocese.
At least three Easter sunrise Masses were held on south Florida beaches in the Diocese of Palm Beach March 31, 2024
Every Friday morning at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, there is a children’s Mass, but April 5 was a special occasion. It was the feast day of the parish’s patron saint and a day of student recognition, with opportunities for veneration and outdoor refreshments.
Bishop Burbidge said the task now is to communicate "Dignitas Infinita" at the pastoral level, with love and compassion as the guiding principles, during a "privileged moment" for direct preaching on difficult topics.
The parish priest is the church's "point of contact and if we lose contact with our people through their priests, it disables the mission of the church," he told Catholic News Service April 10 at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he was to receive the annual Rector's Award April 11.
“The purpose of the preschool is to build a good faith foundation for young children as they grow up,” said Father Tri Pham, Holy Family’s pastor. “Our children need a good foundation in their faith and, as Jesus said to Peter, ‘On this rock, I build my church.’ The children are the ‘rock,’ the future of the church.”
At Easter Vigil Masses in parishes across the Diocese of Palm Beach on March 30, hundreds of people were formally accepted as members of the church.
In a message sent to the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference of Taiwan, April 4, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said the pope "was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake in Taiwan."
"What I find particularly spiritual in an eclipse is that we can predict precisely when it will happen -- and plan accordingly -- but we cannot predict just what it will look like or how we will react," said Brother Guy. "In that way, it reminds me how God is forever reliable but still always able to surprise us."
Catholic evangelists are handing out rosaries, asking fans if they need prayers, and inviting them to tour Detroit's historic churches as hundreds of thousands of people congregate in downtown Detroit for the 2024 NFL draft, which began April 25 in Cadillac Square.
For the Whitten family of St. Bernadette Parish in Port St. Lucie, the current deanery-level series of Eucharistic holy hours has been a unifying spiritual journey. The six family members have made it a priority to attend all five of the holy hours beginning last August with their home parish.
All are invited to the 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13, diaconate ordination Mass for Diocese of Palm Beach seminarian Jude Okeke at St. Joan of Arc Church, 370 S.W. Third St. in Boca Raton.
The parish's current youth minister is a year older than Josh, and the first year he played Jesus, in 2007, she played Veronica, who wipes the face of Jesus in the Sixth Station. She remembered the "sincerity" and "humility" he brought to the role. "This performance is so much more than a performance. It's really a prayer," she said.
As we prepare to enter into the most sacred days of the liturgical year, we have a prime opportunity to make up for any shortcomings that may have been part of our Lent this year. Blessedly, Holy Week offers us the chance to refocus, reflect and renew as we wind down our Lenten journeys and look ahead to the promise of Easter.
Women from the Diocese of Palm Beach and beyond attended the 13th annual Catholic Women of Faith, Women of Action conference March 16, 2024, at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish in Royal Palm Beach.
The workshop will explore what it means to be a disciple of the Eucharistic Lord and learn how to do so in a way that “breathes with both lungs” — that is, through the traditions of both the Christian East and West.
On March 6, 2024, the first Cenacles of Love: Jesus and Mary prayer conference at Emmanuel Parish in Delray Beach featured parishioner and group founder Patti Schwartz, former national Hispanic director of the Flame of Love nationwide prayer group, who is presently a Catholic radio host evangelizing through media.
A musical progression is defined as “a passage or movement from one note or chord to another.” In many ways, the music program at St. Ann School is a progression, starting with students in pre-K 3 and 4 learning song structure (verses, refrains) and later grades experiencing choral singing and instrument use, all the way up the scale to middle school and beyond.
On March 18, the Roman Catholic Church honors St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a fourth-century bishop and Doctor of the Church whose writings are still regarded as masterful expressions of Christian faith.
The arrival of St. Patrick's Day always spotlights Irish culture, music, dance and language. Catholics, too, are involved in Irish cultural efforts on both sides of the Atlantic, and some say Irish culture continues to be a foundation for Catholic evangelization amid the trappings of secular celebration.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is offering a March 10-18 novena to the foster father of Jesus, ahead of the saint's March 19 feast day.
In dioceses throughout the United States, many Knights of Columbus councils host fish dinners at parishes during Lent. At Holy Family in Port St. Lucie, members of Knights of Columbus Father Omer H. Brauner Council 12159 kicked off their Lenten fish fry on Feb. 16, with the conclusion set for Friday, March 22.
Even with children younger than a year old, there is no time like the present to begin teaching them the Catholic faith. A program to catechize young children has been adopted at four parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach.
In different times and places and "each in her own distinct way," the 10 women "gave proof through initiatives of charity, education and prayer, of how the 'feminine genius' can uniquely reflect God's holiness in the midst of our world," the pope's text said. And "because the Church is herself a woman -- a daughter, a bride and a mother," he wrote, "who better than women can reveal her face?"
Ramona Treviño knows the difference that sidewalk counselors and 40 Days for Life can make in separating women and men from organizations such as Planned Parenthood. She spoke Feb. 13, 2024, about the impact that one praying woman had on her life.
The 34th annual Black Cultural Awareness Celebration and Mass was a joyous occasion Feb. 23, 2024, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Riviera Beach. The theme for the day was “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps 116:9).
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito celebrated Mass Feb. 16 and gave out awards to teachers in Catholic schools who have served at least 20 years in the Diocese of Palm Beach as of the conclusion of the 2022-23 school year. St. Peter Parish and All Saints School hosted the event.
Orbiting the sun nearly 1 million miles from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is reshaping the way scientists understand the universe and its origins, a number of astronomers said at a Vatican-sponsored meeting.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the innovative religious formation method for children as young as 3 years old, began in February at St. Clare Parish in North Palm Beach. The learning environment, called an atrium, is set up in the former choir loft inside St. Clare Church.
The 13th annual Catholic Women of Faith, Women of Action Conference, is scheduled for Saturday, March 16, at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Parish, 100 Crestwood Blvd. S. in Royal Palm Beach.
"This is a good Lenten resolution: cultivating a welcoming outlook, becoming 'seekers of light,' seekers of the light of Jesus, both in prayer and in people," he told visitors in St. Peter's Square before praying the Angelus with them Feb. 25.
“The Passion of Christ,” to be performed at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Sunrise Theatre, 117 S. Second St. in Fort Pierce began in 2006 in the St. Anastasia parish center. For the 18th time, members of St. Anastasia Parish and San Juan Diego Hispanic Pastoral Center are preparing to stage their popular Passion play that has grown from one performance during Lent to embody a ministry with more than 100 in the cast and crew.
The Catholic tradition of venerating relics is not worship but a way to honor and draw near to the saints and to petition for their prayers since they are with God. The arm of the apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, which is on a United States tour, is being brought to two parishes in the diocese: Saturday, Feb. 24, at St. Jude, 21689 Toledo Road in Boca Raton; and Monday, Feb. 26, at St. Peter, 1701 Indian Creek Parkway, Jupiter.
Father Mark-Mary Ames of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal had an atypical Ash Wednesday this year after celebrating an early morning Mass for actors Jonathan Roumie and Mark Wahlberg.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna warned of schism as German bishops want to keep to their reform course despite the latest letter from Rome, which halted the vote on the statutes of a Synodal Committee.
Some 329 Catholics of all ages arrived by the busload to attend Catholic Days at the Capitol Feb. 6-7, 2024, in Tallahassee. Organized by the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, the lobbying arm of Florida’s bishops, the annual event offers participants many opportunities, including seeing the legislative process in action and putting their faith and civic responsibility into action.
World Day for Consecrated Life, which is marked Feb. 2 and tied to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, was established by St. John Paul II in 1997. The special day of recognition will be celebrated in parishes Feb. 3-4 honoring those who have made commitments to consecrated life.
“The taking of the life of an unborn child, the disruption that that causes to families, the lack of respect for the gift of life is something that we pray for,” he said. “We’re making progress, but we haven’t made enough progress by any means in our country today, so we continue to pray and do all that we can to show our respect for the life of an unborn child.”
The Jupiter-Palm Beach Chapter of Legatus celebrated its fifth anniversary of chartering with an Advent social and 2023 award presentations Dec. 19, 2023, at the Pelican Club in Jupiter.
On January 21, 2024, in observance of the Sunday of the Word of God, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, through a grant from the American Bible Society, will offer a “Sunday Seminar Series” of four videos about Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. These videos, available in English and Spanish, will feature some of the bishops and biblical scholars and will be accompanied by discussion/reflection questions.
“This truly is a vibrant, faith-filled community for which we give thanks,” the bishop said in his homily. “And as this morning we break ground for a new family life center, which will be used in order to continue to build up and strengthen this parish, what’s so important is our getting together, our supporting each other.”
Students preparing for the sacrament of confirmation at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach created posters with an All Saints’ Day theme that represent the saints they have selected for their confirmation names. After all Masses Oct. 29, the students — many dressed as their saints — gathered in the parish’s Kellaghan Hall to tell others about the heroic lives led by their saints.
