The weekend of Nov. 8-9 is the archdiocesan annual United Catholic Appeal (UCA) intention weekend in parishes across central and southern Indiana. The goal for this year’s appeal is $6.3 million. The money will benefit ministries and organizations throughout the archdiocese that meet needs no single parish or deanery can independently address, such as seminarian and diaconate formation, care for retired priests, Catholic Charities, the support of college campus ministry to keep young adults engaged in the faith, homeless shelters and more

Pope Leo XIV was recently gifted with a purebred Arabian horse. Recently, I was blessed with an opportunity to hear, directly from our Holy Father, a few of his thoughts on the topic of synodality.

As a student and lover of Church history going back to my grade school days, All Saints’ Day has always been a favorite feast of mine. It’s a day to celebrate the entire history of the Church with all the richness of the stories of its holy men and women and the variety of times, places and cultures in which they lived and shared the Gospel.

All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2013).

¡Alégrense y estén contentos, porque en el cielo tienen una gran recompensa! (Mt 5:12)

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. (Mt 5:12)

The Oct. 24 issue of The Criterion featured an article about Archbishop Charles C. Thompson’s recent pilgrimage to Rome, including his private audience with Pope Leo XIV.

Three archdiocesan seminarians were ordained as transitional deacons on Oct. 25 at the Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln in St. Meinrad.

ST. MEINRAD—A quarter of a century ago, Deacon Michael Fish couldn’t have imagined himself believing in God, let alone serving the Church as a deacon. In the spring of 2000, he set out on a journey of faith, vocation and ministry that led him and his wife Joy from their home in southern California to southern Indiana.

ST. MEINRAD—Benedictine Brother Jean Fish was a teenager growing up in southern California in 2007 when his father Michael Fish woke him up early to drive him to Prince of Peace Abbey near San Diego so his son could experience and take part in the monks’ Vigils and Lauds, two parts of the Liturgy of the Hours prayed at the start of the day.

“The idea of being a bride of Christ, the prayer life and the life of service were so powerfully beautiful to me.” These were some of the thoughts of Mercy Sister Maria Guadalupe Figueroa on her journey of discernment to religious life.

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS—During a ceremony on Aug. 24 at the motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ann Duong and Maité Rodriguez-Mora entered the novitiate and were welcomed into the religious community at St. Mary-of-the-Woods in western Indiana.

Benedictine Sister Anne Louise Frederick will never forget the time when she helped celebrate the birthday of Benedictine Sister Betty Jean Coveney. On such a special day when a person usually receives presents, Sister Betty shared a gift from her heart with someone else.

Growing up in Navilleton, Catholicism was a life rhythm for Emily Naville, the third of Bob and Jenni Naville’s four children. “All of our family lived on the same road, and at the end of the road was

Leading by example is the number-one way current seminarians say is most helpful in assisting men discerning the priesthood, along with being a joyful witness and living a life of prayer.