It should not come as a surprise that priests need time away from their ministry to recharge from time to time. We see this even in the life of Jesus, who “went up on the mountain by himself to pray” (Mt 14:23) and who “spent the night in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12) after times of intense teaching and ministry.

In this Jubilee year, we are called to be “Pilgrims of Hope.” In the spirit of the great Jubilee tradition, we are invited to live this sacred time not merely as an anniversary to be observed, but as a season of grace – a time to restore what has been lost, to heal what is broken and to bear Christ’s light into a dark world that longs for his peace.

The world knew her as Mother Teresa of Calcutta. As a young student priest in Rome, I had the unexpected privilege of meeting her when I celebrated Mass for her sisters at a soup kitchen they operated near the Colosseum.

As hard as it is to believe, another summer has come and gone. As I look ahead to the promise of a new school year and the cooler weather to come, I find myself reflecting on all that God has done over these past few months.

On Aug. 7 we will celebrate the annual Archbishop’s Dinner for Seminarian Education at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

Deep beneath the streets of Rome, a hidden network of pathways connects past and present, offering us a glimpse into the early Christian experience. The catacombs, those underground burial sites often used by the first believers as well as others, were more than just resting places for the dead, they became sanctuaries for the living.

Pope Francis has invited the entire Church to celebrate a Year of Jubilee. For all of 2025 we have been promised a unique outpouring of God’s goodness and grace, a wealth of blessings.

The theme of Jubilee Year 2025 – “Pilgrims of Hope” – summons each of us and the whole Church to renew our commitment to Jesus Christ and to one another. We are pilgrims together.

People choose Catholic education for many reasons. Some families choose it for excellence in academic instruction. Some choose it for the tight-knit community. Some choose it so their children will be taught according to a moral compass with an emphasis on virtue.

One of the central mysteries of our faith is the Incarnation, which the Church celebrates most solemnly at Christmas.