At the beginning of each academic year, the University of Dallas’ dean and director of libraries and research Ron Scrogham sees a familiar sight: Incoming students — often accompanied by their parents — make their way into the Cowan-Blakley Memorial Library entrance, through the William A. Blakley Building, and up to the university’s Core Text Collection: a selection of 2,456 books, representing 76 unique titles across a slew of disciplines, which are ready to be checked out of the library for use in the semester ahead. Within about two weeks of the beginning of each term, most of the books in the collection have already been plucked from the library, stuffed into backpacks, and carried to classrooms.
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For almost two decades, behind Archbishop Sheen’s extraordinary reach stood a largely unknown group of women who opened thousands of letters, recorded donations, thanked contributors, and helped transform his words into material support for missionaries and young churches around the world.
Pope Leo XIV conveyed his solidarity with the people of Indonesia after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s eastern coast, triggering a tsunami warning and leaving thousands displaced in the aftermath.
The summer heatwave signals that it is time to return to school again. With school supplies on display everywhere and families shopping for all of the supplies on the list, even in the grocery store, to prepare for the first day of school, there is an exciting energy for this new school year. The Catholic Schools Office has been in-servicing new administrators and new teachers, while schools have been preparing classrooms for the return of their students. At Mass this weekend, the petitions included prayers for teachers, students, and parents: that this school year would be blessed with growth.
The future of religious life depends on different congregations, with different charisms, working together like a symphony, the president of the United States’ largest leadership conference for Catholic sisters told the group’s members.
Christians are called to reflect Mary’s authentic beauty, which is revealed through a life of enduring love rather than worldly aesthetic standards, Pope Leo XIV said.
For the many living through war, displacement, and devastating natural disasters, Mary remains a source of hope and maternal consolation, Pope Leo XIV said.
Police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel routinely face situations most people never have to witness. At the ninth annual Diocese of Dallas Blue Mass and Blessing of the Fleet on Aug. 8, first responders gathered at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe to pray and to be recognized for their work.
Every year at the end of July, our parish staff sets aside a week for staff development. This is a time to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts and our ministries for the coming school and faith formation year. It’s a week of spiritual renewal, shared learning, and, yes, even a bit of office cleaning as we reset for the months ahead. We invite speakers, share stories, and encourage one another in the mission we carry together.
Jordan announced the start of its preparations for the historic 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in 2030 at the site where it took place at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, also known as Al-Maghtas.