Catholic News

Feminine genius was the focus of this year’s Idaho Catholic Women’s Conference on Sept. 19, attended by over 1,000 women via watch parties, online, and in-person at Holy Apostles, Meridian, Idaho

The Church asks all Christians to conform to the example of Christ, but deacons are called “to do so with great intentionality,” he explained, while encouraging the candidates with a passage from the Gospel reading (John 15:9-17), in which Jesus said that the disciples did not choose Him, but that He chose them and “appointed them to go and bear fruit that will last.”

“I do believe that kids are observing parents more than you realize. What parents do, how we spend our time, what we prioritize matters,” he said. “Also, it was common for us to have priests come to visit us at home for dinner, house blessings and for family events. It made their vocations and way of life more accessible to, and real for, our kids.”

In the process of this spiritual growth at seminary, however, the consolation of God’s love has been constant. “The best part about seminary is receiving the love of God the Father through all the difficult places in the journey. He has poured it out through the Sacraments. Also, His grace has been through the priests who have formed me and my wonderful brother seminarian brothers.”

In a family of twelve children, six of the sons chose the priesthood, two pursued married life, two daughters entered religious life, one daughter married, and another died at a young age.(Photo / courtesy Ibarra family By Vero Gutiérrez, Assistant Editor Sonia Llauró de Ibarra had 12 children over the course of 20 years. Six of her children are priests, two are nuns, three are married, and one daughter passed away at a young age. From the simplicity of an Argentine home

Sonia y su esposo, Diego Ibarra, en Argentina durante la boda de su última hija soltera. Sus hijos viajaron desde distintos lugares del mundo donde actualmente sirven y viven, entre ellos Roma, Filipinas, Estados Unidos, Bolivia y Polonia. La única ausente fue una de sus hijas, religiosa contemplativa que se encuentra en Génova, Italia. (Foto /cortesía de la familia Ibarra) Por Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Sonia Llauró de Ibarra tuvo 12 hijos en 20 años. Seis de ellos so

“Everything was perfect until a Mass during Lent in March of 2022,” she said. “I was at the Cathedral with my boyfriend, went up and received Communion and then went back to the pew. As soon as I knelt down, there was this deep stirring in my heart. I just knew it was the Lord telling me to slow down. As if He was saying, ‘Pump the brakes.’”

“Like each of us, they don’t see the full picture of where everything is going. It is a journey of trust; trust in Jesus who is directing because He sees the beginning, the end and the everything in-between of our lives.” To follow Jesus as our leader is an act of faithfulness and obedience, he said. “Rowers don’t stop to ask, ‘Why?’ every time directions are given. Trust means obeying, even when we don’t understand.”

My second daughter, Cathleen, married Tyler Tackett at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. Wedding days are filled with so much excitement, and as her father, I wanted to take a lot of “mental pictures” of the key events. I can say that it was truly one of the best days of my life. I know it was for my daughter and her new husband.

We aren’t just “sprinkling Bible verses” on top of self-help. We are inviting Christ into the very biology of our stress. For example, in Week 2 of our four-week program, we look at the Gospel of John alongside brain biology to understand how to rewire our response to triggers. We use the tools God gave us—both scientific and spiritual—to move from chronic stress to Christ-centered calm.

“Mike goes above and beyond to help customers with their cars. He still works on cars even though he’s a supervisor, but it’s so nice because the business isn’t completely dependent on him now. It gives him more freedom.”

“I’ve loved Mary my entire life. I was born on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, my dad used to give parish talks about Our Lady of Fatima, and my middle name is after her,” Tom said. “So in 2023, I applied for acceptance to the Order of Malta’s Lourdes pilgrimage. In the beginning of 2024, they called me and told me I was accepted.” Tom Hicks, St. Mark's parishioner

"The successes or failures always need to be valued for what they are – building blocks of a lifetime." David Fry

Cindy Wooden started her journalism career at the Idaho Catholic Register. Her career took her to Rome more than 30 years ago, where she is now Rome Bureau Chief for Catholic News Service.

Karen Schmidt moved to a Boise senior living center two and a half years ago with her husband, Deacon Fred Schmidt.

Sarah Shapori shares her journey to the Catholic faith.

Catholic seniors at MorningStar create vibrant worship community Deacon Jack Pelowitz, retired, distributes Holy Communion to a Catholic resident of MorningStar Senior Living. By Emily Woodham Assistant Editor When Deacon Jack and Sherrie Pelowitz moved into MorningStar Senior Living in Boise, they thought they were done with ministry. But soon after they arrived in September last year, their expectations were upended. “We came to MorningStar because we had heard it had a goo

The following story appeared in the September 22 Idaho Catholic Register. Old-fashioned produce cart filled with free-to-take harvested veggies from the Risen Christ Vegetable Garden. (Courtesy photo/Mary Hersley-Kaineg) By Mary Hersley-Kaineg Weeb Martin learned the meaning of this five-word phrase, which has guided much of his life, from a priest who led the Catholic campus ministry at the University of Utah. Prior to his college days at the U of U, Webb was not that seriou

The following story appeared in the May 27 Idaho Catholic Register. By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Father Paul O’Donnell of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles didn’t discern his call to the priesthood until he was 30. “My family never thought I’d be the one to become a priest,” Father O’Donnell said. “The key for me was going to daily Mass. Once I started going to daily Mass, I realized the Lord was calling me.” After nine years of serving as a missionary and 20 years serving in L

Boise’s Paul Punnoose begins discernment to become Carmelite friar The following story appeared in the November 19 Idaho Catholic Register. Paul Punnoose, third from left, prays with children and a Sister of the Family of Jesus the Healer in Peru, during a Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) mission trip in 2019. (Photo courtesy of Father Tom Lankenau, SJ) by Emily Woodham Staff Writer When Paul Punnoose was 8, he wrote in his journal that he knew he wanted to