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Audrey Weiss and John Stone explain which wall be pushed back to make room for more seating within the sanctuary of Risen Christ Church in southwest Boise. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor   A parish that began gathering in a school cafeteria more than 30 years ago is preparing for a major expansion to keep pace with rapid growth.   What started with a few families eventually expanded to hundreds. Today, Risen Christ Parish appears to be bursting at the seams, making the “Rooted in Christ, Rising Together” expansion campaign a necessity.   “They started gathering in 1992,” Risen Christ Parish Life Coordinator Audrey Weiss told the Idaho Catholic Register (ICR), recalling some of the church’s history. “And that was over at Lake Hazel Elementary. In 2000, the building committee was formed to build this space, and then they started the groundbreaking in 2003.”   Weiss, who is also a member of Risen Christ’s campaign cabinet, said that for the first few years, Masses were celebrated in the parish dining hall. By 2004, the sanctuary was completed, giving the parish a permanent worship space. But leaders say the church was always designed with an eye toward the future.   “That is true,” said Risen Christ parishioner John Stone. “It was built with the idea that one day it would be expanded.”   That day has come. An architectural drawing of the expansion. The highlighted portion is the south side of the church. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)   According to Weiss and Stone, the parish has grown from about 200 families to 900 in just three years, a pace leaders describe as both a blessing and a challenge.                                 “At the 10:30 a.m. Mass, it’s just bananas,” Weiss said. “You have folding chairs in the narthex, 60 to 70 people, because there is not enough room in the building. Fr. Ben was asked by the Risen Christ Finance Council how he felt about the prospect of a building project, and his response was, “I would like for our family to be under one roof for Mass.’”   Stone, a parishioner since 2007, leads the parish building committee. He retired after a career working on transportation projects throughout the Valley and now directs the effort to expand the sanctuary.   The project will increase seating in the sanctuary by 196 and add a cry room that can accommodate 34 people. With the added capacity, codes also require expansion of bathrooms and the parking lot.   “We’re looking to expand the south side,” Stone explained. “Even though the parking lot’s not really shown, that’s all part of the project too, including handicap parking spaces and accessibility.”   Originally, the plan included expanding the north side of the sanctuary as well, but was adjusted to reflect cost and current need.   “This is the right size to accommodate the growth we have, the number of people attending [Mass] and the available funds we have,” Father Ben said.   Planning for expansion began in earnest in January 2023. The timing was significant: by July 2023, the parish had paid off its original mortgage, freeing up resources for the next phase of growth. By May 2025, the parish had about $800,000 in reserve for the project. An exterior view of the southside wall that will be pushed further south to make room for more seating inside. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart) “Parishioners who were donating to the original mortgage moved their donations over to what we were calling the building improvement fund,” Weiss said. “By the time we actually employed [the Steier Group], we had over a million dollars in savings. From these contributions and a few large one-time donations.”   The parish turned to the Steier Group, a firm that specializes in Catholic fundraising campaigns, to help organize the effort. Leaders say the group brought structure and experience, allowing the parish to roll out a well-coordinated campaign.   In August, the parish launched the public phase of the three-year campaign. Members received information packets, letters from Father Ben and pledge cards.   “So now everybody in the parish should have received this information,” Weiss said.   The project’s total cost is estimated at $6 million. The Diocese of Boise requires parishes to raise 70% of project costs before granting a loan. So far, the parish has raised $2.7 million, including its reserve savings.   Stone said much of the early effort has focused on communication and transparency.   “We’ve had extensive conversations with different parishioners and hosted conversations after Mass with project drawings to be able to show them what we’re doing,” he said.   The parish is also working with familiar partners. Architect Greg Ugrin, who designed the original church, has returned to oversee the expansion. Leaders say the continuity is helpful, both for design and for preserving the spirit of the original building. The southside entrance of Risen Christ Church. The wall that will be pushed out is to the immediate left. (ICR photo/Philip A. Janquart)   Though the church resembles an arc to some from a structural standpoint, that was never the intention, according to Weiss who said that once both sides of the building are extended, the church will be in the cruciform shape.   Weiss emphasized that the expansion effort is not just about bricks and mortar, but about people. She said the parish has experienced remarkable growth in part because of its commitment to welcoming newcomers.   “Part of the reason that we’re growing so much is trying to get every parishioner here to practice radical hospitality,” she said. “Our parish is welcoming, and it’s something we really strive for. I think that contributes to the growth. And the Holy Spirit is at work. The growth is unheard of.”   The idea of radical hospitality is part of the Risen Christ mission, a culture Father Ben has been helping to nurture since he arrived in 2022.   “This campaign is about more than adding seats,” he states in the campaign’s brochure. “It’s about making room for more hearts to be transformed, more families to feel at home, and more lives to be anchored in Christ.   Father Ben said that as a growing Christ-centered community, we all need to respond to others’ needs, “and right now.”   He added that the expansion “will be a visible sign of our mission: a place of radical hospitality, vibrant faith and unified purpose.”   From the beginning of the campaign, Father Ben has emphasized everyone gathering together in one space to celebrate the Eucharist.   Parish leaders say they are confident the community will meet the goal. For now, they are focused on inviting parishioners to prayerfully consider their pledges and help build for the future.   As Stone put it, the project is the next step in a journey that began decades ago in a borrowed cafeteria.

La parroquia de St. Jerome, en coordinación con la Oficina Diocesana para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino y la Oficina de Matrimonio y Vida de la Diócesis de Boise, ofrecerá los días 25, 26 y 27 de octubre el taller titulado “Autoconocimiento personal, de la pareja, de nuestras familias de origen; de nuestra relación interpersonal, con la familia y con Dios”, como parte del curso “Vida Exitosa en Pareja”. Diácono Carlos Urquijo Pedroso El encuentro será impartido por el Diácono Carlos Urquijo Pedroso, profesor del Instituto Pastoral del Sureste (SEPI) en Miami, Florida, y asesor en la Universidad de Notre Dame. Los talleres de Vida Exitosa en Pareja se realizan desde hace diez años en Cuba, gracias a la iniciativa del psicólogo y sociólogo Dr. Ignacio Marquínez Callejas, de Madrid, España, y auspiciados por la Comisión Nacional para la Familia de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Cuba. Desde entonces, más de 200 parejas han participado en esta experiencia que fortalece los lazos conyugales, familiares y espirituales. El programa busca: Fortalecer la relación de la pareja a través de vivencias y nuevas herramientas de comunicación. Promover un estilo de vida más pleno en el presente y con esperanza en el futuro. Impulsar la pastoral de las familias, colocando a la pareja como núcleo fundamental, en línea con el V Encuentro Hispano/Latino. El taller iniciará el viernes a las 6:00 p.m. y tendrá una duración de 16 horas, concluye con la celebración de la Eucaristía. La cuota de recuperación es de $40 por pareja, e incluye alimentos y material de trabajo. Para más información y pre-registro comuníquese a: Informes: Parroquia de St. Jerome: 208-324-8794 Oficina del Ministerio Hispano/Latino de la Diócesis de Boise: 208-350-7543

Lc 16, 19-31 Vigésimo Sexto Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario En el Evangelio de hoy, Jesús vuelve a advertirnos sobre la relación que existe entre el uso de las riquezas y la salvación o condenación. En la parábola del rico y de Lázaro, Jesús hace una ilustración catequética de las bienaventuranzas: “Bienaventurados los pobres, porque de ustedes es el Reino de Dios… Pobres de ustedes los ricos, porque ustedes tienen ya su consuelo…” (Lc 6, 20-26). El rico de la parábola se condena. No porque fuera rico, pues según la enseñanza del domingo anterior (Lc 16, 19) el dinero puede transformarse en instrumento de salvación. El rico tuvo la posibilidad de hacer esto, de poner su riqueza al servicio de la liberación del pobre, y esta oportunidad se llamaba Lázaro. Pero el rico se encerró en su riqueza y se condenó. El rico era un idólatra del dinero, un pecador. Por eso no estaba abierto a las necesidades de Lázaro. El pecado y el infierno son el resultado de no abrirse al “otro”, al pobre; de no salir de sí mismo para entrar en el mundo del “otro”. La condenación es el no amor, el encierro estéril en sí mismo; la salvación es la plenitud del amor y de la apertura a los demás. El mensaje de Jesús nos obliga a un replanteamiento de la vida; al escuchar el Evangelio de hoy, necesariamente se nota la invitación a comprender de manera radicalmente nueva el sentido último de todo y la orientación decisiva de nuestra conducta. Será difícil permanecer indiferente ante la palabra de Jesús, al menos si uno sigue creyendo en la posibilidad de ser más humano cada día. Es difícil no sentir inquietud y hasta cierto punto malestar al escuchar palabras como las que hoy nos recuerda el texto evangélico: “no se puede servir a Dios y al dinero”. Es imposible servir a un Dios que es Padre de todos y vivir al mismo tiempo esclavos del dinero y del propio interés. Solo hay una manera de vivir como hijos de Dios, y es vivir como hermanos de los demás. El que vive solo para sus intereses no puede ocuparse de sus hermanos, y no puede, por tanto, ser hijo fiel de Dios. La parábola termina con el diálogo entre el rico condenado y Abraham. La última parte es importante para entenderla en toda su significación: “Padre Abraham, si un muerto va a verlos, se arrepentirán”, dice el condenado y Abraham le contestó: “Si no escucharon a Moisés y a los profetas, no harán caso aunque resucite un muerto”. Es sorprendente con qué sencillez desenmascara Jesús nuestras falsas ilusiones. Escuchemos de nuevo sus palabras: “No pueden servir a Dios y al dinero”. Nosotros creemos que nos servimos del dinero; Jesús nos habla de que servimos al dinero. Nosotros pensamos que somos dueños del dinero, y no vemos que el dinero es nuestro dueño y señor. Creemos poseer las cosas, y no nos damos cuenta de que las cosas nos poseen. Así pues, para orientar nuestras vidas, no podemos menos que escuchar las palabras proféticas del evangelio, en las bienaventuranzas y en los discursos de Jesús.

A partir del primero de julio del presente año, el Sr. Obispo Peter Christensen reabrió la Oficina para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino de la Diócesis de Boise, designando como director a Leonardo Guillermo ( Memo) Gutiérrez, quien desde 2018 se ha desempeñado también como coordinador de eventos diocesanos. En el estado de Idaho, aproximadamente el 13.3 % de la población es de origen hispano/latino, lo que equivale a unas 252,000 personas. De este grupo, alrededor del 42.3 % profesa la fe católica. Actualmente, en nuestra diócesis, 28 parroquias celebran misa en español, respondiendo así a la creciente presencia y vitalidad de la comunidad hispana/latina. Los decanatos donde se concentra la mayor población hispana/latina son: Decanato del Sur (Jerome, Twin Falls, entre otros) Decanato del Oeste (Nampa, Caldwell, etc.) Decanato del Este (American Falls, Pocatello, entre otros), y Decanato del Centro Oeste (Boise, Meridian, etc.). La comunidad hispana/latina en nuestra diócesis continúa creciendo rápidamente. Como Iglesia local, estamos llamados a atender las necesidades pastorales y espirituales de estas comunidades, promoviendo la unidad del Pueblo de Dios. Precisamente esta fue una de las principales razones que motivaron la reapertura de esta oficina diocesana. Durante la Reunión de la Oficina Regional del Noroeste para Asuntos Hispanos, realizada el 13 de junio de 2025 en Portland, Oregón, incluyendo al obispo auxiliar Eusebio L. Elizondo Almaguer de la Arquidiócesis de Seattle. (Foto/ Edwin Ferreyra) Desde su llegada a la diócesis, Memo Gutiérrez ha trabajado de cerca con las parroquias que atienden a las comunidades hispanas/latinas, así como con los sacerdotes que las acompañan. En 2018, por invitación del entonces director de la oficina, el diácono Salvador Carranza, Memo se integró al equipo de trabajo que participó en las Asambleas Regionales (Región XII) y en la Asamblea Nacional del V Encuentro para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino. De estos encuentros surgió el Plan Pastoral Nacional para el Ministerio Hispano/Latino, titulado “Discípulos misioneros en salida con alegría”, publicado por la USCCB. Actualmente, Memo Gutiérrez cursa el tercer año de formación para el diaconado permanente. Cuenta además con certificación en Competencias Interculturales para el Mi- nisterio por parte de la USCCB, así como en Planeación Pastoral, otorgada conjuntamente por la USCCB y la NCADDHM. Asimismo, forma parte de la Oficina Regional del Noroeste para Asuntos Hispanos (NWROHA), lo que le permite estar en diálogo y colaboración con otras diócesis de la región. En palabras del propio Memo Gutiérrez: “Como director de esta oficina, mi propósito es crear y fortalecer los puentes de comunicación necesarios entre las oficinas diocesanas y las parroquias con las comunidades hispanas/latinas”. Memo afirmó que sus principales responsabilidades incluyen evaluar continuamente la situación pastoral, abogar por y con la comunidad, coordinar los esfuerzos de los ministerios existentes, desarrollar recursos y programas específicos, y formar y capacitar a líderes pastorales. Priorizo la atención a las familias, a los jóvenes adultos y a las vocaciones. Estos esfuerzos fortalecerán la unidad del Cuerpo de Cristo, a la vez que honran y celebran la diversidad cultural de la Iglesia. Celebración de la comunidad Hispano /Latina en la parroquia de Saint Paul en Nampa en honor a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en Diciembre de 2022. ( Foto ICR/ Vero Gutiérrez) Finalmente, anunció que es importante comenzar a trabajar desde ahora para preparar y conmemorar, con esperanza y fe, el 500 aniversario de las apariciones de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en 2031.

Jessica-lee and Wesley Pokorney, and their two sons, Fyodor, 5, and Clark, 7. (Courtesy photo/Wesley Pokorney) Gene Fadness For the ICR FRUITLAND – From high school and on, there were few things Wesley Pokorney enjoyed more than debating people who believed in God. Using arguments gleaned from a favorite teacher in his Caldwell High School philosophy class, he relished the idea of making naive believers squirm. Wesley grew up in a home where his dad liked to argue with people about faith issues. His only connections to religion as a young child were the few times his mother, a non-practicing Christian, took him and his siblings to a Salvation Army church. When he was 12, his parents divorced and his dad moved out. The family moved from Boise to Caldwell. During his high school years, Pokorney befriended a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pokorney was impressed by his LDS friend’s family life. “Doing those familial things, like praying before dinner and family devotionals, seemed a lot more stable than the home in which I grew up,” he said. “That led to questions about where their family practices came from.” Wesley visited the LDS Church with his friend and even kept attending with the family after his friend left for a church mission. “I enjoyed their family life, but I didn’t see the appeal of their church. I considered myself an atheist and wanted to disprove LDS teaching.” He read the Book of Mormon and a biography of church founder Joseph Smith. “I used the same tactics to argue against them that I used against Christianity in general,” Wesley said. While attending high school, he began dating the woman who would later become his wife, Jessica-lee. They had two children together before they married in 2017. The standard arguments he used against Christians were challenged for the first time when he happened, entirely by accident, on to Salt & Light Catholic Radio. He wasn’t interested in Catholicism, but enjoyed listening to Catholic apologetic programs like “Catholic Answers” because, he said, “I was into debates.” It was the Christian pro-life stance that turned the once proud atheist, now a young father, into a Christian. He listened to abortion debates online and on Catholic radio. Particularly troubling to him were the pro-abortion views of his favorite leading atheists, including podcaster and “The End of Faith” author Samuel Harris. According to Wesley, Harris said the human becomes viable and valued only after a heartbeat is detected. Other prominent atheists, he learned, go further, supporting infanticide, or the taking of a baby’s life even after it is born. “I could not believe that well-respected atheist philosophers were not able to recognize the horrific violence against a human person,” he said. “I realized that an atheist can act morally, but still have no basis or foundation for that moral behavior, thus nearly all of them are totally fine with the murder of innocent children.” The Christian view on the sanctity of life “made me Christian,” he said. At about the same time, he discovered Catholic radio, Wesley and Jessica-lee befriended a handyman working on projects in their home. He was a member of an Anabaptist sect called the Old German Baptists. A breakaway sect from the Church of the Brethren, they believed in baptism only of adults by triple immersion. They eschewed any instrumentation in their services, singing only a cappella. Men sit on one side of the church while women, heads covered, sit on the opposite side. Like other Anabaptist groups such as the Mennonites and the Amish, they are part of the historic “peace churches,” declining to take up arms against other nations. The handyman invited Wesley and Jessica-lee to dinner with his family and fellow members. “Again, I was impressed with their family life and their view of marriage as a lifelong commitment,” he said. They began regularly attending church at the Baptist congregation, not missing a Sunday for nearly four years. However, they never officially joined because they had trouble accepting the church’s view that Jessica-lee, who had been baptized at age 12 at a Baptist church camp, had to be re-baptized to become a member of the church. Their objection was based, in part, on what Wesley was hearing on Catholic radio about baptism. “I had become convinced that the Catholic position that we are baptized only once was the correct position.” Jessica-lee was not at all interested in Catholicism and, like Wesley, was impressed with the family life of the Anabaptist congregation. However, she felt the same unease as Wesley about their Anabaptist congregation’s requirement that she be re-baptized. Wesley continued to listen to Catholic radio and became familiar with Catholic apologists and podcasters. “I thought we would probably end up Catholic, but I didn’t tell my wife because, at the time, she said we could visit any church but the Catholic Church. that she would never set foot in a Catholic church.” His high school philosophy teacher, who was the inspiration behind his earlier life’s opposition to Christianity, again influenced Wesley’s life, but not in the way he would have expected. “When I was in high school, I kind of latched on to him as a father figure.” Years after high school, Wesley came across a Facebook photo of the teacher at the Catholic baptism of one of his grandchildren. “I can’t believe this!” he told himself at the time. “He’s so smart. Why is he Catholic?” Despite many questions, the Pokorneys continued to attend their Anabaptist church, still in search of an alternative that would be satisfying to both. Another turning point for Wesley came when he discovered a YouTube video of a leading Anabaptist preacher claiming that the founder of the movement, Alexander Mack, accepted the Catholic book of Tobit as prophetic. The Book of Tobit is one of seven books in the Bible that are not accepted by most Protestants. “That was a game-changer for me. I felt somewhat betrayed by our leaders never saying anything about it,” Wesley said, referring to Mack’s view of the Book of Tobit. With that came also an acknowledgement that the Bible is not the “be-all, end-all,” of truth, Wesley said, noting that the Church existed for more than three centuries before the canon of scripture was completed and the Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, determined which books would be included in the Bible. “No longer believing in sola scriptura (the Protestant view that the Bible alone is the authority for the Church) eliminated every Protestant faith in my mind,” he said. “When my wife finally asked me if we were ever going to be members of this (Anabaptist) church, I said we were not.” In response, Jessica-lee told her husband, “Then, I need you to take us to the church where we can be members.” He called Corpus Christi Church in Fruitland, and they visited the following Sunday, the OCIA leader meeting them at the door. Neither had ever attended a Mass. “We were definitely outsiders and some parts of the Mass were strange to us,” said Jessica-lee. However, by this time, Wesley had studied Catholicism thoroughly. “Even though parts of it were strange, it was also familiar. I knew it was the true form of worship, even at the first Mass,” he said. For Jessica-lee, it was a “test of faith,” to pursue Catholicism, not so much faith in a church, but faith in her husband to lead their small family. “I had a really good person to lead me,” she said. She had to confront a father wound in her own life. Like Wesley, her father also left the family when she was very young. “That deterred me from loving and appreciating a Heavenly Father,” she said. She was also frustrated at their former church leaders’ inability to answer her question as to whether the Holy Spirit remains with one who turns away from God. Jessica-lee, the onetime obstinate opponent of all things Catholic, read all seven additional books in Catholic scripture (she had already read the rest of the Bible). She and Wesley started OCIA classes four months after that first Mass. “We talked about the sacraments and how you could get the Holy Spirit back through Confession,” Jessica-lee said. “I also came to believe that the Eucharist was necessary to feed my soul. I couldn’t understand how just the Word of God (the Bible) is what fed you.” And, finally, her inner struggles with the insistence of some that she be baptized again were settled once and for all when in OCIA she learned that her Triune baptism at age 12 was all that was needed. And the idea that infants could not be baptized – the view that made the Anabaptists distinctive – also no longer made sense to her. The second chapter of Colossians equates circumcision to baptism, she noted, and Jewish boys were baptized at only eight days old. “How could Jesus be inclusive, but not for babies?” she asked herself. “Certain things that were hurdles were starting to make sense.” The Pokorneys started attending OCIA in the fall of 2024. At Easter this year, Wesley and their sons, Clark, 7, and Fyodor, 5, were baptized. Also, Wesley and Jessica-lee were Confirmed and their marriage was convalidated in the Church. They feel welcomed by their much larger family at Corpus Christi, but there is one thing from Wesley’s peek inside the LDS faith and their joint venture in the Anabaptist movement they find lacking in their new faith. “The people are friendly, but no one stays after church,” Jessica-lee said. “No family potlucks, everyone just zips out.” She’s hoping to start a “Family Friday” evening for young families and a Bible school for kids. “I figure if there’s a problem, I should be part of the solution by volunteering,” she said. “It has been great, and I’m growing in my love for the Church,” Wesley said. “With Anabaptists, doubts and questions came later and grew over time. With Catholics, the questions and doubts came first, but diminished as time went on.”

Bishop Daniel Mary Gorman, Cathedral of St. John Parish priests and Holy Cross Sisters, background, in front of the newly-completed St. Joseph’s School in 1925. The original building, with its distinct red brick, still sits on the original corner of 9th and Fort streets. It had eight classrooms and cost $38,000 to build. (Courtesy photo/St. Joseph’s School) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Classrooms at Diocese of Boise Catholic Schools began opening up in mid-August and early September for the new school year, accounting for approximately 4,000 Catholic students around the state of Idaho. Elementary classrooms were decked out in colorful arrays of posters, calendars and other teaching aids. Parents gave hugs and good-byes to children of all ages as they laughed and ran to greet friends. Priests blessed students and faculty. (See more photos on pages 8 and 9). Each school year, a series of milestones begins for students from pre-kindergarten through their senior year of high school, from learning the alphabet to preparing for First Communion to submitting a college application. One milestone of the 2025-2026 school year is the 125th anniversary of St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Boise, the parish school of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic school in the state. “We asked faculty and staff to think of things that are younger than St. Joe’s,” said Brittany O’Brien, Dean of Students at St. Joseph’s School. “It was so fun to see the list of the things they came up with, like penicillin. Can you believe that we haven’t had penicillin for 125 years?” In 1900, Bishop Alphonse Glorieux of the Diocese of Boise opened St. Joseph’s School as an all-boys school in the newly enlarged and remodeled St. Patrick’s Hall at Ninth and Bannock Streets. Sister Lucy, a Holy Cross Sister on loan from St. Teresa’s Girls Academy, was the first principal. Five years later, Bishop Glorieux decided to move St. Patrick’s Hall and St. John’s Church to their current location at Eighth and Fort Streets. First Communion 1934.  (Courtesy photo/St. Joseph’s School) However, the church building struck a power line during the move and burned down. A temporary church building was constructed until the Cathedral, made of stone and designed by Hummel Architects, was completed in 1921. St. Joseph’s School continued in the relocated St. Patrick’s Hall until 1925, when the red brick building on Ninth and Fort Streets was completed. The building cost $38,000. The school also expanded its grades to high school. Holy Cross Sisters continued to lead and educate the students of St. Joseph’s for decades. They were not given a salary for their work, of only $25 per month, until the Most Rev. Daniel Mary Gorman was made Bishop of Boise in 1918. In 1927, the Most Rev. Edward J. Kelly was made Bishop of Boise. As the enrollment of St. Joseph’s School grew, he decided to make the high school co-educational at St. Teresa’s Academy so that the lower grades could occupy the entire campus of St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s gymnasium was not added until 1948. Five years later, St. Teresa’s campus was changed entirely to a co-educational high school, and St. Joseph’s became a co-educational elementary and middle school. In 1991, a multi-phase, 20-year expansion and renovation began. This project included the Media Center, additional classrooms, new heating and air conditioning system and energy efficient windows. In this current photo, St. Joseph’s school has changed very little over the last 125 years. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) The school office and library were remodeled, and changes to the office increased school security and productivity. The 2010s brought more remodeling and expansion to the school, especially through grants by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. Following the COVID pandemic in 2021, St. Joseph’s installed a new multi-purpose playground and community recreation area through the Playtopia Capital Campaign. St. Joseph’s theme for their anniversary is “Rooted in Faith.” They are kicking off celebrations on Friday, Sept. 12 with a happy hour for alumni from 6 to 8 p.m. at the school campus. The happy hour will include school tours, light appetizers and drinks. On Saturday, September 15, at 5 p.m., the school will host its 125th Anniversary Mass at the Cathedral. Following the Mass is St. Joe’s Fall Carnival, from 6 to 9 p.m. Everyone in the community, alumni or not, is invited. The carnival includes food trucks, games, live music and a beer garden. Visit stjoes.com for more information about the celebrations and upcoming events.

Por Memo Gutiérrez Director de la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano/Latino Bajo el lema: “Migrantes Misioneros de la Esperanza” , la Semana Nacional de la Migración es una celebración única en los Estados Unidos y se basa en las ideas presentadas en la Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado (JMMR) auspiciada por el Vaticano.  Esta es una oportunidad para que la Iglesia mundial y los fieles católicos participen en la oración, la reflexión y la acción en nombre de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que se ven obligados a huir de sus hogares. Recordemos que esta Semana Nacional de la Migración nos sirve de preámbulo para vivir el Jubileo del Migrante, que se llevará a cabo el 4 y 5 de octubre en la Ciudad del Vaticano.   El propósito de la Semana Nacional de la Migración es crear conciencia de la realidad de la migración en el mundo y el papel de la Iglesia dentro de estas realidades a nivel nacional y global. Esta jornada es una oportunidad para que la Iglesia reflexione sobre las circunstancias que enfrentan los migrantes, incluidos inmigrantes, refugiados, asilados, niños, víctimas y sobrevivientes de la trata de personas. Durante más de 40 años, la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB) ha llamado a todas las diócesis en el país a participar en esta semana de educación, oración y compromiso.   Como católicos, estamos llamados a orar y servir al que lo necesita. Los invitamos a que durante la semana del 22 al 28 de septiembre oremos juntos el Rosario, teniendo como intención principal a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas que, por causas muchas veces ajenas a ellos, tienen que dejar sus países.   Los invito a que se pongan en comunicación con su párroco para que juntos puedan organizar jornadas de oración, adoración eucarística, celebrar la Santa Eucaristía por todos aquellos que están pasando por una situación difícil por ser migrantes. Comparto con ustedes la oración que el Papa Francisco nos dejó en el 2024 durante la 110.ª Jornada Mundial del Migrante y del Refugiado en el 2024.  Dios, Padre todopoderoso Somos tu Iglesia peregrina Que camina hacia el Reino de los cielos. Cada uno de nosotros habita en su propia patria, Pero como si fuéramos extranjeros. Toda región extranjera es nuestra patria, Sin embargo, toda patria es para nosotros tierra extranjera. Vivimos aquí en la tierra, Pero tenemos nuestra ciudadanía en el cielo. No permitas que nos constituyamos en amos De la porción del mundo Que nos has dado como hogar temporal. Ayúdanos a no dejar nunca de caminar Junto con nuestros hermanos y hermanas migrantes Hacia la morada eterna que tú nos has preparado.   Abre nuestros ojos y nuestro corazón Para que cada encuentro con los necesitados Se convierta también en un encuentro con Jesús, Hijo tuyo y Señor nuestro. Amén   -       SS Francisco.

Por Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente Caridades Católicas de Idaho en colaboración con abogados y estu- diantes de derechos brindará asesoría legal gratuita a todos los residentes permanentes que están interesados en obtener la ciudadanía estadounidense el próximo 20 de septiembre “Día de la Ciudadanía 2025”. Además de Caridades Católicas colaboran en este proyecto otras organizaciones como el Capítulo de Idaho AILA en colaboración con la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Idaho, y El Comité Internacional de Rescate. Por varios años estas diferentes organizaciones han unido esfuerzos para apoyar a los residentes permanentes cuya situación legal migratoria se encuentra en regla para que obtengan la ciudadanía estadounidense. La abogada Mariella del Pilar Díaz, especialista en temas sobre inmigración, participó con el Juez retirado Sergio Gutiérrez en entre- vista con Sal y Luz Radio Católica para hacer la invitación a todos los que son ciudadanos permanentes para dar el siguiente paso. En primer lugar, aclaró que va dirigido a personas que ya son residentes permanentes y mantienen limpio su expediente. Básicamente la abogada del Pilar destacó que es importante para los residentes considerar hacerse ciudadanos para buscar la estabilidad tanto de ellos como de sus familias y obtener derechos y privilegios por medio de las vías legales que ofrecen las leyes de este país. Por su parte Gutiérrez, afirmó que el Taller de Ciudadanía gratuito es un esfuerzo que viene del corazón de los abogados para ayudar a la comunidad. Además, añadió que ser ciudadano le permite a las personas tener mejores oportunidades laborales, educación y en el campo espiritual pueden obtener los medios para poner a trabajar los dones que Dios les ha dado para anunciar el Plan de Salvación pero también para alcanzar una vida más saludable y exitosa. Martha Alejandre, Representante Acreditada del Departamento de Justicia de Caridades Católicas de Idaho, atendiendo a solicitantes en el día de la ciudadanía durante el 2019 . (Foto ICR/ Archivo) El año pasado, a través del Taller de Ciudadanía se logró ayudar a 35 personas para hacerse ciudadanos y la meta de este año es lograr superar esta cifra y mejorar los servicios que se ofrecen haciéndolos más agiles y cómodos para los solicitantes. Es muy importante que las personas se comuniquen para hacer una cita antes de la fecha programada para el taller, porque en ese momento de llamada se les hará saber si son elegibles para dar el siguiente paso a la solicitud de la ciudadanía y se les indica cuales son los documentos que necesitan presentar el día del Taller de Ciudadanía. Mariella del Pilar explicó algunas de las diferencias entre la ciudadanía y la residencia permanente en la que básicamente la persona no puede salir más de 6 meses del país. Los ciudadanos pueden votar y participar en los procesos de elección de sus gobernantes y legisladores y se establece un vínculo directo con Estados Unidos en términos cívicos. En el taller participará todo un equipo de profesionales en temas de inmigración integrado por abogados voluntarios, estudiantes de derecho, asistentes legales y voluntarios que estarán disponibles para ayudar a las personas a llenar sus formularios para solicitar la ciudadanía y guiar a las personas en este proceso legal. Su tarea es ayudar a las personas a completar el expediente y los solicitantes deben enviar el paquete y hacer el pago correspondiente al gobierno estadounidense. El Taller se realizará en el edificio 501 W. Front St. en Boise de 9:00 a.m. a 2:00 p.m. sin ningún costo. Para participar en el Taller solo tiene que comunicarse al teléfono 208-350-7488 o también puede hacer preguntas a la dirección de correo electrónico idahoailachapter@gmail.com.

Apertura del Jubileo. Con una Misa especial el Obispo Peter Christensen celebró el inicio del Año Jubilar el 29 de diciembre del 2024. (Foto ICR/Vero Gutiérrez ) Vero Gutiérrez Editora Asistente La Catedral de Saint John the Evangelist se prepara para recibir a peregrinos de distintas ciudades que se congregarán en Boise el próximo 20 de septiembre, para vivir una jornada de oración, reconciliación y celebración del Jubileo 2025 Peregrinos de Esperanza, convocado por el Papa Francisco para toda la Iglesia Universal. Aunque aún no se ha determinado cuántas personas acudirán a esta celebración, se espera que lleguen grupos de las diferentes regiones del estado, sobre todo del Valle Mágico y el Valle del Tesoro. Durante el 2025, gracias a que el Papa Francisco nos convocó como Iglesia a celebrar un año especial de gracia dedicado al perdón y la reconciliación, en nuestra diócesis la Catedral de Saint John the Evangelist fue designada por el Obispo Peter Christensen como un lugar santo de peregrinación lo que ha permitido a cientos de peregrinos visitar la catedral para obtener la remisión de sus pecados a través de la indulgencia plenaria. Además de la Catedral otro lugar santo designado por el Obispo es Saint Joseph en Pocatello, donde los fieles pueden acudir durante este año jubilar y conseguir las gracias que se conceden mediante la indulgencia plenaria. Óscar Sánchez, encargado del Ministerio Hispano en la Catedral de Saint John the Evangelist, explicó que todos están invitados, sean o no parroquianos de la Catedral. Se ha hecho una invitación especial a las familias, que pueden acudir como comunidad y ministerios, por lo que se espera una cantidad importante de peregrinos. Hasta ahora, cientos de personas han acudido en grupos o de forma individual a la Catedral para obtener la indulgencia plenaria ofrecida por el Papa durante el Jubileo. Sin embargo, de manera especial la Catedral, a través del Padre Germán Osorio, Rector, y el Padre Tim Segert, Vicario, se ha propuesto ofrecer a los fieles una jornada especial de un día para obtener las gracias del Año Jubilar. Fachada de la Catedral Saint John the Evangelist en Boise, Idaho . (Foto ICR/Vero Gutiérrez ) Las actividades del sábado 20 de septiembre comenzarán a las 6:30 p.m. con las confesiones; a las 7:45 p.m. se celebrará la Santa Misa; a las 8:45 p.m. iniciará la Hora Santa; y a las 9:45 p.m. se ofrecerá café y pan para los asistentes. Esta jornada tiene como propósito ayudar a las personas a unirse en oración por las necesidades individuales, de sus familias y comunidades. Por ello, se ofrecerá una jornada penitencial con la participación de varios sacerdotes, para que más personas tengan la oportunidad de acercarse al sacramento de la Reconciliación. Actualmente, la Catedral de Saint John the Evangelist cuenta con la Cruz del Jubileo, donde se encuentra una reliquia de la Cruz Verdadera. Todos los peregrinos están invitados a pasar un tiempo de veneración de la Cruz, pudiendo tocarla o besarla. La indulgencia plenaria Es un acto de misericordia de parte de Dios, cuando Él concede, de su abundante amor, la reparación por nuestros actos de maldad que nosotros, por nosotros mismos, no podemos ofrecer, librándonos del castigo por algunos o todos nuestros pecados. Una persona que recibe una indulgencia plenaria obtiene la remisión completa del castigo por los pecados cometidos. Una persona que obtiene una indulgencia parcial obtiene una remisión parcial. De acuerdo con el Código de Derecho Canónico (c. 992) y el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica (n. 1471): “La indulgencia es la remisión ante Dios de la pena temporal por los pecados, ya perdonados en cuanto a la culpa, que un fiel dispuesto y cumpliendo determinadas condiciones consigue por mediación de la Iglesia, la cual, como administradora de la redención, distribuye y aplica con autoridad el tesoro de las satisfa- cciones de Cristo y de los santos”. Importante tomar en cuenta • Se pide de forma especial que las personas lleguen después de las 6:00 p.m., no antes. • Favor de confirmar su asistencia y la cantidad de personas antes del 20 de septiembre. • Se recomienda acudir confesados de preferencia. • Si tiene artículos para bendecir, puede llevarlos. • Si asisten personas con alguna discapacidad, favor de avi- sarlo con anticipación para reservar un lugar especial. Requisitos para obtener la indulgencia plenaria: • Peregrinar a los sitios santos (Catedral de Saint John the Evangelist). • Tener la disposición interior de un desapego total del pecado, incluso venial. • Confesarse antes o durante la peregrinación. • Comulgar antes o durante la peregrinación. • Hacer la Profesión de Fe y orar por las intenciones del Papa. La indulgencia plenaria puede obtenerse diariamente, y en el caso de los fieles que no pueden asistir a las iglesias de- signadas —como los enfermos, los ancianos y los presos—, pueden obtenerla uniéndose espiritualmente y ofreciendo sus sufrimientos. Las indulgencias pueden obtenerse de manera personal o aplicarse por otros si son difuntos. Para confirmar la asistencia o resolver dudas, favor de comunicarse a la oficina de Ministerio Hispano de la Catedral con Óscar Sánchez al teléfono 208-342-3511 ext. 115 o al correo electrónico oscars@boisecathedral.org.

Author and business woman Jenny Hubbard was the guest speaker at the August 2025 Legatus meeting in Boise. (ICR Photo/Philip A. Janquart) By Philip A. Janquart ICR Editor   When Joe Burke moved to Boise from Orange, California, one of the things he missed was his participation in a peer group known as Legatus.   “We were members in Orange County, and when we moved here, there wasn’t a chapter in Boise,” the married father of three told the Idaho Catholic Register at a recent Legatus meeting held at SpurWing Country Club in Meridian. “We loved our chapter in California, so it was a blessing to see one established and chartered here about a year and a half ago.”   Legatus — Latin for “ambassador” — is an international Catholic organization for business leaders. What started with 11 members has grown to 5,000 across about 90 chapters in North America.   Founded in 1987 by Tom Monaghan — best known as the founder of Domino’s Pizza and former owner of the Detroit Tigers — the international network of Catholic executives is dedicated to living out the faith among other CEOs, presidents, managing partners and business owners.   “As corporate executives, most of us know what we have to do, and economic conditions may leave us no choice,” Monaghan said, describing in part why he launched Legatus. “The question then becomes how to do it in the best way, and the moral guidance Legatus offers helps make the tough calls.”   He also said that “success is getting to heaven and taking as many people with you as possible,” which fits with the organization’s overall goal to help business leaders “become better Catholics.”   Monaghan retired after selling Domino’s to Bain Capital in 1998 for about $1 billion. Following the sale, he redirected his time and energy toward philanthropic endeavors, founding Ave Maria College, a Catholic liberal arts school, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, the same year he sold Domino’s. The college ultimately relocated to Naples, Florida, and was renamed Ave Maria University in 2007. Participants of the August Legatus meeting gather for a quick group photo. (Courtesy photo)  Burke, who played a role in founding the Legatus Boise chapter, understands the premise of integrating faith into professional and personal life.   “It's about ... business leaders that have taken on significant responsibilities in business and how they can share and join in fellowship about their journey as Catholics in business,” said Burke, inventor of the Ollyball, a lightweight, colorable play ball that garnered 2019 Toy of the Year, awarded by the U.S.-based national nonprofit trade organization The Toy Association.   “Legatus is a great place of trust and safety,” he said. “We deal with things in our company that I’m not willing to seek advice from just anybody about, especially as a Catholic business owner. There are different challenges that can test your faith, so it’s a great opportunity to join these people and talk about a greater meaning.”   Legatus holds monthly meetings, which begin with a rosary and confession followed by Mass, a reception and then dinner. A guest speaker caps off the evening.   Author and businesswoman Jenny Hubbard was the speaker during the Boise chapter’s Aug. 21 meeting at SpurWing Country Club in Meridian. Her youngest child, 6-year-old Catherine Violet, was a victim in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, on Dec. 14, 2012.   Hubbard has since become a public voice for healing and hope, speaking about grief, resilience and faith in the aftermath of tragedy.   Hubbard and her family also founded the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, based on Catherine’s love of animals. Jenny, a Legatus member, is the sanctuary’s chair and president.   She also spoke about her years in college and how she slowly began to veer away from her faith. She was recruited out of college by a Fortune 10 company in Manhattan, which became the main focal point in her life.   “I followed the flashing paycheck, which turned into a flashy career,” she said, adding that she eventually walked away from it all. “That flashy career took time and attention. I think that happens to a lot of us; sometimes we have a tendency to take our eyes off where we need to be.”   Hubbard said she listens to God now more than ever and uses her experiences to help others.   “God is saying, ‘I hear you; I see you,’ and ‘you are my beloved,’” she said during her talk. “And maybe this is a prayer right now, of me saying to God, ‘Let your words come through me and let your story be told to these people. You know, I think sometimes we should stop and ponder. I love Legatus because nights like this give you opportunities and moments to just ponder.” Father John Mosier, pastor at St. Mark's Parish in Boise, says a prayer at the August Legatus meeting. (ICR Photo/Philip A. Janquart)