STURBRIDGE - Brazilians were the new ethnic group featured at the 132nd annual Novena to St. Anne, held July 18-26 at St. Anne Shrine.

Bishop McManus will serve as acting chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, it was announced Tuesday. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D., of Louisville, Kentucky, resigned as chairman of the committee, after his diagnosis with urothelial carcinoma.

Diocesan Dispatch for July 22 - Theology on Tap: Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. at Williams Restaurant, 184 Pearson Blvd, Gardner. "Why Marriage Matters: the blessings of the Sacrament of Marriage." AND MORE....

Assumption College is starting a nursing program this fall, is planning a physician assistant graduate program, and has announced the name of its new business school.

The Youth Ministry Office of the Worcester Diocese has been offering local youth groups activities that include more adventurous excursions.

Experiencing the presence of God and his people was important to those from the Worcester Diocese who attended the Steubenville East youth conference last weekend.

"When a high school student is the one that leads the family, lives are changed,” the speaker said, to applause from listeners. Michael Gormley, a keynoter at Steubenville East youth conference, was speaking July 13 to an estimated 2,400 youth and adults gathered at UMass Lowell.

SHREWSBURY - The Xaverian Brothers have released the names of six members of the order who served at St. John’s High School and have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.

WORCESTER – Youth were advised to abstain from drugs, and they and their parents were given signs of drug abuse to watch for, at a seminar the African Ministry organized.

A seminar about the “ROE Act” before the Massachusetts Legislature drew about 60 people to Christ the King Parish July 10. Speakers called the abortion expansion attempts an enormous human rights issue.

Paige and Ashley DeFreitas established Up With Books to give children from low-income families access to books to prevent them from losing valuable reading skills during the summer.

With enrollment sitting at 105, the Diocese of Worcester will keep its commitment to opening St. Bernard Central Catholic High School for the 2019-20 school year.

In the border city of Laredo, Texas, Catholic Charities offers humanitarian relief services for people seeking asylum in the United States. Four Spanish-speaking women from Catholic Charities Worcester County were among those who answered the call.

Father Alfredo Raúl Porras talks about people and experiences that paved his journey to the priesthood. He was born in Venezuela but went to high school in Worcester.

Allison LeDoux, director of the diocesan Respect Life Office, initiated a pro-life day of reflection Saturday to put prayer first and to respond to pro-lifers’ weariness. Msgr. James P. Moroney led the day.

WORCESTER – The renewal of a parish tradition – and the bishop’s visit for the occasion – brought joy to people at Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish.

The ordination of men from three countries brought family and friends from even more countries to the Worcester Diocese last weekend – for several Masses. 

When Father James Steuterman, pastor of St. Richard of Chichester Parish in Sterling, first learned of the Legacy of Hope campaign, he was far from enthusiastic. In the end, St. Richard’s surpassed their goal.

Father Thiago Moises Da Silva's spiritual journey takes him from Brazil to Worcester.

A Catholic doctor who actively opposed the Planned Parenthood facility in Fitchburg is rejoicing that it has closed.