Local News
The business of devotion
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T EXTON – Jim Dibrino, 62, a member of SS. Philip and James Parish in Exton, changed careers in midlife. After a quarter-century as an information technology executive with SunGard Systems, a few years ago he struck out on his own. First he did consulting work and then opened the […]
Doing God’s work as a ‘fisher of women’
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Jesus deputized His apostles as “fishers of men.” Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth Michele Vincent Fisher thinks of herself as a “fisher of women.” She’s the national vocations director for her congregation and brings obvious joy to her ministry, loving every minute of it. Sister Michele, who […]
Sharing others’ sorrow is privilege
By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer CHELTENHAM – Annette Foley, the bereavement ministry coordinator at Presentation B.V.M. Parish in Cheltenham, contemplates the crucifixion as she consoles those who are grieving. “As a Catholic, I look at the crucifixion and the promises of Jesus,” she said. “I know that what He suffered for us was not […]
Working to find the face of Christ
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Sister Felice Marie Long of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary entered her congregation 51 years ago and spent the first 35 years of her ministry teaching in schools, mostly in the upper grades in Philadelphia and the suburbs. But she slowly came to realize that […]
Making rosaries, ‘working for our Lady’
By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD – Samuel Forlano of Holy Cross Parish in Springfield, Delaware County, has crafted 6,000 rosaries in the past 66 years. He said it takes him about two hours to make a rosary from straight wire and about 15 minutes to construct one from cord. “The satisfaction that I […]
Nurse heeds calling to bring care to needy
By Arlene EdmondsSpecial to The CS&T Registered nurse Theresa Conejo of Bensalem believes she is called to bring medical care to others. Even though she is part of the “floating pool” of nurses at Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia and has worked as a nurse for 25 years, Conejo spends much of her free time […]
Leading youths to a culture of life
By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer WEST CHESTER – Cristina M. Barba, program director of Generation Life, is revved up about Respect Life Month, which the Church celebrates in October. Headquartered in West Chester, Generation Life is a movement of young people committed to building a culture of life by spreading the messages of life […]
Serving the hidden poor
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T When Barbara Anne Baer was a young 20-something, she was assistant display director for the Blum Store, the exclusive women’s apparel store on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. She might be draping a $500 frock on the display dummy or arranging the folds in the background drapes, when outside the […]
20 years later, her spirituality still grows
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Immaculate Heart Sister Mary James McCaffrey, a classroom teacher for 28 years and now a director of religious education for 20, was an unlikely candidate for the convent when growing up. The middle of five children of James and Esther McCaffrey, or as she puts it, “the meat between […]
‘I loved the life from the time I entered’
By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T When Sister Deborah Krist, who just celebrated her 25th anniversary as a Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia, was an infant she was sickly because of an RH blood factor. At her baptism, her dad placed her on the altar and dedicated her to God. “He still takes partial […]