Local News

Eighth-grader leaves pro-life legacy

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T PRIMOS – St. Eugene School is pro-life. Well, all Catholic schools are pro-life. St. Eugene in Primos is especially so, thanks to eighth-grader Teresa Greiner. On her own initiative, she started a pro-life group which meets regularly at the school, and if all goes well, will continue long after […]

Three Hail Marys inspire deacon

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Three Hail Marys. It doesn’t sound like much, but Deacon Stephen Hopkins, 78, a permanent deacon since 1982, remembers it was a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament who told him, “If you always say three Hail Marys a day you won’t die without the Blessed Sacrament.” It was so […]

10 kids, 65 years later, still full of faith

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T ARDLSEY – It wasn’t the best of times when Al Hindel and Mary Carr married in 1945. The war against Germany was winding down, but things were heating up on the Japanese front. Al was a Navy man (second class storekeeper) who’d just finished a tour at a base […]

Called to develop Catholic leaders

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T When businessman Timothy Flanagan founded the Catholic Leadership Institute (CLI) in 1991, his idea was to develop lay leaders, especially young lay leaders for the Church. Missions change. Although the institute still trains lay leaders, the major part of the work today is teaching those same leadership skills to […]

Little things matter a lot

Claire McCloskey died suddenly April 20, after the Catholic Standard & Times went to press. Her viewing will be at St. Cecilia Church, 535 Rhawn St., Saturday, April 24 at 9:30 a.m. Her funeral Mass will follow at 10:30 a.m. By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T PHILADELPHIA – Sometimes it’s just the little things that […]

Joyful DiJulia lives a life of courage

By John KnebelsSpecial to The CS&T HAVERTOWN – Chris DiJulia was born with cerebral palsy. He relies on a wheelchair to get around. Eating food and drinking liquids can be an adventure, and his speech is significantly slurred. Other than that, the 40-year-old parishioner of St. Denis in Havertown is just like anyone else. Well, […]

Her mission has been music

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Over 68 years as a church organist Mary Babin has gotten to see a lot of people in the pews. “I had the best seat in the house, and I met most people by the tops of their heads,” she said. Now, after a 38-year run at Sacred Heart […]

Eagle Scout brings Stations to high school

By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer DREXEL HILL – Refurbishing a set of the Stations of the Cross helped 18-year-old Matthew Ryan earn his Eagle Scout badge. It also served as a reminder to the Monsignor Bonner High School senior of Easter’s salvific message. “Every time I walk by them, I just think of what […]

Near or far, seeing the Gospel up close

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T In his senior years a spiritual vocation has gradually replaced the temporal. John Trumbore had a successful career in the advertising industry, and since his retirement in 2000 from Harris, Baio and McCullough he has developed a vocation in the social justice field. He is the father of two […]

Confrontation turns to breakthrough

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Dr. Lester Ruppersberger, a practicing physician in gynecology for 35 years, belongs to a rather exclusive club. “I don’t prescribe contraceptives, and I don’t do sterilizations,” he said. “I’m the only OB/GYN doctor in the entire Archdiocese of Philadelphia who doesn’t. There was one other, but she retired.” It […]