Local News

Scout’s service project helps many

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T Seventy-six units is a lot of blood. That’s how much was collected for the American Red Cross on Dec. 30 at Presentation B.V.M. in Cheltenham. The blood drive was organized by Northeast Catholic High School freshman Howard Stickley. The funny thing is, at 14, he is two years under […]

Knocking on every door to evangelize

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T DOWNINGTOWN – Talk about a busman’s holiday. Nancy Sanchez, who is director of Religious Education at St. Hugh of Cluny Parish in Philadelphia, is part of a neighborhood visitation committee in her home parish, St. Joseph, Downingtown. It started five or six years ago when Bishop Joseph McFadden was […]

Helping others to hear God’s call

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T The best promoters of vocations to the priesthood aren’t mothers or fathers or teachers, but priests themselves. They can be the positive role models for the men who are considering the most important decision in their entire life. Almost as critical, because they’ve been through the discernment process, priests […]

Working to feed the hungry

By Lou BaldwinSpecial to The CS&T PHILADELPHIA – Hunger is a constant issue in society. No matter how good times are, there are always those poor souls who fall through the cracks and their needs must be met. In times like these when money is tight, ministry to the poor must be redoubled. In the […]

The joy of serving the poor, the parish

By Nadia Maria SmithCS&T Staff Writer Anthony Willoughby, a recent Catholic convert and the Food Services manager at St. John’s Hospice in Philadelphia, says he loves his job because it gives him the opportunity to live out his Catholic faith every day. Willoughby came to St. John’s Hospice in 2002 from a background in corporate […]

Doctor creates calendar to benefit Mothers’ Home

By Nadia Maria SmithCS&T Staff Writer UPPER DARBY – Dr. George Isajiw is no stranger to the pro-life movement. He has been practicing medIcine for the past 30 years and has a successful practice in Lansdowne, Delaware County, where he not only sees his regular patients as a primary care physician, but also counsels women […]

Local children’s book author found inspiration in Blessed Mother

By NADIA MARIA SMITHCS&T Staff Writer PHOENIXVILLE – When Jeannine Norris found out her 4-year-old daughter had a brain tumor, she leaned heavily on Mary for strength. Norris, a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, reflected on how much courage Mary had knowing that her Son would be hers only for a night, […]

89 years of serving God at the altar

By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer JAMISON – John Lally is not the average altar server. At age 89, he serves the 9 a.m. Mass at his parish, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Monday through Saturday. And on some Sundays – the only day Lally isn’t a server – he’s a lector at the 10:30 a.m. […]

Serving St. Louis Parish for 35 years

By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer YEADON – Whether she’s answering the telephone, greeting the needy at the rectory door or rescuing a youth accidently locked in the church, Helen Abram, an administrative assistant at St. Louis Parish in Yeadon, Delaware County, handles the routine and the unusual with a happy and humble heart. “I […]

Sister devoted 22 years to religious dialogue

By Christie L. ChicoineCS&T Staff Writer After serving for 22 years as the assistant director of the archdiocesan Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Sister Josephine Kase, I.H.M., is now serving the Church in upstate Pennsylvania at the I.H.M. House of Prayer in Nesquehoning, Diocese of Allentown. “I am grateful to the Archdiocese for the […]