CatholicPhilly

Photo features

Photos: Cathedral Basilica Celebrates 50th Anniversary as Minor Basilica, Hosts Relics of St. Margaret Mary

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez celebrated a solemn anniversary Mass Sept. 13 as the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul commemorated 50 years as a Minor Basilica, with relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque also on display for veneration.

Archbishop Pérez Celebrates Mass for Philadelphia Legatus Chapter

Legatus is a membership-based group of business leaders united in Christ to serve the church.

Seminary Opens 195th Academic Year with Mass of the Holy Spirit

During the Mass, new faculty and staff made their Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity. Traditionally, new and returning seminarians receive a blessing from the Archbishop as they start off the academic year.

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Local News

Villanova Names Winner of Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal

Jesuit Cardinal Michael Czerny, known for his ministry of social justice and care for creation, will accept the award at a university-led worldwide sustainability conference next month in Rome.

Watch Livestream: Cathedral Basilica to Mark 50th Anniversary as Minor Basilica

Watch the livestream as Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez celebrates a Sept. 13 Solemn Mass marking the 50th anniversary of the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul’s designation as a Minor Basilica by Pope St. Paul VI.

School Assemblies Extend AbbeyFest’s Evangelizing Energy to Area’s Youth

Four Catholic high schools and a Catholic grade school are set to host upcoming assemblies with AbbeyFest artists. The music festival’s outreach program offers students a fun invitation to encounter Christ at their school.

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Spirituality

The Confiteor: The Culturally Unfashionable Prayer

People apologize in ways that don’t admit fault, but Father Patrick Brady shows how an innovative prayer of the Mass seeks God’s mercy to repair relationships damaged by sin.

Mercy, the Medicine of Life, Is God’s Gift to Us

Jesus' mission is to share the Father's mercy, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior. Not only does this mercy help heal us, it also helps heal the wounds inflicted by the merciless.

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Vatican News

This Week: Remembrances of Sept. 11, 2001

CatholicPhilly presents a weekly roundup of international news from Vatican News, the official news portal of the Holy See. The following report on the week of September 6, 2026 links to stories on VaticanNews.va.

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Sports

Student Athletes Sacrifice Their Summer to Prep for Fall Sports

Members of girls’ and boys’ teams say they are glad to give up a summer at the beach to return with teammates for mid-August practices ahead of this fall’s competition.

PCL Players, Coaches Finally Hit Field at Citizens Bank Park

Champions of the annual Carpenter Cup tournament, the Philadelphia Catholic League team was recognized before a Phillies game this month. It was a thrilling end to the team’s dominating run this year.

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Calendar of Events

History Fair to Highlight Philadelphia’s Catholic Heritage

The St. Augustine Heritage Foundation will host a history fair from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 10 at St. Augustine Church in Philadelphia.

In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America Screening at St. Augustine Sept. 21

This compelling film explores the people, movements, and pivotal moments that have shaped Philadelphia and the nation.

EcoPhilly Hosts Season of Creation Synodal Conversations

EcoPhilly and its partners will host three public synodal listening sessions this fall, inviting participants to reflect on the themes of "the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor" during the Season of Creation.

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People and Events

Project Magis to Honor Allen D. Wilen with 2026 Award

Project Magis will honor Allen D. Wilen with its 2026 Magis Award for his leadership in helping nonprofit, health care and faith-based organizations navigate crises while safeguarding vulnerable populations and advancing the common good.

Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education Announces HR Leadership Transition

The Office of Catholic Education announced Aug. 19 that longtime Human Resources Director James J. Molnar will transition to a part-time leadership development role Oct. 1 as Jessa Lodovici, a veteran Archdiocesan HR manager and Rising Stars Leadership Program graduate, prepares to succeed him.

Local Parishioner Named to Xavier Society for the Blind’s Board of Directors

Bill McCann, founder of the assistive music technology company Dancing Dots and a parishioner of St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Wayne, has been appointed to the board of directors of Xavier Society for the Blind.

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Commentaries

The Difference One Person Can Make

Our smallest acts of love, including especially the gift of our active listening to the people God has placed in our lives, have tremendous value, writes Anne DeSantis.

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USCCB

Bishop Zaidan Encourages Robust International Humanitarian Response Following Devastating Floods in Nepal

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250th Anniversary

Quakers’ Toleration Led Skeptical Young Nation to Accept Catholics as Americans

Catholics were present in colonial America but faced restrictions and discrimination. In Philadelphia, the cradle of religious liberty, they found freedom to worship and earned respect from their peers.

Not All Were Patriots: Remembering American Catholics Loyal to the British Crown

While many noted 18th century Catholics sided with the American patriots during the Revolution, numerous lesser-known Catholics sided with Crown forces – and paid a price when they left Philadelphia.

Catholics Had Prominent Roles in Last 3 Milestone Celebrations of America’s Founding

The large-scale commemorations of 1876, 1926, and 1976 in Philadelphia saw contributions and leadership from the Catholic community, a local historian points out.

George Meade’s Catholic Faith Made Him a Merchant of the Revolution

The Philadelphia philanthropist and father of 10 played a major economic role in funding the American colonists’ eventual victory over the British empire.

Catholic Faith Shaped Commodore John Barry’s Life, Service in American Revolution

The Irish immigrant’s legacy and his imprint on the United States Navy affords him a permanent place of honor in Philadelphia.

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Hispanic Catholics

De jugar a la Misa a vivir el sacerdocio: la vocación del P. Rafael Arteaga – La Voz de Dios September 13, 2026

Esta semana en La Voz de Dios, conversamos con el P. Rafael Arteaga, O.P., joven sacerdote dominico de raíces colombianas, sobre su llamado al sacerdocio, la espiritualidad dominicana y su experiencia sirviendo a una Iglesia diversa.

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