SAN DIEGO — Affiliated with the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the Sisterhood of St. Elisabeth reaches out to some of their most marginalized countrymen. Among them are children and adults with special needs, adults recovering from homelessness and addiction, and the formerly incarcerated. Sister Elena Sevcova is a Lay Sister of Mercy. Eventually, she hopes to... The post ‘Why are these children not like me?’ appeared first on The Southern Cross.| The Southern Cross
SAN DIEGO — Father Brian Victor M. de Castro was 12 years old when he entered the high school seminary in his home Diocese of Sorsogon in the Philippines. But that doesn’t mean that he intended to become a priest. Father de Castro, now 30, explained that the seminary was essentially an all-boys Catholic high... The post Sorsogon Diocese focused on seminarians, priests appeared first on The Southern Cross.| The Southern Cross
SAN DIEGO — Bishop James Thoppil leads the Diocese of Kohima, located in northeastern India. It’s a region populated by what the bishop describes as “a mosaic of tribes,” whose members are ethnically different from those found elsewhere in India. The Kohima Diocese encompasses the entire Indian state of Nagaland and is inhabited by 17... The post Spreading the Gospel among ‘mosaic of tribes’ appeared first on The Southern Cross.| The Southern Cross
SAN DIEGO — Bishop Siby Peedikayil, of the Diocese of Aitape, Papua New Guinea, was born into a “strong, traditional Catholic family” in Kerala, India. “It was my childhood desire (to become a priest),” he said, “and that desire never disappeared.” In 1986, he joined the Heralds of Good News, a missionary society of apostolic... The post His legs were healed ‘to walk … for the Lord’ appeared first on The Southern Cross.| The Southern Cross