December 29, 2015 // Local

2015 in review

Todays Catholic

Pope’s U.S. visit: Six full days in September and the impact continues

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis’ U.S. visit — Sept. 22-27 — was so full, “each day was like a week,” said the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Any one of his public events would have made the trip worthwhile, said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, but he noted that what will stand out the most from the visit were the pope’s “personal opportunities to be with people that are not the influential, but the forgotten.”

The archbishop, in a Nov. 18 interview during the bishops’ fall meeting in Baltimore, said the pope brought Catholics together with a “sense of fervor and enthusiasm” that will continue to benefit both the U.S. Church and the pope, who was “encouraged by his interaction with us.”

Pope Francis talked about how much he enjoyed the U.S. visit right away: during his Sept. 27 return flight to Rome after six jam-packed days in Washington, New York and Philadelphia on the heels of his four-day visit to Cuba. He told reporters he “was surprised by the warmth of the people” in the U.S. and how they were “so loving.” There was certainly plenty of love on display for the pope in crowds that lined streets in Washington, New York and Philadelphia just to catch a glimpse of him.

And he returned the love right back, waving from the popemobile or the black Fiat and personally greeting bishops, schoolchildren, prisoners, the homeless and abuse victims or in celebrating liturgies and addressing massive crowds or congressional leaders and U.N. officials.

Milestones of 2015:

• St. John the Evangelist, Goshen, celebrates 175 years

• Pope Francis visits Sri Lanka and the Philippines in January

• Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, former president of the University of Notre Dame, dies Feb. 26 at age 97

• St. Pius X, Granger, breaks ground April 19 for new church

• University of Saint Francis closes 125^th year anniversary in May

• Ave Maria Press celebrates 150 year of publishing in May

• Year of Consecrated Life celebrated in Vespers gathering at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame on May 31

• St. Patrick Parish, Fort Wayne, observes 125^th anniversary on June 29

• Pope Francis visits South America — Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay — July 5-12

• St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Decatur closes its 175^th anniversary in August

• St. Monica celebrates its 100^th anniversary Aug. 30

• St. Stanislaus Parish, South Bend, becomes a personal parish serving the faithful who worship according to the extraordinary form of the Latin rite on Sept. 8

• World Meeting of Families conference in Philadelphia, Sept. 22-25

• Pope Francis visits Cuba Sept. 19-22

• Pope Francis visits Washington, New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 22-27

• Pope Francis delivers homily during closing Mass of World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia

• Zeal, Missionary Discipleship Summit held at Bishop Dwenger High School on Oct. 10

• Pope Francis canonizes Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, on Oct. 18

• Jubilee Year of Mercy opens Dec. 8

• Doors of Mercy open Dec. 13 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend, and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame

Epiphany 2016: A look ahead

• Now through Nov. 20: Pilgrimage through the Doors of Mercy at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame

• Rites of Election will be at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 2 p.m. and at St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend, on Sunday, Feb 14, at 2 p.m.

• Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10, Lent begins

• 24 Hours For the Lord, March 4-5

• Chrism Mass, St. Matthew Cathedral, South Bend, March 21 at 7:30 p.m.

• Chrism Mass, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.

• Easter Triduum, March 24-26

• Easter Sunday, March 27

• Deacon Ordination, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, May 21, 11 a.m.

• Priest Ordination, St. Matthew Cathedral, June 4, 11 a.m.

• Come and See Men’s Discernment Retreat, June 16-18

• World Youth Day activities for diocesan pilgrims, July 21 to Aug. 1

• Zeal, Missionary Discipleship Summit, Aug. 27

• Today’s Catholic Travel presents St. Patrick’s Ireland pilgrimage Sept. 4-13

• White Mass in Fort Wayne on Saturday, Sept 24

• Year of Mercy ends, feast of Christ the King, Nov. 20

• First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27

• Christmas, Sunday, Dec. 25