This Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, I intend to make a pilgrimage. Not to any famous Franciscan shrine, but to a place that has meaning for me and my family: Webster Hall on East 11th St., Manhattan. Though recently closed for major renovations, the hall is where, at a closely chaperoned dance 70 years ago, on Oct. 4, 1947, an 18-year-old Rosie Lusardi met an ‘older man,’ 24-year-old Clemente Ferrari. Within 10 years, this young couple would be married and have three of their eventual four children. I am the second offspring of their union.

by Christopher White

On the same day that Pope Francis called for an end to the “collective and arbitrary” expulsion of migrants, the U.S. bishops expressed their deep disappointment in President Donald Trump’s decision to end the parole processing system for minors seeking to enter the United States through the Central American Minors (CAM) program.

It was during renovations to our house that a young worker came across a large box filled with religious articles. The young man examined the contents for a moment, and then asked, “Hey, lady, where should I put this box of holy stuff?”

A few days after attending the National Black Catholic Congress, which was attended by over 2,000 delegates representing the African Diasporas from the United States and some dioceses representing Africa, the Caribbean, the military and Rome, I placed a call to an old friend, John Baynes.