Champion Shrine hosted St. Carlo Acutis Youth Day this past weekend
CHAMPION, WI — Over 600 high school students came to The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion for the St. Carlo Acutis Youth Day on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
The “Star Wars”-inspired theme of the event was “The Hope Awakens,” influenced by a quote from St. Carlo Acutis: “The infinite is our homeland. Heaven has been waiting for us forever.”
Students heard from Mari Pablo, keynote speaker and founder of In His Heart Ministries. They also had the opportunity to venerate a first-class relic of the newly canonized Italian saint before a time of Eucharistic adoration.
The day ended with a Mass and blessing from Bishop David Ricken.
SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Green Bay celebrates 150 years
GREEN BAY, WI — One of the oldest parishes in the Diocese of Green Bay, originally serving Belgian immigrants, SS. Peter and Paul Parish celebrates 150 years this year.
A bilingual Rosary preceded the bilingual anniversary Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop David Ricken on Friday, October 17, 2025.
Pope Leo XIV canonized seven more saints on Sunday
VATICAN — Pope Leo XIV canonized three women and four men on Sunday, October 19, 2025. The diverse group includes religious and lay faithful from Venezuela, Turkey, Papua New Guinea and Italy.
Read more about the stories of the newly canonized here.
St. John’s Ministries celebrates 20 years of restoring hope in the Green Bay community
GREEN BAY, WI — On November 1, 2025, St. John’s Ministries will proudly mark its 20th season of offering shelter, dignity, and hope to individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the greater Green Bay area.
Founded in the early 2000s, the current mission is to honor the dignity, restore hope, and create lasting change for those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. St. John’s Ministries continues to walk alongside each guest just as Jesus walks with each of us. All people served are met where they are, recognized for their inherent worth, and offered compassionate support and a caring community.
In celebration of this incredible 20-year milestone, founding volunteers and donors, along with new friends of the ministry, gathered on October 4 for the annual Restoring Hope Gala, held on the stage of the Weidner Center at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
The evening featured heartfelt storytelling from current and former guests, reflections from volunteers and long-time supporters, and a simple message from Fr. Guy Blair, SCJ, one of the founders of the ministry. The event was made possible with the support of the Diocese of Green Bay, the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay, and Catholic Charities — organizations that served as the evening’s founding sponsors.
From its humble beginnings, St. John’s Ministries has not only endured but grown. Today, the organization provides separate shelters for men and women, as well as year-round daytime resource centers — the Micah Center and Wellspring — offering programming and services rooted in hospitality, healing, and hope.
As St. John’s Ministries reflects on two decades of service, the community celebrates more than just buildings or programs — it celebrates the people who make the mission possible. Volunteers, donors, staff, and supporters have helped build a ministry where all guests are empowered to leave better than they came, grounded in a spirit of familiarity, rapport, and trust.