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For 139 years, Vista Maria breaks cycle of abuse, trauma and neglect for young girls

DEARBORN HEIGHTS — In 1883, five Sisters of the Good Shepherd made their way into the city of Detroit to establish a home in Ward Mansion on Fort Street for young women and girls who had fallen on desperate times. Armed with the mission set out by their foundress, Sr. Mary Euphrasia, over the next several decades, the sisters housed hundreds of young women and girls in what they named Good Shepherd House. The sisters outgrew their facilities and prayed a novena asking God to help them find a new, bigger home for their girls. In an answer to their prayers, the Ford family generously stepped in to provide a solution — 50 acres of land in Dearborn Heights. The sisters purchased the land for one dollar and, in 1942, opened their new facilities, complete with residence halls, schools, a powerhouse and an auditorium. They maintained open land, trees and the river that runs on the property, and they named it Vista Maria.

Ukraine and the Sacrifices of Women in Wartime

In the month since Russia invaded the sovereign country of Ukraine, the world has watched in horror as Ukrainian cities have been destroyed, civilians have been caught in the crossfire, and millions have been displaced. As of March 27, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that there have been 1,119 civilians killed, including men, women and children, although they believe the actual number to be much higher. This number does not include military casualties. To date, more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have fled to surrounding countries as refugees, the sixth-largest refugee outflow over the past 60 years. Most Ukrainian men ages 18 to 60 have been banned from leaving the country.

Finding faith in trauma: Oxford student sees God's promise shine through darkness

OXFORD — At 12:50 p.m., Nov. 30, 2021, LeeAnn Johnson was walking to her biochemistry class at Oxford High School. It was a normal school day, except Johnson, who was always early for her classes, was running late. The oldest of five children, Johnson is an impossibly responsible and mature 17-year-old. A senior captain of the Wildcats' varsity lacrosse team, she also runs cross-country, manages the school's wrestling team and serves in student leadership. She's active in her faith, regularly participating in the J-Walkers youth group at her parish, St. Joseph in Lake Orion, where group leader Kathy Galbraith says Johnson is the type of person one can always rely on — so much so, in fact, it's often easy to forget she's just a teenager. Running late was out of character.

Kim Kardashian’s Worst Advice for Women and Where #GirlBoss Culture Falls Short

Last week, in an interview with Variety, Kim Kardashian said “I have the best advice for women in business: Get your f—ing ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.” The interview, meant to promote the Kardashian-Jenner family’s new Hulu show, The Kardashians, was done alongside her sisters and mom, and like with most Kardashian news, you have probably heard about it whether you wanted to or not. This comment left Kardashian in a mire of disgust and eye rolls, as women ac

Sleeping in the Rub' al-Khali Desert | Saatva

Growing up in Michigan, it was beyond my very active imagination that at 20, I would find myself halfway across the world, sleeping out in the open in the Rub’ al-Khali desert. My freshman year of college led me down a different path than I had envisioned after I found myself in an honors seminar course on the Islamic Middle East. It wasn’t my first choice—that was a seminar on national security—and little did I know at the time, but the experience would steer me toward a deep love affair with

The Future of Women's Magazines: Where 'Free Love'-Era Advice Lost Modern Readers Like Me

On January 1, the Washington Post published a report titled "Women’s magazines are dying. Will we miss them when they’re gone?" In the lengthy feature, Lavanya Ramanathan details the history of women's magazines that began in the 1960s, noting their rise to prominence at a time when women's ideas in society were less likely to be taken seriously. Sexism was much more rampant than it is today, and feminists like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem were pursuing avenues to spread their messages of eq

What My Italian Family Taught Me About Community That Our World Could Use More of Right Now

When my grandmother died, I was forced to rethink how I could keep our traditions alive. In December my grandmother died after a long battle with Alzheimer's. I'm a fourth-generation Italian, and my grandmother was the epicenter of our world. At her funeral, I pondered how our family would fare without its matriarch; I began to fear that without her, we might lose the togetherness that is so central to an Italian family's lifeblood. I was overcome by an urgency to hold onto the lessons she and

I’ll Never Wear a Hijab, But I Love the Reasons Why These Women Do

Growing up, I always valued modesty. My parents raised me to respect myself, and how I dress is certainly a big part of that. But in my mind, to be covered was something people did for others, especially for men. I’ve often been self-conscious about how people view my appearance, but I have slowly grown to remind myself that my brain and my heart are what they should care about. And part of my inspiration for that came from the most unlikely place—my Muslim friends who wear the hijab. The word

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Black and Indian Mission Office funds crucial repairs to Detroit parish, school

Thanks to a $45,000 grant from the U.S. bishops' Black and Indian Mission Office, which is supported by the Archdiocese of Detroit's Catholic Services Appeal, St. Charles Lwanga Parish in Detroit will be able to make much-needed repairs to its boiler, which has been unable to consistently heat the 102-year-old church building through the cold winter months. The grant will also support roof repairs at Christ the King Catholic School in northwest Detroit. (Archdiocese of Detroit file photo) St. C

‘Simplicity is Key’: Outfits Inspired by Sade

The sultry, husky voice of Helen Folasade Adu, better known as Sade (pronounced, Sha-Day), may be familiar to you. Still, there's much about the woman behind the eponymous band and contralto vocals that keeps an air of mystery. Nigerian-born Adu moved to England with her mother when she was four after her parents split up. At 18, Adu went to Saint Martin's School of Art, where she studied fashion design. After graduating, Adu modeled briefly before joining a British band as a backup singer.

Led by Holy Spirit, Magic Carpet Theatre brings Scripture to life for audiences

Catherine Zardus, center, started the Magic Carpet Theatre in 1991 as a way to promote literacy and reading, but after a dramatic conversion, she transformed the theater company in 2008 with the addition of new shows and performances focused on Scripture. Along with Barbie Wiesserman, left, Lise Lacasse, right, and Amy Susan Heard (not pictured), the Magic Carpet Theatre Drama Ministry frequently performs shows such as "The Parable Project" and "At His Feet" for schools, parishes and faith group

Patron Saints Brewery in Toledo offers saintly brews, seltzers, a welcoming

TOLEDO – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John refer to the Gospels and to a flight of beer that you can order at Patron Saints Brewery in Toledo, Ohio. Founded in 2019 by co-owners Aaron Grizaniuk and Eric Pfohl, the brewery features saintly brews of Grizaniuk and Pfohl’s own design. Grizaniuk, father of three boys, got into home brewing 15 years ago. Prior to making the brewery his full-time gig, he worked for the Diocese of Toledo in the Office of Catholic Schools.

For Socorro Truchan, serving families begins with a deep love for 'Mama Mary'

DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Socorro Truchan is all about familia. When you walk into her family home of more than 30 years near St. Maria Goretti Parish in Dearborn Heights, you notice an abundance of two things: family and her Catholic faith. The walls, tables, and even her refrigerator are covered with pictures of her four adult children and her husband, whom she always refers to as her “beloved husband, Tony.” Pictures of her parents and siblings, who hail from Mexico, and of in-laws from Ukraine are everywhere. Where there isn’t an image of her earthly family, there is of her heavenly one: "Mama Mary," Jesus, the saints and angels.

Gianna House pleads for aid after water devastates home for pregnant teens

EASTPOINTE — In the early hours of Dec. 26, Joella Bush, executive director at Gianna House, received a call from a fire alarm company: several areas of the building had been compromised by water. Bush ascertained there was no fire. However, as residents slept, water was coming out of the walls and ceilings. The staffer on duty said “there was water everywhere.” When Bush arrived at Gianna House, a residential home to help teenagers in crisis pregnancies, she was met by the Eastpointe Fire Department. “There were hundreds of gallons of water that were pouring into our building, and upon further inspection, the fire department found that our fire suppression system had burst,” Bush explained to Detroit Catholic.

'In God We Trust and Ride': Knights on Bikes live K of C's principles on Harleys

WARREN — Most knights wear shining armor and ride into battle on a mighty steed. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, however, some knights prefer leather and ride for the service of others on a Harley. Knights on Bikes is a fraternal organization of Knights of Columbus members with a passion for riding motorcycles. The group was founded in Texas in 2015, and as of 2023, multiple Knights on Bikes councils exist across the United States and Canada. Their motto: “In God We Trust and Ride.”

Pope Benedict's deep humility, love for Eucharist inspired Detroit priests, laity

DETROIT — As the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lay in state inside St. Peter's Basilica for a period of mourning following his Dec. 31 passing, 4,599 miles away in the Archdiocese of Detroit, priests and lay leaders reflected upon how the Holy Father impacted their own faith, and how his leadership, writings and example will resound in the Catholic Church for many years to come. While Pope Benedict will be remembered as a theologian, prolific scholar and writer, there is so much more the late pope left the faith, said Fr. J.J. Mech, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

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