WASHINGTON (CNS)—From uneven responses to the COVID-19 crisis to the raw racial tensions exposed by the death of George Floyd in 2020, Americans over the past year have become more conscious of the diversity of our population and the struggles that many different cultures experience on a day to day basis.

ATLANTA—Sixteen dioceses are coming together for this year’s virtual Southeast Catechist Conference Aug. 12-15.

ATLANTA—Catholic Charities Atlanta offers a Leadership Class to nurture the spiritual and professional growth of young adults into servant leaders.

SMYRNA—A statue of Mary now greets visitors and staff at the offices of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

ATLANTA—Gunnar Bentz, a graduate of St. Pius X High School and an Olympic athlete, is described by his former swim coach Scott Carter as a “quiet professional.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Saying he was acting for the good of the unity of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has restored limits on the celebration of the Mass according to the Roman Missal in use before the Second Vatican Council.

ATLANTA—Donna Brisse will be the guest speaker at the Magnificat gathering for women on Saturday morning, Aug. 21, as the ministry looks forward to gathering again in person for the first time since March 2020.

SMYRNA—It was back to the classroom for Catholic educators taking part in the Summer Institute of the Archdiocese of Atlanta June 14-16 at the Chancery.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Pilgrims and well-wishers gathered at Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis as he made his first public appearance in a week after undergoing intestinal surgery.

ATLANTA—When Lieu Nguyen waits at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to greet flight-weary families who face uncertain futures, he knows in his heart those feelings.

MARIETTA—During the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 100 people around the world found letters of encouragement in their mailboxes.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Condemning the “heinous assassination” of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, Pope Francis urged the people of Haiti to shun violence and make a commitment to dialogue and solidarity as the path to a better future.

ATLANTA—Fans cheered on the Atlanta Hawks into the eastern conference finals this season, the “greatest postseason run in Atlanta Hawks history,” as described by the team’s Twitter feed.

Bread is among the earliest prepared foods, with archeological evidence of it dating back more than 10,000 years.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Sts. Peter and Paul were great not just because of their zeal for the Gospel, but because they allowed Christ to enter their hearts and change their lives, Pope Francis said.

JOHNS CREEK–Julia Castillo, administrator of Hogar Belen Diriamba, a Mustard Seed Communities home in Nicaragua, died June 7 after a brief illness.

ATLANTA–Caleb Taylor, 15, a rising junior at Westlake High School, is a step closer to joining his older brother, Joaquin, in earning the Boy Scouts of Americas’ highest award—Eagle Scout.

ATLANTA–Two men were ordained to serve as priests in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, with a call to share the “gospel of joy and the gospel of justice.”

ATLANTA–In a memo to priests on June 25, Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., announced the return of the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s Eucharistic Congress.

ATLANTA—Parishes around the archdiocese celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi with processions and Holy Hour devotions as well as adoration.