By COLE DeSANTIS, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent

PROVIDENCE — Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has created a task force to address the medical, social and pastoral issues connected with the mental health crisis among the youth.

The Diocesan Task Force on Youth Wellness, which is dedicated to St. Dymphna (the patron saint of those suffering from mental health issues), held its first meeting on July 19, and plans on meeting again in the near future.

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor, RI Catholic

PROVIDENCE — A Diocesan report chronicling input from the faithful in the Diocese of Providence following Pope Francis’s call for global participation in “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” has been approved by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin and advanced to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, where it will be included in the report being sent to the Vatican through a multi-faceted process.

The Diocesan Committee on the Synod of Synodality collected more than 1,500 responses through an online survey, created by a sub-committee, to gauge public opinion on 10 themes identified in the Vatican’s 40-page preparatory document for the synod. Those responses, along with reports from several gathering sessions held around the diocese, formed the basis of the report.

A young woman from St. Patrick Church in Providence has answered a call to religious life. On August 1, Emily Cuellar became a novice with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal (CFR) in New York. On this day, she received a habit, a new religious name — Sister Juan María of the Holy Spirit— and will begin wearing a white veil until she professes permanent vows and starts using the black veil over a gray habit. Her father Silvio Cuellar, editor of El Catolico de Rhode Island, ...

By: Natalie Hoefer

EDINBURGH, Ind. (CNS) — Melissa Coles received a call in the late summer of 2019. She didn’t listen long before she figured it was a prank call and hung up. When the person called back, she hung up again.

“On the third call, they had all the producers on the line — Kirk Cameron and the Kendrick brothers,” she said, referring to Alex, Shannon and Stephen Kendrick, producers of Christian films such as “Fireproof,” “War Room” and “Courageous.” “They said they wanted to make (the documentary) ‘I Lived on Parker Avenue’ into a movie.”

Coles knew the 2018 YouTube documentary well — she was one of its subjects.

By: Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis dedicated his general audience talk to the urgent need for young and old to come together so older people can share their faith and wisdom about the world.

“Let’s think about dialogue, about the alliance between old and young,” he said, as well as make sure this bond is not broken. “May the elderly have the joy of speaking, of expressing themselves with young people and may young people seek out the elderly to receive the wisdom of life from them.”

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To learn more about a vocation to the priesthood in the Diocese of Providence, contact Fr. Brian Morris at rev.brian.morris@gmail.com or 401-331-1316.

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