Father Tom Vordtriede lit a paschal candle held by Deacon Ray Burle at the start of the Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at Holy Rosary Parish in Warrenton, Missouri. At the Mass, 24 people from the parish were received into the Catholic Church.

While learning about priest ordinations, Michael Lenzenhuber played role of bishop during the laying on of hands with John Paul Schmidt (head bowed) and Elijah Dwyer (left) during Kenrick-Glennon Days summer camp June 14 at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Shrewsbury, Missouri.

Father Christopher Martin carried the Blessed Sacrament in eucharistic adoration during week two of the Steubenville STL Mid-America youth conference July 16 at the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri. About 3,300 people attended the second weekend of the Catholic youth conference which included activities such as Mass, confession, adoration and various speakers.

“I try to form a lot of unity in here,” Assisi House resident Linda Broch said. “We’re all coming from a very difficult time. … We’re all coming from different backgrounds.” Assisi House, which has locations for women and men, provides communal places to live for individuals who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Broch has been an Assisi House resident since 2021. On March 11, Broch posed for a portrait next to images of women on the walls at an Assisi House location for women at the former convent at Our Lady of the Holy Cross in the Baden neighborhood of St. Louis.

Sister M. Gloria Buckley, of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, prayed the Stations of the Cross during personal prayer time Oct. 31 at St. Francis Convent in Alton, Illinois.

Robert and Lisa Spaedy kissed the hands of newly-ordained Father Donald Morris at a reception following Morris' ordination at Rosati-Kain High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Facing camera from left: Sophia Simon, Sister Mary Michael, Gianna Citrowske and Gia Vorwerk smiled while Irish dancing during Carmelite Day on May 21 at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood, Missouri. Sister Mary Michael said the purpose of Carmelite Day, where numerous young women spent much of the day with Carmelite Sisters, was “inspired by the desire to foster relationships, to foster the potentiality of a vocation to our community,” but ultimately to “share with them the joy of Jesus Christ and the joy of consecrated life.”

Perry County Jail inmates James Tiller and Charles Blakey took part in a Bible study with Mark Renaud and John Gahan on Feb. 27 at the Perry County Jail in Perryville, Missouri. Renaud and Gahan are part of a group of volunteers with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Perryville who visit the jail twice a month for Bible study. The Perryville St. Vincent de Paul conference has conducted jail ministry since the late 1990s.

The Thompson-Briggs family gathered for evening prayer around a bust of Mary lit by candlelight Jan. 17 at their home in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ukrainian refugee Zina Tkachenko held her 7-month-old daughter, Mia, as Father Toshio Sato, CM, spoke at a blessing of St. Michael House, the family’s new home, Sept. 29 in south St. Louis. Zina and her husband, Serhii, along with their two children, Pasha and Mia, now live at the home which DePaul USA bought and rehabbed. The Tkachenko family, from the Poltava region of Ukraine, has been in the United States for about a year.

Surrounded by the outdoors and smoke from incense burnt during Catholic Mass, Troops of Saint George cadet Michael Heddell, 10, served an outdoor Mass on Aug. 19 at St. Joe State Park in St. Francois County, Missouri. “Certainly for Troop 834, the goal is for dads and boys to come out, experience the outdoors, along with the sacraments, and grow in their faith together,” Michael’s father and troop captain Jay Heddell said about the group.

All Saints Academy St. Norbert Campus 2nd graders Oliver Marcelino, in front, and Grant Wiese practiced for their First Communion using Goldfish crackers with Angela Garcia, coordinator of religious education for All Saints Academy, during a 2nd Grade Day of Reflection on April 4 at St. Norbert Parish in Florissant, Missouri.

David A.N. Jackson, who provided African drumming for the second annual “Forgive Us Our Trespasses” Maafa procession and prayer service, stood in light from a window in the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France (Old Cathedral) on June 17 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Rita Sparrow, a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in St. Charles, folded hands as a priest spoke during a gathering June 24 outside Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, Missouri. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court released its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturned the Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion.

Surprising his children with his return from deployment in Kuwait, U.S. Army SFC Anthony Heppermann was hugged by his children David, 11, and Hailey, 9, during their Totus Tuus summer youth program June 30 at St. Theodore Parish in Flint Hill, Missouri. “It’s the greatest feeling ever,” Anthony said about the surprise. “Having that feeling of them running up to me. It’s hard to explain, but it’s the greatest feeling ever.” The Heppermanns are parishioners at St. Theodore in Flint Hill. “Faith always helps because you’re hoping that God will protect you to make it back home to them,” Anthony said.

Students, with backpacks ready to be blessed by Father Daniel G. Shaughnessy, folded their hands in prayer on the first day of school Aug. 17 at Saint Joseph School in Imperial, Missouri.

Eliza Rosa, 4, (left in hug) and Maria Rosa, 6, embraced during Mass next to their mother, Caroline Rosa, and siblings Josephine Rosa, 3, and Frances Rosa, 5 months, on June 10 at St. Peter Church in Kirkwood, Missouri. The Rosas have been parishioners at St. Peter since 2019.

Women knelt before the start of a Mass featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem during the Christ the King Music Festival on Nov. 2 at St. Francis de Sales Oratory in St. Louis, Missouri.

Eighteen permanent deacon ordination candidates lay prostrate during the Litany of Supplication during the Rite of Ordination of Deacons on June 4 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis in St. Louis, Missouri.

In this photo illustration, the Eucharist was depicted using an unconsecrated host held by Father Nicholas Smith on April 21 at St. Vincent de Paul Chapel in the Cardinal Rigali Center in Shrewsbury, Missouri.

Ed and Carla Kaiser, left side of table, and John and Agnes Boul, all parishioners of St. Gabriel the Archangel, conversed under a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe during a BARCIA gathering March 14 at The Golden Hoosier in St. Louis, Missouri. The gatherings, where people are able to discuss faith topics in the laid-back environment, take place the second Monday of each month at The Golden Hoosier.

Ali Thuet raised arms in worship during week two of the Steubenville STL Mid-America youth conference July 16 at the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri. About 3,300 people attended the second weekend of the Catholic youth conference which included activities such as Mass, confession, adoration and various speakers.

Daniel Tyler of St. Louis cleared debris from storm damage July 13 at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. The cemetery was damaged during storms the weekend of July 1 and is currently closed to the public due to the damage.

Paul Reddy, a Saint Louis University student and parishioner at St. Ferdinand in Florissant, knelt in prayer during Eucharistic adoration while others exited during day three of SEEK23 on Jan. 4 at America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri.