Pittsburgh Catholic

WASHINGTON -- As momentum builds to implement new limits on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips, the Catholic bishops of the United States remain focused on seeking "reasonable restrictions" on gun ownership without infringing upon Second Amendment rights.

"The bishops continue to support measures that control the sale and use of firearms and continue to call for sensible regulations on handguns," Kathy Saile, the bishops' director of domestic social development, told Catholic News Service.

"In addition to that, we need to make a serious commitment to address

Twenty Something

Barbara Benson Keith's wake-up call came while chatting with a fellow kindergarten teacher at the end of a school day.

Her colleague said, "'I hope in 10 years I'm right here in this classroom doing the same thing,'" Barbara recalled. "And inside I was like, 'Ack! No!' That didn't appeal to me at all."

In the spring of 2000, after 12 years of teaching, Barbara took a leave. She was ready to end the persistent stream of sickness teaching had triggered and embark on her next adventure.

JANUARY<?xml:namespace prefix = o />

Raymond Fleckenstein, former communications director for the diocese, dies at age 78 ... Father John Weber, former pastor of Holy Spirit in Millvale, dies at age 76 ... More than 700 young people hear a powerful message on chastity during a Silver Ring Thing presentation at Seton-LaSalle High School ... Dr.

Catholics can improve their new year and deepen their experience of the Year of Faith by strengthening their prayer lives, says the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.

The committee recently offered “10 Prayers for the Year of Faith” as a way of drawing Catholics more deeply into the Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI called for the Year of Faith, which began Oct. 11 and ends Nov. 24, 2013.

It is suggested that Catholics become familiar with these prayers:

1.

NEW YORK -- "Jack Reacher" (Paramount) begins with a sniper killing five people, including a woman holding a 7-year-old girl, and ends in a fusillade of semiautomatic rifle fire. Between those disturbing visuals, it's a reasonably compelling detective story.

The hero of the title (Tom Cruise) -- a man seemingly without a past -- discerns the innocence of the falsely accused shooter, uncovers the evil corporate plot behind the crime and dispenses his own brand of rough justice in a dystopian Pittsburgh.

That's right, Pittsburgh.

The construction of the new Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School in Cranberry Township has reached a milestone with the “topping off” of its steel structure.

Bishop David Zubik was among those on hand Dec. 14 when the last beam was hoisted into place.

“It’s an historical moment that I didn’t want to be left out of,” he told the assembled media shortly before joining construction personnel in the ceremonial signing of the beam.

This is the seventh in a continuing series of articles profiling the Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Like other Catholic schools, Seton-LaSalle High School can boast of strong academics, strong values and a dedicated faculty.

But it’s the students who top the list among administrators at the Mount Lebanon school.

“They really understand the sense of community in that you need to be involved if you want to make the school a good place,” said Lauren Martin, principal.

Bishop David Zubik has issued a decree, dated Dec. 14, merging St. Justin Parish into St. Mary of the Mount Parish in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood.

The merger will be effective Feb. 10, 2013, at which time the St. Justin church building will be closed.

The action, which came at the request of both parishes, was announced at Masses in the parishes the weekend of Dec. 15-16.

'Strengthening our parishes' 

Dec.