Remarkable Transformation: St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa, has undergone a transformation from its 1972 modernist design to create a more sacred space. In the early 2000s, the original narthex was demolished in preparation for the renovation. Although a new narthex was completed in 2005, the church renovation itself did not proceed at that time. In early 2023, the priest of St. Cecilia's commissioned a renovation project with three main objectives: to increase the amount of natural light, to harmonise the church with the existing narthex and to incorporate sacred art and furnishings. Explore the before-and-after images.
Before and After: St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa
Home » Architecture » Before and After: St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, Iowa One of the architects at SVPA Architects, an architectural firm based in West Des Moines, lowa, recently reached out to LAJ to inform us of a recently completed a renovation at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Ames, lowa -- a church that was only rededicated this past July 24th (the photos here predate that please note, hence why there are no altar cloths or candlesticks upon the altar). They have provided us with the following detailed background about the church and the project in question: St. Cecilia's current church and parish hall was originally built in 1972 in a modernist style.. There was very little in the way of liturgical art, the altar and other sanctuary furnishings were movable, the tabernacle was located off the central axis, and the narthex was dimly lit... In the early 2000s the original narthex was torn down with the intent to build a new narthex and a new church in a second phase.…
हे यहोवा मैं तेरा शरणागत हूं; मेरी आशा कभी टूटने न पाए! In te Domine Speravi (Ps 71, 1) – Padre José Maurício Nunes Garcia हे यहोवा मैं तेरा शरणागत हूं; मेरी आशा कभी टूटने न पाए!
As the Archdiocese of Dubuque finalizes its "Journey in Faith" plan, Catholics in northeast Iowa are grappling with parish consolidations, fewer weekend Mass sites, and a shift toward evangelism amid priest shortages and declining attendance.
Trump Praises the Pope’s “MAGA Brother”: On 30 December, President Donald Trump hosted Louis Prevost, the brother of Pope Leo XIV, at a private gathering at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump introduced Prevost and his wife, Deborah, to the guests. Trump expressed his admiration for the Pope's brother, recalling that when the new Pope was elected earlier this year, television coverage showed him outside his home surrounded by MAGA signs — a moment that Trump said made him "love this guy". A vocal Trump supporter, Louis Prevost has drawn attention for political posts that contrast with his brother’s positive views on immigration.
Pope Leo XIV's brother, Lou Prevost, has attended a party organised by US President Donald Trump in Mar-a-lago
Putin is killing Russia in Ukraine and turning it into a satellite of China (General Leonid Ivashov) General Leonid Ivashov dared to speak the truth before the full-scale invasion in 2022. He is a Soviet "hawk" who warned that the invasion of Ukraine would be Russia's suicide, a country he now sees as a satellite of China. Full report: General Ivashov: Trayectoria y Mensajes Críticos General Ivashov's channel: Генерал Ивашов centroeuropa
2 priests attacked in Nigeria Editor's Note: Armed bandits broke into a Nigerian parish residence at 2:30 AM yesterday and attacked two priests, the Lagos-based Vanguard reported. One of the priests, Father Chris Pever, underwent surgery after suffering an arm fracture. The attack took place in Mararaba, a town in Nasarawa State.
According to the annual report published by Fides News Agency on 30 December, a total of 17 Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers were killed worldwide in 2025. The victims included 10 priests, two seminarians, two catechists, two religious sisters and one layman. For comparison, 14 missionaries were killed in 2024. Since the year 2000, Fides has recorded the deaths of 626 missionaries and pastoral workers worldwide. Africa Most Affected Continent It accounted for 10 of the 17 deaths in 2025, including six priests, two seminarians, and two catechists. The affected countries included Burkina Faso, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Nigeria, where five of the deaths were recorded. In an interview with Fides, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, described the situation in Nigeria as one of 'deep sadness' and 'shame'. He stressed that those killed were not seeking heroism, but were attacked during ordinary daily activities, such as at schools or …مزید
ईश्वर की साधना करने वाला मोंसिग्नॉर माओ लोंगी,68, जोकि पादरी के लिए समूह में एक पूर्व अधिकारी है उनके अनुसार, जॉन पॉल द्वितीय के पास इस्लाम के बारे में एक लक्ष्य था। 1985 से 1995 तक, लोंघी अब्रुजो में अपनी छुट्टियों के दौरान जॉन पॉल द्वितीय के साथ रहा करता था। लोंघी को विश्वास है कि जॉन पॉल द्वितीय एक दूरदर्शी थे। एवेंटी पर फेमिन्गली द्वारा प्रकाशित एक वीडियो में कहा गया है कि मार्च 1993 में जॉन पॉल द्वितीय ने उन्हें एक दृष्टांत के बारे में बताया था: "मैं इस्लाम नामक एक घातक घाव से पीड़ित तीसरी सहस्राब्दी के चर्च को देखता हूं। वे यूरोप पर आक्रमण करेंगे। मैंने पश्चिम से पूर्व की ओर मोरक्को से लीबिया, मिस्र से ओरिएंट के देशों की में भीड़ को आते देखा। " लोंघी वास्तव में विश्वसनीय नहीं है। "मुस्लिम फ़ौज" जॉन पॉल द्वितीय की शब्दावली से संबंधित एक कोई शब्द नहीं है, जिन्होंने 1999 में कुरान को चूमा और 2000 में प्रार्थना की कि सेंट जॉन बैपटिस्ट इस्लाम की रक्षा कर सकते हैं। #newsKmkpanoyap
« Marie est le vase et le tabernacle qui renferme tous les mystères. Tout ce qui était caché aux générations précédentes lui a été révélé. Plus encore, la plupart des merveilles du plan divin du salut dépendaient d'elle. » Saint Grégoire le Thaumaturge
I posted this before but cannot be overstated: "Mary is the vessel and tabernacle containing all mysteries. All that was hidden from preceding generations was made know to her. Even more, most of the wonders of the Divine plan of salvation depended on her." Saint Gregory the Wonderworker
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Dec 31, 2025 As the year 2025 comes to an end, so does my career as editor of Catholic World News. I am retiring from the daily-news business, effective January 1. CWN was born during the height of the “dot.com” era. Dozens of online enterprises sprang up in the 1990s, made sensational claims, earned millions for their founders, and then disappeared without a trace, never having produced a saleable product. Thirty-odd years later, little CWN is still chugging along, providing reliable headline news coverage for thousands of readers every weekday. But beginning this week, CWN will be chugging along without me. Thirty years is a long time to plow through news releases, write up stories, check sources, and read Vatican news releases every day. Although I still love my work, and feel the urge to keep writing, I also recognize a need to step away from the daily grind and work on my own projects, on my own schedule. As I bow out, I owe a debt …
Puts Make-Up On, Then Ignored Ukraine's Desperate Questions In Meeting? New details are raising eyebrows about Trump’s defense chief and a critical Ukraine meeting. Reports suggest Pete Hegseth focused on optics — even applying make-up — before a high-stakes encounter, then failed to give Ukraine clear answers as the war with Russia grinds on. As Kyiv pressed for honesty on U.S. military support, silence and nods reportedly replaced commitments. Critics say the moment exposes deeper questions about leadership, priorities, and America’s direction on Ukraine under Trump’s watch. Hindustan Times A New York Timesdeep dive alleges that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth donned makeup for a February meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart during which he seemed much more concerned with his appearance than policy. The Times published a comprehensive story about the Trump administration’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Tuesday in which it suggested that Hegseth began his tenure …مزید
A 1987 interview with Archbishop Lefebvre, which reveals his mind prior to the 1988 consecrations. "Today however, it is the Faith itself which is at stake. I sense that the ‘conciliar’ Church changes and places the very centre of the Catholic Faith in danger. For this reason obedience is no longer possible; for even the Pope does not have the power to change the Faith, he is but a servant of the Faith. To accept Religious Liberty, Ecumenism, the Conciliar Reforms, would appear to me to be contributing to the ‘auto-demolition’ of the Church. In conscience, that is not possible for me. The Liberalism of the Pope is destroying the Catholic Faith from within." “If it is my duty, I will consecrate bishops”
2 मई, 1965 को पोप पॉल VI (+1978) ने कार्डिनल के कॉलेज के तत्कालीन डीन कार्डिनल यूजीन टिसरेंट को एक पत्र लिखा था जिसमें उनका अग्रिम इस्तीफा शामिल था। लेख 15 मई को ओस्सर्वेटोर रोमानो में प्रकाशित किया गया था। पॉल VI ने अपनी ऑफिस की "दुर्बलता की स्थिति में, जो लम्बे समय तक बनी रहे या जिसका समाधान न हो इसके लिए उन्होंने अपने पद को त्याग दिया क्योंकि यह उनके कार्यालय का प्रयोग करने में बाधा उत्पन्न करेगा। उन्होंने यह निर्णय लेने का अधिकार दिया कि क्या उनका इस्तीफा रोमन कुरिया के कार्डिनलों के साथ मिलकर काम करने वाले कार्डिनल के डीन के लिए प्रभावी होंगे। #newsMcbamdfxjl