Bishop Blase Cupich ordains 18 men into the deaconate Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships …

Bishop Blase Cupich ordains 18 men into the deaconate Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships …

Bishop Blase Cupich ordains 18 men into the deaconate Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships …

Bishop Blase Cupich ordains 18 men into the deaconate. Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships …

For four years they’ve been praying, studying and reflecting — preparing themselves to serve their church to the fullest. On Friday their training was celebrated when Bishop Blase Cupich, of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, ordained them into the diaconate.

American nuns facing a Vatican takeover of their leadership organization on Friday (Aug. 10) rejected Rome’s plans to recast the group in a more conservative mold, but declined – for now – to respond with an ultimatum that could have created an unprecedented schism between the sisters and the hierarchy.