All Things New update

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy has rejected an appeal from St. Paul Parish in Berger, upholding Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski’s decree in which St. Paul was subsumed by Assumption Parish in New Haven on Aug. 1. Father Jeffrey Maassen serves as pastor of Assumption and St. Francis Borgia Parish in Washington.

The faithful of the following parishes appealed suppressions or mergers and are still awaiting a decision from the Vatican: Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Louis, St. Bernadette in Lemay, St. Agnes in Bloomsdale, St. Lawrence in Lawrenceton and St. Matthew the Apostle in St. Louis.

New president of Catholic schools

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski has appointed Julie Scott Soffner to the new role of president of the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education and Formation, effective July 1. She previously served as executive director of the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation (TTEF). Pete Cerone, senior director of advancement with TTEF, has been chosen as the foundation’s acting executive director. TTEF provides need-based tuition assistance scholarships to families attending parochial or private elementary schools.

Biking for Babies

Biking for Babies, a pro-life organization connecting young adults with a passion for athletics and service to pregnancy resource centers, will be in St. Louis on Saturday, July 13, for a Celebration of Life event from 4-8 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish, 567 St. Joseph Lane in Manchester. The cycling missionaries will meet at the parish at the completion of their 3,600-mile journey. To learn more about Biking for Babies or to register for the event, visit bikingforbabies.com/col-mo.

Catholic Art Festival applications open

Artist vendor applications and contest entries are now open for the third annual Catholic Art Festival, which will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in St. Louis. Local Catholic artists are invited to apply to sell their art; deadline for applications is July 27. The St. Robert Southwell Literary Contest, for original works that explore goodness and beauty, is open for submissions until Aug. 20. To apply to be a vendor, enter the writing contest and learn more about the festival, visit catholicartfest.com.

Carmelite novena

The Discalced Carmelites will host the 76th annual outdoor novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel from Saturday, July 13, to Sunday, July 21, at their monastery, 9150 Clayton Road. Each night will include Rosary in the chapel at 7:15 p.m., Benediction at 7:40 p.m. and Mass on the grounds at 8 p.m. For more information, visit stlreview.com/3VYqQvx.