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Two schools won't reopen; move to strengthen others
Assumption BVM/St. Catherine of Genoa Parish will be the first of four South Side parishes to close its doors this spring when it holds its final Mass April 7. Three other parishes, St. Gelasius, St. Laurence and St. Leo the Great, all are slated to close June 30.

Praying with the saints
New book on patron saints had its start in Chicago
Thomas Craughwell was in the fifth grade when his teacher, Dominican Sister Patricia Thomas, called his mother in for a conference.

The problem, it seemed, was that young Tom knew more saint stories than she did. "At the time, I didn't really know what to make of it," said Craughwell, now 45 and the author of "Saints for Every Occasion: 101 of Heaven's Most Powerful Patrons" (Stampley Enterprises, $19.95). "Over the years, I came to realize it was a case of professional jealousy."

A visit from Pakistan
CRS worker brings plight of refugees to Chicago-area Catholics and others
Nadia Salam wants to deliver a message to U.S. Catholics: Catholic Relief Services in Pakistan needs their help. And not just because of the fallout from Sept. 11 .

"Pakistan is now hosting 2 million Afghan refugees," said Salam, a finance manager and justice coordinator for CRS in Pakistan. "Two hundred thousand came since Sept. 11."