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The diocesan Spanish Spelling Bee is tonight at St. Timothy School in Mesa. Check out the recap from last year’s bee for an idea of the words to expect Or if you’d like to re-visit the English Spelling Bee from earlier this year, click here. I always enjoy reading about the church terms these students are quizzed on.

This student didn't advance to the Diocesan Spanish Spelling Bee. Others did and face off tonight.

On related spelling notes…

Annunciation Catholic School in Cave Creek posts the weekly spelling lists (English words) for second-graders online. They have to practice the word twice — once by printing out the spelling and once by using cursive. They must alphabetize them first though.

Most of these 16 words seem pretty challenging for a second-grader if you ask me:

• responsible (and other multi-syllable “-ible” words)
• parable (and other “-able” words)
• naturally

Test yourself on this week’s full-list. I wonder how long that assignment takes on average. At least the school is emphasizing the importance of spelling. I had an e-mail from someone the other day who spelled article as “artical.” Maybe it’s because of my line of work, but that one always seemed obvious to me.

And feel free to test yourself on the correct spelling of every bishop who has served or is serving the Phoenix Diocese. You don’t have to be a diocesan native to ace this quiz. At least the first name portion.

Five Phoenix bishops in 42 years, three common names.

Every Phoenix bishop has either been named:

• Edward/Eduardo — Edward A. McCarthy (first bishop) or Eduardo A. Nevares (first auxiliary bishop)
• James — James S. Rausch (second bishop) or James S. Wall (first Phoenix priest ordained a bishop)
• Thomas — Thomas J. O’Brien (third bishop) or Thomas J. Olmsted (fourth and current bishop)

Although the number of people, some in official positions, who spell “Olmsted” as “Olmstead” still surprises me. Even the middle initials of Phoenix’s bishops past and present pair up.

I would think when the time comes to name another auxiliary bishop or bishop, Pope Benedict XVI might first sort the list of available candidates by first name and go from there.