The Catholic Telegraph January 2022

MAGAZINE

191st year | issue 1

bringing faith into the home

january 2022 | catholic schools week | 1

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Chief Operating Officer Kevin P. O’Bryan and his family. Raised Catholic in Centerville, OH, Kevin attended Incarnation School, Alter High School, and The University of Dayton.

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edi t or’s not e

The Blessings of Catholic School Before moving to Cincinnati, I worked three jobs so my four children could remain in Catholic school. “She must be crazy,” you might think – and many who dearly love us certainly thought we were. I don’t say this to paint myself as a martyr or look down my nose at others who don’t do the same, but rather to emphasize how important Catholic schools have been in our family’s life. During this time, I confess my husband and I spent many late nights discussing when we should pull our children out, accept that Catholic school was no longer financially feasible and place them in public school. At what point mentally and financially would we have to say, “This is our limit”? We set benchmarks: “If we are still struggling by Christmas, we’ll pull them,” or “At the end of the school year we’ll reassess.” We took it to prayer. “God, if you want them to remain in Catholic school, please help us find a way.” And each time, little by little, He guided us to solutions. We were incredibly fortunate to receive financial assistance that enabled our children to continue in their school during difficult years. We still had to work long hours and make many sacrifices, but, for us, it was worth it. We did it for faith, for our family, for our children. Throughout our children’s lives, their Catholic schools have been shining examples of education, but more importantly, prayer. There they both learn our faith and share their educational lives with a school family of like-minded believers. Both in Louisiana and Cincinnati, I watched my children pray with their teammates and opposing teams before games. I listened as they shared stories of the saints and asked questions that prompted me to deepen my own faith. By

their schools’ own practice and witness I memorized the St. Michael Prayer, witnessed my first Living Rosary and shared in the joy of getting to know my children’s parish prayer partners before First Reconciliation and First Communion. Our job is to get our children to heaven. As their parents, we must do what we can to help them along that path. And, for us at least, that means placing our children in an educational environment to help them reach that goal. As a byproduct of being in a Catholic-centered school, our children have our faith’s values instilled in them. They regularly take part in serving others, reading at Mass, participating in reconciliation and hearing their teachers say, “I am praying for you.” Because Catholic schools are among the greatest blessings for thousands of families in this archdiocese, as they have been for us, this issue highlights how they enrich the faith of students and their families across Western and Southwestern Ohio.

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 191st Year No. 1 • January 2022 513-263-6635 • thecatholictelegraph.com

PUBLISHER Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

EDITOR Jessica Rinaudo

MEDIA SALES Deacon Graham Galloway

GRAPHIC DESIGN Emma Cassani

PHOTOGRAPHY Margaret Swensen

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Dominick Albano

NEW MEDIA EDITOR Greg Hartman

SOCIAL MEDIA Katherine Geiger

100 East Eighth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 ctadvertising@catholicaoc.org The Catholic Telegraph (xUSPS 094-520) ISSN. 10736689 is published monthly by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati 100 E 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Catholic Telegraph, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202

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contents news

catholic schools

columns

8 A PRIEST’S PERSPECTIVE

21 SUPERINTENDENT’S NOTE

7 QUESTION OF FAITH

FATHER EARL K. FERNANDES

SUSAN M. GIBBONS

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

Families of Parishes: Discernment and Co-Responsibility 12 BEACONS OF LIGHT ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

Pastoral planning for our Third Century and Families of Parishes 13 BEACONS OF LIGHT: FAMILIES OF PARISHES MAPS 44 FOOD FOR THE SOUL DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

New book by Dr. Peter Kreeft

22 A NEW FACE IN CATHOLIC IDENTITY

Is addiction sinful? 10 A CLOSER LOOK

JESSICA RINAUDO

DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

Archdiocese of Cincinnati hires Joshua Agnew as Deputy Superintendent of Catholic Identity

A distilled Church will be a faithful Church

26 CALLED TO BE HEROES

DOMINICK ALBANO

40 SHINE ON

PATRICIA MCGEEVER

The Catholic School Family

Father Ralston inspires holiness at St. Bernadette School

46 DID YOU KNOW? GAIL FINKE & EMMA CASSANI

28 THE ROSARY LADIES

St. Remy, Russia

EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU

Teaching students to make rosaries in inner-city schools Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for January True Human Fraternity: We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution; may their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family.

30 PRAYER PARTNERS

PHOTO BY: MARGARET SWENSEN

Guardian Angels prayer partners Norah Rinaudo and Anne Keefe.

Answering challenging questions 49 KIDS’ PAGE St. Michael the Archangel

34 PIQUA & DAMASCUS

50 CATHOLIC AT HOME

SUSIE BERGMAN

KATIE SCIBA

An evangelizing partnership

The John 10:10 life

36 GOD’S GRACES ARE FOR EVERYONE

52 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY DR. ANDREW SODERGREN

Catholic identity at Corryville Catholic

Original Unity: The Call to Communion

38 CARE FOR CREATION

54 MAKING CATHOLIC MEMORIES

PATRICIA MCGEEVER

WAYNE & MARIANNE TOPP

Area high schools make sustainability a priority

The farmer who became pope

42 FATHER ERIC BOWMAN

ANDY ARN

KARY ELLEN BERGER

A presence on campus 4 | CONTENTS

NICHOLAS HARDESTY

Strengthening parish & school bonds

JOHN STEGEMAN

KARY ELLEN BERGER

ON THE COVER

48 SEIZE THE MOMENT

58 THE FINAL WORD St. Michael School saved my life

SEEK THE LORD ARCHBI S HO P D E NNIS M. SCH NUR R Catholic schools have a well-deserved reputation for providing a high-quality, holistic education and producing successful, well-rounded young scholars. The most important thing about Catholic schools, however, is that they are Catholic. Our mission is not to just graduate scholars, but to form disciples who desire to know, love and serve Jesus in His Church. Partnering with parents, our schools actively engage in radiating the love of Christ and instilling the Catholic faith as they prepare students for both this life and the eternal life to come. That is what we celebrate during Catholic Schools Week, which this year is observed the week of Jan. 30. Our Catholic schools exemplify the Catholic Schools Week themes of “Faith. Excellence. Service.” Note that faith comes first, as it does in all aspects of the Catholic school experience. Catholic identity goes well beyond religion classes and crucifixes on the walls – although those are vital aspects of it. Catholic identity is found in curriculum, culture and campus ministry. As the mission statement of our Catholic Schools Office says, “Our schools are Christ-centered communities dedicated to the faith formation, academic excellence and individual growth of our students, all rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.” The very nature of authentic Catholic education is the search for goodness, beauty and truth and the cultivation of wisdom and virtue under the guidance of the Church. The various arts and sciences are pathways for growing closer to God as students learn the endless wonders of His creation. A passion for learning is thus a passion for Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children,” as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says (CCC 2223). In that sense, the home is the first school of faith. Catholic schools exist to help parents in this crucial role. And

in our local Church, the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office exists to help schools by providing them with leadership, service, oversight and support. My annual question and answer sessions with Catholic high school students from throughout the archdiocese during Catholic Schools Week confirms that our young people care deeply about their faith and witnessing to the world in which they live. Their sense of Catholic identity is formed in the hallways, in the cafeterias, on the playing fields and in the classrooms. It is on display as students engage in community service, mission trips, pilgrimages and the annual March for Life in Washington. To ensure Catholic identity is strengthened in the midst of our increasingly secular culture, Joshua Agnew has been recently hired for the new position of Deputy Superintendent for Catholic Identity. He will lead a team charged with creating a compelling vision and holistic plan for pursuing the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church in the 88 elementary and 23 secondary schools of the archdiocese. Catholic schools come in many varieties – elementary and high schools; urban, suburban and rural schools; schools owned by parishes, the archdiocese, private boards and religious orders. Most, however, are parish schools. You may be wondering about the impact of Beacons of Light on our Catholic schools as our Families of Parishes go into effect on July 1. For parish schools, that is something that will be worked out over time within each Family of Parishes. Any future changes will only occur with a great deal of thought, input and planning. Catholic education that forms body, mind and spirit is a great treasure made possible in our local Church by the sacrifices of every generation of Catholics since 1825 when the first parish school opened in the archdiocese. That is truly something to celebrate. S E E K T H E L O R D / JA N UARY 2022 | 5

BUSCA AL SEÑOR ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

Las escuelas católicas tienen una reputación bien merecida de brindar una educación íntegra de alta calidad y de producir jóvenes académicamente exitosos y plenos. Sin embargo, lo más importante de las escuelas católicas es que son católicas. Nuestra misión no es solo graduar eruditos, sino formar discípulos que deseen conocer, amar y servir a Jesús en Su Iglesia. En asociación a los padres, nuestras escuelas activamente irradian el amor de Cristo al inculcar la fe católica mientras preparan a sus estudiantes tanto para esta vida como para la vida eterna por venir. Eso es lo que celebramos durante la Semana de las Escuelas Católicas, que este año se celebra la semana del 30 de enero. Nuestras escuelas católicas ejemplifican los temas de la Semana de las Escuelas Católicas de “Fe. Excelencia. Servicio.” Tengan en cuenta que la fe es lo primero, como ocurre en todos los aspectos de la experiencia de la escuela católica. La identidad católica va mucho más allá de las clases de religión y los crucifijos en las paredes, aunque esos son aspectos vitales de ella. La identidad católica se encuentra en el plan de estudios, la cultura y el ministerio del campus. Como dice la declaración de misión de nuestra Oficina de Escuelas Católicas, “Nuestras escuelas son comunidades centradas en Cristo dedicadas a la formación en la fe, la excelencia académica y el crecimiento individual de nuestros estudiantes, todo arraigado en el mensaje del Evangelio de Jesucristo”. La naturaleza misma de la auténtica educación católica es la búsqueda de lo bueno, lo bello y lo verdadero y el cultivo de la sabiduría y la virtud bajo la guía de la Iglesia. Las diversas artes y ciencias son caminos para acercarse más a Dios a medida que los estudiantes aprenden sobre las infinitas maravillas de Su creación. La pasión por aprender es, por tanto, pasión por Jesús, que es el Camino, la Verdad y la Vida. “Los padres son los primeros responsables de la educación de sus hijos”, como dice el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica (CIC 2223). En ese sentido, el hogar es la primera escuela de fe. Las escuelas católicas existen para ayudar a los padres

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en este papel crucial. Y en nuestra Iglesia local, la Oficina de Escuelas Católicas de la Arquidiócesis existe para ayudar a las escuelas brindándoles liderazgo, servicio, supervisión y apoyo. Mis sesiones anuales de preguntas y respuestas con estudiantes de escuelas secundarias católicas de toda la arquidiócesis durante la Semana de las Escuelas Católicas confirman que nuestros jóvenes se preocupan profundamente de su fe y de su testimonio que darán al mundo en el que viven. Su sentido de identidad católica se forma en los pasillos, en las cafeterías, en los campos de juego y en las aulas. Se exhibe mientras los estudiantes participan en el servicio comunitario, viajes misioneros, peregrinaciones y la Marcha por la Vida anual en Washington. Para asegurar que la identidad católica se fortalezca en medio de nuestra cultura cada vez más secular, fue contratado recientemente Joshua Agnew para el nuevo puesto de Superintendente Adjunto para Identidad Católica. Dirigirá un equipo encargado de crear una visión convincente y un plan holístico para llevar a cabo la misión evangelizadora de la Iglesia Católica en las 88 escuelas primarias y 23 secundarias de la arquidiócesis. Las escuelas católicas vienen en muchas variedades: escuelas primarias y secundarias; escuelas urbanas, suburbanas y rurales; escuelas pertenecientes a una parroquia, a la arquidiócesis, a juntas privadas y a comunidades religiosas. La mayoría, sin embargo, son escuelas parroquiales. Quizás se esté preguntando sobre el impacto de Faros de Luz (Beacons of Light) en nuestras escuelas católicas cuando nuestras Familias de Parroquias entren en vigencia el 1 de julio. Para las escuelas parroquiales, eso es algo que se resolverá con el tiempo dentro de cada Familia de Parroquias. Cualquier cambio futuro solo ocurrirá con una gran cantidad de pensamiento, aportes y planificación. La educación católica que forma el cuerpo, la mente y el espíritu es un gran tesoro hecho posible en nuestra Iglesia local gracias a los sacrificios de cada generación de católicos desde 1825, cuando se abrió la primera escuela parroquial en la arquidiócesis. Eso es realmente algo para celebrar.

QUEST IO N O F F A IT H

IS ADDICTION SINFUL? I am dealing with addiction in my family and wondered if the Church sees it as sinful? One of the fundamental Christian beliefs is that the created world is good (Gen. 1:31). However, this does not mean that created things cannot be used immoderately or abused. In the case of addiction, a person has developed an unhealthy dependency on some created thing or activity. The choice to do so – when chosen – can be sinful. However, as addiction limits one’s freedom, the extent of one’s guilt may be limited. THE GIFT OF LIFE AND HEALTH

Especially when wellness is diminished, whether through disease, age or addiction, we come to see the importance of the gifts of life and health. As beings who God created, we recognize that our lives are entrusted to us by Him. And with this comes an obligation to care for our bodies. The virtuous life, which God calls us to cultivate through our attitudes and actions, requires us to practice temperance as a matter of justice, self-care and concern for others. As the Catechism defines temperance, it is the virtue that “disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco or medicine” (CCC 2290). SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Substance abuse is of particular concern because of its potentially serious effect upon individuals, families and society. Using drugs or using alcohol immoderately can inflict serious harm. The choice to endanger oneself or others through the use of drugs or alcohol can be gravely sinful (CCC 2290). Participation in the production and trafficking of drugs is also immoral. The Catechism uses its strongest language to warn those engaged in distributing and selling drugs that their activities “constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law” (CCC 2291). ADDICTION AND FREEDOM

Not everyone who uses drugs or alcohol becomes addicted,

but for those caught in addiction, one’s freedom is directly impacted. It is not possible to simply decide not to use again. Using a drug for the first time (if not prescribed by a doctor for therapeutic means) may be a choice and therefore sinful, but the subsequent addiction is not. With addiction, one’s brain is altered to need the substance. Addictions confuse a person’s mind, values and decisions. Once addiction develops, the person is no longer free and can find himself making choices contrary to his health and wellbeing, including disregard for others and lack of concern for relationships. With addiction, one must use one’s freedom to acknowledge that he cannot get better on his own, but he requires help. HELP FOR ADDICTION

Addiction is rightly classified as a disease that requires treatment. Medical intervention, psychological help and peer support can all contribute to recovery. Many organizations assist with addiction recovery, including 12-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and faith-based groups such as “Catholic in Recovery” (www. catholicinrecovery.com), which meets in Cincinnati, Dayton and online. To connect to an organization, one can call the national substance abuse helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Recovery programs and groups can assist individuals in rediscovering their faith. Active addiction can estrange one from God and the Church. Especially for Catholics, the healing process could involve spiritual counsel and the reception of the sacraments, including reconciliation. As the person no longer abuses substances, he or she can grow in freedom and the ability to view the world without the distortion brought by addiction. This new freedom can help the individual return to wellness, restore relationships and grow in communion with Christ. FATHER DAVID ENDRES

is associate professor of Church history and historical theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. Q U E S T IO N O F F A IT H / JA N UARY 2022 | 7

A PRI ES T’S P E RSPE CT IV E : B E A CO NS O F LIGH T

FAMILIES OF PARISHES: DISCERNMENT AND CO-RESPONSIBILITY The road that lies ahead for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati with Beacons of Light will not be an easy one. It will require discernment at both an individual and communal level. In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis invites every local church to enter into a resolute process of discernment, purification and reform so that the Church’s missionary impulse might be more focused, generous and fruitful, adding that it is important “to not walk alone, but to rely on each other as brothers and sisters, and especially under the leadership of the bishops, in a wise and realistic pastoral discernment” (Evangelii Gaudium, 30; 33). Three phrases that help us understand discernment are: to recognize; to interpret; and to choose. TO RECOGNIZE.

Individuals and Families of Parishes must possess a sense of self-awareness to help recognize, name and confront situations and difficulties in life. Many today may be well-educated in general, but illiterate when it comes to affectivity. Hence, there is a serious need to form people and communities to honestly assess one’s own identity and to recognize the Spirit’s interior movements, particularly those which bring joy and those which last. TO INTERPRET.

Individuals and Families of Parishes must not only recognize challenges, but also learn to interpret experiences, especially in the light of faith. As individuals and communities attempt to understand their experiences’ meaning and how to evaluate them, the Catholic faith’s hierarchy of truths assists in the discernment process. 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium, calls all of us to discern: “Each Christian and every community must discern the path that the Lord points out, but all of us are asked to obey His call to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in need of the light of the Gospel” (EG, 20). The process of discernment and deliberation is critical. People and parishes need to use both faith and reason to weigh the pros and cons in proposals and decisions. Laity are called to fulfill their baptismal responsibilities by working for the world’s sanctification and engaging in the Church’s evangelizing mission, offering insights from their professional, personal and spiritual experiences. Religious men and women are uniquely positioned to illuminate some issues’ transcendent and eschatological dimensions. As co-workers with the bishop and priests, especially pastors, they can offer their theological, spiritual and pastoral wisdom, applying their experience of shepherding and accompanying the flock and standing as Christ in their midst. TO CHOOSE.

Discernment demands being able to choose. Mindful of their duty to listen to the flock, pastors must have “the smell of the sheep.” The archbishop has a personal and specific responsibility locally to witness to the truth and preserve both the unity and integrity of the faith and of his flock. Ultimately, the archbishop bears the final responsibility for canonical decisions; however, his choices flow from, and come only after, the laity and clergy’s consensus and his own prayerful discernment.

For example, in the Beacons of Light process, the groupings of all the members of the People of God in their entirety is into Families of Parishes required gathering insights and data gradually promoted, with respect for vocations and for the from lay men and women, pastors, pastoral councils and staff, respective roles of the consecrated and of lay people. This then collaborating on possible groupings. Further input was demands a change in mindset, particularly concerning lay sought from the deans, Presbyteral Council people. They must no longer be viewed and heads of archdiocesan departments, as ‘collaborators’ of the clergy but truly along with priests and school principals. be recognized as ‘co-responsible,’ for After a three-week public comment period, the Church’s being and action, thereby a consensus for final groupings emerged fostering the consolidation of a mature and to which the archbishop consented. Later, committed laity” (Benedict XVI, “Discorso PEOPLE AND PARISHES each Family of Parishes will propose its own all’apertura del convegno pastorale della diocesi WILL NEED TO USE FAITH pastoral plan and submit it to the archbishop di Roma sul tema: ‘appartenenza ecclesiale e AND REASON TO WEIGH for his consent. corresponsibilità pastorale,’” May 26, 2009).

THE PROS AND CONS

This consent – this choosing – is never an WHEN MAKING PROPOSALS Decisions and choices must be made that assertion of power but remains a service likely will not be easy. All involved are OR DECISIONS. to the Church in the name of the Lord expected to experience some pain, but if it Jesus. Fundamentally, discernment is of a is a shared process, our local church will be communitarian nature that expresses the co-responsibility better positioned to carry out the mission of evangelization believers have; it demands that its members have an ecclesial and our parishes will truly be Beacons of Light. conscience leading to communion. The keyword is “coresponsibility.” FATHER EARL K. FERNANDES In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said: “It is necessary to improve pastoral structures in such a way that the co-responsibility

is the pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Cincinnati and holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome.

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A CLO SE R LO O K

A DISTILLED CHURCH WILL BE A FAITHFUL CHURCH In 1969, German theologian Joseph Ratzinger – later Pope Benedict XVI – gave a radio address in which he asked, “What will the Church look like in 2000?” His evaluation of the Church’s condition in 1969 is acute and thoughtful. His prediction for the Church’s future state is remarkably prescient. Both his analysis and forecast speak to us Catholics in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as the Beacons of Light pastoral planning process is implemented. And because the eyes of the Catholic Church in the U.S. are on us, Father Ratzinger’s counsel has broad application beyond our archdiocese. Spoiler alert: he predicted that the Church would be considerably smaller in 2000 than it was in 1969. And, of course, as measured by Mass attendance, it is smaller in 2022 than it was in 2000. Many people reacted to Beacons of Light with confusion, frustration and perhaps even anger. Neither surprising nor necessarily bad, these reactions should not define our evaluation of the process or its results. It is naïve to assume that the Church will not experience painful changes over time, nor that the changes will not affect our parish lives. As Father Ratzinger said, “Because faith and the Church reach down into those depths from which creative newness – the unexpected and unplanned – are constantly coming forth, their future remains hidden to us.” In other words, we should neither think we can confidently predict the Church’s direction nor be surprised when painful change occurs. “The dissimilarity between the past and present is the reason for uncertainty,” explained Father 1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

Ratzinger, “the similarity is the basis for orientation and correction.” In some significant measure, the declining Church attendance crisis is not merely about those who left, but also about those of us who stayed. We must ask ourselves if we have formed our lives to demonstrate the truth of our faith as a compelling alternative to the secular world’s offerings. Or have we compromised our own witness by accommodating to secular culture, such that the “faith” we profess sounds no different from the ideology of American private morality? We must face the uncomfortable fact that many of us primarily embrace American individualism’s tenets rather than the “faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Many are leaving not because they reject the truth of Christian faith, but because they don’t find it professed in the Catholic Church. If the Church tells secular society what it already knows, what is the point of the Church? The purpose of Father Ratzinger’s address – consistent with the purpose of Beacons of Light – is to consolidate the resources of us who remain so we may face the future as a smaller but stronger Church. “The future of the Church will issue from those whose roots are deep and who live for the pure fullness of their faith,” he explained. “It will not issue from those who accommodate themselves to the passing moment.. . . . Nor will it issue from those who take the easier road, who sidestep the passion of the faith.” And, as though he were reaching across the decades to address Beacons of Light, Father Ratzinger explained:

From the crisis of today the Church of tomorrow will emerge as a Church that has lost much. She will become small and will have to start afresh. . . . She will no longer be able to inhabit many of the edifices she built in prosperity. . . . As a small society, she will make much bigger demands on the initiative of her individual members. When attendance drops, we cannot be surprised by the practical measures necessary to address the decline. And those of us who remain will have more work to do. But, as Father Ratzinger concludes, the Church that emerges on the other side of this painful process has the potential to be stronger, purer and more faithful to the gospel. We see signs of this already. While parish attendance has declined, vocations to the priesthood have increased. And recent polls suggest that these men, in this archdiocese and elsewhere, are more strongly and faithfully committed to the Church’s teachings than prior generations. These are men who know they are entering a time of distillation in the Church, but they will serve a Church that is made purer by the pain of the process. Because what will emerge, as Father Ratzinger concluded, is “the Church of faith” where we will “find life and hope beyond death.”

CATHOLICS of ST. MARY, HILLSBORO & ST. BENIGNUS, GREENFIELD are joyful to be part of a new Family of Parishes with HOLY TRINITY, WEST UNION & ST. MARY QUEEN OF HEAVEN, PEEBLES

Let’s light the path to Jesus together.

A CL O S E R L O O K / J A N UARY 2022 | 11

A Letter from Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

December 5, 2021 Second Sunday of Advent Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This past June 19 was the bicentennial anniversary of the founding of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, marking an important milestone in the life of the local Catholic Church. We give thanks to our generous God for the many blessings He has bestowed on us over our first 200 years and look forward with expectant faith to what is to come. Today likewise marks an important milestone. I am pleased to announce the final Families of Parishes, bringing to close the first major phase of Beacons of Light. Beginning at noon today, these Families of Parishes can be viewed online at www.BeaconsAOC.org. Thank you to the thousands of Catholics in the archdiocese whose thoughtful feedback has significantly shaped this phase of our pastoral planning. I am deeply grateful. The enduring mission of the Catholic Church, our mission, entrusted to the apostles by Jesus, is to proclaim the Good News of salvation and make disciples. We have a responsibility to make the best use of all the means which God has provided us to pursue this sacred mission. The purpose of Beacons of Light is to ensure that all our resources – human, physical and financial – are properly ordered to missionary discipleship. I am convinced that Beacons of Light, born of great hope, will enable us to form stronger 1 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

parishes, centered on the Eucharist, that radiate the love of Christ and joy of the Gospel in a world that is frequently indifferent or even hostile. We now move on to the next major phase of Beacons of Light, the implementation of the new Families of Parishes on July 1, 2022. This will involve a great deal of planning and preparation over the coming months. Please pray for me and all the priests and lay people of our archdiocese who will play significant roles in this effort. Please also know of my prayers for you. Our life in Christ is always a response to God’s initiative. As we continue this challenging but exciting endeavor, may we stay attentive to all that the Lord is doing in our midst. God has abundantly blessed our first two centuries and will certainly bless the next. He has promised to never leave us. May God bless and keep all of us as we journey together toward the celebration of the birth of our Lord with certainty in our hearts that Christ remains with us always. Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr Archbishop of Cincinnati

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How Good is the Good God!

THE ALTER COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

515

A Place to be You

A Notre Dame Learning Community

All students equipped with a computer tablet

s t em

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69

www.mndhs.org

Nurturing her

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269 Students enrolled in one or more AP classes

Activity and Performing Arts Clubs

4

11:1

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I thank my God whenever I think of you; and every time pray for all of you, I pray with joy remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News from the day you first heard it up to the present. Philippians 1:3-6

Dear Friends in Christ, We are excited to celebrate all 112 of our Catholic schools during Catholic Schools Week 2022! When we began the 2021-22 school year, the Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati increased our overall enrollment by 500 students, our first increase since 1998! Now close to 40,000, this increase is attributed to the hard work and extreme efforts of our school leaders, educators, staff, children, families and communities. Our Catholic schools faced incredible challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. I could not be more grateful to our school leaders, educators and staff members for all they have done, including their dedication, heartfelt efforts, perseverance, creativity and extra time spent to keep our schools open during such erratic and unpredictable times. Of course, this was accomplished in partnership with the families as they supported their children, our students, during the pandemic.

Students continue learning the message of Jesus Christ. Our academic programs remain intact and our learning, despite incredible odds, continues in what many call, “the new normal.” I am proud to work with Catholic professionals who proved their commitment to our Church’s mission and who value Catholic education as a vehicle to spread the Good News to God’s children. I look forward to our continued growth in both student numbers and our Catholic faith. In Gratitude,

Susan M. Gibbons Director of Educational Services and Superintendent CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 21

A NEW FACE IN CATHOLIC IDENTITY Archdiocese of Cincinnati Hires Joshua Agnew as Deputy Superintendent of Catholic Identity BY JESSICA RINAUDO

“

I think it’s extremely important to get to know the people that we’re really – and I use this word intentionally – in ministry with.

Recognizing the importance of a strong faith presence within our Catholic schools, Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr approved a new position: Deputy Superintendent of Catholic Identity. The search for the right candidate went far and wide until recently, when Joshua Agnew was hired to take on this crucial role. As a former Catholic school teacher, administrator and even employee in the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts’ Catholic Schools Office, Agnew has experience at all levels. “I did teach in public school. I’ve taught in Catholic school. I have been an administrator in Catholic school, in the middle and high school levels for all kinds of things. I’ve been a choir director… I’ve done all of that in the public, in the private and even the homeschool spheres,” Agnew said. Throughout his career, Agnew has drawn on his own classroom experience to better understand teachers and administrators’ needs. 2 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

“There’s so many things that go into being an arts teacher… doing those types of duties for almost a decade, it really prepared me as somebody who can be an administrator and not forget what it’s like to be in that classroom,” he said. Agnew continued, “There’s a lot that goes on in a Catholic school. It’s not just, ‘Here, it’s something we’d like you to implement. Go do it.’ No, it doesn’t work that way because it’s a very different culture, especially than a public system. And so, understanding what goes into being a Catholic school principal and Catholic school teacher and how different it is, I think is something that I’m strong in.” Promoting Catholic identity in schools is a big job with a lot of potential. When asked about his vision for Catholic identity, Agnew looks straight to the heart of our faith. “Salvation,” said Agnew. “For mankind that is the goal and the purpose of the Church and keeping that at the forefront. … And then as an extension of that, we have

all of the Church’s social teachings. We have the wonderful ministries of our church that serve the poor, that serve families like us, Catholic schools that serve families with the education of their children… All can bear fruit and merit. And if you see it that way, everything you do, no matter how small, no matter how great, can be done for the glory and for the Kingdom of God.… I feel my role is going to be as Deputy Superintendent of Catholic Identity to help our folks who are already doing this work.” To get started, Agnew first plans to get to know the educators, administrators and pastors in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, then to learn more about each person, individual school’s character, and their combined needs. “It’s about learning what they do, but it’s [also] about meeting them as people because what we do as the Church, we’re human beings doing it. We’re not names or numbers. And so I think it’s extremely important to get to know the people that we’re really – and I use the word intentionally – in ministry with,” said Agnew.

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“It’s exciting to see that an archdiocese is willing to invest in a position [for Catholic identity in schools] and a team to help,” he continued. “I don’t want to use the word implement, because there are many good things that are already happening, but solidifying and helping to grow the identity within our Catholic schools. [We can] find ways that a fusion of the faith can be integrated into the life and culture [of the school] if it doesn’t exist, and if it does exist, to help really give them that support that they need to continue. I want to be a resource and to support them in their mission, which is an extension of the evangelizing mission of the Church. Moving to Cincinnati from Massachusetts for this position, Agnew is father to eight children aged 1 to 15. They are thrilled to be nearer to family in the Cincinnati area.

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Called to be Heroes Father Ralston Inspires Holiness at St. Bernadette School BY PATRICIA MCGEEVER

On a sunny, breezy November morning, as the leaves floated from the trees, the children at St. Bernadette School in Amelia were told they are called to be heroes. “Living good, holy lives of service is heroic,” said Father Tim Ralston at their weekly all-school Mass. The message delivered from the altar is one way Catholic education reaches students and develops them spiritually and morally. “A Catholic education is very important to me because I can understand more about God and Jesus more than I would in a public school,” said seventh grader Zach Eldridge. “They give details about what Jesus did for us.” Last year, Father Ralston saw some of the 195 students every day when he monitored the older students’ flex time periods at this Pierce Township school in Clermont County.

and got my substitute license from the state of Ohio,” he said. While this year Father Ralston returned to his normal schedule, he still sees kids on the playground and attends their sporting events on campus, getting to know the families and even filling in at the concession stand. Megan Mattei, who also brings faith to her student’s lives, is the sixth grade religion teacher. She gathers her class each Friday for their “Classroom Community” lesson when students share prayer intentions.

We want to make sure that when they leave St. B that they care for others, care for God’s creation...

“We needed to have more spacing out of students in classes for Covid,” said Father Ralston. “So rather than hiring someone to do all that, especially with lower Mass attendance and collections being down, I didn’t want to spend money on anything like that so I decided I could make the time in my own schedule to help out.”

It became a bonus religion lesson as Father Ralston talked with the kids in a more laid-back environment. Sometimes he discussed a particular saint’s feast day or slipped in another message about the Church. “Because I was going to be in the classroom each day I went 2 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

“I feel like as we teach religion, we’re teaching the whole child,” said Mattei. “We want to make sure that when they leave St. B that they care for others, care for God’s creation, and [are] able to have that community spirit so they can move out and be that light in the community.” “Now the class is focusing on Catholic Social Teaching and our call to holiness and how we can set the world on fire,” Mattei said.

Students learn about charity and helping others through holding canned food drives. Last spring they accepted nearby St. Veronica’s cereal box collection challenge. To motivate the students, Mattei and other teachers promised to eat a cicada if the kids met their goal. They exceeded it. Much to the kids’ delight, Mattei kept her promise and offered an extra cicada to Father Ralston. “The teachers put chocolate sauce on it,” said Father Ralston. “I ate mine as is.”

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“It is just enormously rewarding to bring another form of prayer to these children who are looking for something to calm them, to fulfill them, and reassure them that God and the Blessed Mother are listening.” – Louise Stakelin

The Rosary Ladies Teaching Students to Make Rosaries in Inner-City Schools BY EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU

Imagine placing a rosary into the hands of a child eager to pray, especially a rosary they helped make. That’s exactly what CISE board members Louise Stakelin and Tricia Headley, along with donor Susie Castellini, are doing. Since the fall of 2019, more than 250 scholars at CISE schools received their very own rosary and learned the beauty and meaning behind praying it. The idea originated during a conversation between Stakelin and Headley, whose children attend The Summit Country Day School and made rosaries prior to their First Communion. “Tricia brought up that the ladies came to Summit to help with this and we thought it would be wonderful to do for the CISE schools,” Stakelin said. “We both love what CISE does for inner-city children – the safe environment provided in which they can thrive, the great 2 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

academic background, the values they learn.” They order supplies online, Castellini assembles all but the last decade ahead of time, then Stakelin and Headley take everything to the classroom and help students complete them. Stakelin provides background information and instruction. “I speak to the children about how we pray the Rosary, and go through the mysteries,” she said. “I also talk to them about apparitions and how they can pray to Mary for intercession. I tell them ‘You have a mother at home, and you have our mother, Mary, in heaven. You can always turn to her.’” “I try to keep it real for them and tell them it’s a means of prayer you can keep in your pocket or on your bedpost,” she said. “My goal is to bring the stories of the happy and important times in Jesus and Mary’s lives to life for them.”

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES SCHOOL

The project kicked off with Judy Maly’s fifth graders at St. Francis de Sales School and expanded to a number of other CISE schools. The Rosary Ladies’ visit to Maly’s classroom on Sept. 28, was especially significant for the scholars as October approached, the Month of the Holy Rosary. “In October, we pray a decade of the Rosary each day,” Maly said. ”It was very meaningful for my scholars to pray on the rosary they created. During a class Mass, the rosaries were blessed by Father Mike [Nartker, SM, pastor of St. Francis de Sales]. ... It is a wonderful experience praying with my scholars. They are reverent and look forward to praying together, commenting on how calming praying together is in the classroom.” Maly shared comments from her scholars, including Nia, who said, “I felt grateful learning about the rosary. It makes me feel like God is present. I feel safe and welcomed and closer to God.” HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL

Another visit to second graders at Holy Family School was equally special, said teacher Michelle Frey. Seventy-five percent of her scholars are Latino and preparing for First Communion in May. “We have rosaries in our classroom and our kids know the prayers since we’ve practiced them, but it makes understanding the rosary so much richer to make one themselves and hold it [in] their hands. They got to pick the crucifix they wanted to use and held the rosaries so reverently,” she said. “I think as they get ready for First Communion, it makes talking to God more personal for them and helps them better understand the importance of prayer.” Frey said, “It was so sweet” having Father Len Wenke, pastor at Holy Family, bless their rosaries and show the children his own rosary. Mabe Rodriguez, outgoing executive director of CISE said she is “deeply touched and overjoyed to see how our CISE scholars have embraced the rosary making project. This is particularly important as 85-percent of CISE scholars are not Catholic, and thus a rosary is probably new in their lives. They learn the love for Mary, our mother, and that praying the rosary helps us get in touch with the deepest desires in our souls for God. We are grateful to Louise, Tricia and Susie and hope this continues at all our CISE schools.” Enthusiasm for the project has been gratifying for all of them, said Stakelin, and they hope to expand their rosary making at other area schools. CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 29

r e y a r P s r e n t r Pa

Strengthening Parish & School Bonds BY JOHN STEGEMAN

Prayer partners Norah Rinaudo and Anne Keefe in the Guardian Angels sanctuary. 30 |

The Catholic faith is a communal religion. It’s right there in the name, Catholic, which means universal. Being Catholic means having a relationship with God, the saints and our fellow believers in the pews. The Prayer Partner program at Guardian Angels Parish and School in Mt. Washington fosters this community, connecting second graders preparing for First Communion with adult parishioners, and reuniting them in eighth grade to prepare for the student’s confirmation. The pairs first meet with a gettingto-know-you breakfast, and then at least three more times throughout the school year, including worshipping at Mass together just before First Communion in May. Throughout the year, they pray for each other.

generation,” said Froehlich. “I think it’s really great for our older parishioners to see the future of the Church and the excitement and enthusiasm of these little ones and their developing love of Jesus. Everybody seems to get something really meaningful out of the experience.” Anne Keefe, parent to five Guardian Angels’ graduates and a prayer partner since 2009, agrees. Helping students prepare to receive Jesus brings her back to her own First Communion.

“Being a prayer partner allows us to share our love of the Holy Eucharist with these hungry second grade souls.”

Started in 2008 by parishioner Amy Heyd, Margaret Dunn is the program’s current facilitator. Most adult participants are parents of former Guardian Angels students, said Kay Froehlich, parish director of religious education. The program includes students both in the school and CCD. “It really is a great way for the kids to see adults that are actively living out their faith and engaged and interested in passing on their faith to the younger

“I think it brings more to light for us the first time that you received the Lord,” Keefe said. “I remember mine, but you look back [through these students] and you appreciate it more.”

Keefe noted that of the 100 or so adult prayer partners, many are daily Mass goers who share her devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She said, “It’s easy to talk about something you love.” “Being a prayer partner allows us to share our love of the Holy Eucharist with these hungry second grade souls,” Keefe said “Their young minds and hearts embrace what they are learning from their parents and teachers. They are taught how sacred it is to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and as prayer partners we are there to affirm continued on page 32

CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 31

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continued from page 31 this through getting together with them and talking to them about our own love and devotion to the Eucharist.” Father Thomas King, pastor, said that the program’s cross generational nature strengthens the parish as a whole. “Some of our second graders do not have a grandparent in the area and that is another benefit,” Father King said. “We are family, God’s family, journeying together and if you see the smiles on the faces of the children and their prayer partner, you see love and blessings being shared. It’s wonderful.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church confirms parents are their children’s primary educators, but programs like this show students that their family isn’t alone in practicing the faith. “We do everything we can to bring Jesus to these kids,” said Froehlich. “[At school] we go to church at least once a week. [Prayer Partners] are a great opportunity for those older parishioners to say maybe I’ll see you in church [on Sunday]. It’s an example of a different adult outside their family that is living the faith and being active and receiving the sacraments.”

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Many adult prayer partners participate in the program every year. Both Keefe and Froehlich said it is common at Mass to see previous partners engage in conversation. Teachers ensure second grade students remember their prayer partners by writing notes and drawing pictures for them. Eighth graders keep in touch with notes as well, some relationships becoming long lasting. “I got a letter from my third prayer partner when she was in college,” said Keefe. “I just appreciated that she still remembered me.” Come experience the St. Michael Parish School difference.

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THE CATHOLIC TEL EGRAPH

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&

Pi qu a Da m a s cu s An Evangelizing Partnership BY SUSIE BERGMAN

in Columbus. After 15 years of substantial growth, increased demand and positive change, they built Damascus Campus on 471 acres in central Ohio. Today, thousands visit each year to participate in faith-awakening retreats and events. Piqua Catholic collaborates with St. Patrick School in Troy and Holy Angels and Lehman Catholic Schools in Sidney to preserve a partnership with the Damascus Missionaries. Fifth and sixth grade students who attend the Faith & Science Retreat are immersed in the natural world’s beauty and invited to encounter its Creator. Seventh and eighth grade students’ leadership retreat encourages them to grow in virtue, problem-solving and communication while looking to Jesus as model and teacher. All retreats conclude with Eucharistic Adoration. The lasting impact is profound. Zimmerman said, “Years later I often speak with former students who admit these retreats have changed their lives. The time with Damascus missionaries has set their faith on fire and it continues to burn through personal relationships with others and, most importantly, with Jesus.”

When Brad Zimmerman became principal of Piqua Catholic School in 2017, he had participated in many retreats and various forms of faith formation. It wasn’t until parents shared about Damascus Catholic Mission Campus in Centerburg, near Columbus, that he realized just how life-changing evangelization could be. “The first thing we did was set up a meeting with Dan DeMatte and a few parents,” said Zimmerman. “I was really blown away by Dan’s passion and the structure of the retreats. They are designed to meet students at every stage of their development.” Damatte and Aaron Richards lead over 40 staff dedicated to creating an environment where young people, families, parishioners and school leaders encounter Jesus and deepen their relationship with Him. The mission began in 2001 as a summer camp initiative by St. Andrew Parish 3 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

Just as the road to Damascus is best remembered in the Bible for St. Paul’s dramatic encounter with the risen Christ and thus where he converted to Christianity, so does Damascus Catholic Mission Campus rise to its namesake’s challenge. It’s now a sought-after respite where generations of Catholics awaken the adventure of their faith in their schools, workplaces and communities.

“The time with Damascus missionaries has set their faith on fire and it continues to burn through personal relationships with others and, most importantly, with Jesus.”

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God’s Graces A R E FO R

e n o y r e Ev Catholic Identity at Corryville Catholic BY KARY ELLEN BERGER

When you walk into Corryville Catholic School, you’ll feel a presence in the air. It radiates from the students, faculty and staff as they talk about their community and showcase their love for the Lord. A new staff member at Corryville Catholic has helped intensify this exuberant feeling: John Ambrose Gabriel Kiernan. After receiving his undergrad from Troy University in Alabama, Kiernan began his ministry as a Seton Teaching Fellow with Seton Education Partners. His first assignment was at Romero Academy at Resurrection in Price Hill for the 2020-21 school year. There he connected with Father Ethan Moore, Corryville Catholic’s pastor. “Father Ethan became a friend during my year in the Queen City and shared the vision and mission at Corryville,” said Kiernan. “I said yes, and the rest is history.” That “yes” accepted a newly created position at Corryville Catholic: the Director of Catholic Identity. “The Director of Catholic Identity position was created for this school year as the result of a conversation between Lauren Clements, the principal at Corryville Catholic, and I about our desire for our school to experience the power of Jesus in the Catholic faith,” said Father Moore. “We love our students so much, and we also love our Catholic faith. Because the majority of our students are not Catholic, we wanted to be creative in presenting them the faith in an attractive and powerful way.” “We created this position as a way to have our Catholic identity be effective in every aspect of school,” Father Moore said. “We 3 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

wanted Jesus to permeate every part of our life at Corryville and have that be filled with joy and glory!” At the school only a few months, Kiernan’s passion for sharing God’s love has already spread to the students, faculty and staff and impacted the Corryville Catholic community. “Our School is alive in Jesus!” said Father Moore. “Johnny is teaching our students at Corryville that Jesus loves them, yes, but that Jesus wants them to experience His true presence through the Church and the sacraments. This happens through an ongoing formation that educates the Corryville students about the Scriptures, the traditions of the Church and the beauty and freedom that comes with worship. What this looks like now is a

culture that is coming alive where our students look forward to religion class, they are excited about celebrating the Mass and they want to be followers of Jesus.” “God’s graces are for everyone!,” said Kiernan. “Just ask Mrs. Welch’s third grade class… they will tell you that evangelization is our duty. We must tell people the good news: God loves me, and He loves you, too. He makes a way, works miracles, keeps promises and is our light in the darkness…. Spreading Catholic identity is my responsibility, yes; but it is equally a privilege and desire of mine to share ‘life abundant’ with my kiddos.” Kiernan also said spreading “life abundant” is something that makes a Catholic education unique.

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“A Catholic education stands out from traditional public education because it does not shy away from the simple truth that we are spiritual beings created to know God,” said Kiernan. “If that ‘life abundant’, that need for Jesus, is not cultivated within Catholic education, there is no distinction or advantage from a traditional public school education,” added Kiernan. “A Director of Catholic Identity may be the most crucial role within a Catholic school education because it ensures the love of Jesus Christ is introduced to His favorite people: the little ones, for ‘the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ (Lk. 18:16b). The future of Catholic education rests on the intentionality that is given to Catholic identity.” Father Moore said that because of Kiernan’s connection with the students and his impact, he hopes Corryville Catholic becomes a model for the archdiocese and other schools, saying, “We pray and hope for a ‘conversion factory’ where students and families literally can’t help but draw closer to Jesus Christ through His Church.”

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r o f e r a C

n o i t a e Cr Area High Schools Make Sustainability a Priority BY PATRICIA MCGEEVER

Planting a garden that attracts bees, drinking fair trade coffee and using refillable water bottles are simple ways to live and practice our Catholic faith. In his encyclical, Laudato si, Pope Francis calls all of us to take better care of our “common home,” and Laudato si high schools are leading the way in answering this call. “I think there’s this myth that taking care of the environment is about ‘saving the environment,’” said Mark Simcoe, a science teacher at St. Ursula Academy. “We’re actually trying to save the humans, save civilization, by creating a sustainable society. That’s why it fits right in with the basis of Catholic teaching, taking care of one another.” SUSTAINABILITY AT ST. URSULA ACADEMY

Simcoe also moderates St. Ursula’s Earth Club and Green Team. The all-girl high school launched an effort to reduce, re-use and recycle by reducing their lunch facility’s accumulated trash. The students collect recyclables and reuse plates, cups, bowls and silverware. Their efforts decreased the cafeteria’s filled garbage bags from 15 a day to just two. Additional changes initiated by students include composting food waste, selling Fair Trade coffee, wearing Fair Trade uniforms and planting a vegetable garden to donate produce to ministries. “St. Ursula actually cares about what we’re leaving behind,” said Sophomore Reese Pettway. “They just don’t care about the students’ education. They care about giving us something to fight for and something we can believe in.” PLANETEERS AT ROGER BACON

Roger Bacon High School’s Planeteer group has focused on caring for the earth for more than 15 years. “As a Franciscan school, stewardship is very much a key value we hold pretty closely,” said Assistant Principal Paul Zlatic, the Planeteers’ moderator. Recycling and composting occur in the school cafeteria, with some food waste donated to feed chickens in the community. Roger Bacon also has a cell phone recycling program with the Cincinnati Zoo, as well as programs to recycle batteries and dry erase markers. “More than anything, outside of student involvement, it’s become something that’s on the radar in our decision-making process,” said Zlatic. “LED lighting, more efficient heating and cooling, windows that have been completely replaced. There’s a financial benefit.” Environmentally friendly design is considered for every new project. CARE FOR CREATION AT ST. XAVIER

38 |

Max, a student at St. Xavier High School at the school’s Civic Garden Center.

At St. Xavier High School (St. X), care for creation grew from recycling and more responsible water use inside the school to ecology and biodiversity efforts outside of it.

“We’re fortunate to have 100 acres of property and that includes a large forested section,” said Meg Shaughnessy, biology and environmental science teacher at St. X. Once a month students remove invasive plants, like honeysuckle, and plant native species and maintain a trail on the property. “We are looking now to extend that trail,” said Shaughnessy. “We have also added multiple pollinator habitats on campus. An area that was just grass before, now has this whole variety of plants, insects and birds that it’s attracting. We added two honeybee colonies.” The school added classes that focus on nature or environmental justice and offers nature-themed campus ministry retreats, such as kayaking, biking, hiking and fishing. Shaughnessy says it’s important for students to feel a connection to nature so they can appreciate and want to preserve it. “It’s a lot more than groundskeeping,” said St. X Junior, Sam Warren. “At St. X we’re being raised to be the leaders of tomorrow. Being a leader of tomorrow involves being stewards of the earth.”

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LAUDATO SI SCHOOLS

Each school earned the distinction and title of “Laudato si’ School” from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Laudato si’ has seven goals: respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor; adopt simple lifestyles; advance ecological economies, education and spirituality; and engage the community. Simply put, it means defending all human life, working toward renewable energy, creating less pollution, connecting with nature and learning how our everyday habits impact the world – to ensure that impact is a positive one. The plan calls for action in families, parishes, schools, hospitals, businesses, organizations and religious orders. To date, two dozen schools, parishes and groups are recognized as Laudato si’ communities. Many others are on the path. The Catholic Social Action Office of the archdiocese can help those wanting to get started. CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 39

SH INE O N

THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL FAMILY A school should never have to experience tragedy. No one argues with that, like not disputing that parents should never have to bury their child. These statements are anchored in powerful emotions. But, of course, life isn’t always as it should be. My son’s school recently experienced a tragedy: the unexpected death of a beloved teacher. And, as is often the case, the school’s best parts shone brightest in the worst of times. This January, as we recognize Catholic education in the U.S. with the annual national celebration of Catholic Schools Week, I am highlighting a few “best features” of Catholic schools as revealed during this tragedy. THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS ROOTED IN CHRIST.

I know, it sounds like a cliché, but we must remember its importance. It’s sad but true that horrible events happen in this life to us and those we love. We can’t escape the storms life brings, only endure through them. And God is the only safe port in the storm. God is there, all the time. And that means sometimes He is easy to overlook. But that also means that when we need Him most, we know right where to find Him. THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS PART OF A COMMUNITY.

I witnessed powerful acts of love and friendship through small gestures of solidarity from other Catholic Schools in our area. They wore our school colors, students and teachers wore armbands and headbands with the teacher’s initials, and opposing Catholic school teams wore our 4 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

school colors under their normal jerseys. A Catholic School isn’t just a school, but part of something bigger than itself. Even they get caught up in rivalries, like the best of us, but the connection runs deeper and it says: I see you. I love you. I’m with you. I’m here for you. It’s family. And everyone is better when they belong to a loving family. THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL IS FOUNDED IN LOVE.

The outpouring of love from the students, parents, faculty and staff at our school is inspiring, but not surprising. Catholic schools are centered in love from their very beginning, and that foundation impacts everything that happens in the community. The supreme act of love is introducing people to Christ and helping others come to know and love Him, and it’s why Catholic Schools exist. The only reason a Catholic Church has a school is to love. Love is the foundation. Not every school can say their reason for existing is love, but Catholic schools can. And that’s something to celebrate. Catholic Schools are a great gift, and like any gift, they can be taken for granted. Take time this month to step back and shine a light on all the wonderful blessings God has given us through your local Catholic school.

DOMINICK ALBANO

is the director of digital engagement for The Catholic Telegraph, as well as an author and national speaker. He and his wife have been married for 14 years and have four sons.

Known. Be Challenged. Be Great. Be

www.mercymcauley.org ADM-0255 Cath Tel-Cath School Wk-Jan 22.qxp_Layout 1 11/22/21 1:48 PM

Celebrating a decade of faith, education and vision

www.depaulcristorey.org 513.861.0600 • 1133 Clifton Hills Avenue CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 41

A Presence on Campus

Father Eric Bowman BY KARY ELLEN BERGER

Recess is a highlight for students in elementary school. During this downtime they can enjoy fresh air, socialize with friends and exercise their imaginations. Teachers monitor this escape from classwork, of course, but in schools like St. Patrick in Troy, adult volunteers join the students. At St. Patrick School, however, it’s not just any adult getting in on the recess fun — it’s the school’s pastor, Father Ed Bowman. Growing up near Springfield, OH, Father Bowman enlisted in the Army after graduating high school and served for over three years. He later received his teaching degree from Ohio State University and was ordained in 2004. For nearly five years, Father Bowman has served at St. Patrick School and Parish and is also pastor at Transfiguration Catholic Church in West Milton. His interactions with students were influenced by two people in particular. “The first is my Great-Uncle Ed Bowman from Zanesville, Ohio,” said Father Bowman. “While I never went to Uncle Ed’s school, I heard so many stories from [my] father and his siblings about Uncle Ed being at recess with the kids or coaching basketball or spending hours at the YMCA coaching or playing sports with the young people.” “But what really impacted me was when my nieces and nephew began to attend the school,” 4 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

I want the students and the staff to know that they are important to me, that I am there for them and to show them they are loved. Father Bowman said. “Uncle Ed, still into his late 80s, was greeting the students when they entered the building and was there at the door to say goodbye to students as they left. Those children knew that Uncle Ed cared about them and that they mattered. All of this and Uncle Ed was, ‘just the janitor.’” The other influence was his eighth-grade teacher, Mr. Dimitroff. “I don’t remember if he was a good teacher or a boring teacher, but I do have wonderful memories of him at recess with my class,” said Father Bowman. “He would be the quarterback for our football games. As with my Uncle Ed, those few minutes each day being at recess tossing the football around made me feel that I mattered and was important.” For Father Bowman, a well-rounded Catholic school education is more than what can be taught in the classroom — it’s the critical everyday interactions that can be as significant. “I want the students and the staff to know that they are important to me, that I am there for them and to show them they are loved,” said Father Bowman. “[I strive to help students find] that being a believer, being Catholic, is life-giving, life-fulfilling, joyful and beautiful. I want them to see in me a person so deeply in love with God, that it permeates every part of my life.” Yes, God’s love is found inside a church sanctuary, but look outside: As Father Bowman proves, God’s presence can be found on the blacktop, too.

ARE YOU A GRADUATE OF ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA SCHOOL? We are celebrating our 75th Anniversary in 2022 and we want YOU to be there! Please visit bit.ly/saintialumni to receive alumni updates. FOLLOW US! @stignatiuscincy sainti.org/school

Saint Mary Academy (SMA), a National BlueRibbon School of Excellence in Louisville, KY, is searching for an experienced Catholic principal for the 2022/2023 academic year. We are a growing Catholic school community with strong parental support.

Send inquires and resumes to principalsearch@saintmaryacademy.com. Application deadline January 21, 2022

A Cenacle of Life HOLY HOUR Every Sunday 3pm Resurrection Church 1750 First Ave | Price Hill

+

exposition of blessed sacrament • two rosaries • pro-life prayers concluding with benediction

CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2022 | 43

BOOK REVIEW

Food for the soul by Dr. Peter Kreeft REVIEW BY DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

Generations of Boston College students have been profoundly influenced by the wisdom, intelligence and wit of philosophy professor Peter Kreeft. Countless readers have benefited from his voluminous writings. Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Institute is arguably the world’s most sophisticated and effective communicator of the New Evangelization. So, when Dr. Kreeft and Bishop Barron join together on a project, its tremendous success is not surprising. Such is the case with Food for the Soul, Dr. Kreeft’s reflections on the Sunday Mass readings during Liturgical Year C. In his book’s introduction, Dr. Kreeft names two intended audiences: priests who want a little help with their Sunday homilies and “the laity who are hungry for more of the ‘bread of life.’” It is no mean feat to write both for seminarytrained clergy and the average person in the pew who—no matter how well-read—rarely has the priest’s theological knowledge and formation. But among Dr. Kreeft’s gifts is his ability to speak to both audiences, such that he is neither talking down to clergy, nor over the heads of laity. The sturdily bound book’s layout is straightforward. Each Sundays’ three readings are presented and followed by Dr. Kreeft’s separate reflections, with a ribbon bookmark to keep your place. He combines his vast theological knowledge with the philosophical apologist’s rhetorical skill to both plumb the readings’ depths and demonstrate their application in our own devotional lives. He has the homily in mind, so these are not simply academic commentaries on 4 4 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

the readings, but practical meditations on how the readings apply to a Catholic’s spiritual journey at every place along the road. Or, to use the book’s own metaphor, Dr. Kreeft both whets the appetite and provides food for the soul. Perhaps the most important aspect of Food for the Soul is how Dr. Kreeft weaves the readings together from week to week, rather than treat each Sunday as discrete and separate from the prior or subsequent ones. He often refers back or ahead, to help readers understand that our Christian lives are part of the liturgical year’s continuous narrative. He invites us not simply to read, but to enter into the story of creation, fall, redemption and church through a rich variety of metaphors and analogies, to which we all can relate and from which we all can grow. Here’s one of countless examples that strikes me as especially effective, for the seventh Sunday of Easter: “If splinters from the cross aren’t drawing any blood from you, you are probably not close enough to the Man who suffered and died on it for you.” Food for the Soul is a triumphant collaboration between two of the most effective Catholic communicators in the U.S. I highly recommend it for every household. Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings, Cycle C by Dr. Peter Kreeft is published by Word on Fire Institute. It is available for purchase at bookstore.wordonfire.org, $34.96.

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Written by Gail Finke • Illustrated by Emma Cassani

The parish of St. Remy in Russia was established before the town itself was built.

1839 St. Valbert parish in Darke County established for French-speaking immigrants 1846 St. Valbert’s split into three parishes; St. Remy chapel built Early 1850s Russian immigrants settle in the area eventually named “Russia” either by French-speaking veterans of the Napoleonic wars in Ukraine, or by Russian immigrants noting the land’s resemblance to the Russian steppes 1852 First log church dedicated 1869 First brick church built

8 statues in the sanctuary: Sts. Ignatius of Loyola, Therese of Lisieux, Mary Magdalene, and Isadore on the high altar; two man-sized angels holding candlestands; St. Remy, and Jesus displaying His Sacred Heart

1890 Current church constructed in the Romanesque Revival style with a Gothic Revival tower 1904 First remodel; Stations of the Cross added

2 stained glass windows in the sanctuary honoring Sts. Peter and Paul

1915 Stained glass windows installed 1970 Church renovated extensively, gutting or redoing much of the interior and adding an exterior vestibule

8 major stained-glass windows Visitors should know they can arrive anytime from 5 am to 9:30 pm; we want everyone to be able to pray in St. Remy. When they come, they will encounter silence. Our folks know how important that is, and we still keep to the old tradition of whispering in church or else stepping outside. - Fr. Martin Fox If you don’t know St. Remy and King Clovis, the first stained glass window on the Joseph side, right near St. Joseph, tells the story of his baptism- with an assist by the Queen, St. Clotilda. - Fr. Martin Fox 4 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

1979 St. Remy listed on the National Register of Historic Places both alone and with 32 other properties associated with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood

St. Remy Known as the “Apostle to the Franks,” Remigius (Remy), Bishop of Rhiems, baptized King Clovis on Christmas Day in 496, which led to the conversion of the entire Frankish people.

1990 Church renovated to restore much of its original look with a high altar, freestanding altar, pulpit, Mary and Joseph side altars, and gilded half dome 2014 Glass exterior doors replaced with new custom walnut entrance doors, transom, and tympanum

98% OF STUDENTS are employed, attending grad school or working in service or volunteer positions within six months of graduation

RANKED

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for our excellent academic reputation among top competitors in the region

TOP 10 BEST

MIDWEST REGIONAL SCHOOLS U.S. News & World Report, 2021

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Class of 2020

26 YEARS RANKED

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xavier.edu

| 47

S E IZ E T HE MO ME NT

ANSWERING CHALLENGING QUESTIONS I love answering questions about Catholicism. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things. First, I enjoy sharing what I’m passionate about, and answering questions allows me to do that. Second, it’s a chance to fine-tune my responses and figure out the best way to answer some questions. Finally, I appreciate the challenge. Put me on the spot, give me your hardest question. If I don’t know the answer then I’ll go learn more – which I also really enjoy. And if, through it all, you get some much-needed closure on a confusing area, then the whole Q&A is a win-win for everyone! So, I love questions. The problem is, if you just crack open the door I want to plow through it like a running back. Sometimes in my zeal to share what I love, I overwhelm people and turn them off right just as they are beginning to ask questions about faith. As Sherry Weddell likes to say, “Don’t drown a teaspoon full of curiosity with a gallon full of answers.” Let’s practice her advice together. Below are three questions from a reader, each followed by my attempt at a teaspoon answer. Before reading my response, you try answering each question yourself. Remember: we are answering someone early in his faith journey who is entertaining initial curiosity about Christianity. Be simple and succinct. Preach the Good News! Pique his curiosity. Help him feel welcomed and encouraged. 1. HOW CAN HEAVEN BE PARADISE IF SOME PEOPLE WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR LOVED ONES?

My answer: It’s hard to think of heaven as a place of perfect happiness if I might be separated from particular people. I must remind myself: God’s love is BIG, bigger than my closest relationships, bigger than I can really imagine. It’s pure, all-encompassing, brilliant and so fulfilling that when I’m in heaven, basking in God’s love, I will not feel deprived of anything. Nothing and no one can compare to God being entirely mine and me being entirely His. Furthermore, when I’m perfectly united with Him it will make perfect sense why some people did not enter heaven. I will be struck by God’s 4 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

infinite mercy and justice, which will only further add to my fulfillment, not take anything away. 2. HOW DOES ONE RECONCILE THE WAY CHRISTIANITY IS USED TO ABUSE AND HARM SOME PEOPLE WITH THE GOOD IT DOES FOR OTHERS?

My answer: Any good thing can be abused. A hammer can build a house or bonk someone on the head. If someone is harmed because of Christianity, that means someone who represents Christianity lost sight of who Jesus is and what He actually taught us. When people are faithful to Jesus’ teachings and examples, they do tremendous good. When they are unfaithful, they do tremendous harm. So, the issue here is not with Christianity, but with those who represent Christianity. We must constantly strive to be better witnesses. 3. IF IT WEREN’T FOR FEAR OF HELL, WHAT REASON IS THERE TO LOVE JESUS?

My answer: Well, I can only speak for myself, but I love Jesus because He’s done so much for me. He gives my life purpose and meaning. He forgives me and washes away my sins. He brings good out of my suffering. He gives me a reason to keep going when I want to give up. He has given me gifts that make me come alive when I use them. He teaches me about myself. He loves me no matter what, and it’s really nice to have someone like that in my life. He even conquered sin and death so that I could be in heaven with Him. Jesus is wonderful, and so I can’t help but love Him. What did you come up with for answers? Email your thoughts to me at nhardesty@catholicaoc.org. I enjoy seeing how others answer questions! NICHOLAS HARDESTY

is the associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA for the Center for the New Evangelization. nhardesty@catholicaoc.org.

St. Michael the Archa

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pt 29

St. Michael is one of God’s principal angels who fought and beat

Today many people pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer,

Satan and his followers in the battle of heaven. He is mentioned

invoking him to defend their souls against “the wickedness and

four times by name in the Bible and scholars believe that he is

snares of the devil.”

referred to elsewhere as well.

As you encounter bad things in the world, pray to St. Michael the

The champion of God’s people, St. Michael is known for fighting

Archangel to protect your soul from evil.

against the powers of hell, rescuing the souls of the faithful from Satan (especially at death), and bringing people’s souls to judgment.

Archangel

This powerful archangel has a long tradition in history of being

Battle

championed for both war and healing. One legend from Khonas,

Champion

Bolivia, tells that when pagans directed a stream against the sanctuary of St. Michael to destroy it, St. Michael split a rock with lightning to open a new space for the water to go. In art, he often wears a warrior’s full armor, including a sword and shield, while standing over a dragon and holding scales that represent weighing the souls of the dead.

Death Defense Dragon Heaven Judgment Scales Warrior K ID S / JA N U ARY 2022 | 49

CATHO LIC A T H O ME

THE JOHN 10:10 LIFE Christmas is drawing to a close and with it the months-long holiday season. I admit that though I miss Thanksgiving, the joyful anticipation of Advent and the blessed Christmas season, my childlike giddiness lingers into January because it brings my birthday – and I absolutely love my birthday. Balloons, my favorite foods and Broadway soundtracks typically make up every 8th of January, and though my family eagerly tends to any Birthday Person’s whim and wish, each year I find I want one thing more than any other. THE JOHN 10:10 LIFE

“I came that they might have life and have it to the full,” Jesus said. The full. If I examine who God made me to be, I get a glimpse of this abundant life He mentions. Above everything else, God made us in His image, which means a full life is one that imitates Christ. The Triune God is a community, so we’re made to live with each other and work together for good. For us family folk, that means praying as individuals, praying with our spouses and praying with our families so we can know the One we’re called to imitate. Without this essential piece, life is deflated and more difficult. Striving to resemble Jesus affords peace and clarity that the world can’t give. TRUST YOUR SENSES

The Lord also gave us senses to experience the world more fully. Considering them directly points to the John 10:10 life because every one of them is meant to be filled with the beauty of God’s creation. Whether it’s a roaring Icelandic waterfall or the feel of my 4-year-old’s little hand, what my senses receive is what God has fashioned in the world and what He meant for us to experience. So what do I hope for you? Go fill your senses with what delights you! Beautiful scenery, thrilling music, or a favorite meal ordered just for you. Whatever it is, delight in God’s 5 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

creation and thank the Author of All Things for blessing you with such abundance. MASS FOR SALVATION

Most definitely on my birthday list is a Mass said for my salvation. Typically Masses prayed for a living individual are offered for his or her intentions, which is wonderful and worthy of prayer, but I hope for a Mass said specifically for me going to Heaven. Not only do I ache for the joy of being with our Lord and His lovely Mother, but also being with my daughter who I miscarried years ago, and who I know is our constant intercessor. I can’t conceive the sheer delight in meeting her face-to-face. ABUNDANT GRACE

The last item on my birthday list is grace to see time for what it is: a gift from God to deepen my intimacy with Him; and in so doing, reflect Him as I go about my life. The desire for stuff in general is long gone, and I’ve learned that more valuable and precious than anything else is the time I have on earth. It’s now that I have with my husband and our children, that I have with friends and that I have to dream up how to spend the rest of my days. Be they many or few, I want to spend them reaping what the Lord has sown and what He has to offer. St. Therese of Lisieux said “The world is thy ship, not thy home.” It’s become such an important statement in our house. My husband and I remind ourselves and our kids to delight in what is created, but to live for what is to come. The things of this world are passing. What goes on and on without fading is God, Who every day calls me closer to Him and grants me the opportunity to draw closer to eternal life. KATIE SCIBA

is a national speaker and Catholic Press Awardwinning columnist. Katie and her husband, Andrew, have been married for 14 years and are blessed with six children.

We are

St. Jude Church

Pro-Life! St. Vincent de Paul Parish 4026 River Rd Cincinnati, OH St. Michael Parish Ft. Loramie, OH Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Newport, OH St. Francis de Sales 1600 Madison Rd Est 1849 Our Lady of Guadalupe Montezuma, OH Life is precious! St. Mary of the Woods Russells Point, OH

St. John & St. Saviour Parishes Region XI Protect the Unborn St. James the Greater White Oak Corpus Christi Church Cincinnati, OH We are grateful for and respect ALL life, from conception to natural death! St. Aloysius on-the-Ohio & St. Simon the Apostle Pastoral Region Cincinnati, OH We recognize the Sanctity of Life. We thank God for our life on this Sunday.

Bridgetown, OH

Rev. Michael Hay Est 1956

St. Maximilian Kolbe

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. - Psalm 139:13

St. Dominic Parish Cincinnati, OH

Life - What a wonderful gift!

St. John Neumann Church 12191 Mill Rd Cincinnati, OH 45240 513-742-0953

St. Margaret Mary Church 1830 W. Galbraith Rd Cincinnati, OH 45239 513-521-7387

St. Columban Church Loveland, OH

Before you were formed...I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. (Jer 1:4)

God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27)

www.stgertrude.org

Supporting life from conception until natural death. St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Springboro & St. Augustine Parish, Waynesville We support the dignity of life from the very beginning.

Kenwood Catholic Pastoral Region Every life is sacred

7711 Joseph St Mt. Healthy, OH 45231

St. Francis Xavier Downtown Cincinnati

Choose life (Dt 30:19) | 51

ORIGINAL UNITY PART 3: THE CALL TO COMMUNION POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II’S THEOLOGY OF THE BODY This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). In recent articles, I reflected on Pope St. John Paul II’s concept of original unity. Reflecting on Genesis 2, the pope drew attention to our own experience of being male or female. This sexual difference inserts a duality in our humanity. As I discussed in prior articles, man and woman both possess the fullness of human nature, but they have and express that nature differently by way of their maleness or femaleness. It is as if male and female are two modes of being human. Man and woman are thus equal in dignity and united in the one human nature, but distinct from each other in a fundamental and profound way because of their sex. Pondering further this paradox of unity and duality with Pope St. John Paul II’s help will deepen our understanding of our human identity and vocation. We discover our sexual identity as male or female in the body. The body reveals the person, and in doing so reveals whether this person is male or female. As the Church has repeatedly affirmed, this maleness or femaleness is not a superficial feature or mere biological fact that can be overlooked or dismissed. The maleness or femaleness revealed by our bodies reflects a reality inscribed in the depth of the person. Being created male or female affects the entire person all the way to the core of his or her being. The body bears witness to this and testifies that we – male and female – are both human persons, but we are distinct from each other in this mysterious and irreducible way. The sexual difference of man and woman opens a new possibility for unity that builds upon and completes our more basic unity in the one human nature. Our sexually differentiated bodies show us that we are made “for” each other. Male and female are fundamentally oriented toward each other. Pondering our sexual difference, man and woman discover in themselves a certain openness inscribed by God to receive the other as a gift and give ourselves totally in return. Thus, we discover through our male and female bodies the call and capacity for communion of persons. This communion refers to the intimate union that can be experienced by persons through a total gift of self. It is 5 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

possible because of our unity and distinctness in our sexually differentiated humanity. The “place” God specifically designed for this intimate union to occur and come to fruition is what we call marriage, which the Church has always affirmed is only possible between a man and a woman. Because of our sexual difference, man and woman can come together and form a communion of persons through the intimate giving and receiving of their whole selves in marriage. Our bodies show us that we are made for this. The male human body makes no sense without reference to the female human body and vice versa. Both bodies reveal a unique, irreplaceable human person, while at the same time showing that our maleness and femaleness complement each other. Indeed, man and woman are apt to come together in a way that unites the two so intimately that Scripture refers to them as “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). The capacity for communion that we discover through our bodies reveals a new and deeper layer of our identity and our calling as human persons made in the image and likeness of God. Indeed, Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “Man becomes an image of God not so much in the moment of solitude as in the moment of communion. He is, in fact, ‘from the beginning,’ not only an image in which the solitude of one Person, who rules the world, mirrors itself, but also and essentially the image of an inscrutable divine communion of Persons” (TOB 9:3). Pope St. John Paul II is referring to the Blessed Trinity, and he further asserts that this “trinitarian” understanding of the human person as an image of God “constitutes perhaps the deepest theological aspect of everything one can say about man” (TOB 9:3). Therefore, it bears returning to this theme to unpack further how man, as male and female, images the eternal Triune God. DR. ANDREW SODERGREN, MTS, PSY.D.

is a Catholic psychologist and director of psychological services for Ruah Woods. He speaks on topics related to the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith. He and his wife, Ellie, have been married 21 years and have five children.

Supporting life

and those who hold on to it.

May God bless all of our faithful supporters as we work to save the unborn! Scan here for more information.

pc-west.org 513-244-5700

Dayton-area high schools thank those who selflessly work to end abortion.

20,605 unborn lives were lost to abortion in Ohio in 2020 49 years of legal murder 1973 - 2022

CincinnatiRighttoLife.org

with Liberty and Justice for all...

Born and Unborn

Sometimes, the biggest blessings are the unexpected ones. SupportPCE.com T H E O L O G Y O F T H E B O D Y / JA N U ARY 2022 | 53

T HE F AR ME R W HO BE CAME P O P E

BY WAY NE & MARIANNE TOP P

Pope Fabian led the Church for 14 years. The symbol of peace that brought him to the Chair of St. Peter became his papacy’s character. He maintained good relationships with the Roman Empire, established a new structure for the Church in Rome, and assigned secretaries to document the acts of martyrs. In his last year as pope a new Roman emperor, Decius, came to power and demanded that all Christians worship the Roman gods. St. Fabian set the supreme example for his flock by accepting death rather than denying his faith. He died a martyr, which saved the faith of many Christians after him. What was going through St. Fabian’s mind when he realized that he was not only chosen for a bird’s roost, but as the next man to lead the entire Catholic Church? I imagine his first reaction was to run, hide or simply say, “You’ve got the wrong guy!” But it’s clear from his story that Pope St. Fabian was filled with faith and a deep trust in God’s divine providence. He knew that, no matter how crazy the Have you ever wanted to interview a saint? If you could, who would you choose? And how do you imagine the conversation? Would the saint be witty and sarcastic? Would he be quiet and serious? Would she hit you with so much conviction that you would change your life forever? What if you could only ask that saint one question? To our featured saint, I’d ask, “St. Fabian, what was going through your head at that moment?” There is actually not a great deal written about St. Fabian. He was the twentieth pope and lived from about 200 to 250 AD. In 236 AD the Church was electing a new pope. The deliberations went on for days. A devout and hardworking farmer ventured into the city to watch the discussion when a dove miraculously descended from the sky and landed on his head. Everyone took it as a sign that God Himself chose

Peter’s 19th successor. He was

elected Pope and took the name Fabian. 5 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

situation, the Lord’s grace is sufficient. May we all be blessed with such bold confidence!

SUPPLIES • Empty paper towel roll • 1 – St. Fabian Printable (download from The Catholic Telegraph website - see QR code below). • 1 – 3x5” index card • Scissors • Transparent tape • Pencil • Ruler • TIME COMMITMENT: 15 MIN • AGE LEVEL: 6+

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Color and cut out the dove, Pope and Farmer Fabian characters, keeping the Pope and farmer connected (this will become a collar for the paper towel roll). Set aside. 2. Beginning at the top of the paper towel roll, draw a 7” line straight down on both the front and back sides. 3. Cut both lines to make slits. Set paper towel roll aside. 4. Holding the index card horizontally, measure approximately 1.5” from the left edge and fold from top to bottom along that line (Fold 1), then unfold. 5. From both the top and bottom edge, cut along the folded line 1” slits toward the middle. 6. Fold the top (Fold 2) and bottom (Fold 3) edge of the card’s longer portion toward the center and tape them in place. You have now created the handle for your flying dove. 7. Re-fold Fold 1 over the handle. 8. From the left edge of the folded end, measure 1/2” then fold from top to bottom at this measurement (Fold 4), but in the opposite direction of Fold 1. 9. Leaving Fold 4 in place, open Fold 1 to be perpendicular to the handle, forming a platform. This is where you will glue the dove. 10. Cut 1” slits along the center line of the platform created by Folds 1 and 4. 11. Fold these cut pieces to the back of the platform (toward the handle) and tape in place. 12. Tape or glue the dove to the platform, with its beak pointing down. 13. Insert the handle of the flying dove through the slits cut in the paper towel roll. 14. Place tape across both slits at the top of the paper towel roll to keep the “dove slider” from sliding off the paper towel roll. Wrap the St. Fabian collar around the bottom of the paper towel roll and tape the ends together, but do NOT tape it to the roll (it should swivel freely). Now, have your children re-tell St. Fabian’s election story as Farmer Fabian first watches the dove descend from heaven, and then becomes Pope Fabian (twisting him into place before the dove rises back to heaven).

Scan with your device to download the St. Fabian printable template. M A K IN G CA T H O L IC M E M O R IE S / J A N U ARY 2021 | 55

1

2

A LEADER IN GIRLS' CATHOLIC EDUCATION SINCE 1910 Faith - Integrity - Courage

OUT & ABOUT in the Archdiocese

Saint Ursula Academy is proud to be a Laudato Si winner for our care for the earth.

1) ALL SAINTS DAY AT ROYALMONT

Royalmont Academy held its annual All Saints Day celebration with Mass and students dressing as saints. Seventh and eighth grade students also led saintthemed games.

2) NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALIST

Badin High School’s Case Trokhan named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist – one of less than one percent of American high school seniors to earn the

designation. “I look at it as the culmination of a lot of hard work,” said Trokhan, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Consolidated School in Hamilton.

3) FAITH IN ACTION AT SUA

Students at Saint Ursula Academy took a day-long pause from classes to put their faith into practice. The Faith in Action day featured guest speakers, volunteering at area charities, learning about SUA’s Catholic heritage, and prayerful reflection in the Chapel.

3 Learn more at www.saintursula.org

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and these precious stones 47 OT prophetic book 48 Follows orders 49 Reply 53 Jesus’ description of the Pharisees 56 A contraction 58 Armed ser. mail service 59 ___ gin fizz 60 Sicilian volcano 62 Eskimo dwelling 64 Having wings 65 ___ of the Cross 66 Of necessity 67 Rave 68 Piece of work 69 Atlas blowup DOWN 1 He ordered the slaughter of the Innocents 2 Farewell, from Jacques 3 Bandages 4 Genderless possessive 5 Saint of Lisieux 6 Artist Chagall 7 Previously called the Roman Ritual 8 From, in Bonn 9 Pen 10 Catholic Austrian composer of “The Marriage of Figaro” 11 Applied

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12 Insult 13 Flexible tube 22 “Altared” words 23 They’re above abs 25 Bloodsucking insect 27 Wooded 28 Solid 31 Evils 32 Double curve 33 Good ___ 34 Dell 35 Officiating priest of a mosque 36 Protuberance 37 Easter treat 40 Liquid secreted by the liver 41 ___ of Thunder 43 Pats gently 44 Surname of Pope Paul VI 46 Bellarmine, a Doctor of the Church 47 The Solemnity of Mary is celebrated in this month (abbr.) 50 Division of the United Kingdom 51 Lyric poem 52 Perch 53 Former Russian ruler 54 Spanish pot 55 Grumble 57 Subsided 60 Superlative finish 61 Madre’s hermana 63 Bk. of the Pentateuch

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ACROSS 1 Sister suit 6 Some CEOs 10 Mawkish sentimentality 14 Sitcom dingbat 15 Summer month in Paris 16 Nobel Institute city 17 Word on a shampoo bottle 18 Going well 19 People in Lystra called Barnabas this 20 Brit. reference book 21 Hay stack 23 ___ Pio 24 Wiped 26 Opposite one of two 29 Bar opening? 30 Ritual breaking of bread during Mass 34 Catholic sports figure Lombardi 37 They have their “ears” on 38 Bigger than med. 39 A way to run 40 Bundled hay 41 Killed 42 “A Shropshire ___” 43 Supped 44 Ancient law man 45 According to Tobit 13, the gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphires

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THE FINAL WORD with Andy Arn

ST. MICHAEL SCHOOL SAVED MY LIFE Catholic Schools’ Impact

Like many, when I graduated from Georgetown High School in 1994 I never imagined my life would turn out the way it has. Headed to Ohio State University, my future was full of possibilities. Unfortunately, faith was not on the top of that list, my interests then being primarily material. While my definition of success was not necessarily becoming rich, without question, potential salary was the driving force in choosing a major. During the undergraduate years, nothing seemed to fit, and I changed majors several times. I tried to figure out what I wanted to do, not considering what I was called to do. Eventually graduating, teaching was still not on the radar, let alone teaching in a Catholic School. But God had other plans. I needed a job, and one just happened to be open at the only Catholic school within 30 miles of my hometown. It was a very small school, I didn’t even know it existed despite being raised Catholic in the next town, but I thought that a year there would give more time to consider what I wanted to do with my life. That first year teaching at St. Michael School changed my outlook and my life. I would like to believe that I had a major positive impact on my first students, but in reality they influenced me much more. Although a cradle and practicing Catholic my entire life, I admit it wasn’t until I began teaching in a Catholic school that my faith became my priority. Starting every day with prayer, studying scripture regularly and attending Mass as a school family affected me greatly. However, I changed the most after realizing the impact I could have as a teacher on my students. More important than learning their ABCs and 123s, I’d help them recognize Jesus’ importance in their lives. I raised the level of expectation for 5 8 | THE F INAL WORD

myself and completely reorganized my life’s priorities. When I became a father, I wanted my children to grow up in this faith-filled environment. Opportunities came for advancing my career according to my former standards, but, although it wasn’t easy, I knew what I had to do. A Catholic educator for 20 years, I’m in my sixth year as a principal where my love for Catholic schools began. There were, and continue to be, plenty of struggles, but I have seen our Catholic schools benefit not only children, but also teachers, parents and members of our community. I witnessed our school bring people to Christ who otherwise would have no knowledge of Him or any faith. I witnessed many students and families join the Church, with St. Michael School as a “bridge” to their new faith. I saw our students move to the local public schools and become leaders, taking with them the faith background they received at St. Michael School. I have also been around long enough to see many of my former students with their own families, thriving in our community, practicing their faith, and enrolling their children at St. Michael School because they recognize the important role it played in their own childhood. This is just my story. These events are happening every day in Catholic schools. I truly believe that St. Michael School saved my life. I am so thankful for the opportunities that my children, my community and I have had because St. Michael School is in our lives. The impact of Catholic Schools goes so far beyond providing an education - Catholic schools change souls. ANDY ARN has been St. Michael School’s principal in Ripley, OH, since 2016, and is the Varsity Girls Basketball Coach at St. Patrick High School, where he previously taught, in Maysville, KY. He lives in Ripley with his wife, Ashton, and their five daughters.

The Catholic Education Foundation for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati

2022-2023 Tuition Assistance Grants

The Catholic Education Foundation for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will once again be able to offer over $2 million in tuition assistance grants for the 2022-2023 school year. Families of elementary students (K-8) May apply for needsbased assistance between now and February 6, 2022 Please visit www.CatholicBestChoice.org for more details and instructions on how to apply.

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100 E. 8th St. • Cincinnati, OH 45202

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