Issuu

MAGAZINE

193rd year | issue 1

bringing faith into the home

january 2024 | catholic schools week | 1

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Suffering & Rejoicing Together The student body, faculty and staff at our children’s Catholic school have experienced more than their fair share of devastating tragedies this past year. One staff member had a stroke; two lost their parents. A teacher’s niece died; a student’s parent passed away unexpectedly. There’s nothing anyone can say to make understanding or coming to terms with these tragic events easier.

Photo courtesy Harris Media Company

But under this cloud of darkness, the school family pulled together, working behind the scenes to share God’s love with the sick and grieving.

within our schools are students who are learning empathy, praying together for others and sharing Christ’s love with those around them.

I’m most amazed by the students’ generosity and genuine kindness. How do you talk to another child your age who has just lost a parent? As an adult, I struggle, feeling inadequate, in the face of such pain, but as usual, the students seem to follow their intuition, inspired by the daily kindness they witness. I found out after the fact when one of my children made a Powerpoint presentation for the faculty member who had a stroke; and another made a card for a grieving child. Most importantly, my children came home from school and asked if we could pray for every one of these hurting people. And they followed up with us regularly, asking if we had heard any news, if those hurting were going to be okay.

So often we think about evangelizing our children, and that is and will continue to be important. But the last article in this issue of the magazine comes from Sister Mary Agnes Greiffendorf, OP, St. Gertrude School’s principal. She tells how, as a child, she brought the faith and prayers she learned at her Catholic school home to her parents and, over time, evangelized them. I continually see this very thing happening at my children’s Catholic school. They learn so much, not only about their faith, but about how to put their faith into action, then bring it home to us and share it with others.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor. 12:26).

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week this month, I’m grateful for many things that they offer, but I will always be most grateful for the way our schools help foster the whole child: mind, body and soul.

I’ve seen this scripture verse in action over and over again during this school year. And the Catholic school community’s actions remind me over and over again that

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 193rd Year No. 1 • January 2024 513-263-6635 • thecatholictelegraph.com

PUBLISHER Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jessica Rinaudo

MEDIA SALES Deacon Graham Galloway

GRAPHIC DESIGN Emma Cassani

PHOTOGRAPHY Margaret Swensen

NEW MEDIA EDITOR Greg Hartman

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Trenton Scroggins

SOCIAL MEDIA Taylor Motley

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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january contents Flock Blocks page 32

Serenelli Project Honored, page 40

news 8 THE NEW EVANGELIZATION LISA FLETCHER

at St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes 12 SELFLESS ACT OF BRAVERY BY LISA BIEDENBACH

Four chaplains remembered at memorial service 14 Q&A WITH ASHLEY ROBERTS ABOUT CONSECRATED VIRGINITY 37 DID YOU KNOW? BY GAIL FINKE | ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

St. Francis Xavier, Downtown Cincinnati 40 SERENELLI PROJECT HONORED WITH $10K AWARD BY JOHN STEGEMAN

48 OUT & ABOUT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE

ON THE COVER

catholic schools week

columns

18 CULINARY CHEMISTRY

7 QUESTION OF FAITH

JOHN STEGEMAN

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

Ignites passion for food science

The Sign of the Cross

22 BEN PAULUS

10 ST. JOSEPH’S TOOL BELT

JOHN STEGEMAN

TRENTON SCROGGINS

From Anglican priest to Catholic educator

Finding restoration this Christmas season

24 A SMALL, BUT MIGHTY COMMUNITY MAKING AN IMPACT

16 A CLOSER LOOK

KARY ELLEN BERGER

St. Louis in Owensville 26 FORMING FUTURE SAINTS

DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

Catholic schools, tax dollars & religious discrimination 36 CATHOLIC AT HOME KATIE SCIBA

Making a gift of our time

MATT HESS

Greenville’s tight-knit school puts faith first 30 THE DRIVE TO DO MORE AT ST. URSULA ACADEMY LISA FLETCHER

32 FLOCK BLOCKS LISA FLETCHER

Bishop Fenwick High School counseling program soars 50 THE FINAL WORD

39 BOOK REVIEW HARRIS CRAYCRAFT

A Grand Slam for God 42 UNCOVERING THE PAST RUTHY TRUSLER

What is genealogy? 44 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY DR. ANDREW SODERGREN

Adultery of the heart, part 2

SISTER MARY AGNES

46 KIDS’ CORNER

GREIFFENDORF

BY JESSICA RINAUDO

We need Catholic schools more than ever

ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

St. Gemma

PHOTO BY: EMMA CASSANI

McNicholas High School students Taylor Smyth, Ethan Gundrum and Kelly Friend participate in the Culinary Chemistry class. 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FOR JANUARY For the gift of diversity in the Church

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit helps us recognize the gift of different charisms within the Christian community, and discover the richness of different ritual traditions in the heart of the Catholic Church.

Seek the Lord ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

The last Sunday in January marks the kickoff of National Catholic Schools Week, a time set aside by dioceses throughout our country to highlight the importance of faithful, integral Catholic formation and education to the salvific mission of the Church. During this week we also celebrate the feast days of two saints whose legacies are significant for Catholic education. On January 28, we remember the life and work of St. Thomas Aquinas, a brilliant theologian and philosopher of the late Middle Ages, who is the patron saint of students and educators. Then on January 31, we celebrate the feast day of St. John Bosco, a 19th century priest who dedicated himself to working with youth, especially the poor and troubled. Even though they lived centuries ago, these two saints are no less relevant for illuminating the true nature of Catholic education. St. Thomas Aquinas immersed himself in studies of various academic disciplines: history, philosophy, theology, ethics and physics. He loved learning because he understood that “all the sciences and arts are ordained to one thing, namely, to man’s perfection, which is happiness” (Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, Prologue). The purpose of Catholic education is to help us achieve our fullest potential as humans, which is eternal happiness with God forever in heaven. In his writings, St. Thomas showed how reason and faith coexist and, in fact, support and enhance each other. They are not two opposed fields of knowledge but, as Pope St. John Paul II would later say, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth” (Fides et Ratio). The various arts and sciences are pathways for growing closer to

God since students learn in these the endless wonders of His creation. This understanding of education as pursuit of the fullness of truth continues to be a foundational principle of our Catholic schools. Like other schools, Catholic schools “through an organized and systematized teaching activity, offer a culture aimed at the integral education of individuals” (The Identity of the Catholic School for a Culture of Dialogue, n. 19). However, Catholic schools have a unique identity, their “reference to a Christian concept of life centered on Jesus Christ” (n. 20). In fact, “the personal relationship with Christ enables the believer to look at the whole of reality in a radically new way, granting the Church an ever-renewed identity, with a view to fostering in the school communities adequate responses to the fundamental questions for every woman and man” (n. 20). Catholic schools provide the setting where an individual’s relationship with Jesus Christ is not only fostered spiritually, but also becomes the starting point for learning about the world in which we live and how we each can make our contribution to it. With wisdom that still benefits us today, St. John Bosco said, “If we want to have a good society, we must concentrate all our forces on the Christian education of the young. Experience has taught me that if we wish to sustain civil society then we should take good care of the young.” Our Catholic schools, then, have the capacity to greatly shape the culture of our communities and society at large. They are the places where Christ, who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn. 14:6), continues to be the Teacher around whom His disciples gather to know, love and follow Him throughout this life and into the next. S E E K T H E L O R D / JA N UARY 2024 | 5

Busca al Senor ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

El último domingo de enero marca el inicio de la Semana Nacional de las Escuelas Católicas, un tiempo reservado por las diócesis de todo nuestro país para destacar la importancia de una formación y educación católica, fiel e integral para la misión salvífica de la Iglesia. Durante esta semana celebramos también la fiesta de dos santos cuyo legado es significativo para la educación católica. El 28 de enero, recordamos la vida y obra de Santo Tomás de Aquino, brillante teólogo y filósofo de la Baja Edad Media, que es el santo patrón de los estudiantes y educadores. El 31 de enero celebramos la fiesta de San Juan Bosco, sacerdote del siglo XIX que se dedicó a trabajar con los jóvenes, especialmente los que eran pobres y problemáticos. Aunque vivieron hace varios siglos, no ha disminuido la relevancia de estos dos santos para iluminar la verdadera naturaleza de la educación católica. Santo Tomás de Aquino se sumergió en el estudio de diversas disciplinas académicas: historia, filosofía, teología, ética y física. Amaba el aprendizaje porque comprendía que “todas las ciencias y artes están ordenadas a una sola cosa, es decir, a la perfección del hombre, la cual es la felicidad” (Comentario a la Metafísica de Aristóteles, Prólogo). El propósito de la educación católica es ayudarnos a alcanzar nuestro máximo potencial como seres humanos, el cual es la felicidad eterna con Dios para siempre en el cielo. En sus escritos, Santo Tomás mostró cómo la fe y la razón coexisten y, de hecho, se apoyan y se amplían mutuamente. No son dos campos opuestos del saber, sino que, como diría más tarde el Papa San Juan Pablo II, “La fe y la razón son como las dos alas con las cuales el espíritu humano se eleva hacia la contemplación de la verdad” (Fides et Ratio). Las diversas artes y ciencias son vías para acercarse a Dios, ya que en ellas los alumnos aprenden sobre las infinitas maravillas 6 | THE C ATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

de Su creación. Esta concepción de la educación como una búsqueda por la plenitud de la verdad sigue siendo un principio fundamental de nuestras escuelas católicas. Al igual que otras escuelas, las escuelas católicas “a través de una actividad docente organizada y sistematizada, ofrecen una cultura orientada a la educación integral de las personas” (The Identity of the Catholic School for a Culture of Dialogue, n. 19). Sin embargo, las escuelas católicas tienen una identidad única, su “referencia a una concepción cristiana de la vida centrada en Jesucristo” (n. 20). En efecto, “la relación personal con Cristo permite al creyente mirar toda la realidad de un modo radicalmente nuevo, otorgando a la Iglesia una identidad siempre renovada, con vistas a promover en las comunidades escolares respuestas adecuadas a las cuestiones fundamentales para toda mujer y todo hombre” (n. 20). La escuela católica es el lugar donde la relación de cada uno con Jesucristo no sólo se fomenta espiritualmente, sino que también se convierte en el punto de partida para aprender sobre el mundo en el que vivimos y sobre cómo cada uno de nosotros puede contribuir a él. Con una sabiduría que aún nos beneficia hoy, San Juan Bosco dijo: “Si queremos tener una buena sociedad, debemos concentrar todas nuestras fuerzas en la educación cristiana de los jóvenes. La experiencia me ha enseñado que, si queremos sostener la sociedad civil, debemos cuidar bien a los jóvenes.” Nuestras escuelas católicas, por tanto, tienen la capacidad de modelar en gran medida la cultura de nuestras comunidades y de la sociedad en general. Son los lugares donde Cristo, que es “el Camino, la Verdad y la Vida” (Jn. 14:6), sigue siendo el Maestro en torno al cual sus discípulos se reúnen para conocerlo, amarlo y seguirlo a lo largo de esta vida y en la próxima.

QUE ST IO N O F F A IT H

The Sign of the Cross What is the origin and meaning of the Sign of the Cross? The holiest of signs is the Sign of the Cross. As Catholics, we make it so often that perhaps we take it for granted. It is a profound and powerful act that invokes the Trinity, Jesus’ crucifixion, and the promise of salvation. The Sign goes back to the Church’s earliest days, likely to apostolic times. It quickly spread as a practice to accompany prayer everywhere there were followers of Christ — whether in the Middle East, North Africa, Asia or Europe. At a time when most were illiterate, Christians embraced the Sign of the Cross readily. It required no particular possessions, knowledge or skill — only faith. The practice of the Sign began with marking one’s forehead and, later, making a small sign on the lips and the forehead (as is done during Mass before the Gospel is read). Eventually, it became a larger gesture that was more visible. THE SIGN’S MEANING

The Sign communicates belief in the Trinity, not just the words spoken but also the form of the action. The Sign begins at the forehead by invoking the Father, the first person of the Trinity, then moves to the chest, to show how the Son came down from the Father and took flesh in the Blessed Virgin Mary’s womb. Finally, a sign made between the shoulders shows how the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Sign represents salvation through Jesus. On the cross, Christ conquered sin and death and redeemed humanity. As the spiritual writer Romano Guardian wrote, “By the cross, He sanctifies man to the last shred and fiber of his being.” We make the Sign as we begin any prayer to remind ourselves to whom we are praying. And we similarly conclude prayer

in the same way, invoking God to remain with us, to be our strength and protection. THE SIGN AS SACRAMENTAL

The Sign of the Cross is a “sacramental” — like holy water or the rosary. Sacramentals are sacred signs that resemble the sacraments and prepare us for the sacraments. The Sign of the Cross has a special connection to baptism, the sacrament by which we are claimed for Christ. At baptism, the Sign is made by the sacrament’s minister and (in most cases) parents and godparents. In the first centuries, the Sign was described as a ritual action and a weapon in spiritual battle. The writings of Hippolytus of Rome in the third century advise Christians: “If you are tempted to sin, seal your foreheads reverently with the Sign of the Passion. It will render the devil powerless, provided that you do it with faith, not to be seen by men, but by presenting it with skill like a shield.” Later, it became a way to call down God’s blessing on people, places and things (like food). By signing them with the cross, they are claimed for Christ, and evil is commanded to depart. A PUBLIC WITNESS

Making the Sign of the Cross is an opportunity to witness to the Christian faith publicly. While performing the action quickly or discreetly may be tempting, especially in public, we are reminded that this is one of the clearest and oldest indicators of belief in Christ. As a visible sign of faith, it is intended to remind us of and communicate to others Christ’s victory over sin and death and His promise of eternal life. FATHER DAVID ENDRES is 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 2024 | 7

THE NEW

Evangelization

AT S T. M I C H A E L T H E A R C H A N G E L F A M I LY O F P A R I S H E S

BY LI SA FLE TC HE R | P HOTOS BY DA N N Y SC HN E I B L E

“Josh has built an energetic team around him with the goal of supporting families [as they became] communities of disciples oriented toward sainthood,” Father Bedel said. There is a growing sense of excitement at the St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes, which includes six parishes in the northeastern part of the archdiocese: St. Augustine in Jamestown; St. Brigid in Xenia; St. Luke in Beavercreek; Mary, Help of Christians in Fairborn; St. Paul in Yellow Springs and Sacred Heart in New Carlisle. Since Beacons of Light united these diverse parishes into one large Family of Parishes, Mass attendance at some churches has increased 9%, and both youth ministry and outreach endeavors have grown as well. What is the secret to their success? “Everything we do at our parishes has to be oriented toward making disciples of Jesus Christ,” said Father Jason Bedel, Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes. “That means every ministry at every parish must be an avenue for discipleship.” This new evangelization endeavor began in July 2022, when Father Bedel arrived to lead the Family of Parishes and hired Dr. Josh Englefield as Director of Evangelization. Englefield built a team focused on discipleship, as well as supporting the many volunteers who help everything run smoothly. 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

For their first big effort, they hosted a gathering, a Lenten Mission, to include meaningful participation from all six parishes. Three of the Family’s parishes hosted the three-day mission in March 2023, which served the dual purpose of bringing parishioners together and feeding their souls during Lent. “We ended up with between 300-500 parishioners participating each night, with 120 children attending the children’s program on the final night. It was wonderful to see,” Englefield said. The Lenten Mission began each evening with Exposition and Adoration of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a free dinner, a speaker, childcare and children’s programming before concluding with a social. The series’ main speaker was Dr. Ray Guarendi, a Catholic psychologist, author, speaker and host of the popular radio show “The Doctor Is In” on EWTN. “The feedback from parishioners was fantastic,” Englefield said. “Many explained that they loved visiting the other parishes and appreciated how welcomed they felt.” The event was such a success that they are planning a 2024 Lenten Mission following the same format, with popular Catholic speaker and retreat leader Father Nathan Cromley as the headline speaker.

Mothers find hope hope here. The success of that event and others that followed, such as the Catechist Day of Reflection, Englefield attributes to the six parishes’ parishioners. “We are blessed with highly motivated, engaged and inspired parishioners who desire to deepen their relations with Jesus, the Church and others. We are also blessed with two parochial schools, which naturally bring in a lot of enthusiasm,” he said.

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Evangelization efforts extend beyond just adult formation. The Youth Ministry program is a large part of this Family of Parishes—30-60 students attend Youth Group every Sunday evening. The parishes also host events like retreats, mission trips, summer camps and Vacation Bible School to reach the parishes’ young people. Youth programming is essential to the strength of their parishes’ strength, said Rebecca Elrich, Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator for the Family of Parishes. “We must realize that our youth are not just the future Church, but the Church now,” she said. “We have to evangelize them and let them know that they are loved by a good and gracious God.”

Dr. Josh Englefield is the Director of Evangelization at St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes

Englefield agrees. “We know that by the age of 12 most youth have made their decision if they want to remain Catholic. All of our ministry efforts must support family life, the integrity of marriage, and the discipleship of our children, youth and families.” Seeing the myriad fruits of these evangelization efforts, Father Bedel noted, “One of the most satisfying impacts I’ve noticed is how much more the smaller parishes are able to accomplish under Beacons of Light than they were able to do before. The fullness of a well-developed program of evangelization does not just benefit the larger parishes, but everyone.”

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ST. JOSE PH ’ S T O O L B E LT

Finding Restoration This Christmas Season One reason Jesus chose to dedicate the majority of His time on earth in family life points to a reflection for this continuing Christmas season: relationships. Our lives bear scars from broken relationships, contrary to God’s plan. Christ knew this—and He came to restore us.

Children: Jesus came as a child in the womb to restore our work with God and humanity’s understanding of and love for the gift of children. Through the image of the Holy Home and Sts. Joseph and Mary, He grants us a living sign of what relationships with our children ought to look like.

Multiple relationships suffered due to our fallen nature: our relationship with God, authority, His angels and ourselves and with our spouses, children, work, parents and friends. Yet, in Christ’s Incarnation, God began to restore these broken relationships.

Work: Through St. Joseph’s loving example of setting aside his work to tend to his wife and family’s needs, God reveals a proper understanding of work and how to carry it out well when balancing life’s demands. Through St. Joseph, God restored the mission of work, breathing renewed meaning into our labor.

God and Authority: In the Old Testament, the Israelites replaced their divine king with a human king. In the New Testament, God became man to restore our disordered worship of authority, showing us that only He can be trusted in a position of such grand responsibility and power.

Marriage: Marriage too was restored when Christ entered into the Blessed Virgin’s womb. Through the marriage between Sts. Joseph and Mary, we can perceive the true meaning of marriage, the great depth of its goodness and the importance of family life. And as much as Christ came as the “fruit” of the womb, He also came as bridegroom, restoring within us a proper relationship with romance and true, willful love.

Angels: Throughout human history, there was always the temptation to worship and collaborate with evil spirits. In the Nativity scene, God shows the purpose of angels and how these good spirits are here to help us on our journey to Heaven. They deliver vital messages to Sts. Joseph and Mary, deliver and protect the Holy Family, reveal the Good News to shepherds and may have guided the Magi to find the newborn King. Ourselves: Christ entered into our humanity, and He not only restored our dignity through His presence within our flesh but also glorified us through His death and resurrection. Through Him, humanity would no longer fall into the mutilating pride of self-worship or self-hate. Parents and Ancestors: God came as the New Adam to restore within us an understanding of and love for parenthood, ancestry and heritage. Through His presence and the preservation of His Blessed Mother and the heroic and virtuous St. Joseph, He instituted the new lineage of humanity through the Holy Family, the new blessed source of our heritage, culture and tradition. 1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

Friends: In the Nativity scene, we catch sight of the shepherds and Magi’s friendships as they journey to find the Newborn King. We also have the witness of Sts. Joseph and Mary, who enjoyed both the love of friendship and of marriage. Through these examples, we see the renewed mission of friendship: to help each other reach the perfection of Christian virtue in the communal love of the Trinity. Reflecting on the Nativity helps us see how Christ is directing our relationships toward a new humanity: fully restored, fully alive. This comtinuing Christmas season, let’s recall God’s desire to restore and heal through the wondrous, relationship between Sts. Joseph and Mary and through our own collaboration with Christ’s divine assistance. TRENTON SCROGGINS is the Director of Digital Engagement for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. tscroggins@catholicaoc.org

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Selfless Act of Bravery Four Chaplains Remembered at Memorial Service BY L I SA B I E D E N B AC H

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Four individuals’ selfless and brave acts on a fateful day in the cold Atlantic Ocean during World War II, continue to inspire military chaplain veterans, active military and families today. When Army transport ship U.S.A.T. Dorchester sank on Feb, 3, 1943, killing 672 men, its four U.S. Navy chaplains—Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed — removed their life jackets and gave them to four frightened young men. Remembered for their heroic actions, a foundation was established to tell the chaplains’ story and to promote interfaith cooperation and selfless service. Shortly after the Dorchester sank, the American Legion and its honor society, the Forty and Eight (40&8), began a program to memorialize the Four Chaplains’ sacrifice, said Bob Schinaman, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Vietnam during 1969. Wounded in action and medically retired due to injuries, Schinaman belongs to multiple veterans’ organizations and served as a veterans’ advocate.

guards (40 or more veterans) in the Tri-state area. From 1985 to 2010 standing room only in church was common. Covid put a damper on attendance and ended the tradition of gathering for coffee and refreshments, but the memorial service is still well attended by 400 to 500 military men and women.” On Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m., the 50th annual Four Chaplains Memorial Service will be celebrated at St. Boniface Church, presided over by former Navy chaplain Father Matthias Crehan, OFM. Coming from a military family, Father Crehan is involved in parochial ministry in Greater Cincinnati. He says it is somewhat of a tradition for Franciscans to serve as military chaplains.

When Army transport ship U.S.A.T. Dorchester sank on Feb, 3, 1943, killing 672 men, its four U.S. Navy chaplains... removed their life jackets and gave them to four frightened young men.

He recounted the Four Chaplains Memorial Service’s history in Cincinnati: “The Hamilton County 40&8 Voiture 29 first held a Four Chaplains Memorial Service in 1974 at St. William Church, and then in 1975, through the efforts of Herman Holthaus and my father, William, the Memorial Service has been celebrated at St. Boniface. Sponsorship expanded over the years as numerous veterans’ organizations lent support. Bill and Herman continued the tradition, with my assistance, until their deaths in 1999.” Since then, Schinaman has been the main organizer of the yearly event at his home parish.

“I am a military guy, like St. Francis of Assisi and my father and grandfather,” said Father Crehan. “I want to serve God and country, and being a military chaplain fits into my scheme of serving the poor. Many military men and women are not rich kids and many of whom are Catholic.” He also served more than 20 years at military training facilities and with Veterans Affairs.

While the annual gathering’s focus has been on the sacrifice of the Four Chaplains and both former and active military chaplains, Schinaman said the service also honors the sacrifices of every veteran, their widows or widowers, their orphans and the families who awaited their safe return.

Since 1960, more than 100 active veterans’ organizations could be found within 20 miles of Cincinnati, said Schinaman.

“It is a chance for all present to pray for peace and the safety of active-duty military personnel,” Schinaman said. “I believe everyone in attendance leaves with a renewed or new appreciation of the prayer, the music, the memorial candle service and the military traditions of the color guards, the sounding of the ship’s bell and playing of ‘Taps.’”

“Each year from 1980 to 2010, the Four Chaplains Mass was the largest gathering of veterans and military color

For more information about the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, visit www.fourchaplains.org. N E W S / JA N UARY 2024 | 13

Q&A

WITH

ASHLEY ROBERTS ABOUT

CONSECRATED VIRGINITY

Ashley Roberts will be consecrated to a Life of Virginity Lived in the World by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr on January 13. Who is she and what does that mean, exactly? We chatted with Ashley to learn more.

Q: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOU.

This vocation has been around as long as the Church and, in fact, finds its institution in the Annunciation.

I grew up outside of Ashland, OH, but spent my adult life in this archdiocese’s northern area. My undergraduate degree is in music education, and I moved to this area when I was hired to teach band and choir. After a few years, I pursued a graduate degree in theology, and now I am the DRE in Logan County. Q: WHAT IS YOUR VOCATION STORY?

As long as I can remember, I have been in love with Jesus. I did not necessarily recognize that as tending toward one vocation or another; it was just who I was, and how I always thought about Him. I spent a long time without any feeling about a positive vocational direction. I wanted to get married and have children; I wanted to love Jesus; I was sometimes afraid I was supposed to be a nun, but didn’t feel like I was actually called to that. My first exposure to consecrated virginity came about during a time when I worried that I had missed what I was supposed to be doing. I read some things online and thought the vocation sounded a lot like me. Things started to pick up after a difficult period in my life. It was suggested that I search for scripture passages that might give the Lord the opportunity to explain what He was doing. After praying with the passages for

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a few months, I felt the Lord ask if I would let ... His children be my children. As time went by, there was increasing clarity in my heart that I was not called to marriage. I started to wonder about consecrated virginity because I remembered how naturally it seemed to match my personality. I was a little apprehensive about actually entering any official discernment, because my whole heart was on the line. There was a great deal of emotional risk involved, even when the conversation was just between God and me. I was certain that, given the opportunity, I would love to marry Him; but I wasn’t sure if He wanted to marry me. I also asked Him for a gentle nudge, because I was awfully nervous. He sent the nudge, and here I am! Q: WHAT IS A CONSECRATED VIRGIN?

It might help if we consider the words “consecrated” and “virgin” in their turn. A consecrated virgin is a woman who offers her virginity to Christ permanently. Like the reception of holy orders is reserved for men, receiving the consecration is reserved for women. It is a lifelong commitment—in fact, the grace of the consecration changes the soul such that a woman can only receive the consecration once. A consecrated virgin never belonged to another in the past, and will never belong to another in the future.

To be consecrated means to be set apart exclusively for the divine. The consecration itself is not about a vow that a virgin makes—rather, the emphasis is on God’s action, performed at the hands of the bishop. God sets the virgin apart to be an image of the Church, especially the Church as the Bride of Christ. You might say that the grace of consecration—which is not a sacrament, but is a very powerful sacramental— gives, in a way, the virgin the ability to be what the Church is and do what the Church does. Jesus meant for His Church to be virgin, bride and mother. As virgin, the Church maintains the integrity of the entirety of the faith in purity and wholeness; as bride, the Church loves, welcomes and yearns for Christ with devotion; as mother, the Church gives and sustains life in believers’ souls. The consecrated virgin really participates in the Church’s bridehood in these ways. This vocation has been around as long as the Church and, in fact, finds its institution in the Annunciation. Of course, Our Lady, Virgin of Virgins, is the exemplar. Historically, the consecration of virgins living in the world fell into disuse and was even prohibited for a time; but after Vatican II, the rite was revised and again made available. There are about 300 consecrated virgins in our country, and I will be the second for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

The Office of Consecrated Life requests your presence as

Ashley Fitzgerald Roberts is consecrated to a

Life of Virginity Lived in the World at the hands of

Most Rev. Dennis M. Schnurr Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 11 o’clock in the morning Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains 325 Eighth Street W Cincinnati, OH 45202 The gift of your presence is the best present and the only gift desired.

Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT YOUR CONSECRATION?

A parable and a wedding! I will wear a wedding dress, and during the rite of consecration, I will be given a veil and a ring. My ring will have the 12 stones that Revelation 21 mentions adorn the New Jerusalem. I also have a lamp to be lit during the rite that I will carry at certain points, like the wise virgins in the parable. Q: ONCE YOU’RE CONSECRATED, WHAT NEXT?

On one hand, I don’t know! This question has been on my mind a lot. My impression is that the consecration is a grace that has to be “grown into.” The documents of the Church and the Fathers, saints, scholars and virgins speak about a closer intimacy with Christ, greater apostolic effectiveness, deeper union with the Mass, all sorts of things which are exciting and frightening in all the right ways. I have high hopes and many desires. On the more objective level, I am to pray the liturgy of the hours, be committed to prayer and the service of my brothers and sisters and remain faithful to my marriage with Christ. Q: HOW CAN THE FAITHFUL PRAY FOR YOU?

I so very much want to live this vocation well for Our Lord. Prayers for that would mean so much! N E W S / JA N UARY 2024 | 15

A CLO SE R LO O K

Catholic Schools, Tax Dollars and Religious Discrimination In June 2023, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board (the “Board”) approved an application from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa to create a virtual Catholic school, St. Isidore of Seville. Like all other virtual charter schools in Oklahoma, St. Isidore will be tuition free, funded by state tax revenue. Named for the patron saint of technology and electronic communication, the online school is scheduled to open in Autumn 2024, with an initial enrollment of 500 students from kindergarten through twelfth grades. It will open, that is, if it successfully defends against two lawsuits filed to prevent the school from receiving state funding. Both lawsuits claim that language in the Oklahoma Constitution prohibits St. Isidore from receiving state funding. THE LAWSUITS

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed one lawsuit against the Board in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, asking the Court to negate the Board’s decision. In announcing the lawsuit, Drummond unironically asserted that the Board “violated the religious liberty of every Oklahoman by forcing us to fund the teachings of a specific religious sect with our tax dollars.” He claimed that “Oklahomans are being compelled to fund Catholicism,” which he contends “is a gross violation of our religious liberty.” Similarly, a consortium of parents and religious organizations, represented by an alphabet soup of anti-Catholic interest 1 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

groups, filed a lawsuit in Oklahoma County District Court to prevent the school from opening. This lawsuit seeks to enjoin the state of Oklahoma from sponsoring and funding St. Isidore. Attorneys for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the ACLU and Freedom From Religion Foundation claim that St. Isidore will “indoctrinate its students in Catholic religious beliefs” and “embolden religious extremists.” One plaintiff told the Washington Post that St. Isidore would “take money away from public schools” and force students “to practice someone else’s religion in order to access education.” Like the statement of the Oklahoma Attorney General, these assertions are made without the slightest self-awareness of the irony of purporting to protect religious freedom by denying religious freedom. THE U.S. SUPREME COURT

Regardless of what happens in the Oklahoma courts, the U.S. Supreme Court is likely to affirm the Board’s decision, because the Oklahoma constitutional provision invoked by the lawsuits probably violates the U.S. Constitution’s protection of the free exercise of religion. The Oklahoma Constitution’s relevant provision provides, No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support

of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such. This is Oklahoma’s version of what is known as a “Blaine Amendment,” similar to constitutional or civil code provisions in approximately 37 of the 50 States. While the U.S. Supreme Court has not expressly invalidated any Blaine amendment or statute, in recent years SCOTUS has consistently issued rulings that render them essentially meaningless. The most recent example was in 2020 and is similar to the Oklahoma cases. In Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue, SCOTUS ruled that if a state decides to subsidize private education, the state cannot discriminate against religious private schools. “A state need not subsidize private education,” the Court wrote. “But once a state decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.” While St. Isidore is a public charter school, the analysis and reasoning is virtually identical to the Montana case. Oklahoma permits virtual charter schools and funds those schools from state tax dollars. Because the funds are generally available, for Oklahoma to deny funding to St. Isidore, it must make a specific decision to discriminate against the school for its religious opinions.

THE DISCRIMINATION FACTOR

All education is based upon some definitive set of religious opinions. “Secular” schools are built upon the religious opinion that non-religion should be the basis of education. St. Isidore will be built upon the religious opinion that religion is vital to education. Thus, for Oklahoma to deny funding to St. Isidore requires it to discriminate against the Catholic school’s religious opinions and in favor of the secular school’s religious opinions. This, the U.S. Supreme Court has declared, a state may not do. In 2016, a ballot question in Oklahoma would have removed the noxious Blaine Amendment from the Oklahoma State Constitution. Opposed by the same organizations that filed suit against St. Isidore, the question failed, leaving the amendment in the Constitution. If the cases against St. Isidore reach the U.S. Supreme Court, it will be the opportunity for the court to call the amendment what it is: a bigoted, unconstitutional infringement of the free exercise of religion. Based upon SCOTUS’s recent decisions on similar cases, it is more likely than not that the court will make that call. That will not only be a victory for Catholics in Oklahoma, but send a nationwide signal that states may not discriminate against religious schools if the state funds or programs are otherwise generally available.

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DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT is an attorney and the James J. Gardner Family Chair of Moral Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. A CL O S E R L O O K / J A N UARY 2024 | 17

B Y J OH N STEGEMA N

Culinary Chemistry I G N I T E S PA S S I O N F O R F O O D S C I E N C E

When sitting in chemistry class, many high school students lament, “When am I ever going to use this information?” To be fair, not everyone ends up using Bunsen burners regularly. However, everyone has to eat. A new program at McNicholas High School, first offered last year, blends science and sustenance. They call it Culinary Chemistry. 1 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

The course’s success led to adding a more advanced class, Food Science, taught by Jessica Boese, a teacher at McNicholas for the past four years. She is the primary architect for both courses’ curriculum. “I have always loved the science of food,” Boese said. “My

want them to “ Iappreciate the

science of it... but I also want them to be able to bring people together with their cooking.

degree is in chemistry. … I developed the curriculum alongside a lot of food science professionals and professors. Our labs are not with beakers or test tubes, they’re with food. The kids really like it.” Though primarily a science course, students also pick up life and cooking skills. A recent class discussion included the Maillard Reaction. If you’ve enjoyed tasty bread, seared steaks, fried dumplings or even cookies, you’ve tasted the reaction’s result. In cooking terms it’s often-called browning, but Culinary Chemistry students now know it is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that create a delicious taste. Junior Ava Wile’s interest in food goes back to cooking with her grandmother. The class’s cooking element appealed to her, and she is now looking toward a career in food. “I’m going to culinary school after I graduate,” Wile said. “I like experimenting with different ingredients and flavors, and I really like tasting the foods after [I cook them] to see what made it taste different.” Wiles said for her favorite lab, “We made salsa, and I was showing my friend how to cut the tomato, and he was showing me how to cut an onion. We made the best salsa out of the entire class, and I took it home and my parents ate all of it! It tasted just like it came from Chipotle.” Boese noted that students are always proud of their creations. It gives them confidence to try cooking at home as well.

Taking Food Science this year after enjoying Culinary Chemistry as a junior, senior Ellie Stafford said, “I still make things that we learned about last year. I make homemade pasta like we did in class. I think [this class] is going to help me a lot at home, because I can make my own food and don’t have to go out every night. It’s made learning science a lot more fun.” For junior Kylie Horgan, it’s more about the science than the cooking. “I see myself majoring in psychology,” Horgan said. “I would like to know more about how taste and our senses impact how our brain receives and reacts to different foods.” The Culinary Chemistry lab has about six kitchens worth of equipment, and the space is shared with the school’s cooking club, which Boese helps moderate. “That’s where we just get to do fun cooking things, and we don’t have to talk about the science of it, although I love talking about it.” In Culinary Chemistry and Food Science, Boese takes her teacher role seriously but always keeps in mind McNicholas’ mission as a Catholic school. “I want them to appreciate the science of it, because that’s first and foremost my job, but I also want them to be able to bring people together with their cooking,” Boese said. “Our ultimate goal is to bring kids to Christ and for them to ultimately be saints.” With an appreciation of God’s gift of food and the know-how behind it, the students are that much closer to the goal. CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2024 | 19

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FROM ANGLICAN PRIEST TO CATHOLIC EDUCATOR

Ben Paulus BY JOHN STEGEM AN

Badin High School’s new religion teacher, Ben Paulus, has a lifetime of stories to share with his students. Born in Virginia, he’s lived in Canada, Croatia and Scotland. He’s now married with five children and earned both a master’s degree and PhD. Perhaps most notable, though, is that he was also an Anglican priest before converting to Catholicism. Paulus was blessed to grow up in a family that had a love for Christ. His parents were part of the Charismatic Movement, and his father pastored a small nondenominational church. They passed on that love of the Lord as they moved from Virginia to Croatia and back. “My family tradition was a pretty vibrant kind of Christianity,” Paulus said. “I always thought God is real and faith is real and important, but I was looking for something more substantive intellectually and more formal in worship.” In college Paulus engaged extensively in philosophy, particularly Plato’s works, which led him to ask: “Is there any Christian tradition that integrates Plato and what I’m learning here with my understanding of the faith?” A good friend turned him on to Anglicanism, where he enjoyed the vibrant liturgical tradition and preaching. “When I found Anglicanism, I thought, ‘This has to be it. This is the real deal,’” Paulus said. After attending seminary, he was ordained and prepared for a career in ministry. Inside, though, he was still seeking. Then, he found the writings of St. John Henry Newman and other Catholics who had spent time in the Anglican tradition. “Basically, I was really convinced by their arguments,” he said. “I found myself thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, Catholicism is true!’” In just a couple short years, both he and his wife, Anna, were received into the Church. After finishing his doctorate in Scotland, the couple repatriated to the United States. As Anna’s family are Hamilton natives, the Paulus family moved into her grandparents’ home there, and their children now attend nearby St. Peter in Chains School. Paulus taught as an adjunct professor at Miami University in Oxford, the University of Dayton, Mount St. Joseph University and the now-closed Chatfield College, among others. When Miami University canceled a planned class on Catholic Social Teaching, he looked to teach high school once again. He responded to an email about a job opening at Badin High School, and things came together.

22 |

He certainly had sufficient qualifications for the job: Paulus graduated from Grace Christian School in Staunton, VA, earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and English from Grove City (PA) College, taught English for two years at his prep alma mater, and then earned both a master’s from Regent College in Vancouver, Canada and doctorate at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. “We’re really pleased and fortunate to have Ben Paulus on our staff,” Badin High Principal Patrick Keating said. “His personality, broad range of experience and faith expertise really brings a lot to the Badin community.”

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Paulus is enjoying teaching the faith to a new generation. This year he’s teaching world religions, and next, he plans to teach vocations. “Discovering the Catholic faith has been such an important part of my life,” he said. “I’m passionate about it. I love the Catholic faith. … I’m happy to be here. I’m settling in and enjoying the students.” Paulus’ journey from Anglican priest to Catholic teacher was one of curiosity and spiritual evolution. Now, his diverse background enriches the Badin classroom experience.

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24 |

THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

Lottie Waldman and two of her boys.

BY K A R Y E L L E N B E R G E R

A small, but

MIGHTY

community

making an impact. While every school is in a community, it’s a whole other thing to be a community-involved school. St. Louis School in Owensville prides itself on partnerships within the greater community, giving back to its neighbors for decades.

“St. Louis’ strong Catholic identity is a testament to the close connection we are able to maintain within our community,” shared Waldman. “We collaborate and operate as a family with our parish, parents, students and community.”

Through school drives and service projects, St. Louis encourages students to use their time and talents to give back. Lottie Waldman, both a third-generation alumni and the school principal, noted that, while other schools have outreach, the ongoing contributions of St. Louis School’s student body, teachers and staff shine throughout the community.

Waldman emphasized that community outreach isn’t only a priority for students, but for parents as well.

Philanthropy is a core value we hope to instill in all our students,” said Waldman. “We are continually pursuing opportunities for our students to practice this. … Recent initiatives … include a St. Vincent de Paul food drive, a sock collection for the Franciscan Daughters of Mary, our annual coat drive and the Fill the Food Pantry project.” The school’s junior high students have a particular passion for working on the sock drive for the Franciscan Daughters of Mary. “We want our students to absorb a strong sense of altruism during their time at St. Louis,” shared Waldman. “As Catholics and good humans, we value benevolence and generosity, and our work with the Daughters is a perfect example of how we can practice this in everyday life. We hope our students take away how easy it is to give back and how fulfilling it is to serve our Lord through this ministry.”

“I am honored to say my four children (three of whom currently attend St. Louis School and my youngest, [is] a future Crusader) are third-generation St. Louis students!” said Waldman. “I became involved with the school when my children started attending, but I have been attending and volunteering [in] the parish since Ben, my husband, and I started dating. We were married in the church and have celebrated so many other sacraments with our family and friends in our home parish. To this day, my husband’s lifelong friendships are those he made in grade school at St. Louis.” “As [an alumnus and spouse of ] an alumnus, it is amazing to see what strong advocates the alumni are for their alma mater,” said Waldman. “I know many mothers and fathers married to St. Louis alumni [who] express how special this school and the experience [are], even when compared to their own Catholic, parochial school upbringing.” And the giving by St. Louis students, parents and alumni will continue into the future, because, as Waldman said, “While academics will always remain at the forefront, we recognize that in these formative years of a child’s life, we must also focus on developing good and faith-filled members of our community.” CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N U ARY 2024 | 25

Forming Future Saints Greenville’s tight-knit school puts faith first BY MATT HESS | PHOTOS BY DANNY SCHNEIBLE

Tim Wiedenmann was uneasy about leaving his religion classroom at a larger school to become principal of St. Mary’s School in Greenville, OH. He expected to really miss interacting with students as an administrator, but now in his second year at St. Mary’s, Wiedenmann confidently says, “I don’t feel removed by being an administrator at all. I do get time to interact with students and my staff.” The community spirit and shared goal of forming saints inspires Wiedenmann in his ministry at the school. He found what many Greenville residents discover: This tight-knit parish and school community is the perfect environment for education. The school has served the town since its founding in 1888. Rich Hadden, a community member and student at St. Mary in the 1980s, still remembers Sisters of Charity who taught him there. Their religious community led classes at St. Mary’s for decades. Today, Hadden and other lay parishioners staff the school of about 90 students, in kindergarten through eighth grade. Hadden teaches students how to responsibly use technology in the quest to find truth. “The fact that St. Mary’s is small provides for good education and a grounding in faith,” said Hadden, who confided that the school provided an encounter with Christ that gave him the firm footing he needed for his future. St. Mary’s community has always supported their students, as evidenced by alumni who continue giving for future generations. 2 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

Josh and Kerri Burns discovered St. Mary’s School and Parish after converting to Catholicism, while looking for a school for their eldest daughter. “My wife and I really wanted her to attend a school that matched our values,” said Josh. “We always knew St. Mary’s existed, and kids from St. Mary’s were typically good kids who were ahead of their class.” While drawn to St. Mary’s School for its values and clarity in proclaiming the faith, the Burns found the genesis of those qualities in a strong sense of community. They came into the Catholic Church in October 2022 after talking to Father Matt Feist, the parochial vicar, and attending Mass with the parish community. Josh shared, “Kerri and I were drawn into St. Mary’s by their unbelievably warm and welcoming community. We’ve never felt so welcome in any religious setting before, and we’ve built so many lasting friendships with many of the young families.” Josh now sits on the school’s Board of Trustees and volunteers at parish and school events. The Catholic community is unique at St. Mary’s, where parish life and the school converge, and Wiedenmann loves seeing so many families attending the school at Sunday Mass. “It’s not uncommon for a student to come up to me after Mass and say hello,” he said. In Greenville, families value their faith and take the Sunday obligation seriously, knowing that is the start of forming a life of prayer. “All students have religion class, but integrated in every class is prayer,” said Wiedenmann. The school prays three times a day, with the Angelus being a staple prayed daily over the intercom. By junior high, many students are comfortable leading prayer and voicing their petitions. Friday whole-school Masses are led by students, who do the readings, sing the hymns and serve at the altar. Active roles in the liturgy help students to deepen their appreciation for the Mass, and older students often model prayer for the younger ones. The community and its prayer are what root St. Mary’s School in its mission of Catholic education. Training in prayer is just as valuable as math and science, for that is where students encounter Christ — which is the heart of what St. Mary’s strives to impart to the future saints.

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drive

the

to d o

at st. ursula academy

STORY BY LISA FLETCHER

| PHOTO COURTESY ST. URSULA ACADEMY

For nearly 20 years, St. Ursula Academy (SUA) students have participated in DRIVE. It’s not a drive on the road, but rather an internal drive. And one that is an all-encompassing effort to support Cincinnati-area organizations.

last few years has been to help students find their passion and figure out how they can make an impact. The theme of growing our impact is a natural fit to help students be inspired to donate to our drive!”

SUA’s DRIVE stands for Donate, Respond, Invest, Value and Educate. “Our Community DRIVE has been happening since the 2004-05 school year,” said Rachel Kemper, Senior Director of Service, Equity and Global Education at SUA. “Each year it has a different theme, and we support different local nonprofits.”

Senior Lauren Brunswick created this year’s DRIVE theme logo, and the program presentation sought to inspire each student to bring “sunshine into someone’s day.”

A 1991 alumni of St. Ursula Academy, Kemper first worked as the part-time Community Service Director at the school, during the 2003-04 school year, and her responsibilities have since expanded. “I am a certified teacher and passionate about issues of justice,” said Kemper. “So, the facets of this job have been a great combination for me.” Each year, DRIVE assists different organizations and has a different theme, Kemper said. Nonprofits benefiting from the 2023 DRIVE collection included Episcopal Retirement Services, Cincinnati State’s Surge Cupboard, Bethany House, St. Vincent de Paul and Mercy Neighborhood Ministry. This year’s DRIVE theme was “Grow Your Impact.” “The students chose the theme and created a logo to go with the theme,” said Kemper. “Our departmental focus in the 3 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

While DRIVE included physical donations, students put their faith into action in additional ways. They canvassed neighborhoods, asked others to post a DRIVE flier and sought help from family and friends. Each student was encouraged to build up a “drive” within themselves that would overcome insecurities or challenges about asking for contributions, to thus make a difference to the DRIVE campaign. The school’s goal was to fill 20 barrels with items, and five barrels were filled per grade. Kemper said, “It is about more than just donating items, … it is based in love as we ask students to respond by getting involved with local agencies: To invest our time, skills and resources and support those in need in Cincinnati; to value the real stories and real people we can help; and to educate ourselves and others about the needs in our community. It is to educate students about the need and the real people who are served by some great nonprofits in our city. It is also about creating a consistency of giving for our students, so it becomes something they continue to do after they graduate.”

Our departmental focus in the last few years has been to help students find their passion and figure out how they can make an impact.

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ing Flock Block.

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Bishop

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Flock Blocks Bishop Fenwick High School Counseling Program Soars BY LISA FLETCHER

Cultivating students’ personal, social and academic growth is the highest priority at Bishop Fenwick High School in Franklin, OH. As with all schools, it takes a village to support every student, and Fenwick’s president, Blane Collison, said counselors at Fenwick are vital to achieve this goal. They strive to support their 470 students’ quest to develop in all areas of life by providing individual counseling sessions, small group instruction and classroom guidance lessons. What makes this Catholic high school between Cincinnati and Dayton so unique is their program that enables counselors to see their student groups every week. In fact, by the end of their first year, a freshman has met at least 20 times with counselors. “Our goal is to build a relationship where students are extremely comfortable reaching out to their counselors, [so we] provide … time during our daily schedule to make this happen,” Collison said. 3 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

To achieve this goal, Fenwick carved out a daily 40-minute block, a “Flock Block” (the school mascot is a Falcon), devoted to developing the whole student. According to Collison, students’ small-groups meet with their counselors twice weekly. The week’s other Flock Blocks are devoted to academic intervention, study time, faith formation and building community. What started five years ago as a program for two or three days weekly expanded this year to five days, because there is a growing need for students to form relationships with their counselors, Collison said. “The needs of students have expanded, and the rise in issues related to mental health and students suffering from anxiety and depression makes counseling a necessary part of a holistic education,” he said. Sabrina Snyder, a counselor at Fenwick for six years, said Flock Blocks provide daily dedicated time to essential

components of the school’s mission that go beyond the traditional classroom setting. “The Flock Block program not only supports students’ social-emotional learning, academic success and postsecondary plans, [it] also sets up an experience where the [students] and their personal interests are valued as part of their growth,” Snyder said. Students remain with the same Flock Block class and teacher for all four years. Counselors meet weekly with small groups from one grade level. They address various topics, including test anxiety, stress management, coping skills, goal setting, academic integrity and both healthy and effective communication.

... the rise in issues related to mental health and students suffering from anxiety and depression makes counseling a necessary part of a holistic education.

Two Schools. One Family. Making saints together at the “High school is a time of incredible growth for students, St. Michael the Archangel so the specifics of similar topics are tiered to address the Family of Parishes. developmental stages of each grade level,” Snyder said.

fenwickfalcons.org 513.423.0723

Two Schools. One Family. Making saints together at the St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes

St. Brigid Fenwick’s 1:160 counselor to student ratio isSchool also unique, Xenia and made possible by having three counselors: Snyder, 937-372-3222 Jeannie Horn and Vicki Weisbrod.. The American School Counselor Association recommends a 1:250 ratio. St. Luke School

“We have phenomenally low ratios compared to the Beavercreek national and state averages, and937-426-1733, this allows counselors xt. 6401 to really get to know their students. We can tell when a student is struggling with something because we know them so well, and it allows for early intervention and support,” Snyder said.

St. Brigid School • Xenia 937-372-3222

St. Luke School • Beavercreek 937-426-1733,ext. 6401

Along with bi-weekly, small-group meetings in Flock Block, counselors meet individually with every student and visit freshman classes every other week during the first semester. Students can request a meeting with their counselor at any time. Snyder has seen the fruit of these efforts. “The positive impact of our counseling program is in the day-to-day interactions, helping students navigate difficult situations [and navigate them] in ways that they are ultimately proud of themselves.” CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2024 | 33

GI V E YOUR CHILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE Ohio’s Income-Based Scholarship Program

2023-24 Universal School Choice

Students whose family’s household adjusted gross income is at or below 450% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) qualify for the full scholarship amount.

Scholarship Levels

Students whose family’s household adjusted gross income above 450% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) qualify for a lower scholarship amount as indicated on the chart below.

FPL

K-8th Scholarship Amount

9th-12th Scholarship Amount

0%-450%

$6,165

$8,407

451%-500%

$5,200

$7,050

501%-550%

$3,650

$5,000

551%-600%

$2,600

$3,550

601%-650%

$1,850

$2,500

651%-700%

$1,300

$1,750

701%-750%

$900

$1,250

751%+

$650

$950

Income levels are based on household adjusted gross income.

Income Levels

2023 FEDERAL POVERTY LEVELS (FPL) Household Size

200%*

450%

500%

550%

600%

650%

700%

750%

$39,440

$88,740

$98,600

$108,460

$118,320

$128,180

$138,040

$147,900

$49,720

$111,870

$124,300

$136,730

$149,160

$161,590

$174,020

$186,450

$60,000

$135,000

$150,000

$165,000

$180,000

$195,000

$210,000

$225,000

$70,280

$158,130

$175,700

$193,270

$210,840

$228,410

$245,980

$263,550

$80,560

$181,260

$201,400

$221,540

$241,680

$261,820

$281,960

$302,100

$90,840

$204,390

$227,100

$249,810

$272,520

$295,230

$317,940

$340,650

$101,120

$227,520

$252,800

$278,080

$303,360

$328,640

$353,920

$379,200

each add’l

$10,280

$23,130

$25,700

$28,270

$30,840

$33,410

$35,980

$38,550

*Students whose household income is at or below 200% FPL qualify for LIQ write-off of tuition balance after scholarship funding is applied.

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CA T H O L IC S CH O O L S W E E K / JA N UARY 2024 | 35

CATHO LIC A T H O ME

Making a Gift of Our Time My birthday is coming up this month. I love my birthday and make a point to have a great time with family. We have living room dance parties, I grab lunch with my mom and maybe go antiquing with friends. Coffee and donuts are always involved. Whatever the agenda, the whole day’s focus is gratitude for God giving me life and in living that life to the fullest. This happens with every birthday at the Sciba house, complete with a modest list of hoped-for gifts—although my grown-up birthday list contains more time than things. Time for a date with my husband (paired with babysitting); focused time with one or two children so I can experience them without distraction; time to step away for coffee with a friend; or just time to relax alone at home. In my heart, the possibilities are endless. The above wishes no longer resemble my wants from 20, or even five, years ago. They are desires that material possessions couldn’t satisfy. Time is at the top of the Lord’s wish list, too. More time with and from us. Time in the quiet of adoration and Mass; mindfulness of Him in our work, parenting and marriages; time in prayerful conversation to know Him more deeply. What does this look like practically? Begin with prayer. St. Therese said, “Prayer is a launching out of the heart toward God.” Jesus wants us in whatever state we find ourselves—from apathetic, angry, wounded and confused, to grateful or on top of the world. He is here for it and wants us in the raw. To present ourselves honestly to the Father then receive His grace in return is life-giving, and fruit will come from it. Practice lectio divina with the daily readings; go to Mass, the source and summit of our faith; journal in Adoration. Drawing close to God and recalling with increasing frequency 3 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

that He is ever-present and working right there with us will yield steady confidence and abiding joy. Then serve the least of your brethren. My closest branch of Catholic Charities makes monthly visits to the most destitute, so my kids and I are going along to help. Next week, we will spend a day distributing food, household goods and personal items to beautiful souls who humbly depend on such work. I want so much for this to be a regular commitment from our family so we can be channels of the Lord’s provision, yet encounter Him more deeply in each person we meet. Make a point to seek out opportunities for serving in your own parish or larger area, and don’t hesitate to make a gift of yourself to these efforts. St. Teresa of Calcutta said that the greatest poverty in the world is a lack of love. Be a shoulder for someone grieving and a friend to the neglected and overlooked, maybe in your own home. Does your spouse have overlooked struggles? Is one of your kids getting picked on by a sibling? Go where love is most needed and ask Jesus to use you. Our lives are meant to be conduits of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There’s a common misconception that to be holy is to be robbed of whatever makes us us; that we’ll somehow be deprived of the things we like or do, or of happiness in general. But it’s simply not true. In giving time to our Lord through prayer and service, we become not only more like Him, but also more authentically ourselves. We realize concretely who we were made to be. KATIE SCIBA is a national speaker and Catholic Press Awardwinning columnist. Katie has been married for 15 years and is blessed with six children.

we are

ProLife

St. Vincent de Paul Parish 4026 River Rd Cincinnati, OH Our Lady of Guadalupe Montezuma, OH Life is precious! St. Mary of the Woods Russells Point, OH

St. Aloysius on-theOhio & St. Simon the Apostle Pastoral Region Cincinnati, OH We recognize the Sanctity of Life. We thank God for our life on this Sunday.

St. Columban Church Loveland, OH

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

We are grateful for and respect all life, from conception to natural death.

Mary, Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes Supports all life from conception to natural death. St. Ann | St. Bernard St. James | St. Margaret Mary

St. Dominic Parish Cincinnati, OH St. Maximilian Kolbe

Life - What a wonderful gift!

But when he [God], who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased. (Galatians 1:15)

Supporting life from conception until natural death.

St. Francis Xavier Downtown Cincinnati “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.” – Psalm 139:13

stgertrude.org

All Saints & St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Family

Every life is sacred.

| 37

A small wooden church at the site of St. Xavier Church was once Cincinnati’s cathedral.

DID YOU KNOW?

1819 Christ Church, the first church in Cincinnati city limits, built on the current site of St. Francis Seraph Church at Vine and Liberty Streets. 1821 The original church moved to Sycamore street on rollers and designated the cathedral of the new Diocese of Cincinnati. It was replaced within five years by a brick church dedicated to St. Peter, with a seminary and high school/college added soon after. 1840 Bishop Purcell planned a new cathedral and asked the Jesuits to take over the parish. Church rededicated to St. Francis Xavier in 1845.

St. Francis Xavier One of the chief Jesuit saints, St. Francis Xavier is the patron of the Propagation of the Faith and the Missions. Born in a castle in Navarre, while at the University of Paris, he roomed with his friend Pierre (Peter Faber) and a much older former soldier— Ignatius of Loyola. Both young men were eventually among the original seven members of the Society of Jesus. Seeing Christ in all places and people, Francis became one of the greatest Catholic missionaries, traveling to India, Ceylon, Borneo, Japan and other lands. He died on an island outside China in 1552, but his mostly incorrupt body can be seen in a glass and silver casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Velha Goa, India.

1848 Seminary moved to Price Hill. 1859 Construction began on a new brick church with a sandstone facade designed by architect Louis Picket. First Mass held in 1861. 1882 Fire gutted the interior and destroyed the spire. Samuel Hannaford designed a new bell tower featuring four clock faces, gargoyles and a copper cupola.

1905 Stations of the Cross unveiled on Palm Sunday and blessed by a Franciscan priest. 1920 Xavier University moved to Evanston. 1960 St. Xavier High School moved to Finneytown. 1988 The interior redone, repurposing some original pieces and removing the altar, communion rail and pulpit. 2015 Church undercroft renovated as a Parish Center. 2023 Six-month renovation restored stained glass, paint, plaster and more. Final window restoration finished January 2024.

Quick Facts 4 major frescoes over the altar depict Jesuit saints and were painted by Charles C. Svendsen.

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1 pendant sanctuary lamp from 1884 includes silver statues of the 12 apostles.

16 double lancet windows line the walls, each 29-feet tall.

BOOK REVIEWS

A Grand Slam for God A Journey from Baseball Star to Catholic Priest REVIEWED BY HARRIS CRAYCRAFT

Anyone who loves Jesus and baseball will love Father Burke Masters’ book, A Grand Slam for God, an unlikely story of passion, piety and providence. From no religious background, with his eyes locked on professional baseball, Masters became a Catholic priest, diocesan vocation director and Chicago Cubs chaplain. But while the journey is happy, Father Burke does not shy from the painful realities of his life’s purgative struggles.

Slowly but surely, he read the Gospel, and learned about his own sins and the pain Jesus bore for them. God was tilling the soil of Burke’s heart.

Father Burke’s childhood is familiar to many young Americans: baseball, baseball and more baseball. Growing up in Joliet, IL, Masters was a baseball prodigy, and the game consumed his life. But A Grand Slam for God’s baseball-to-priest narrative actually begins in medias res, as he describes a key game while playing for Mississippi State University (MSU).

From these decisive moments, the book describes the fears, joys of a talented, persevering young man who came to recognize the beckoning grace of the Holy Spirit. A moving Mass experience, a Kairos retreat and holy friendships led Burke to baptism. After being received into the Church, he looked forward to a life of baseball and family. Yet, week after week he adored Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament with his girlfriend, and week after week he felt a terrifying tug toward priesthood. After enough people approached him with the same suggestion, Burke laid down his arms and reached out to his vocation director to join the seminary.

In the 1990 NCAA baseball tournament, Burke stood in the batter’s box with MSU down by one run in the top of the ninth inning and the bases loaded. He describes the experience when he lined the ball over the left field fence for a go-ahead grand slam to defeat number one ranked Florida State. That game, he writes, “sealed [his] decision to make baseball [his] career.” But God had other plans.

With an arduous journey ahead of him, Burke kept asking and learning why God did not allow him to play Major League Baseball, accept his dream job offer, marry his dream girl and work in professional baseball management. By the end of the book, you’ll see how God gave him back everything he “took” but in a more beautiful way than Father Burke could have imagined.

Five years to the day before that hit, Burke was baptized. Five years before his baptism, he was a religiously unaffiliated eighth-grader whose parents enrolled him in a Catholic high school. While confused by this decision, Burke embraced this opportunity to further his academics.

The story of Father Burke Masters is one of great grace, providence, hardship, joy and trial. For anyone who loves Jesus and baseball, this story is a raw, honest and beautiful look at the joys and challenges of following Christ.

Excited about the baseball team and academics, he quickly faced the reality that he had virtually no theological or religious knowledge. After a particularly challenging theology class, a caring and attentive nun approached Burke and gave him a Bible, encouraging him to read the Gospel of Matthew.

Harris Craycraft is a 2022 graduate of Boston College and a first-year seminarian at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology in Cincinnati. Father Burke Masters, A Grand Slam for God: A Journey from Baseball Star to Catholic Priest; Word on Fire, 2023; 192 pages; $29.95 B O O K R E V IE W / JA N UARY 2024 | 39

SERENELLI PROJECT

honored with $10K AWARD BY J O HN ST EG EM A N

The Serenelli Project, a prison re-entry apostolate based in Sedamsville, was awarded a $10,000 prize for winning the inaugural To the Heights Award, presented by American holding company MDKeller and the University of Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. The award’s judges sought organizations that have a bold vision, are distinctively Catholic, have an innovative use for church property, fulfill the highest and best use of the property and have an eye toward scale and sustainability. With the prize funds, Serenelli Project will help purchase and rehabilitate Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sedamsville, abandoned since 1989. Once the project has residents, newly released inmates will learn trades from experts and assist in the site’s reconstruction.

4 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

The project is named for Allesandro Serenelli, a man who assaulted and killed St. Maria Goretti when she was 11-years-old. She forgave him on her deathbed and he lived a life of repentance, spending years as a lay brother with the Capuchin Friars. Being selected out of an international pool of candidates was encouraging for Marty Arlinghaus, the project’s founder and volunteer CEO. More than 130 organizations were considered for the award. “It was very validating,” Arlinghaus said. “Oftentimes people are like, ‘Oh, great idea. I love it.’ And then that’s about all you hear. For someone to say, ‘We love this so much we’re going to help you with this, and we’re going to promote this around,’ [was great].” Winning the award has opened networking opportunities and increased national interest in what’s being done at Serenelli Project, he said.

What’s new at The Serenelli Project? Arlinghaus hopes to have residents living in the community as soon as this May. Since incorporating in 2020, Serenelli Project purchased a house in Delhi and began renovations. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr dedicated the house chapel, named for St. Maria Goretti, in this past June. With several initiatives underway, the organization needs volunteers and participation, including for Bridges to Life, a restorative justice program wherein criminal offenders meet victims of criminal actions. They do not meet their own victims, but others who volunteer for the project, to help offenders understand how their actions affect others in society. Also on tap is an “adopt-an-inmate” prayer program. Prisoners will submit their prayer intentions to Serenelli Project, which will deliver them to volunteers on the outside to pray for them. Conversely, volunteers can make a small donation, then staff will light a candle in the chapel for the volunteer’s intention and the intention will be taken into the prisons for inmates to also pray for it. This facilitates the connection between prisoners and the Church they remain members of while incarcerated. Serenelli Project is also preparing to hire their first general manager, a paid position to help run the organization. More information is available at SerenelliProject.org.

About MD Keller MDKeller is an American holding company based in Scottsdale, AZ, and Kansas City, MO, co-founded by two-time Superbowl champion Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Austin Wright. Butker and MDKeller conceived the award. “We could not be more excited for Marty and everyone at the Serenelli Project for being the first recipient of the MDKeller To the Heights Award,” Wright told Catholic News Agency. “Organizations like this are going to create positive shifts in the culture for generations to come.” Butker is best remembered in Cincinnati for kicking the game-winning field goal in the AFC Championship Game last season, ending the Bengals’ season and sending his Chiefs to the Super Bowl. He is also an active Catholic who, through MDKeller, supports a variety of Catholic apostolates.

For more information visit SerenelliProject.org N E W S / JA N UARY 2024 | 41

UNCOVERING THE PAST

What is Genealogy? If you have Catholic ancestors, many of your families’ “who, what, where, when and why” have been recorded since the late 16th century. Church records help link children to parents— which is exactly what genealogists seek to do when researching family lineage. Imagine the thrill of tracing your family through history and discovering how their Catholic faith endured throughout the ages. This new column series aims to help you do just that. WHERE TO BEGIN?

Genealogy is the study of family origins and history. It is about recreating ancestral lives through the “stories” or folklore handed down and the clues family left behind. It involves documenting relationships between individuals across generations. It matters because it preserves our heritage: By recording names, dates and stories, the past isn’t forgotten. It provides a sense of belonging by bridging the gaps between generations, and accurate storytelling reveals the events, struggles and triumphs that shaped our lineage. However, genealogy isn’t just about names and dates; it’s also a spiritual journey. In the book of Genesis, Scripture states that each human is created “in the image of God” (Gen. 1:27). The Bible itself contains numerous genealogies that serve multiple purposes. By connecting events and people across generations, the Bible emphasizes that the events involved real individuals, and this authenticates the continuity of officeholders, such as priests and kings. Long before many governments kept civil records, Roman Catholic clergy dutifully recorded names and dates for major life events. This Catholic collection comprises baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burial records from thousands of parishes around the globe. Catholic records are among the most important in the world because of the standard level of family detail—some as distant as the late 1500s. Copies of baptism, marriage and burial registers from every open and closed parish within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are stored in the archdiocesan archives. Before reaching out to 4 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

archive staff, however, you need a few details to get the most from the the sacramental records. This column will guide you through your own family genealogy research. WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR GENEALOGY RESEARCH

Establish a goal: Complete a three or four-generation ancestral pedigree chart. Download free ancestral charts from sites such as Ancestry.com. Also print other provided forms for future tasks. Because it is key to be organized from the beginning, label sections in a binder with each surname in your family. STEPS TO ENTER INFORMATION IN A GENERATION ANCESTRAL PEDIGREE CHART:

• • •

• •

•

Focus on yourself, your parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents. Record names. Write surnames in capital letters. If you know a middle name, enter it. List women’s maiden names, not their married names; enter a question mark or leave blank if it is unknown. Record nicknames by annotating them in quotation marks. List your information on the first line. Your father will be listed on the second line and your mother on the third. All paternal names will be with even numbers and maternal names with odd numbers. Include dates, locations and significant life events (birth, marriage and death). Enter the dates as day/month/ full year. Since many American genealogists list dates as month/day/full year, avoid confusion by abbreviating the month rather than using a numeral (05 JAN 1823).

When the first goal is completed, set new goals to expand. The initial ancestral chart is the foundation for all your future research. Looking to next month: Let the Scavenger Hunt begin in your home! Search for documents such as birth and death certificates, family Bibles and more. RUTHY TRUSLER is a communication consultant with a passion for genealogy. For over 20 years, she has helped families document their ancestry and write their family legacies.

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IGNATIAN RETREATS “Come and See” - John 1:46

The Jesuit Spiritual Center offers Come and “see” our Lord again and Catholic retreat again as you immerse yourself in the experiences silence of an Ignatian retreat. modeled on the Spiritual Upcoming Retreats Exercises & January 5 - 7 | Men’s Retreat with Fr. Jeff Puttoff, SJ rooted in scripture. January 12 - 14 | Men & Women’s Retreat with Fr. Michael Graham, SJ January 19 - 21 | Men’s Retreat with Fr. Nathan Wendt, SJ January 26 - 28 | Men’s Retreat with Fr. Matt Linn, SJ February 9 - 11 | Men’s Retreat with Fr. Tom Krettek, SJ February 16 - 18 | Men’s Retreat with Fr. Michael Graham, SJ February 23 - 25 | Men & Women’s Retreat with Fr. Jeff Putthoff, SJ

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U N CO V E R IN G T H E PA S T / JA N UARY 2024 | 43

POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II’S THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

Adultery of the Heart, Part 2 Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt. 5:27-28). Let us continue to ponder the meaning of adultery of the heart with the guidance of Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (TOB). “Adultery indicates the act by which a man and a woman who are not husband and wife form ‘one flesh’” (TOB 37:6). Both the Old and New Testaments condemn acts of adultery as gravely sinful. Jesus calls His disciples to a yet higher standard. In the Sermon on the Mount, He repeatedly speaks of the dispositions and movements of our hearts. Regarding sexuality, he calls us not only to external respect for the spousal meaning of the body and the requirement of marital fidelity, but also to purity of heart (Mt. 5:8). To understand this purity of heart and its antithesis in adultery of the heart, Pope St. John Paul II reminded us of the effects of original sin. Recall from our previous reflections how man’s rupture with God in original sin led to disharmony within himself and in his relationships with other human beings. The relationship between the sexes became especially troubled. Before sin entered the world, man and woman experienced not only original unity but also original nakedness, through which they could be completely exposed (physically, psychologically and spiritually) without fear or shame. This was so because they possessed a fullness of vision through which they beheld each other’s personal dignity through their bodies and naturally experienced respect and gratitude for the gift of the person, culminating in non-possessive, self-giving love. Indeed, the late pope said that our first parents’ way of seeing each other was permeated by a “fullness of consciousness of the meaning of the body” (TOB 12:3). The form of “looking” or “seeing” being described here is more 4 4 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

than mere sense perception. It involves the intentions and desires of one’s heart and is only possible for a pure heart that is sensitive to beholding the transcendent value inscribed by God in created things, especially in the human body. As Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “Seeing each other reciprocally, through the very mystery of creation, as it were, the man and the woman see each other still more fully and clearly than through the sense of sight itself, that is, through the eyes of the body. They see and know each other, in fact, with all the peace of the interior gaze, which creates precisely the fullness of the intimacy of persons” (TOB 13:1). After sin entered the world, all of us are affected by concupiscence, which we previously saw refers to disordered desire. While our first parents, prior to sin, experienced the perennial attraction between the sexes, this interior movement was subordinated to their awareness of the spousal meaning of the body. For us who experience concupiscence in our hearts, the sexual desire we experience is always threatened by selfishness. Pope St. John Paul II spoke of how concupiscence “limits,” “violates” and in some cases even “completely deforms” our awareness of the spousal meaning of the body (see TOB 31:6ff). As a result, “The ‘heart’ has become a battlefield between love and concupiscence. The more concupiscence dominates the heart, the less the heart experiences the spousal meaning of the body, and the less sensitive it becomes to the gift of the person” (TOB 32:3). In this way, sexual desire, which was created good and meant to be integrated into our spousal love, becomes deformed into mere lust, leaving us prone to adulterous acts–both exteriorly and interiorly. We will continue to explore the nature of these interior acts of lust and Christ’s redemption of our sexuality in subsequent reflections. DR. ANDREW SODERGREN, MTS, PSY.D. is a Catholic psychologist and director of psychological services for Ruah Woods. He speaks on the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith. He and his wife, Ellie, have five children.

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| 45

from her hands, feet and heart–the marks of the stigmata. Each Thursday evening, Gemma would fall into rapture and the marks of Christ’s passion would appear. 7.

about St. Gemma Galani 1.

She was born March 12, 1878 in Italy.

2. Gemma’s parents died when she was young and she had to take care of her 7 siblings. 3. Gemma wanted to become a Passionist nun but the nuns wouldn’t allow it due to her highly contagious disease, tuberculosis. 4. At the age of 20, Gemma contracted spinal meningitis. 5. Her cure is attributed to the intercession of St. Gabriel Possenti and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. 6. At age 21, Gemma felt pain and blood coming

She had the gift of levitation and recieved visions of her Guardian Angel and the Blessed Mother Mary.

8. Gemma died at age 25 on Holy Saturday, April 11. The parish Priest in her company said, “She died with a smile which remained upon her lips, so that I could not convince myself that she was really dead.” 9. St. Gemma is recognized as the Saint of the Passion of Jesus, reflecting her deep devotion to this aspect of Christ’s life. 10. St. Gemma Galani was beatified on May 14, 1933 by Pope Pius XI and canonized on May 2, 1940, only 37 years after her death, by Pope Pius XII.

Word Bank galani gemma illness italy levitation lilies nun orphan passion smile stigmata students temptation Find additional printouts at: thecatholictelegraph.com/kids-corner

46 |

Feast day: April 11

Patron saint of students, young people, pharmacists, and those struggling with temptation, loss of parents, back pain and headaches.

out & about in the Archdiocese

2) Creature Comforts Students at St. Vincent Ferrer School, Cincinnati, were able to get up close to chinchillas, hedgehogs, bearded dragons and even snakes thanks to a visit from Cool Critters Outreach. Sponsored by the school PTO, the event was an opportunity to learn more about God’s creatures and become more invested in creation.

1) All Souls Day Mass in Fort Recovery An All Souls Day Mass was held at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Fort Recovery before the sun rose on Nov. 2. Attendees were cold, but saw it as a beautiful sacrifice to make for the poor souls.

4) Sharing the Warmth Volunteers at St. Leo the Great Church in North Fairmount collected coats to help keep 300 people in their community warm this winter. Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and School in Anderson Twp. and the St. Maximilian Church’s Knights of Columbus Council 11355 contributed to the collection.

4 3) 100 years in Madeira In November St. Gertrude Church in Madeira celebrated the feast of St. Gertrude the Great and the parish’s centennial anniversary with a solemn Mass and procession. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr was the main celebrant, while all the Dominican friars in residence at St. Gertrude Priory, and several visiting friars, concelebrated. 4 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

Catholic Crossword 3

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ACROSS 1 Anti-Catholic, American Nativist ___-Nothing Party 5 Source of chocolate 10 “Not if ___ help it” 14 Catholic commentator Buckley, author of God and Man at ___ 15 Big 16 Costume for Julius Caesar 17 VCR replacements 18 Like a loud crowd 19 Lead singer of The News 20 Opus ___ 21 Acknowledge 22 Tears apart 23 Heavy 25 Stations of the ___ 27 WWII president 28 Beginning 30 Said, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” (Mt 27:4) 33 Small drops 35 Tennis shot 37 Copier 38 What the Bible is made up of 39 Animal rights org. 40 Land east of Eden 41 Some relatives 42 John preached in the desert here 43 Bite gently 45 Catholic comedian/actor

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James E. Ghory, Jr.

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Newhart whose sister is a nun 46 Grouches 47 Book with the words and rubrics of a liturgy 50 Confusion 52 Mawkish sentimentality 53 Snake 55 Car 56 Rustle, as satin 58 Cozy 59 Migrate 60 Keep one’s ___ the ground 61 Next in line 62 Auto innovator 63 Fastening device 64 ___ Minor DOWN 1 Frances Shand ___, convert and mother of Princess Di 2 Umbilicus 3 Any Beatles song, now 4 Director Craven 5 St. Peter ___ 6 Builder of the golden calf 7 Black bird 8 Muslim title of honor 9 Poetic expression 10 Most likely Paul’s first epistle (abbr.) 11 Performed a spiritual work of mercy for the doubtful

12 Like good cheese 13 Negative votes 21 Does arithmetic 22 Decays 24 From a distance 25 St. Martha is their patron saint 26 Applies friction to 29 Kind of bag 30 The feast day of St, Thomas Aquinas is in this month (abbr.) 31 Atop 32 Committed 33 “…of my ___ and flesh of my flesh…” (Gen 2:23) 34 His wife was turned to salt 36 Ovine cry 38 Incandescent lamp 39 Dart throwers’ hangouts 41 French protest cry 42 OT historical book 44 Rivulets 45 Head of a diocese 47 Necessities 48 Saul’s general 49 Merton’s monk name 50 Roman statesman 51 Fling 52 Sorvino of “At First Sight” 54 City in India 56 Part of a min. 57 ___-Mart 58 Moo ___ pork

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K N O W C A C A O I C A N Y A L E L A R G E T O G A D V D S A R O A R H U E Y A V O W R E N D S D E I L E A D E N C R O S S F D R O U T S E T J U D A S B L O B S L O B B O O K S P E T A A P E R A U N T S J U D E A N O D N I B B L E B O B C R A B S M I S S A L C H A O S M U S H B O A S W I S H S N U G A U T O T R E K E A R T O H E I R O L D S C L A S P U R S A

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JA N U ARY 2024 | 49

THE FINAL WORD with Sister Mary Agnes Greiffendorf, O.P., Ph.D.

We Need Catholic Schools More Than Ever In the early 1980s my parents faced a quandary: I was the oldest child, and it was time to enroll me in kindergarten. My dad, a history teacher, was recently laid off from the local public school. While both parents were baptized Catholic and my mother attended Catholic school through 12th grade, they had married civilly and long ago abandoned any practice of faith. With public school out of the question, they had one option: the nearby Catholic school. In Providence’s design, Catholic education opened doors for my parents to return to the Catholic faith. That journey didn’t happen quickly or easily. Little by little, God planted seeds and disposed their hearts to grace. By enrolling their child in a Catholic school, they were suddenly confronted with the need to consider their own relationship with God and His Church. This changed not only my parents, but our whole family. One incident was particularly decisive. My younger sister, in second grade at the time, came home and asked Mom if we could pray the rosary, since she had been learning it in school. Mom didn’t have a good reason to say no. So, we prayed. I’m not sure what we prayed that first evening. My parents didn’t remember how to pray the rosary, so it was led by my little sister. It was probably punctuated by a good bit of yawning, interruptions and bickering between siblings. But the family rosary became a habit. With time, family prayer led us to God and to friendship with Our Blessed Mother and bound us together in a new way. In his abundant goodness, God called me to follow Him more closely as a consecrated religious, and to a congregation serving Catholic education. I have been blessed to be in Catholic schools all over the country and internationally, and I am convinced that we need Catholic schools more than ever. I don’t need to tell you that data on religious practice in this country is not promising. Each generation shows higher rates of either disaffiliation or no religious belief at all. Attendance 5 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

in Catholic schools has declined for nearly 60 years. Other indicators of religious practice, such as marriages, baptisms and Mass attendance, have likewise trended downward for the same period. In a time such as this, the Church needs to support its schools more, not less. When religious practice is declining and God is more and more eclipsed from many of our contemporaries’ vision, we need schools in which the Catholic faith is taught and lived with dynamism, joy and hope. When confusion about what it means to be human is widespread, we need education founded on the Christian vision of the human person, made in God’s image and likeness and endowed with inalienable dignity. When society is rent by divisions and brokenness, we need students who know that Truth is real. He is a Person, Jesus Christ, who alone can heal our wounds and teach us to love as He has loved us. There are many American parents today who might hesitate to enter a church, but choose to enroll their children in a Catholic school. Even if they can’t articulate it, they recognize that it offers something that public education can’t. And their children, immersed in a rich environment of faith and intellectual development, will start to learn the Gospel, and, please God, see it lived out around them. These children, evangelized seven hours a day, five days a week, cannot help but start to evangelize their parents and those around them in small ways. Perhaps, one day they will come home and ask mom if the family can pray the rosary. I pray that God will open their hearts as He opened my parents’ hearts. I know that I am forever changed from the ways Catholic education shaped my life. SISTER MARY AGNES GREIFFENDORF, O.P., PH.D. is a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia Congregation of Nashville, TN. She has taught at all levels of Catholic education and served in numerous administrative positions, including as the President of Aquinas College in Nashville. She is currently the principal of St. Gertrude School in Madeira.

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