personifying THE SAINTS

BY KARY ELLEN BERGER

LOOK IN A MIRROR—DO YOU SEE A SAINT? SAINTS LIVE AMONG US AND THIS IS TAUGHT FIRST-HAND AT ST. MARGARET OF YORK IN LOVELAND.

For a second year, students could venerate relics loaned from Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center. In 2021, the school first received relics for veneration. The seven relics displayed in 2022 were from Saints Francis of Assisi, Anthony of Padua, Ignatius of Loyola, Dymphna, Mary Magdalene, Kateri Tekakwitha and the Seven Blessed Martyrs of Thailand.

“Students used magnifying glasses to examine the relics more closely and brought sacramentals to touch the relics,” said Hacker. “They waited quietly until it was their turn to venerate the relics. Students also brought written prayer intentions,” seeking the saints’ intercession.

“With this as their second year experiencing the relics, the students looked forward to attending this event,” said Kristin Penley, St. Margaret of York Principal. “It is a very moving, prayerful experience for all students, from youngest to oldest. Students are very reverent and sincere in their prayers as they spend time with the relics. They are encouraged to bring their rosary or a personal religious item from home to venerate the relics. They had the opportunity to ask questions about the relics and were able to share stories about how the saints speak to them in their daily lives.”

Penley said that as the viewing ended, students could look in a mirror to reflect on how they can also be saint-like.“Saintly relics personify the saints to our children,” said Penley. “Students are able to connect with [their] stories and experiences. This experience provides evidence to the children that these saints walked the earth just as [the children] do today. Our hope is that these saints will act as role models to the children, [who] will remember them during challenging times. In their classrooms, they learn the stories about saints of all nationalities and origins. This experience brings those stories to life.”

Both Penley and Hacker shared that viewing of the relics was not only for children, and impacted adults. Children’s parents were invited in the afternoon and evening.

The parish was also gifted seven relics in 2021 that are always displayed for veneration: Saints Pius X, Anthony of Padua, Maria Goretti, Frances Xavier Cabrini, Margaret Mary Alacoque, Paul of the Cross and Blessed Maria Gabriella.

“We partner with parents in the faith formation of their children,” shared Penley. “Exposing the students to some of the many ways to pray in a respectful, devotional way builds a strong foundation for their faith.”

“As we live each day, we have times of joy and times of trial,” continued Penley. “When we are comfortable in our prayer life, we naturally lean into our faith in thanksgiving or despair. If taught at a young age, it becomes a way of life. These experiences with the Eucharist and the relics bring us close to God.”

Basilica’s Lenten homily series to have Eucharistic flavor

BY JOHN STEGEMAN

Area Catholics interested in developing a deeper understanding of the Eucharist will have a unique opportunity to do so this Lent, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati.

A guest cleric will deliver a homily during a 7 p.m. vespers service every Friday of Lent (after the Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m.). This is the first year the basilica is doing a guest homily series. Because the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is promoting a National Eucharistic Revival, Basilica Rector Father Jan Schmidt chose the Eucharist as the homilies’ focus.

“The homilies will focus on the Eucharist in the context of what the Lenten readings provide in the background,” Father Schmidt said. “My hope is that this will continue into the future, although each year will be a different focus.”

The first vespers homily is on Feb 24 and titled, “What does the New Testament say about the Eucharist?” It will be given by Father Kevin Scalf, chaplain and faculty member at McNicholas High School. Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus returns to Cincinnati for the March 24 vespers with a homily titled, “Towards a Eucharistic Culture: Characteristics of Evangelizing and Eucharistic Communities.”

The other homilists are Father Chris Geiger, Father Ryan Ruiz, Father Dan Hess and Father Ethan Moore. Fathers Geiger, Ruiz and Hess are on Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology faculty, and Father Moore is pastor of the three-parish Uptown Catholic region near the University of Cincinnati.

“They are experts in preaching. I’m excited because they are all young, energetic, attractive to the people, and interesting and thought-provoking to listen to,” Father Schmidt said. “We wanted folks who would be able to focus us on [the Eucharist]. They’re theologians with training in specific areas; sacramental theologians, systematic theologians; folks that know Who the Eucharist is and can help us to better understand Christ’s presence in it.”

The archdiocesan cathedral became a basilica in 2020, due in part to its significance to the diocese and the worthiness of the art within it. Father Schmidt believes the homilies’ content is reason enough to plan a Lenten visit to the basilica, but he offered a special invite to those who have not visited before.

“This is the mother church of the archdiocese,” Father Schmidt said. “All are welcome. We hope those who are parishioners of the archdiocese would come visit and see [its] beauty[, …] grandeur and peacefulness at some point in their lives. [The Lenten homilies offer] a really great opportunity to do that.”

Basilica’s Lenten Homily Series

Date Homilist

February 24

March 3

March 10

March 17

March 24

March 31

Father Kevin Scalf

Father Chris Geiger

Father Ryan Ruiz

Father Ethan Moore

Bishop Earl K. Fernandes

Father Dan Hess