The Catholic Telegraph - February 2024

MAGAZINE

193rd year | issue 2

bringing faith into the home

february 2024 | discipleship | 1

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Walking Among the Flock Can you remember moments in your life where others helped guide you in your faith?

I was on a Confirmation retreat in eighth grade. We were staying at a church camp in Minden, Louisiana. It was hot, and there were just a handful of us there: one girls’ cabin and another for the boys. It was the perfect retreat location for me in particular. I’ve always found my connection with God to be greater when I’m outside, marveling at His Creation.

That particular retreat included an outdoor hike led by Pastor Greg. While I’m sure he told us many wonderful things about God and Jesus during that hike, I was completely mesmerized by how he seemed able to recognize and name every single tree and leaf we came across. And so, donning my nerd hat, I began to challenge him, asking about each wayward branch and fallen leaf. But Pastor Greg always knew the answer. It utterly delighted me (though I’m sure my peers were less amused). Being the clever and relatable man that he was, however, he used the moment he was handed to help guide my curiosity toward the source of Creation: God. During an audience at the Vatican on March 6, Pope Francis met with priests, deacons, seminarians and staff from St. Mary’s Seminary in Cleveland. He called on attendees to be missionary disciples, reminding them of a sentiment he’s become well known for since his papacy’s beginning: “The good shepherd walks with the flock: sometimes ahead, to mark the way; sometimes in the midst, to encourage them and sometimes behind, to accompany those who may be struggling. Always remember how important it is to walk

with the flock, never apart from it.”

That day many years ago, my pastor walked with me, answering my questions. He used my own curiosity about the world and his personal knowledge to relate to me, a skeptical young teen, and turn me toward God. Walking with others as missionary disciples pops up in a wide array of situations, with people of varying ages and in different places on their faith journeys. Inside this issue of the magazine, we highlight “disciple makers” who used their vocations to do just that. Each person you’ll read about was nominated by someone who was inspired by their faith and actions; and each person has walked beside others on their path to faith: sometimes on the playing field, other times in a math classroom.

I hope you find inspiration in their often simple acts of faith that helped bring others to Jesus.

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 193rd Year No. 2 • February 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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february contents

Kathy Riegel page 26

leaders in discipleship 14 LISA FULLENKAMP

7 QUESTION OF FAITH

MATT HESS

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

Adult sacramental prep in Wapakoneta & Botkins

Papal infallibility

16 DAVE CAMPBELL

DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

JOHN STEGEMAN

Religion teacher at Moeller High School in Cincinnati 18 JUDY GERWE Campus Ministers: Putting Faith Into Practice, page 21

news 10 DID YOU KNOW?

columns

8 A CLOSER LOOK Catholic discipleship in liberal Protestant America 11 CATHOLIC AT HOME KATIE SCIBA

KARY ELLEN BERGER

Lenten devotions as a lifestyle

School president at Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati

32 UNCOVERING THE PAST

21 CAMPUS MINISTERS

RUTHY TRUSLER

Let the scavenger hunt begin!

LISA FLETCHER

35 ST. JOSEPH’S TOOL BELT

Putting faith into practice

TRENTON SCROGGINS

Do not let your light burn out

BY GAIL FINKE | ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

24 RACHEL HESS

Holy Angels, Sidney

JOHN STEGEMAN

30 LENT 2024

Director of Religious Education at St. Henry Family of Parishes

34 BOOK REVIEW

26 KATHY RIEGEL

ANNA MITCHELL

REBEKAH DAVIDSON

38 KIDS’ CORNER

Hope: An Invitation

Geometry teacher at Alter High School in Dayton

BY JESSICA RINAUDO

40 OUT & ABOUT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE

ON THE COVER PHOTO BY: DANNY SCHNEIBLE

Lisa Fullenkamp is the Coordinator of Adult Sacramental Preparation at the Holy Face Family of Parishes in the Wapakoneta and Botkins areas.

4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

28 PAM VISSING

36 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY DR. ANDREW SODERGREN

Adultery of the heart, part 3

ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

Fra Angelico

KARY ELLEN BERGER

42 THE FINAL WORD

Teacher & volunteer at Mercy McAuley High School in Cincinnati

FATHER JACOB DUMONT, LC

Catholic educators play a crucial role

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FOR FEBRUARY For the terminally ill

Let us pray that the sick who are in the final stages of life, and their families, receive the necessary medical and human care and accompaniment.

Seek the Lord ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

In his homily for the opening of the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict XVI said, “The Church exists to evangelize. Faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ’s command, his disciples went out to the whole world to announce the Good News, spreading Christian communities everywhere” (Homily, Oct. 7, 2012). The Catholic Church is thus missionary in nature, responding to the Great Commission given by the Lord to His apostles as He ascended into heaven: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19).

Jesus sends His followers out. He did not envision a community of believers focused inward on itself or content remaining within the safety and comfort of the walls of their churches. That same desire of the Lord still holds. He calls us to share the Good News of salvation. This is not done through the repetition of doctrine or by quoting paragraphs from a catechism. A disciple is one who has heard the call of the Lord and responds to that call by choosing to conform his or her life daily to the teachings and example of Jesus. A disciple heeds the Lord’s command to take up one’s cross and follow Him. Ultimately, a disciple attracts others to discipleship by inviting them to know and follow Jesus through prayer, the Scriptures and the Sacraments.

Everything we do as a Church should support the mission given to us by Jesus to make and form disciples.

This missionary impulse distinguishes the Church from charitable organizations and social clubs. We would do well to constantly evaluate whether the many activities that typically take place in our parishes support the evangelizing mission of the Church. Each of the services, programs and events we run through our parish communities ought to have

the goal of bringing people closer to Christ and helping them with the daily work of converting their hearts and minds to the Lord. If we find ourselves engaged in parish endeavors that don’t support this work, then we run the risk of losing sight of the mission Christ has called us to share with Him. While there are many ways at the parish or archdiocesan level in which we work together to fulfill the evangelizing mission of the Church, our individual pursuit of holiness also comes into play. The more united each of us is to Christ, the greater the effects of His grace, including our witness to others.

Pope Benedict also reflected on the importance of striving for personal holiness in his homily for the synod’s opening in 2012. He said holy people “are the true actors in evangelization in all its expressions. In a special way they are even pioneers and bringers of the new evangelization: with their intercession and the example of lives attentive to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they show the beauty of the Gospel to those who are indifferent or even hostile, and they invite, as it were tepid believers, to live with the joy of faith, hope and charity, to rediscover the taste for the word of God and for the sacraments, especially for the bread of life, the Eucharist… Holiness is not confined by cultural, social, political or religious barriers. Its language, that of love and truth, is understandable to all people of good will and it draws them to Jesus Christ, the inexhaustible source of new life.”

Through our individual pursuit of holiness and our work together as a Church, may we always dedicate ourselves to the Great Commission of bringing others to know, love and follow the Lord!

S E E K T H E L O R D / F E B R UARY 2024 | 5

Busca al Senor ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

En su homilía de apertura para la XIII Asamblea General Ordinaria del Sínodo de los Obispos, el Papa Benedicto XVI dijo: “La Iglesia existe para evangelizar. Fieles al mandato del Señor Jesucristo, sus discípulos fueron por el mundo entero para anunciar la Buena Noticia, fundando por todas partes las comunidades cristianas” (Homilía, 7 de octubre de 2012). La Iglesia católica es misionera por naturaleza, respondiendo a la Gran Comisión dada por el Señor a sus apóstoles al subir al cielo: “Vayan, y hagan que todos los pueblos sean mis discípulos” (Mt. 28:19).

Jesús envía a sus seguidores. No imaginó una comunidad de creyentes encerrada en sí misma o contenta con permanecer dentro de la seguridad y la comodidad de los muros de sus iglesias. Ese mismo deseo del Señor sigue vigente. Nos llama a compartir la Buena Nueva de la salvación. Esto no se hace mediante la repetición de doctrina o citando párrafos de un catecismo. Un discípulo es alguien que ha escuchado la llamada del Señor y responde a esa llamada eligiendo conformar su vida diaria a las enseñanzas y el ejemplo de Jesús. Un discípulo obedece el mandato del Señor de tomar su cruz y seguirlo. En última instancia, un discípulo atrae a otros al discipulado invitándoles a conocer y seguir a Jesús a través de la oración, las Escrituras y los Sacramentos. Todo lo que hacemos como Iglesia debe apoyar la misión que nos encomendó Jesús de hacer y formar discípulos.

Este impulso misionero distingue a la Iglesia de las organizaciones caritativas y los clubes sociales. Haríamos bien en evaluar constantemente si las muchas actividades que suelen tener lugar en nuestras parroquias apoyan la misión evangelizadora de la Iglesia. Cada uno de los servicios, programas y eventos que realizamos en nuestras comunidades parroquiales debería tener como objetivo acercar a las personas a Cristo y ayudarlas en la tarea 6 | THE C ATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

diaria de convertir sus corazones y mentes al Señor. Si nos encontramos comprometidos en esfuerzos parroquiales que no apoyan este trabajo, entonces corremos el riesgo de perder de vista la misión que Cristo nos ha llamado a compartir con Él.

Aunque hay muchas maneras de trabajar juntos a nivel parroquial o arquidiocesano para cumplir la misión evangelizadora de la Iglesia, también entra en juego nuestra búsqueda individual de la santidad. Cuanto más unido estemos cada uno de nosotros a Cristo, mayores serán los efectos de su gracia, incluido nuestro testimonio a los demás.

El Papa Benedicto también reflexionó sobre la importancia de buscar la santidad personal en su homilía de apertura del Sínodo en 2012. Dijo que hombres y mujeres santos “son los verdaderos protagonistas de la evangelización en todas sus expresiones. Ellos son, también de forma particular, los pioneros y los que impulsan la nueva evangelización: con su intercesión y el ejemplo de sus vidas, abierta a la fantasía del Espíritu Santo, muestran la belleza del Evangelio y de la comunión con Cristo a las personas indiferentes o incluso hostiles, e invitan a los creyentes tibios, por decirlo así, a que con alegría vivan de fe, esperanza y caridad, a que descubran el gusto por la Palabra de Dios y los sacramentos, en particular por el pan de vida, la eucaristía… La santidad no conoce barreras culturales, sociales, políticas, religiosas. Su lenguaje – el del amor y la verdad – es comprensible a todos los hombres de buena voluntad y los acerca a Jesucristo, fuente inagotable de vida nueva.”

Ojalá que por nuestra búsqueda individual de la santidad y de nuestro trabajo en conjunto como Iglesia, nos dediquemos siempre a la Gran Comisión de llevar a los demás a conocer, amar y seguir al Señor.

Pope Pius XII proclaims the dogmatic definition of Virgin Mary’s Assumption

QUE ST IO N O F F A IT H

Papal Infallibility What does it mean to say the pope is infallible? Can any human truly be infallible?

The doctrine of papal infallibility is rooted in the belief that the pope, as the Bishop of Rome and the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, has been given a unique role by Jesus Christ to teach and guide the Church on matters of faith and morals.

This doctrine, which is widely misunderstood, is specific and limited in its application—so much so that very few papal statements have been expressly invoked as infallible.

AUTHORITY

The pope is the visible head of the Church on earth and has been given the authority by Christ to govern the Church and make definitive and binding decisions. This is not from any special merit of his own but by virtue of his teaching office.

The Holy Spirit, who continues to guide the Church, is the source of this authority and assures that the pope will correctly teach when annunciating such teachings. The understanding of this authority is linked with papal primacy, as given to St. Peter by Jesus (Mt. 16: 18 – “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church…”).

When annunciated as such, infallible teachings require the faithful to assent. They are binding on all Catholics and considered a part of the Church’s Magisterium (teaching authority) and are revealed to have been part of the deposit of faith—such as the articles of the Creed.

THE DEBATE

In the mid-19th century, the pope faced challenges to his temporal power while Enlightenment philosophies challenged the intellectual credibility of Catholic dogma. With the Papal States’ seizure, the pope sought to reassert his spiritual and teaching role. Although not a new concept, papal infallibility had not been fully articulated.

The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally defined at the First Vatican Council (1869-1870), although its approval for

declaration was contentious, mostly because bishops from countries with non-Catholic majorities believed it would be misunderstood. These bishops—collectively known as the “inopportunists”—did not reject the teaching, but they questioned its timing. Ultimately, all but two bishops at the council voted in favor of infallibility (with the two dissenting bishops offering their assent later).

LIMITATIONS

Papal infallibility is separate from the pope’s everyday teaching and decision-making. It also does not apply to his moral conduct or suggest holiness or sinlessness. Ordinarily, what the pope says or does is not considered infallible; infallibility applies only when the pope speaks ex cathedra, which means “from the chair” (in an official capacity).

The pope must expressly state that he is teaching this way for his statement to be considered infallible. Ex cathedra statements are rare. The most recent example is Pope Pius XII’s definition of the Assumption of Mary as a dogma in 1950.

THE SPIRIT’S GUIDANCE

The Second Vatican Council taught that infallibility should be understood in light of the Holy Spirit’s guidance of the Church. The pope, as the supreme shepherd and teacher of all the faithful, may, by a definitive act, confirm his brethren in their faith “by a doctrine of faith or morals.” Such definitions are infallible “not from the consent of the Church” but because they are “pronounced with the assistance of the Holy Spirit” (Lumen Gentium, 25.)

Infallibility is rarely invoked, and its application is narrow. It is intended, not to confuse, but to provide clarity and assurance regarding faith and morals, while allowing for development and growth in the Church’s understanding of divine revelation over time.

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 / F E B R UARY 2024 | 7

A CLO SE R LO O K

Catholic Discipleship in Liberal Protestant America In the midst of rapidly changing social norms, the challenges of Catholic discipleship in the U.S. have become increasingly difficult and frustrating. Making matters worse, Catholics can be found on both sides of polarizing cultural and political issues, each thinking theirs is the only reasonable position for a Catholic to hold. This precarious situation is a symptom of the same basic malady on both sides. We have abandoned (or forgotten) the moral language of Catholicism and replaced it with a moral dialect that leads inevitably to failure and frustration.

compatible with American liberal ideals. We see the tension between faith and politics, and think that we must find a resolution to the tension. Catholics want to live peaceably as American citizens, so we embrace and endorse moral and political theories that define and delimit what that means.

But the cost of this compromise has been the consistency and integrity of our own theological language and witness. We collapsed our faith into the same political continuum of liberalism, and we staked out opposing positions on one of its two extremes.

Put another way, we Catholics find it In one sense, of course, this problem of We don’t want to live in difficult to speak to one another because Catholicism’s relationship to cultural, conflict with the moral we have allowed ourselves to be informed civic and political identification is and political theory by one of the two dominant variations of as old as Christianity itself. While American liberalism, as found in the two contemporary debates do seem to be that formed American dominant political parties in the U.S. especially contentious, the problems that politics, law and culture, Both parties accept the same individualist underlie them are inherent in the very so we tried to find an moral anthropology, differing only in the nature of Catholic faith and practice. details of how they should be applied.

Indeed, Catholic discipleship is routinely articulation of faith Unfortunately, this is also the view of the described in expressly political terms: that is compatible with human person that most U.S. Catholics Christ the King, Mary Queen of Heaven, American liberal ideals. accept. Catholics on one side of the aisle God on his Throne. These suggest that are happy with the practical implications Catholics are subservient to authority of this individualist theory, while those on that is potentially in tension with, if not the other side are unhappy with such implications, but so contradicted by, other politics. This tension was at the heart thoroughly embedded in the theory, they cannot articulate a of late 19th century anti-Catholic legislation and political coherent practical alternative to it. rhetoric in the U.S., characterized by such things as the rise of so-called Blaine statutes and amendments and the editorial In many ways, this is an unsurprising and even sympathetic cartoons of people like Thomas Nast. state of affairs. We don’t want to live in conflict with the moral and political theory that formed American politics, law In response to these anti-Catholic movements—to show and culture, so we tried to find an articulation of faith that is that we can be good American citizens—Catholics gradually 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

ceded the moral arguments that distinguish Catholic discipleship from American patriotism. To be accepted by the liberal and Protestant American culture, we unwittingly accepted the basic moral premises that formed that culture. In the process, we forgot the theologies and practices that separate being Catholic from being a certain kind of American.

Our response to those who say that Catholics cannot be good Americans is to embrace the moral theory that informs being a good American, while compromising authentic Catholic discipleship and witness.

Thus, Catholics in the U.S. have difficulty even talking to one another in an authentically Catholic dialect. The typical American Catholic is more comfortable talking to a non-Catholic person with whom he identifies politically than with another Catholic. We lack a coherent moral and political vocabulary, which means we have little hope of articulating principles of freedom and common good to the broader culture, because we don’t even know what that looks like within the Church. Our moral and political lives are more likely formed by partisan identification than Catholic discipleship. We have reduced our moral lives to our partisan loyalties to such a degree that we think they are the same thing as Christian discipleship.

The first step toward solving this problem is to recover a Catholic

moral language through what are sometimes called the “four pillars” of Catholic social doctrine: human dignity, common good, subsidiarity and solidarity. Each of these principles can be learned as a better way to think about social and civic issues, including legal, political, economic and regulatory matters.

From abortion to immigration; from health care to capital punishment; from contraception to euthanasia, we Catholics have a moral language that is richer, deeper and more comprehensive than the individualist languages of American liberalism to which we so often unwittingly default.

More importantly, and in contrast to these various liberal dialects, the language of Catholic social doctrine upholds the moral anthropology at the heart of the Catholic understanding of the human person.

We must begin to recover a moral language that is formed by Catholic moral doctrine rather than by liberal political theory. I am fully aware that it may be a quixotic effort. But the effort is worth the hope that we Catholics might once again be a witness to the integrity of faith, rather than participants in its demise.

This month’s column is adapted from the Introduction to Dr. Craycraft’s forthcoming book, Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America, due in March from Our Sunday Visitor Press.

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 / F E B R UARY 2024

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Holy Angels, Dayton The original building used for Masses (celebrated by visiting priests) at what is now Holy Angels Parish in Sidney was blown up by the anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Party (strongly supported in Ohio) in 1855.

DID YOU KNOW?

1848 First Masses celebrated in parishioners’ homes.

1852 20 x 60-ft. former cooper’s shop purchased for the church.

1855 Know-Nothings detonated a keg of gunpowder, destroying the building (site is currently the parish Senior Center).

1858-62 First church building constructed.

1876 First school constructed; staffed by Sisters of Charity.

1889 Holy Angels High School begins at the parish school.

The Holy Angels Angels are spiritual beings created by God without material bodies. St. Thomas Aquinas categorizes the angels into three hierarchies: first the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones; second the Dominations, Virtues and Powers; and third the Principalities, Archangels and Angels. According to a centennial document for the parish, the name was chosen because all Christians (and Jews) believe in angels — parishioners could pray for their protection, and the name, presumably, would not antagonize anti-Catholic neighbors.

May 15, 1892 Current church consecrated.

1910-1911 Interior frescoes added, new organ installed.

1937 Current school building built after a fire. The limestonefaced, Art Deco style building also housed the high school.

1954 Holy Angels High School built.

1970 Holy Angels and Piqua Catholic (previously St. Mary) High Schools merge to form Lehman Catholic High School.

1981-83 Organ, doors and steps replaced.

Complete interior renovation.

2004 Major renovation of the current Art Deco style, limestone Holy Angels School.

2011 Major renovation repaints the church interior and restores much of the decoration, including repainting the statues and uncovering the side altar paintings.

Joseph Altenbach Born on a small farm in Fryburg, OH, and trained as a carpenter, Altenbach became one of the area’s premier builders. The ambitious Gothic design of the 140 x 60-ft. Holy Angels Church, with its two spires, third-floor choir loft and 52-ft. central ribbed ceiling, helped cement his reputation.

Quick Facts 1 million bricks used for the building.

3 relics (Sts. Prosper, Lucida and Regina) were installed in the original altar stone of the elaborately carved and painted wooden altar.

1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

2 circular transept windows depicting cherubim are among the nearly 40 stained glass windows dating to the 1891 build.

CATHO LIC A T H O ME

Lenten Devotions as a Lifestyle When my husband and I started a family, I was hopeful we could live differently from the status quo, more reflective of love and peace. There will always be work, laundry, dinnertime and taking care of each other; but it’s easy to lose sight of the point in these routine mainstays of family life. What is the end goal of it all? Andrew and I had each other and these sweet children; what were we supposed to do with them?

We began with the end in mind. The whole point of marriage and family is for everyone to have a deep, abiding relationship with Jesus, then to live so as to reflect that wonderful connection, which will culminate in Eternal Life after death. There is no better way to encounter the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit than going to Mass. Receiving the Holy Trinity would fuel us to live the different life I could only vaguely conceptualize; but I continue to hope that, over time, each of us will transform into the individuals God made us to be—that we will simultaneously shift into being more our authentic selves and Christlike. Take more Jesus in, reflect more Jesus out.

During Lent, the Church beckons us to prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving, all of which are profound imitations of Christ, Who was in constant communion with the Father. What if our families took these devotions as a lifestyle rather than a spiritual task to check off a list?

PRAYER

SACRIFICE

I thought it would be hard to teach any child sacrifice, but kids show a natural propensity for it at an early age! Think of the toddler sharing his Cheerios or a 5-year-old giving you a sticker. What they love, they share; and this inclination is a fantastic foundation to teach sacrifice and fasting. Take it a step further to show your family that self-denial combined with love for a greater purpose is a powerful prayer at all times, and most certainly during Lent. From annoyances to emotional anguish, we should ask Jesus for the grace to endure with love, and do so out loud for our kids to hear.

ALMSGIVING

I’m trying to teach my children almsgiving from a few different angles. They see us support the Church financially and work to fill a need we see or hear of among our neighbors.

Ultimately, almsgiving is a gift of self; and though my kids make sweet offerings during the collection at Mass, they’re learning to give of their time and energy as well. We join Catholic Charities to distribute food to the poorest local population, and soon we’ll work at a local coffee stand that serves the homeless.

The point of teaching almsgiving is to open children’s eyes to the inherent dignity of their fellow man, so much so that they both know they can help and are eager to do so.

Because we are made in the image and likeness of God, we’re in our most natural and authentic state when we’re connected to Him. Last month I mentioned St. Therese’s wisdom: “Prayer is a launching out of the heart toward God.” Whether that launch is slow and steady like a ship from its mooring or a great boulder catapulted toward the heavens, Jesus wants it.

I hope I get to Heaven. More, I hope my whole family gets there. Living with this end in mind secures an abundant life; one in which we know God constantly invites us to prayer, gives us the grace to sacrifice and loves through us in our almsgiving. The result of this, both over a lifetime and in each instance of imitating Christ, is the joy of Easter morning and Eternal Life.

Approaching the Lord in honest prayer ourselves and setting this example for our children is the best possible start toward the end goal of Heaven. And let’s never forget that, though bringing children of any age to Mass has its challenges, there is unfathomable grace just being in God’s presence.

KATIE SCIBA is a national speaker and Catholic Press Awardwinning columnist. Katie has been married for 15 years and is blessed with six children.

CA T H O L IC A T H O M E / F E B R U ARY 2024 | 11

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leaders in

DISCIPLESHIP “Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey.”

— Pope Francis

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R UARY 2024 | 13

adult sacramental prep

LISA FULLENKAMP wapakoneta + botkins

PHOTO BY DANNY SCHNEIBLE

BY M AT T HES S

God works quietly in human hearts, drawing all people to Himself. This pull of Christ in everyday people’s lives is apparent to those working in evangelization throughout our archdiocese. Lisa Fullenkamp is one of those lucky enough to witness this. As the Coordinator of Adult Sacramental Preparation at the Holy Face Family of Parishes in the Wapakoneta and Botkins area, for over 30 years she has been involved in forming disciples of Christ through RCIA. She also works with couples preparing for marriage and with families seeking baptism for their little ones. Through these ministries, Lisa has seen firsthand how Jesus works in the hearts of individuals and families, bringing them into the Church and into a relationship with God. Fullenkamp says she “felt a calling within myself to be one with God” from an early age, even though her family were not regular church goers. She hopped on whatever church van or bus was rolling down her road in Sidney to get to a church on Sunday, exploring Pentecostal, Baptist and other churches over the years. With a newly minted driver’s license at age 16, Fullenkamp “drove to the big church downtown.”

That church, Holy Angels, drew her in, with its precisely timed bells and the Sisters of Charity who walked the town square in uniformed lines. She found there a worship centered on the Lord and serious prayer to Him that she did not experience anywhere else.

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“When I went into the church, people weren’t talking,” said Fullenkamp. She was in awe of families kneeling and praying together, focused on the Lord. The Mass’s focus on Christ coming to us in the Eucharist spurred her to join the Catholic Church. “This is the Church, this is it!” she said.

After she married, Fullenkamp and her husband started their family in Botkins, and she began her ministry in faith formation at Immaculate Conception Church.

Today, she keeps God at the center of her identity and ministry. When it comes to being an effective evangelist in the community, she knows that, “God is first and foremost.” Fullenkamp’s mission is to bring the Lord into whatever she is doing. This past fall, a co-worker asked what was her favorite topic to teach in RCIA classes. After some thought, she responded, “My favorite subject is Jesus: He is in every subject we teach, He is [there] every week.” Using Scripture, the liturgy, prayer and reflection, she is able to connect the Catechism back to its Source, no matter the topic.

Fullenkamp also lives out Jesus’ mission in her attention to those around her. Anyone who has met her knows she has a warm, outgoing personality, which exudes Christ’s welcoming example. She immediately puts you at ease. Describing herself as “kind of the ‘welcome mat’ at the parish,” she is hospitality at events and even just weekdays in the parish office, present with a smile. By her kind words and thoughtful actions, each guest is greeted as Christ.

Moreover, her gifts are clearly put to good use welcoming new Church members and inviting people into a deeper communion with Christ. Meeting with candidates is one of Fullenkamp’s favorite parts of the RCIA process, which she views as a journey with them. She said that after greeting new students, “I give

them a hug and tell them the Church has a place for you,” then they walk to her office and begin getting to know each other. “I look forward to the questions they have about the faith,” she said, and asks for their impressions of the Catholic Church and any worries about conversion to a new faith. “I listen a lot,” said Fullenkamp.

Sometimes they have to work through difficult topics, like Mary or the Trinity, which find their richest meaning in the Catholic tradition. For many coming into the Catholic faith, the emphasis on the Mother of God is difficult to accept. Fullenkamp starts with something familiar to the candidates, Scripture, to see that Mary’s dignity comes from her Son. When understanding comes, it is more than Fullenkamp’s careful methods, it is truly a grace of God. “Gradually they light up,” she said, and “I know that God is working through them.”

The Easter Vigil commences a new life in Christ and is often one of the most rewarding experiences for those in Adult Faith Formation. The candidates’ radiant faces reflect healing. “They are healed in their understanding of who they are to God,” Fullenkamp said.

In the Easter mystery we are made whole again, part of God’s family. “It doesn’t matter who you are, to God you are worth dying for.” Each year God calls a new class of Fullenkamp’s neophytes into the Church, just as He called her in 1978.

To Fullenkamp, it has been a blessing to welcome people into fuller lives with Christ. She is so thankful for the work she does when, years later, she encounters these families and individuals ministering alongside her at the parish. Seeing their faith in God lived out confirms that the pull of God in the silence of the heart can lead to extraordinary things.

“They are healed in their understanding of who they are to God.” | 15

moeller high school in cincinnati

D AV E C A M P B E L L religion teacher

BY J O HN ST EG EM A N

Dave Campbell has taught religion at Cincinnati’s Archbishop Moeller High School for the past 13 years, and it’s fair to say he loves his job.

“I really enjoy teaching religion,” he said. “I think so many kids have come up through the Catholic schools, and some of them are like, ‘Yeah, I know it all.’ I say, ‘Now wait a minute, you’re still taking math, because you don’t know all the math.’

“It’s wonderful to talk about how we view things differently today than we might have in grade school, and how we understand our faith differently than we did in grade school,” he continued. “I just love teaching religion and having those real conversations with students. To watch how it moves from being a blind faith, something that somebody handed to them and said, ‘You need to believe this, this, and this,’ and it starts to become a personal faith where they’re able to see it alive in their own life and unfolding in their own life. That’s really exciting.”

Campbell teaches juniors and seniors.

Juniors take his Social Justice and Christian Lifestyles courses, and he offers seniors a Community Service class. But his work isn’t over when the bell rings.

PHOTO BY MARGARET SWENSEN 16 |

Not only does he coach freshmen basketball, he’s also involved in several school mission trips and retreat experiences designed to help Moeller students truly embrace their Catholic faith.

“For the longest time people thought that if we teach them about religion, young people will want to go out and do good things,” he said.

“Young people are experiential. What I have found over my years is that if young people have experiences in which they’re able to see the face of God, in which they’re able to experience God face-to-face, then they want to learn more about religion.”

Moeller’s Catholic identity is tied to its Marianist connection; the school’s first principal, in 1960, was a Marianist brother, and Marianist priests and brothers were part of the early faculty.

In 2004 Moeller entered into a sponsorship agreement with the Marianists, solidifying that connection.

For Campbell, the Marian tradition is a longstanding part of his life, including a five-year stay at St. Joseph’s Orphanage as a child while his family dealt with difficulty. Then, his pastor, Father Tom Dennemann, suggested he attend Purcell High School, another school in the Marianist tradition. Already enrolled in the public Walnut Hills High School, he was convinced to switch and graduated from Purcell, after its merger to become Purcell Marian.

After graduating from the University of Dayton, also a Marianist institution, Campbell returned to Purcell Marian, to serve as religion teacher, campus ministry director and eventually assistant principal. He was there for 21 years before coming to Moeller.

“I will forever be indebted to the Marianists,” he said. “Being at Purcell Marian, and then here at Moeller, [it] has been a wonderful blessing to be able to remain with the Marianists throughout my career.”

In high school, the Marianist priests and brothers “saw more in me than I saw in myself. That was really a model for me,” Campbell said. He added that, to Marianists, “Everybody has a place.

Everybody has a role to play and a purpose to play. … I see it here at Moeller. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, or an artist or a musician.

Everybody has a role and purpose and is valued in the community.”

Moeller Principal Carl Kremer said the community values Campbell as well.

“Dave’s passion for education goes beyond the classroom, and his dedication to Marianist principals is truly remarkable,” Kremer said. “He exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional educator, fostering a love for service, instilling values and creating an environment where students feel empowered to excel.”

“...if young people have experiences in which they’re able to see the face of God... then they want to learn more about religion.”

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R U A RY 2024 | 17

school president

J U D Y G E RW E mount notre dame high school in cincinnati

BY K ARY ELLE N BE RGE R

“Never say never.”

That phrase is true for Judy Back Gerwe, a Mount Notre Dame alumna and current president of the school. Gerwe always knew she wanted to be a teacher in a Catholic school, but leading one was not in her original plans as she looked forward to reaching youth directly.

“In Catholic education, I have the opportunity to share my faith with my students, but also be my authentic self,” said Gerwe.

A “tap on the shoulder,” as Gerwe said, led her from teaching to administration, and she is now retiring after 40 years of serving in Catholic education. As president, her numerous contributions and accomplishments include guiding Mount Notre Dame through several five-year strategic plans, both in their creation and execution; leading a capital campaign that established the school’s new Learning Commons and Performing Arts Center; growing the school’s endowment to more than $10 million; and enthusiastically

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engaging in service and mission activities with students, including multiple global missions.

Gerwe noted that being a teacher and administrator weren’t always easy, but that’s where God took over. “When I interviewed at Mount Notre Dame, one question I was asked about was my prayer life,” she said. “I feel like my life is a prayer. Before going into a meeting, I would ask to be a good listener, help me find resolutions to an issue or do well on a presentation. When teaching, if students were struggling with content, I would ask God to help me better explain the content. Then, when I would talk, I knew some things were divinely inspired. I feel God’s presence with me all the time and often reflect that ‘Wow—what happened just there was not me.’”

While reflecting on her career, Gerwe shared that her work was much more than clocking in and out each day.

“Teaching in a Catholic school or being a Catholic school leader is more than a job or career—it’s

a vocation,” she said. “It’s a calling, and we need people to take that calling like priests or religious. We need Catholic school leaders and educators to answer that call. I see being a Catholic educator as a great opportunity to teach in an environment of faith, community and high expectations—and it’s so rewarding.”

As she looks toward her next chapter, Gerwe noted that the Catholic community, including the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, prepared her to transition into her next chapter.

“Being a life-long learner is so important, [as is] having that growth mindset that learning never stops,” said Gerwe. “Even though I’m retiring, most of my learning comes from people who I surround myself with. I have a strong faith in God’s goodness. I’m excited about the next chapter of my life and I trust that God will be with me through my journey.

As for what’s next for Gerwe? Spending time with her family—her husband, children and grandchildren—is at the top of that list, as well as traveling and reading. But her time will be filled in many other ways.

“A wise person told me you need to retire to something, not from something,” said Gerwe.

“As I ponder retirement, I think about a lot of things I want to retire to and my list is growing. I hope to be more present to people in my life. But it’s going to be great not to set that alarm clock.”

PHOTO BY MARGARET SWENSEN

“In Catholic education, I have the opportunity to share my faith with my students, but also be my authentic self.”

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R UARY 2024 | 19

PRESIDENT

SEARCH

As Mount Notre Dame prepares to enter its 164th year, we continue to honor the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Hallmarks of a Notre Dame Learning Community as we look toward our Bold Future.

Following the announcement in September of the retirement of President Judy Back Gerwe ’78, a comprehensive, national search committee began the deliberate and discerning process of identifying the next leader of our school. MND seeks an executive leader and visionary to serve as the next President.

Scan here to view and share the SEARCH PROSPECTUS

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putting faith into practive

CAMPUS MINISTERS

BY L I SA F L ETC HER

Providing a strong foundation for students to know and love the Catholic faith is at the heart of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Simply having the knowledge, however, isn’t enough. Without meaningful ways to consistently practice the faith, students miss a crucial component in developing a life centered in Christ.

“The investment in a Director of Campus Ministry helps us guide our work outside of the Theology classrooms,” said Lourdes Lambert, principal of Archbishop Alter High School. “They work with the administration team to provide practical ways to live our faith and ignite a love for God that will carry our students through the rest of their lives.”

Campus ministers are integral to this one-two punch of faith formation and practice, serving in all 23 Catholic high schools in the archdiocese—a resource each school devotes to ensure students live their faith daily.

Alter High School’s Director of Campus Ministry, Heather Dunn, believes in working with the Theology Department, school administration and parents to provide supplemental faith experiences that help students and staff on their faith journey.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

“The players have impressed me with their spirit of teamwork, respect, and courage.”

– Father Jacob Dumont | 21 D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R UARY 2024

moeller high school in cincinnati

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

“I see Theology class as the place where we learn about who God is and what our faith means,” Dunn said. “My hope in Campus Ministry is that we put that faith into practice by offering opportunities to serve, lead, pray, share and grow in our holiness.”

Nick Mayrand, Director of Ministry at St. Xavier Catholic High School, believes this emphasis comes at an important time in a student’s life. “High school is a pivotal time for developing our relations with God, but like any relationship, it requires time and attention if it’s going to flourish. Campus ministers help our young people by accompanying them on their faith journeys [and] by creating spaces for them to encounter Christ and see Christ in others,” Mayrand said.

Of course, supporting a teenager’s faith is no simple task, making the campus ministers’ responsibilities never2 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

ending. Every archdiocesan high school has appointed one or more campus ministers, and each school’s needs are unique. Common responsibilities include planning retreats for all four years of high school, organizing allschool Masses, providing opportunities for Reconciliation and adoration and organizing and moderating faith-based activities and clubs.

Dunn said many groups at Alter, such as Women’s and Men’s Fellowship, draw to each meeting 20-30 students who are focused on their discipleship and spreading the joy of their faith.

With over 1,360 students at St. Xavier, Mayrand and two other full-time campus ministers spend a lot of time planning retreats. To engage more students in the planning process, he and his colleagues oversee a student campus ministry team composed of 15 juniors and seniors

and another team of over 50 students who plan and run the freshman Emmaus retreat.

to a deeper appreciation for this great gift of the Eucharist,” Father DuMont said.

“Our campus ministry student team meets every week for formation in their roles as peer ministers, and to plan faith-related programs for the rest of the school,” Mayrand said.

After Dunn expressed interest in creating a program around virtue and sports, Father DuMont created one. Before a fall football game, Alter High School’s football players gathered for a prayer service. Senior football players took part in the service during which Father DuMont read a Gospel passage and gave a reflection connecting the Word with their lives.

Father Jacob DuMont, L.C., the new Director of Faith Development in the Archdiocese’s School Office, met with campus ministers and school leadership from each of the 23 high schools to see how the archdiocese could help schools strengthen their Catholic Identity.

“My role is to focus specifically on evangelization in our high schools, helping faculty, staff and students deepen their relationship with Christ,” Father DuMont said.

The initial meetings with the schools highlighted three key needs: more opportunities for Mass and Confession, a virtue/faith program for use with sports teams or as curriculum, and more adoration opportunities.

Over the past few months, Father DuMont has worked with campus ministers to address these needs, including making the sacraments, such the Eucharist and Confession, more available to students, as well as promoting more adoration opportunities.

“The permanent deacons in the archdiocese have offered their support of this initiative and are willing to help explain the history of adoration, different ways to pray during adoration, and how to come

They also focused on two key virtues this year: respect and courage. “The young men have begun to apply these virtues more concretely in their lives, both on and off the field. The players have impressed me with their spirit of teamwork, respect and courage,” he said.

Mayrand said St. Xavier created the “Contemplatives in Action” program because they too saw value in having a chaplain at sporting events and other clubs “to help students find God in the midst of their favorite activities.”

With all that is involved in bringing students to Christ, campus ministers are needed more than ever.

Lambert has seen the impact of having a Director of Campus Ministry at Alter, including greater participation in Mass and in peer ministries, as well as increased attendance in faith-based extra-curriculars.

And Lambert knows this impact will only grow with the students. “With the help of our campus minister, students are learning to go beyond our school to be bold and brave disciples of Christ in our community and our world,” she said.

“[Campus ministers] work with the administration team to provide practical ways to live our faith and ignite a love for God that will carry our students through the rest of their lives.” | 23 D IS CIPL S H/ IP BRUARY 2024 D IS CIPL E S HEIP F E/BFREUARY 2024

st. henry family of parishes

RACHEL HESS director of religious education

BY J O HN ST EG EM A N

While some young adults lose their faith in college, others, like Rachel Hess, find it anew and share it with others.

A graphic designer turned Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the St. Henry Family of Parishes in the archdiocese’s northwest corner, Hess first felt called to service during her senior year of high school.

Rather than jump into a career after college, she spent two years with missions, including at a Catholic maternity home in Arizona.

She returned to Ohio and worked in design, but the call to ministry persisted.

“At that time, I was looking for a change in what I was doing,” Hess said. “My faith didn’t have to be a separate compartment of my life. My work could align with all of my values.”

The right opportunity came from her parish, which needed a DRE. Hess grew up as a parishioner of St. Bernard, now in the St. Henry Cluster, had religious formation there and knew she could be an asset to its community.

PHOTO BY DANNY SCHNEIBLE

2 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

“I was familiar enough to know that my skill set would benefit the program, and I had a passion for sharing the faith and teaching the faith,” she said.

Father Andrew Hess (no relation) became pastor of the St. Henry Cluster in 2021.

“From the start, she and I have been able to work well together,” Father Hess said. “Having someone like Rachel working to form our young people in the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith makes a world of difference for a pastor.”

Father Hess commended Hess for her desire to always improve the process of educating parish youth.

“One of the things she is always saying is: ‘What’s the one next step?’” Father Hess said. “It’s her way of saying, ‘What’s one thing, even a small thing, we can do to get just a little closer to the goal?’ … when thinking of ways to draw our children and their families deeper. In parish life, it can be easy to become discouraged by a seeming lack of results, or by indifference or resistance to our efforts, but for Rachel, it’s always about the one next thing that gets us closer to where we want to be, which is ultimately with the Lord in the totality of our lives.”

Changing the First Reconciliation process was one of the “next things” Hess and the St.

Henry Family of Parishes did. After a period of catechesis, many parishes provide a large service with multiple priests available to hear confessions. In St. Henry Family’s new process, after the catechesis, children and their parents avail themselves of Confession at a regularly scheduled time. Between the five parishes, confession is offered daily.

“Students go during confession times that are normally part of our schedule so that the next month, when it’s time for their families to go back to confession, they already know that time and that place in that specific church,” she said.

“They know that it works for them to go back the next time.”

Another change was distributing Bibles to students at a younger age than their Confirmation day so that they use it throughout their education.

“I think that [God is] nurturing little seeds here and doing good things,” Hess said.

For her efforts, Hess earned the Radiate Christ–Parish Evangelization Award from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is given annually to evangelists who exemplify the spirit of the New Evangelization, are committed to accompanying others in their relationship with Jesus Christ and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to renew parishes and communities.

“I was familiar enough to know that my skill set would benefit the program, and I had a passion for sharing the faith and teaching the faith.”

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R U A RY 2024 | 25

geometry teacher

K AT H Y R I E G E L alter high school in dayton

BY REBEKA H DAVID S ON

Seeing students succeed in the classroom is “why it’s worth teaching,” according to Kathy Riegel — geometry teacher, head of the math department and yearbook advisor — at Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering.

“It fills your heart with joy,” said Riegel, who has worked at Alter for 29 years. “People ask me when I’m going to retire, and I say ‘When I stop having fun!’ — and I haven’t stopped having fun. It’s more rewarding than anything you can imagine.”

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Ohio State University and a Master’s Degree in Education Technology from Wright State University, Riegel enjoys teaching geometry and teaching in general. “I think it’s super fun. I love it when I have students who say to me, ‘I’ve never really been good at math, but I’m really doing well in your classroom.’ That makes me feel good,” she said.

She and her husband graduated from Alter in 1990, one daughter graduated from Alter in 2023, and their other daughter is a junior there. As a practicing Catholic, Riegel starts her classes with prayer and an opportunity for students to share 2 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

their intentions. “[Whether] they’re praying for a parent that’s having surgery or a test that’s coming up, we appreciate just knowing how they’re doing in their daily life,” said Riegel.

To help students get to know each other at the beginning of the school year, Riegel has them share examples of blessings in their lives. She also participates with students in the Kairos Retreat, a four-day event for seniors that is filled with prayer, witness talks, discussions and the sacraments.

“I just feel so lucky to be able to be around the students and have a part in their faith journey,” said Riegel. “[The students have an impact on my life] probably more than they know … . I had a student this year … who brought me … a little cake and a birthday card that said, ‘Thank you for teaching me math and helping me out so much. I really appreciate it.’

I have positive notes that kids give me, and when I’m having a bad day, I can look at them.”

“I hope to make a positive impact on [students’]

lives by setting them up so that they know they have responsibilities to fulfill. Even if they don’t remember the math I teach them, they’ll understand responsibility [and] hard work. If you try your best and go above and beyond, that will usually help you to achieve your goals.

Hopefully, that is something I am able to instill in my students.”

“I enjoy going to [student] sporting events and seeing what they are doing. I love it when they invite me. It’s so fun, and I can never say no.

I’m also the yearbook advisor, so I take pictures.

It’s good for [the students] to know that their teachers care about what they’re doing, not just math-wise but also in their faith life and extracurriculars.”

Riegel took on the responsibilities of head of the math department for the 2023-24 school year. She finds support through friendships with colleagues, who are always willing to help her where she needs it.

“I completely enjoy the people that I work with,” said Riegel. “Being head of the math department this year was not something I was looking to do, but it was something that needed to be done. The people in the math department are so supportive.”

Sometimes Reigel’s students return to her for help when in a different math class. Others visit during their college years and share how they used concepts originally learned in her class.

“I just get the joy of being around the students and watching them grow as people,” she said.

PHOTO BY DANNY SCHNEIBLE

“[Whether] they’re praying for a parent that’s having surgery or a test that’s coming up, we appreciate just knowing how they’re doing in their daily life.”

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R UARY 2024 | 27

teacher + volunteer

PAM VISSING mercy mcauley high school in cincinnati

PHOTO BY MARGARET SWENSEN

BY K A RY EL L EN B ER G ER

Imagine staying in your home for 50 years. Certain smells and the feel of walking the halls would never be the same if you moved elsewhere. Pam Vissing graduated from McAuley High School, returned to complete her student teaching at her alma mater then taught for 45 years at McAuley, later, also teaching at Mercy McAuley High School. In total, she spent at least 50 years in the McAuley High School building.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” Vissing said. “I was the bossy little girl in charge of the makeshift classroom in the basement, attended by my reluctant younger siblings, poor things.”

Vissing taught English and spent 20 years as the Director of Student Activities. “This entailed being in charge of all student-centered activities other than athletics,” she said. “Taking the

2 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

lead on student fundraisers, clubs, dances and more was both fun and rewarding. It allowed me to interact with students on a different level. For example, our Student Council provided a monthly activity for the sisters next door at McAuley Convent. We took the Sisters bowling (which was hilarious), to play miniature golf (even more hilarious), hosted a mock cocktail party (the most hilarious), played Bingo … it was something new every month. Some of the students developed lifelong friendships with the Sisters they were paired with, as did I.” While teaching, Vissing was known for her class frequently winning the school’s annual Thanksgiving food drive, including eight consecutive years, thanks to connections retained with former students and her alum class and support from extremely generous friends.

“The biggest reward, of course, was providing meals for those who needed a helping hand,” she said. “The other huge reward, though, was living the excitement of my students.

They loved to downplay how many meals we collected, and in fact, hid canned goods and boxes ... so others, teachers as well as students (who liked to spy around!), wouldn’t know the extent of our efforts. Sly, right? Apparently, [our] success with the Thanksgiving drive was an impetus … to try to beat us, and that

resulted in more meals for those in need, always a good thing.”

Recently retired, Vissing still makes an impact outside the school walls by working at the McAuley Convent. “I was fortunate enough to build friendships with many of the Sisters of Mercy during my years as a school employee, so working at the convent has been such a pleasure,” she said. “The Sisters welcomed me with lots of patience and open arms as I struggled in the beginning to master the phone and paging system. These are women who gave their lives to the service of others, and the least I can do is repay a bit.”

When not working, Vissing can be found around the community, where she still connects with former students, even in unexpected places.

“Selfishly, I’m very lucky to have such valuable friendships with former students,” said Vissing. “They’ve been a blessing to me in myriad ways. After 45 years of teaching, I run into people I know everywhere—from local restaurants and grocery stores, to the beach, to a cathedral in Florence, Italy. I’m certain that those students have impacted me far more than I’ve impacted them. Collectively, they made me not just a better teacher but also a better person.”

“I was fortunate enough to build friendships with many of the Sisters of Mercy during my years as a school employee, so working at the convent has been such a pleasure.”

D IS CIPL E S H IP / F E B R UARY 2024 | 29

L E N T 2024

What is Lent?

Wednesday , February 1 4

dates

L ent i s a 40-day litur g ical s ea s o n marked by pr ay er , f a s t i ng a nd alms giv ing . I t’s a p er i o d o f pr epar atio n t o c el eb rate the L o r d’s Res u r r ec t io n at E as ter. I ts l i t ur g i c a l co lo r is purple.

AS H WE D N E S D A Y S O LE M NI T Y O F S T . J O S E P H Tuesday , March 1 9

P A LM S U ND A Y Sunday , March 2 4

G O O D F R I D AY Friday , March 2 9

EASTER SUNDAY Sunday , March 3 1

T H E AN N U NC I A T I O N Mo nday , April 8

re me mb e r

( S i nce M a rch 25 i s t he M o nda y o f H o l y W e e k , t he S o l emni t y o f t he A nnunci a t i o n o f t he L o r d i s t ra ns f erred t o M o nda y , A pri l 8) .

FASTING Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. For most Catholics, this means you are permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.

AB S T I NE NC E All Fridays during Lent are days of abstinence. For most Catholics, this means abstaining from eating meat.

Many people want a life-changing Lent. Sometimes we fall into the trap of treating Lent like another crack at New Years: making resolutions to lose weight or finally quit some bad habit. But, hopefully, you look at Lent as an opportunity to become a better Catholic. Lent is our chance to grow closer to Jesus than ever before, to follow Him with more passion and enthusiasm and to let the love of Christ radiate into the world around us.

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FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY 11

99

Enjoy unlimited soup, salad, and seafood every Friday during Lent including grilled shrimp, grilled fish, fried fish, hush puppies, and more.

Catch Our

*Available at participating locations.

LEMON PEPPER FISH SANDWICH *Available everyday for a limited time.

| 31

UNCOVERING THE PAST

Let the Scavenger Hunt Begin!

Researching family history can be daunting, however, examining clues your ancestors left behind can be both challenging and exciting. Here’s your opportunity to become the family historian detective as you examine evidence found during your scavenger hunt.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR RESEARCH.

To begin, print out several of the following research forms (free at Ancestry.com): • Research Extract: resext.pdf (ancestrycdn.com) • Source Summary: soursumm.pdf (ancestrycdn.com) • Family Group Sheet: famgrec.pdf (ancestrycdn.com)

are considered primary or secondary. Primary sources are events documented as they happen, such as death, marriage and sacramental certificates. Primary source evidence is considered accurate and usually has a seal on the document.

Secondary sources, such as a marriage license, extract information from a primary source, such as a marriage certificate. Census records are secondary research resources if the enumerator misspelled the surname.

Check between the pages of family Bibles for newspaper clippings and holy cards; the latter lists not only obituary and funeral information, but usually also includes birth and death dates.

EXAMINE EVERY DOCUMENT WITH A SKEPTICAL EYE.

On each form, enter the family surnames you listed on your ancestral pedigree chart, and enter their source (Refer to “What is Genealogy?” in The Catholic Telegraph, January 2024). For example, if you referenced your family Bible, the source would be “Family Bible.” Listed names are entered on the Family Group Sheet with the relevant details, such as birth, marriage, christening and death.

It’s exciting to find an ancestor’s old records! You may discover new and interesting information, but, as with all your detective work, don’t assume that because the data is in print, it’s accurate.

You’ve got to first evaluate what’s in front of you. Who filled out the form? Weigh the evidence and decide what you can trust, then record the information on the appropriate forms. Always leave the original documents intact. Consider arranging access to a scanner, digital camera or a smartphone to record and file your information.

SOURCES FOR RESEARCH.

MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS:

Family facts may be sitting on shelves or stored in desk drawers waiting to be found. While sleuthing out documents, it is important to follow a “Basic Code of Evidence,” which separates fact from myth or family folklore. Research sources

• • • •

3 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

Cemetery records Census forms Citizenship papers Deeds

• • • • • •

Military Records Passenger ship lists Religious records School records Wills Vital records (birth, marriage and death certificates)

After your initial scavenger hunt, you may need to write to or visit libraries, archives (including the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Archives), government offices and courthouses—some charge a small fee to access. This process is called a “document search.”

However, before trekking off to various archival repositories, there’s a lot more ancestral “hunting” to do. Don’t just look for documents

Over 1,200 relics on display

Ancestors are notorious for leaving clues. Check between the pages of family Bibles for newspaper clippings and holy cards; the latter lists not only obituary and funeral information, but usually also includes birth and death dates. Additional suggestions for finding hidden family facts include: handwritten inscriptions in books, Knights of Columbus activities, organization’s memberships, the backs of photographs, property records and baby books.

Elevate your research to the next level.

Invite family members to join in a “treasure hunt.”

Heirlooms are special mainly because they played a part in a family’s past. Often, they are handed down through several generations and may not have monetary value. Quilts that have been in the family for a long time might have names with birth dates embroidered onto them. Other heirloom treasures could include musical instruments, timepieces, coins and furniture like a hope chest. The possibilities are endless.

Be sure to annotate and photograph treasures found.

Happy hunting!

NEXT UP:

Making Sense of the U.S. Census! It’s time to debunk the myth that last names were changed at Ellis Island.

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.

U N CO V E R IN G T H E PA S T / F E B R UARY 2024 | 33

BOOK REVIEW

Hope: An Invitation

by Sister Josephine Garrett, CSFN REVIEWED BY ANNA MITCHELL

To look at her picture on the cover of Hope: An Invitation, you would not think that Sr. Josephine Garrett — a member of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth—hails from what she described as a hopeless childhood. “I am a woman full of hope,” she states frankly at the start. We all know her type: The nun who is so full of the joy of the Lord that she can’t not smile. That joy is only possible because—over and over again—she accepts a constant invitation from God to hope, and she is inviting the rest of us to do the same.

“My hope did not come cheap,” Sister Garrett writes.

Her father committed suicide when she was eight, only a year after her mother left her life. She never knew the possibility of hope as she was growing up, let alone felt it.

Yet she remained open to God’s will. For, even though her childhood was marked with tragedy and brokenness, it was also firmly rooted in faith, thanks to the Baptist aunt and uncle who raised her. The foundation they provided proved vital in her search for fulfillment.

Little by little, through small promptings and “coincidences,” she became Catholic and eventually abandoned a successful business career to pursue religious life and mental health counseling. Sister Garrett’s was a meandering path, and she brings us along as she weaves in scriptural and theological reflections with all the events of her life.

Among the more poignant lessons from her journey is the realization that the “veil” between heaven and earth is really quite thin. You simply need “Kingdom vision” to perceive it, Sister tells us. This is foundational to discovering (or rediscovering) hope. She writes: 3 4 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

I think we need to talk less about discerning our vocations and talk more about discerning the enduring presence of God in every aspect of our lives—the abiding and living providence of the Lord that gives us confidence to face whatever may be before us, because He is with us always, even until the end of the age. He is our sure hope.

To find hope amid all the trials of life, we must first discern his presence and then yield to his offer of love. As her story indicates, this is not a one-and-done kind of thing. God is constantly extending invitations to enter into his love, and He sends the saints to help us. They often choose us before we choose them. “They join God in his pursuit of us,” Sr. Garrett explains. And even greater, He gives us Himself in the Eucharist. To receive the Eucharist is to pursue Hope.

God’s work on us is slow, she says, because He is constant, enduring and invested. He doesn’t promise to be a wizard that will fix everything wrong or broken in this life. What He does promise is his presence, Emmanuel.

Reading her story, God’s work in Sister Josephine Garrett’s life seems so obvious now. Thank God she was paying attention.

Anna Mitchell is the host of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio.

Sister Josephine Garrett, CSFN; Hope: An Invitation; Our Sunday Visitor; 112 pages; $18.95

S T. JOSE PH’ S T O O L B E LT

Do Not Let Your Light Burn Out Simeon was a man blessed by God with a special promise. We do not know his age when God made this promise, nor do we know how long Simeon waited for its fulfillment. We don’t even know much about him, whether he was a priest, a lifelong laborer or a handyman who spent his free time worshiping God in the Temple. All we do know is that God made a promise to him, and he waited patiently amid his suffering for its fulfillment, which eventually came to pass in the Christmas narrative.

One tradition states that Simeon was a Temple priest, and it was he who received Jesus from Joseph and Mary in order to fulfill the law. Some paintings and icons even depict Simeon dressed as a Jewish priest holding the baby Jesus.

Alongside this tradition is the belief that Simeon was an old man. It is possible, though, that Simeon was just a normal man, a laborer like Joseph, who was “righteous” and “devout” and to whom God chose to reveal Himself.

Either way, as the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple approaches (Feb. 2), the Church holds up Simeon as a man of great faith worth imitating. How can we imitate Simeon in our modern lives? The answer lies in the beautiful, ancient traditions surrounding this important feast day.

On the old liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Presentation marked the official end to the Christmas season. That’s right, the Church once celebrated 40 days of Christmas! Why? According to Jewish law, 40 days after the first-born son’s birth, he was to be presented in the Temple alongside his mother, who was to be purified after giving birth.

Simeon’s reception of Christ at the Temple is, in some ways, symbolic of our Baptismal reception of the Light of Christ into the temple of our souls. His reception of the Light of Christ is

why the Church, on this day, blesses all the candles it plans to use throughout the year, including baptism candles, and why this feast day has the additional name of “Candlemas.”

As we together enter into the full breadth of this new year, we must remember that God has seen us in our suffering and heard our pleas for help. He made a special promise with us, like Simeon, and even took on our human flesh and suffering to hold our hands as we endure our hearts’ purification in preparation for the day that promise is fulfilled. He came to give us hope, to assure us that our eternal happiness is coming—and to beg us to keep holding on. “Fear not,” says the Lord. “I am with you always…”

He is asking us to fight to keep the light he gave us at our baptisms burning through the regular reception of the sacraments. He gives us Simeon as a radiant example to imitate as we approach our spiritual sufferings with Christ in Lent, our deaths on Calvary, our resurrections on Easter morning—and the great, mysterious beauty of the life to come.

Every time we enter our local parishes and receive the Son of God in the Eucharist this year, let’s pray that our lights may never be extinguished. And, trusting that God will answer this prayer, let’s allow ourselves to prayerfully sing the joyful Song of Simeon in thanksgiving: “Now, Lord, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

TRENTON SCROGGINS is the Director of Digital Engagement for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. tscroggins@catholicaoc.org S T . JO S E P H ’ S T O O L B E L T / F E B R UARY 2024 | 35

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

Adultery of the Heart, Part 3 Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB).

The New Law of the Gospel given to us by Christ calls us to conversion of heart. External conformity to the moral law is not sufficient. God desires the whole person to be transformed such that good moral acts flow naturally from a heart made new by the Holy Spirit.

As discussed in the previous reflection, Pope St. John Paul II saw the human heart, wounded by sin, as a “battlefield between love and concupiscence” (TOB 32:3). Concupiscence (i.e., disordered desire) moves us to see others’ bodies as mere objects for our personal satisfaction. Rather than seeing the body as the outward expression of a person who possesses dignity and freedom and ought never be reduced to a mere object, concupiscence moves us to see the body in terms of what it can do for me. As John Paul II said, “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). Instead of seeing one another as gifts to honor and receive in holiness, concupiscence moves us to see one another “as an object to appropriate” (TOB 33:1).

Adultery occurs when “a man and a woman who are not husband and wife form ‘one flesh’” (TOB 37:6). These overt acts are condemned both in the Old and New Law. What about adultery in the heart? Jesus teaches us, “Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt. 5:28). According to Pope St. John Paul II, “the look expresses what is in the heart” (TOB 39:4, italics in original). In other words, the way we look at one another reflects the state of our hearts and, even more, our intentions.

What Jesus is calling us to repent of is a kind of “intentional reduction” of the person in the way we think about and behold one another (TOB 40:3).

If, in my heart, other people cease to be persons made in God’s image whose immeasurable dignity I am called to honor and uphold, then the way I look at them will be motivated by 3 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

selfish, disordered desire (concupiscence). When sexuality is involved, we call this concupiscent desire “lust.” This lustful, concupiscent sexual desire “tramples on the ruins of the spousal meaning of the body… [and] aims directly toward one and only one end as its precise object: to satisfy only the body’s sexual urge” (TOB 40:4). Rather than being oriented to an exclusive, permanent gift of self through marriage, this distorted (lustful) sexual desire becomes merely about giving me pleasant feelings.

For the person dominated by lust, the body of another becomes “above all an object for the possible satisfaction of his own sexual ‘urge’” (TOB 43:3).

When I tolerate, allow, or to any degree intentionally permit myself to look at others in this reductionist way, as objects to satisfy my lust, then I commit the sin of adultery in the heart.

Like all sin, this particular sin wounds myself, others and the Body of Christ. It continues and compounds the effects of The Fall by increasing the disharmony between man and God, within man himself, and between human persons. It offends against our human dignity, the spousal meaning of the body and the purity of heart to which all are called.

Understood in this way, we can begin to see that the marital status of the people involved matters very little in regard to adultery in the heart since it pertains to our basic attitude and intentions toward other people—our way of looking at our brothers and sisters. Thus, it should be no surprise that John Paul II taught that this sin can even occur within marriage: “A man can commit such adultery ‘in the heart’ even with his own wife, if he treats her only as an object for the satisfaction of drives” (TOB 43:3). While this aspect of the saintly pope’s teaching shocked some of his original audience, if we allow Christ to continue to purify our hearts, we will receive it with gratitude and increasingly see it as an essential protection and guide to authentic spousal love and sexual desire itself.

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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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E B O D Y / F E B R U ARY 2024 | 37

8 FAC TS O N B L E S S E D F R A A N G E L I C O 1.

Fra Angelico was born Guido di Pietro at the end of the 14th century in Florence, Italy.

2. From the time he was a young child, he loved to paint.

3. As he grew up, he discerned a vocation with the Dominican convent. There he was given the name Brother Giovanni (Brother John in English).

4. He got his nickname “Fra Angelico” because he painted a lot of angels.

5. He used his God-given artistic talents to share the Gospel, using brush and paint to share the divine mysteries with all people. His talent was so great that he was commissioned to paint several rooms in the Vatican palace!

FRA ANGELICO, THE ANNUNCIATION, 1442-1443

6. In a moving ceremony on October 18, 1984, Pope John Paul II, on his knees in front of Fra Angelico’s tomb, proclaimed him to be the patron saint of artists.

7.

The Incarnation was one of Fra Angelico’s favorite themes, and he painted over 25 variations of it.

8.

His feast day is February 18.

Find additional printouts at: thecatholictelegraph.com/kids-corner

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Word Bank Angelico Artist Brother Dominican Florence Giovanni Incarnation Nativity Paint brush Pope K ID S ’ CO R N E R / F E B R U A RY 2024 | 39

out & about in the Archdiocese

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2) Students Turn Art Upside Down Summit Country Day fourth grade students learned to make upside-down words when Beth Gully, author of The Other Side of Christmas book, visited mid-December. Students enjoyed the Christmas message through upside-down pictures, making the experience memorable and fun. They created five ambigram words and a Christmas card.

2 1) New Blue Ribbon Schools St. Margaret of York School and St. Mary’s School in Hyde Park earned the designation of an Exemplary High Performing National Blue Ribbon School for 2023. The U.S. Department of Education recognized 353 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools this year and stated that National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation.

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4) Giving Tuesday Celebration University of Cincinnati Catholic Bearcat campus ministry at St. Monica-St. George in Cincinnati made Giving Tuesday count, raising $60,025! In response to hitting the $60,000 mark, Father Jeff Stephens and FOCUS missionary, Josh Bartz, agreed to get a little frosty and bleached their hair in celebration!

4 3) St. Gaspar Family Collaborates In December, representatives from all six members of the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes gathered at Precious Blood Church with their pastor, Father Tony Fortman C.PP.S., for a special and fruitful meeting to schedule and plan for some of the most significant days of the Catholic Church calendar.

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Celebrating 23 Years of Broadcasting the Truth

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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

DOWN 1 Get ready 2 This belongs to your parents, according to the Commandments 3 Money 4 Confronts 5 Spiritual classic, The ___ of Unknowing 6 “If Christ has not been ___, then empty is our preaching” (1 Cor 15:14) 7 Lubricates 8 Mob follower?

9 Leb. neighbor 10 She takes vows 11 Frequent

Mayberry jail occupant 12 Limbs 13 Tennis great 22 Affectionate 25 Christian insignia 26 Outer covering 27 Ecological community 29 Sea, to Sartre 30 Cancer sign 31 ___ Spumanti 32 Make a home 33 Permits 34 Notion 35 Coll. course 36 Sears subsidiary 39 “Thy ___ be done…”

40 First woman 43 Competed 44 In creation, God calls the light this 46 He cured Naaman of leprosy in 2 Kings 49 Restless 50 “Let me repeat…”

51 Racket 52 Urchin 53 Husband of Ruth 54 Wheel shaft 55 Cervine animal 56 Meadows 57 Cereal food 59 “Hey, buddy” 61 New prefix 62 Enemy

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56 Cut of meat 58 Lather 60 Job owned five hundred yoke of these 62 Christ the King, for one 63 Intentions 64 On sheltered side 65 Vows 66 Egyptian goddess of fertility 67 Nothing 68 Short literary composition 69 Depression in a surface

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

ACROSS 1 NT book 5 St. John of the ___ 10 Site of Xavier University, briefly 14 Rake 15 Not clergy 16 Native Americans 17 Differ ending 18 Maple Leaf rival 19 Near 20 Harbor 21 Former “evil empire” 23 Vane reading 24 Live 26 Steal from 28 Member of a certain religious order 33 Salt deposits 37 Express support 38 Yellow cheese coated with red wax 39 Unearthly 41 Floor coverings 42 City in central Israel 44 Negative cash flow 45 Violation of anything sacred 47 Archeological mound (var.)

48 ___ on of hands 53 “___ company corrupts good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33)

F E B R U ARY 2024 | 41

THE FINAL WORD with Father Jacob DuMont, L.C.

Catholic Educators Play a Crucial Role

I was raised in a loving, Catholic family. We went to Mass every Sunday, prayed the Rosary weekly as a family and attended Catholic school. We all played sports, served Mass and participated in Catholic youth groups and other faith building programs. I am grateful for the opportunities my parents provided for us to develop and grow as individuals. And I am even more thankful for their living witness of faith.

I will never forget the times my dad took me to Mass then out for breakfast, nor the mornings when I saw him get up early to read scripture. I fondly remember my mom teaching us to pray before meals and at bedtime. She sometimes read to us the lives of the saints and helped us understand that Jesus also called us to be saints through our good works and loving hearts.

Decent in sports, I enjoyed the healthy competition but found studies to be where I naturally excelled, especially in high school.

That wasn’t always the case. While studies came easy during the first years of elementary school, and I got good grades without having to study, by third grade, my grades began dropping, because I hadn’t been applying the gifts God had given me.

Providentially, that year I had Sister Mary Honoria as my homeroom teacher. She challenged me to work with greater discipline and always seek higher. An excellent mentor, firm but kind, she clearly cared and wanted me to see me succeed.

One of the greatest lessons she taught me, though, had nothing to do with studies but rather with my faith.

One day a friend and I started horsing around while in church with our class, until Sister Honoria motioned for us to follow her. My heart pounded in my chest, as I thought she was taking us to the principal’s office or to punish us. To my surprise, she brought us before the tabernacle and asked us who was inside it. I remember looking down at my feet and admitting that Jesus was. Sister Honoria then asked me, “Do you believe Jesus 4 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

is happy with how you are treating Him in His own house?”

She asked us to genuflect in front of Jesus and let Him know we were sorry and would work to improve. I vividly remember genuflecting with true faith and love for Jesus and telling Him I would improve.

Parents, directors of religious education, teachers and catechists play a vital role in shaping the faith and character of young individuals. Their passion for the Catholic faith, Jesus and the Eucharist not only imparts knowledge, it also serves as a source of inspiration and guidance. These dedicated individuals have the power to transform lives and instill values that will last a lifetime.

Catholic educators also play a crucial role in today’s world, particularly in the face of secularization and the erosion of traditional values and faith. They ensure the faith is not lost or diluted, but is instead passed down in all its richness and beauty. They have the privilege of introducing young minds to the depth and beauty of Catholic theology, helping them develop a personal relationship with God and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to defend and live out their faith in an increasingly secular world.

Let us be grateful for and remember to pray for all Catholic parents and educators, that they receive the grace and strength to continue fulfilling the great mission Our Lord has entrusted to them.

FATHER JACOB DUMONT, L.C. is a priest with the Legionaries of Christ and holds a master’s degree in philosophy and theology. In his 15 years as a priest, he has served in young adult and youth ministry as well as in leadership positions within the Legionaries of Christ. Currently, he is the local superior for the Legionaries of Christ community in Cincinnati and the faith development director for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Echoing the Gospel of Jesus Christ Believe what you read • Teach what you believe • Practice what you teach At the heart of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are committed Catholic educators, DREs, catechists, and teachers who embody the beauty, truth, and goodness of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your unwavering dedication and continual witness are truly appreciated. Thank you!

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