The Catholic Telegraph March 2021

MAGAZINE

190th year | issue 3

bringing faith into the home

march 2021 | fathers & st. joseph | 1

Founder, Don Mackos with wife Sherene and grandchildren.

Parishioners at St. John's, West Chester

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editor’s note

At the Service of Family Though he was a man of tangible actions and goals, he was also a man of faith. He radiated Christ in his joyful tone, the way he greeted others, the way he revered my grandmother and the way he always “let the little children come to him” (we grandchildren, all seven of us, absolutely adored him).

“Every family needs a father – a father who shares in his family’s joy and pain, hands down wisdom to his children and offers them firm guidance and love.” – Pope Francis My grandfather, Ben James, was one of a kind. Success-driven, businessoriented and obsessed with sports, he loved to keep yellow notepads full of data with him in his briefcase. Often, the stats of his favorite basketball teams – namely Louisiana Tech and LSU – filled their pages. But his notetaking extended to everything in his life.

Once, around the time I was 15, he sat down with me, yellow notepad in hand, pen poised at the ready, and he asked me about my life goals and wanted me to list what was important to me. Together, we created a “bucket list” of sorts that included things like “visit New York City,” and “go to college.” Among the “important things list” were words like “family” and “graduation.” I’ll never forget saying “Jesus.” He wrote the word down, then underlined it twice. The way he saw it, Jesus had to be the foundation of all those things.

My grandfather was never content to write empty words on a page. He held onto them, and he encouraged me to put them into action. In fact, when I was 16, he surprised me and took me with him on a business trip to NYC, allowing us to cross that item off our list together.

It wasn’t until I attended his funeral that it really hit me how much he had done for others. My grandmother revealed in her eulogy that my grandfather was the town’s legendary “friendly ghost.” For years, he dropped off special gifts to people in their small town who had suffered a death in the family, were ill or needed uplifting.

My grandmother would park down the street at night, and he would sneak up and drop gifts off on front porches with a note signed “Love, Casper the Friendly Ghost.” He even left the notes for his own children when they most needed them.

Like St. Joseph, my grandfather was always at the service of his family, both biological and adopted. He was the ultimate support system, enabling others to be who Christ meant them to be.

This issue is dedicated to men like my grandfather. It honors those fathers – and father figures – who strive to be like St. Joseph: men of faith living out their vocations, giving of themselves and radiating Christ to their children and grandchildren.

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 190th Year No. 3 • March 2021 513-263-6633 • thecatholictelegraph.com

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contents

news

fathers & st. joseph

columns

8 SUNDAY: DAY OF THE LORD

28 THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH

5 SEEK THE LORD

JEREMY HELMES

BONNY VAN

ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

10 BICENTENNIAL: “IN HONOR OF HIS DIVINE NAME”

29 LETTERS ABOUT DAD The Catholic Telegraph’s readers share stories about their own fathers

SARAH ATER

11 A FAMILY OF VOCATIONS SARAH ATER

32 A DAD’S PARTING WISDOM & SPIRITUAL FATHERHOOD FATHER EARL FERNANDES

12 DEAF MINISTRY JOHN STEGEMAN

14 HANNAH HOUSER KARY ELLEN BERGER

Pursuing a religious vocation and ministering to the deaf community 16 HANCYCZ SET TO LEAD XAVIER UNIVERSITY

34 PERCY STRICKLIN Church of the Resurrection parishioner serves as role model EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU

39 KIDS’ CORNER St. Joseph

MARK DANIS

18 300 MILES WITH MARY

Dayton’s St. Joseph Church founded in 1847 despite record-setting flood

MOST REV. JOSÉ H. GOMEZ

7 QUESTION OF FAITH FATHER DAVID ENDRES

Why happened to St. Joseph?

30 A CLOSER LOOK DR. KEN CRAYCRAFT

Patris corde 36 MAKING CATHOLIC MEMORIES WAYNE & MARIANNE TOPP

St. Joseph cream puffs 37 SHINE ON DOMINICK ALBANO

40 FORGED IN FLOOD

JESSICA RINAUDO

20 STATEMENT ON THE INAUGURATION OF JOE BIDEN

At the service of the common good

44 WAYS TO CELEBRATE DAD DOMINICK ALBANO

Feeling like you’re not good enough 38 CATHOLIC AT HOME KATIE SCIBA

Heavenly hope for imperfect parents 42 SEIZE THE MOMENT NICHOLAS HARDESTY

23 FISH FRIES

45 HONORING ST. JOSEPH IN THE NORTH MATT HESS

25 AT HOME FISH FRY

43 DID YOU KNOW?

Special event at Maria Stein Shrine

GAIL FINKE & EMMA CASSANI

JESSICA RINAUDO

ON THE COVER PHOTO BY: MARGARET SWENSEN

Nicholas Jobe poses with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two daughters.

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46 GO TO ST. JOSEPH

Lean into fatherhood

St. Joseph Church, North Bend

PAUL MCKIBBEN

50 THE FINAL WORD

Resources and spiritual advice for husbands and fathers

NICHOLAS JOBE

Remember the faithfulness of Joseph

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for March: Sacrament of Reconciliation Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.

SEEK THE LORD ARCHBI S H OP DE N N IS M . S C H N U R R

The comfortable illusion that the turn of a calendar page makes everything new again was shattered for Americans in early January. After a year marked by a global pandemic, civil disruption and millions of lost jobs, 2021 began with an appalling, deadly riot at the seat of our national government.

Our country is wounded and its citizens are hurting. It is only natural at a time like this that we look to our civic leaders to make things right. In his new encyclical, Fratelli tutti (“All Brothers and Sisters”), Pope Francis recognizes the crucial role of politics in democratic societies.

“It is true that religious ministers must not engage in the party politics that are the proper domain of the laity,” he writes, “but neither can they renounce the political dimension of life itself, which involves a constant attention to the common good and a concern for integral human development” (FT 276). He calls for “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good” and laments that “Sadly, politics today often takes forms that hinder progress towards a different world” (FT 154).

Indeed, a bi-partisan incivility has marred political discussion in the U.S. for many years now and has only escalated. It is easy to say politicians are responsible because so many of them have led by bad example. However, politicians are not known for doing what is unpopular or likely to lose them votes. The hateful rhetoric members of both parties direct at their opponents is as much a symptom of the national mood as it is a cause.

We are a very divided country. And from where does all division ultimately come? Pope Francis reminds us in a reflection on the Lord’s Prayer. He writes: “We all know that the devil is ‘nettlesome,’ the one who always tries to divide persons, families, nations and peoples.” It is Satan who divides, while God unites.

The basis of unity among people who disagree – even over such important issues as religion, morality and the proper role of government – is our common humanity: We are all created in the same divine image. Based on that, the life and dignity of the human person is the foundational principle of Catholic social justice teaching from which all others follow.

The toxic political environment in our country is a violation of that principle.

As Catholics, part of our responsibility as faithful citizens of our country is to hold our elected leaders accountable for displaying civility, decency and integrity, in addition to providing for the common good. At the same time, we need to display those traits in our own behavior.

A good model both for officeholders and for ourselves is St. Joseph, the servant leader of the Holy Family, whose feast we celebrate on March 19. St. Matthew tells us that St. Joseph was a just man. Treating others with love and respect – even in the most trying of circumstances, as St. Joseph experienced – is justice at the most basic level.

This Lenten season is an appropriate time to examine our own consciences as to whether we have disrespected others because of their beliefs, particularly in the public square.

Have we regarded others as enemies, rather than as people with whom we simply disagree? Have we written or re-posted dehumanizing statements and degrading jokes on social media? Have we said things that were unkind or unnecessary?

Whether or not we have been part of the problem in the past, it is not too late to be part of the solution for which we have been praying. The way forward is simple, but difficult.

We must follow the new commandment of Christ: “As I have loved you, so also you should love one another” (Jn. 13:34). In doing so, we will show our political leaders the way forward.

S E E K T H E L ORD / M AR CH 2021 | 5

BUSCA AL SEÑOR ARZO BISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

La cómoda ilusión de que el cambio de página del calendario hace todo nuevo fue destrozada para los estadounidenses a principios de enero. Después de un año marcado por una pandemia mundial, la interrupción civil y millones de empleos perdidos, 2021 comenzó con un terrible disturbio mortal en la sede de nuestro gobierno nacional.

Nuestro país está herido y sus ciudadanos están sufriendo.

Es natural en un momento como este que busquemos a nuestros líderes cívicos para hacer las cosas bien. En su nueva encíclica, Fratelli tutti (“Todos hermanos y hermanas”), el Papa Francisco reconoce el papel crucial de la política en las sociedades democráticas.

“Es verdad que los ministros religiosos no deben hacer política partidaria, propia de los laicos”, escribe, “pero ni siquiera ellos pueden renunciar a la dimensión política de la existencia que implica una constante atención al bien común y la preocupación por el desarrollo humano integral” (FT 276). Pide “un mejor tipo de política, verdaderamente al servicio del bien común” y lamenta que “desgraciadamente, la política hoy con frecuencia suele asumir formas que dificultan la marcha hacia un mundo distinto” (FT 154).

De hecho, una incivilidad bipartidista ha empañado la discusión política en los Estados Unidos desde hace muchos años y sólo se ha intensificado. Es fácil decir que los políticos son responsables porque muchos de ellos han liderado con un mal ejemplo. Sin embargo, los políticos no son conocidos por hacer lo que es impopular o es probable que pierdan sus votos. La retórica odiosa que los miembros de ambos partidos dirigen directamente a sus oponentes es tanto un síntoma del estado de ánimo nacional como es una causa.

Somos un país muy dividido. ¿Y de dónde viene toda división? El Papa Francisco nos recuerda en una reflexión sobre la oración del Señor. Escribe: “Todos sabemos que el diablo es ‘una ortiga’, el que siempre trata de dividir a personas, familias, naciones y pueblos”. Es Satanás quien divide, mientras Dios une.

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La base de la unidad entre las personas que no están de acuerdo – incluso sobre cuestiones tan importantes como la religión, la moralidad y el papel adecuado del gobierno – es nuestra humanidad común: Todos somos creados a la misma imagen divina. Sobre la base de eso, la vida y la dignidad de la persona humana es el principio fundamental de la enseñanza de la justicia social Católica de la que todos los demás siguen. El entorno político tóxico en nuestro país es una violación de ese principio.

Como Católicos, parte de nuestra responsabilidad como ciudadanos fieles de nuestro país es responsabilizar a nuestros líderes electos por mostrar civilidad, decencia e integridad, además de proveer para el bien común.

Al mismo tiempo, necesitamos mostrar esos rasgos en nuestro propio comportamiento.

Un buen modelo tanto para los titulares de oficina como para nosotros mismos es San José, el líder sirviente de la Sagrada Familia, cuya fiesta celebramos el 19 de marzo.

San Mateo nos dice que San José era un hombre justo.

Tratar a los demás con amor y respeto – incluso en las circunstancias más difíciles, como experimentó San José – es justicia en el nivel más básico.

Este tiempo Cuaresmal es un momento apropiado para examinar nuestras propias conciencias sobre si hemos faltado respeto a los demás debido a sus creencias, particularmente en la plaza pública. ¿Hemos considerado a los demás como enemigos, en lugar de como personas con las que simplemente no estamos de acuerdo? ¿Hemos escrito o vuelto a publicar declaraciones deshumanizadoras y chistes degradantes en las redes sociales? ¿Hemos dicho cosas que eran crueles o innecesarias?

Ya sea que hayamos sido o no parte del problema en el pasado, no es demasiado tarde para ser parte de la solución por la que hemos estado orando. El camino a seguir es simple, pero difícil. Debemos seguir el nuevo mandamiento de Cristo: “que os améis los unos a los otros, como yo os he amado” (Jn 13, 34). Al hacerlo, mostraremos a nuestros líderes políticos el camino a seguir.

Q UE S TI O N O F F A ITH

WHAT HAPPENED TO ST. JOSEPH? When did St. Joseph die, and were Mary and Jesus with him? Where is he buried?

him as a protector of Mary and Jesus.

DEATH AND BURIAL

Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and the Virgin Mary’s husband, has an important role in salvation history. Though we know relatively little about his life, he remains a model of fatherhood and the patron and protector of the universal Church. To highlight his significance, Pope Francis has proclaimed this year as the “Year of St. Joseph” (through Dec. 8, 2021).

THE JUST MAN

The Scriptures offer relatively few details about St. Joseph’s life, but he is included in the narrative of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Matthew, Joseph takes a primary role in the life of Mary and Jesus. He is called a “just man” (Mt 1:19) and is shown as a loving father and protector. In Luke’s Gospel, St. Joseph is acknowledged, but remains in the background. There is no mention of him after he and Mary find 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple (Lk 2:42).

St. Joseph is not found in any of the other New Testament books, including the Letters of St. Paul or the Acts of the Apostles.

THE ELDER

Non-biblical sources offer additional details on the life of St. Joseph, though they are considered unreliable. The Protevangelium of James (2nd Century), for instance, indicates that Joseph was an older man, a widower with six children, when he met Mary.

According to the legend, a dove landed on him, signaling he was to be Mary’s husband.

But Joseph initially refused, saying, “I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl.” Though afraid, he consented to the betrothal.

Though some traditions place Joseph’s age at Jesus’ birth at 80 years, he was young enough to teach Jesus the carpenter’s trade and lead the Holy Family on a potentially dangerous journey to Egypt. Whatever his age, both scriptural and non-scriptural sources depict

Since the Scriptures are silent about St. Joseph’s later years, we can conclude that he was no longer living by the time Jesus began his public ministry. It would be expected, for instance, that if Joseph were alive, he would have appeared at Christ’s side (as Mary did) at the crucifixion (Jn. 19:26-27). According to various traditions, Joseph died when Jesus was an adolescent, perhaps in 18 or 19 AD. A few other details, gleaned from sources outside the Bible, offer details of his death.

Tradition held that Mary and Jesus were present with him, prompting artists to illustrate the Holy Family together as Joseph lay on his death bed. According to the History of Joseph the Carpenter (4th Century), as he breathed his last, he was visited by the archangels Michael and Gabriel.

The location of St. Joseph’s burial is unknown.

The Venerable Bede claimed he was buried in the Valley of Josaphat (possibly a reference to the Kidron Valley, between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives). St. Jerome believed it was in the Garden of Gethsemane. However, it is more likely that he died and was buried in Nazareth, where the family lived when Jesus was a youth.

PATRON AND INTERCESSOR

As devotion to St. Joseph developed in the Church, the details of his life were less important than his witness and intercessory role. St. Joseph is the patron saint of a happy death, in part because of the tradition that Jesus and Mary were present when he died.

He continues to offer prayers for Christians everywhere and is a special patron of fathers, workers, and travelers.

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

is associate professor of Church history and historical theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology.

QU E S T ION OF F AIT H / M AR CH 2021 | 7

BACK TO MASS

Sunday: Day of the Lord

BY JE R E M Y H E L M E S

I’m not old enough to remember a time when society essentially shut down on Sundays, but I’ve heard the stories! No work, no shopping, nowhere to go but church and Grandma’s house.

While there are elements of our 24-7 culture I enjoy (grocery stores open late and extended customer service hours), I also believe there should be guardrails to keep us from having unlimited access to every single thing we want all the time.

Young children often have no idea what day of the week it is, for it is of little consequence to them. However, in our family, Sunday stands out because it’s a day we go to Mass.

That being said, Sunday still includes afternoon sports for the kids, Cub Scout meetings and other mundane domestic tasks.

This can make it a struggle to hold up Sunday as unique.

From the days of the apostles, the Christian community set Sunday apart. At first, it was the day of worship on which the first Christians gathered for the “breaking of the bread.” Over time, it also became the official day of rest in civic life. This yoking of worship and rest shaped the rhythm of the week for much of Western Civilization.

In a 1998 apostolic letter to the Church, Dies Domini (“The Day of the Lord”), Pope St. John Paul II offers a few ways to understand how Christians should approach Sunday. “Sunday is the day of joy and the day of rest precisely because it is ‘the Lord’s Day,’ the day of the Risen Lord.” (DD 82). The popular cultural expression “Sunday fun day” is only possible because our joy and rest derive from our life in Jesus Christ.

discipleship, and to bring our life to the altar of God at Mass.

DAY OF DAYS: Sunday is the first and last day of the week, just as Christ is both alpha and omega, beginning and end.

Jesus’ resurrection on “the first day of the week” gives us all the reason we need to mark Sunday as holy. As the eighth day, Sunday also reminds us of the goal of eternal life – something to ponder in quiet moments on a restful Sunday.

DAY OF THE EUCHARIST: While the process of celebrating Mass on Sunday is no different than on other days, the Sunday Eucharist is the center of life in the Christian community because the entire Church comes together, and it is the day of the Resurrection, Even so, we are constantly tempted to treat Sunday like any other day – one more day to “get ahead,” one more day to catch up on what we couldn’t accomplish during the other six days. In a society that often prizes human achievement above all else, Sunday becomes a day to catch up on sleep and basic functions neglected over the preceding days. And, now, societal guardrails are gone. Sunday has all the temptations of the other days: stores open for shopping, computers open for working, restaurants open for dining. And because of society’s appetite for these things, many work on Sunday.

Among the characteristics St. John Paul describes are:

As we think about how our family’s life will be different “post-COVID-19,” we have an opportunity to embrace this slower pace, to rediscover the power of Sunday. If we want it, Sunday can be the day of the Church, of the Eucharist, for our family, for our parish, for God.

DAY OF THE LORD: It was on the seventh day God rested, and so, too, should we. But this rest isn’t simply for its own sake. God rested on the seventh day to reflect upon what He created and to affirm its goodness. Sunday is our opportunity to reflect upon our past week, our successes and failures at

The bishops of Ohio have, until further notice, dispensed Catholics from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days. When you attend Mass in person, please wear a mask, abide by the social distancing protocols of that parish and use hand sanitizer.

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Our culture tells us abortion is about “reproductive freedom” and “women’s rights.” As Catholics, we know abortion is really about the right to life of the unborn, and a culture that has transformed the meaning of pregnancy from a beautiful and purposeful outcome of the marital act to an unfortunate and unwanted side-effect.

This month kicks off with an interview with Deacon Nathan Beiersdorfer, a teacher at Moeller High School and father of three young children, on the important role men should play in the prolife movement. The rest of the month’s podcasts focus on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected mental health care, especially on children and the elderly.

Listen to this month’s podcasts on each of these topics at being-pro-life.buzzsprout.com.

• Mar. 2: The Role of Men in the Pro-Life Movement • Mar. 9: COVID-19’s Impact on Mental Health Services • Mar. 16: COVID-19 and Mental Health in Nursing Homes • Mar. 23: COVID-19 and Mental Health with the Homebound Elderly • Mar. 30: COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Children B OB W U R Z E L B A C H E R is the director of the Office for Respect Life Ministries. He and his wife, Cindy, live in Sharonville with their two young daughters.

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N E W S / M AR CH 2021 | 9

ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI BICENTENNIAL

BY S ARA H A T E R

in honor of “his divine name” What is the secret which enables the Catholic Church to hold together such staunch Catholic men to the number of more than one and a half million in the Holy Name Society alone?

They believe that Christ is divine, and that He is really and truly present in the Holy Communion which they receive monthly.

Archbishop John T. McNicholas, O.P., wrote these words in 1925 to promote membership in the Holy Name Society (HNS). The HNS was initiated in 1274 by Pope Gregory X to encourage the reverence and love for the Name of Jesus. He gave the task of promoting this devotion to the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). In 1909, when he was a teacher at Immaculate Conception College in Washington, D.C., McNicholas, a Dominican priest, was made the director of the Holy Name Society for the U.S. During his tenure, he helped organize 3,000 parish groups, diocesan unions and founded the society’s magazine, The Holy Name Journal.

It was this same passion and dedication to the devotion that McNicholas brought to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati when he was consecrated archbishop in 1925.

The HNS predated McNicholas’ arrival by several decades.

Between 1902 and 1933, nearly 180 societies were formed at archdiocesan parishes. At the parish level, the HNS was a fraternal organization, led by the pastor, for Catholic men to grow in their spiritual life and public devotion to Jesus.

The Society’s first local public parade and rally were in 1907 in Mt. Adams, when HNS members from four parishes gathered to march from Holy Cross School to the church and ended with benediction. In 1911, 23,000 men participated in the rally in downtown Cincinnati.

On the second Sunday in October, members gathered at their parishes to receive Holy Communion as a group before gathering at the beginning of the parade. Together, they marched to the final destination, where there would be a speech, final benediction and a renewal of the Holy Name Pledge.

The parades often had themes, reflecting important movements

Cincinnati’s Holy Name Rally at Crosley Field in 1949.

of the time. Speeches in the 1950s warned against the evils of communism, while parades in the 1960s spoke out against racism.

However, in 1957, attendance at the parade was already in decline. Following World War II, numbers for the parade and membership in the HNS never again reached the high numbers they had in the first half of the century.

In 1965, Msgr. Martin Gilligan gave a lecture in Dayton on the “Constitution of the Church.” He made comments about the HNS, saying it was an organization not compatible with the modern parish and called it a dying organization. Msgr.

Gilligan made national news and received a rebuttal from the national HNS. The final parade in Cincinnati was in 1969. The national HNS changed its focus to personal prayer, retreats and promoting fraternal life in the parish.

In 2015, a group of Catholic men in Cincinnati resurrected this annual practice, naming their organization the Men’s Holy Name Eucharistic Society Procession. In 2020, more than 500 men marched from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains to Old St. Mary’s Church, ending with benediction and prayers. As this event gains more participants each year, it is a reminder of our devotional heritage and a renewal of honor of the Holy Name of Jesus.

On June 19, 2021, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will celebrate its bicentennial, recognizing 200 years of faith in Western and Southwestern Ohio. Each month, we will feature events and people who played significant parts in its story. These stories aim to inspire, educate and celebrate the many gifts God has given our local Church.

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A Family of Vocations The vocations prayer for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati asks God to make our homes and hearts responsive to His call. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, one family was an astonishing example of how we can respond to Him. Patrick Hickey and Johanna Stanton, both immigrants from Ireland, married on April 17, 1856 at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral. Between 1857 and 1870, the couple had five boys and two girls. All seven of their children entered religious life. The boys were ordained priests between 1880 and 1892, and the daughters both entered religious life with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Having so many religious vocations brought fame and a place of honor to the Hickey family.

Patrick Hickey (1820-1892)

Msgr. Charles Hickey (1863-1953)

Patrick was well known to be honest in his business dealings with railroad companies, active in Catholic charitable works and a quiet, prayerful man who prayed the Rosary while traveling on the train to and from work.

The last living of the Hickey siblings, Msgr. Charles served parishes in the northern parts of the archdiocese, from Urbana to Lebanon and, finally, in Dayton. After retirement he was a chaplain for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

Johanna Hickey (1833-1905)

Father George Hickey (1868-1941)

Johanna was praised as a humble woman who provided a hospitable home and always made sure her children were in good company, enjoying the outdoors and had plenty to read.

He was the only son their father did not get to see ordained a priest, having died three weeks prior to his last son’s ordination. His final pastorate was in Urbana, and after retirement, Father George served as chaplain at Mt. Notre Dame in Reading.

Msgr. William Hickey (1857-1924) When he completed his seminary studies, he was too young to be ordained, and had to wait a year. He spent the majority of his priestly life in Dayton.

Father Edward Hickey (1859-1921) A popular pastor in Middletown at the time of his death, Father Edward took an interest in the moral development of boys and young men and built a gymnasium and swimming pool to keep young people in wholesome surroundings.

Msgr. John Hickey (1861-1938) Serving in parishes from Chillicothe down to Norwood, he was known as “the orator” for the archdiocese and gained recognition for his patriotic speeches during the First World War.

Sister Mary Annunciata (Mary Hickey, 1865-1943) Mary received her education at Mt. Notre Dame Academy, where the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur instructed her.

The first of the two daughters to enter religious life, Sister Annunciata taught music for most of her ministry.

Sister Marie Immaculata (Martha Hickey, 1870-1930) Following the death of their father, Martha delayed entering religious life so she could be a companion to their mother.

She entered religious life in 1912, and Father George later said, “Of all the members of the Hickey family, she was the most beloved.”

BIC E N T E N N IAL / M A R CH 2021 | 11

Deaf Ministry Newly-formed Archdiocesan Office for Persons with Disabilities Seeks to Make the Sacraments More Accessible

BY JOH N S T E G E M AN

Imagine being a Catholic in need of confession but being told no priests in the area speak your language. Consider the same scenario for weddings and baptisms. Would you feel welcome as a parishioner if your entire sacramental life were administered through interpreters?

Such is the life of deaf Catholics in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Noelle Collis-DeVito, associate director for the archdiocese’s Office for Persons with Disabilities, wants to change that. Collis-DeVito, and office director Bob Wurzelbacher, have operated the newly-formed office since May. Kara Ross of the Respect Life Office also assists. Their spectrum of focus is wide, and some early efforts are focused on the Deaf Community.

“Our goal is to meet the needs of people from across the spectrum of disability: mental health, the deaf community, the blind community, people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, people with Autism and people with physical disabilities,” Collis-DeVito said.

One reason for the focus on the deaf community is a dearth of priests available to celebrate the sacraments in

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American Sign Language (ASL). The archdiocese, which consists of more than 200 parishes, had just two priests capable of doing so in recent years.

One is now deceased, and the other has retired and moved away. The office is working to see local seminarians trained in ASL and, in the meantime, will bring in deaf priests from around the country quarterly.

“There are now no priests in the archdiocese who can provide the sacrament of reconciliation for the deaf community,” Collis-DeVito said. “We’re working with a team of people to try and correct that and do what we can to provide opportunities for that sacrament and for all of the sacraments in their native language, because you don’t want to get married with an interpreter, or have your baby baptized with an interpreter. It’s been a great opportunity to envision what a church that’s welcoming to the deaf community would look like.”

Collis-DeVito said the Office for Persons with Disabilities doesn’t have statistics on how many deaf Catholics reside in the archdiocese.

St. Rita School for the Deaf reports that approximately three in every 1,000 babies nationwide are born with permanent hearing loss. The deaf

community extends beyond those with total hearing loss. It also includes the hard-of-hearing, people who have an impairment, people with cochlear implants and children of deaf adults.

Collis-DeVito said that only three percent of the deaf community go to church at all, and only one percent of those are Catholic.

“The interesting thing about the deaf community is it’s really its own culture,” she said. “They have their own language and cultural norms and media.

There’s just a general feel for what it’s like to be deaf.

They take pride in that, and they don’t really see being deaf as a disability; it’s just that they can’t hear.”

Congratulations Hannah Houser!

We are proud of your accomplishments and the impact your life will make on others as you follow your calling.

It’s been a great opportunity to envision what a church that’s welcoming to the deaf community would look like.

St. Rita School for the Deaf has long been a staple of deaf outreach in the archdiocese and is funded by the Catholic Ministries Appeal each year. Several members of the St. Rita staff are on the Office for Persons with Disabilities task force.

Other efforts on the horizon for the new office is resuming sensory-friendly liturgies for persons with autism, other disabilities and even Alzheimer’s disease, fighting the stigma associated with mental health issues and building a catechetical, individualized education program for children with various disabilities.

VISION

St. Rita School for the Deaf will maximize our students’ full potential by developing the whole child to be confident, contributing members of society so that they may carry the message of Christ’s love to all they encounter.

“People want to be known for who they are and not for their disability,” Collis-DeVito said. “Their disability is just a part of who they are.”

Learn more about the Office for Persons with Disabilities by following them on Facebook at facebook.com/cincinnatiOPD.

TO DONATE: www.srsdeaf.org/Giving.aspx or CALL 513-771-7600 N E W S / M ARCH 2021 | 13

Hannah Houser Hamilton Native Pursues Religious Vocation and Ministers to the Deaf Community B Y K A RY ELLE N BE R GER

Hannah Houser feels called to live out the Franciscan charism: to live the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. While she is still in discernment on her path to be with the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, she’s not letting any obstacles hinder her progress.

Hannah lives with apraxia, a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to speak and, because of this, she learned sign language at a young age. While not deaf, she attended St. Rita School for the Deaf from Kindergarten through second grade.

“St. Rita School changed my life by teaching me how to communicate with our world,” Houser said.

I share with young people how a disability doesn’t need to stop a person’s call to enter religious life.

She credits her teacher, Ellen Brigger, as one of the people who inspired her to consider religious life. “Ellen started a program [at St. Rita’s] called “Apraxia” to help children with speech impairment to learn how to communicate with our world in ASL (American Sign Language) and how to speak,” Houser said. “I would volunteer [at the program] as a 1 4 | T H E C ATHOLIC TE LEGR A P H

teacher’s aid in junior high and high school. Ellen taught and encouraged me to share God’s grace, the spirit of kindness, compassion, love and beauty with others through serving the Lord. She introduced me to the passion of caring and advocating for disabled people.”

Prior to high school, Houser became more involved in her church, St. Aloysius in Shandon. She began signing at Mass, and after confirmation, became a Eucharistic Minister.

After graduating from Hamilton High School in 2013, Houser attended Muskingum University, where she studied sociology with a focus on animal and environmental issues.

Following graduation from Muskingum in 2017, Houser continued serving, now at St. Julie Billiart parish in Hamilton. There, she is a member of the choir and signs at Mass.

“Sharing God’s word through signing is a talent that allows me to bring God’s grace to children, and I was teaching signing to children until March 2020,” Houser said. “I’ve

also become a volunteer assistant with a youth group where I help teenagers learn about the Bible and how God works in our world.”

Houser had also begun thoroughly exploring religious life and became an Associate with the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, a title that she shares with her mother and grandmother. In 2019, a song helped solidify to Houser of her mission to become a sister.

“One day, while listening to and signing the song ‘Color of Wind,’ it occurred to me that God was leading me to a vocation with the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg,” Houser reflected.

“The realization came with a great burst of joy.”

Houser continued, “On Dece. 6, 2019, St. Nicholas’ feast day, I remember the Lord giving my vocation director (Sister Kathleen Branham) and me the grace to understand how to make my desire to be a sister possible. Through great prayer, wisdom and trust, the Lord led us to the Labouré Society.”

The organization, in existence since 2003, helps aspirants raise funds to decrease their student debt so they can pursue religious life. “Their vision is to bring Catholic priests, sisters and brothers to exist in adequate numbers to fill the world’s needs, where young people everywhere who feel they are called

to the priesthood or religious life have the opportunity to pursue that calling,” Houser explained. “One hundred percent of donations are applied to the aspirants’ student loans and are tax-deductible to the donor and aspirant.”

Houser has been active with the Labouré Society since May 2020. The organization helps aspirants in six-month sessions – Houser is currently in her second six-month journey. “[Being with the Labouré Society] helps me grow the vow of obedience and gratitude for the gifts of the Lord,” Houser said.

“The discernment process with the Sisters and Labouré Society has helped me get a sense of community.”

Houser added, “I am excited to share God’s gracious gift of me signing with the sisters. I am looking forward to teaching religion and prayers through basic ASL to children and adults.

The ministry of serving those with disabilities and the deaf community is needed in our world today, and I want to serve in these ministries. I want to advocate for disabilities using my signing skills. God’s blessing of signing is a joyfulness to share with our world.”

To support Houser’s journey, or learn more about other aspirants with the Labouré Society, visit rescuevocations.org.

Poverty.

Chastity.

Obedience.

St. Julie Billiart Parish Hamilton, OH

JOSH RICHTER

Congratulations, Hannah!

May God continue to open doors for you.

HANNAH HOUSER

The Holy Spirit is at work in our parish!

Hannah Houser and Josh Richter are pursuing religious life with a Franciscan community. Uriel Santos, will be ordained a deacon with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in April 2021. We are offering prayers of Thanksgiving for them and for all those seeking a life of service to our Catholic Church.

URIEL SANTOS

Who else is God calling in our parish and our archdiocese?

N E W S / M ARCH 2021 | 15

Hanycz Set to Lead Xavier University B Y JESSICA RINAUD O

Xavier University in Cincinnati has announced the hire of a new president – and with that appointment brings a series of firsts for the 190-year-old institution. Colleen Hanycz, PhD, is the university’s first lay person and first woman president, a role Hanycz is eager to embrace.

“This was an opportunity to continue my commitment to higher education. I’ve been a president for 13 years now at two different institutions. This will be the first time I’ve been at a Jesuit institution, but I’m really excited for that opportunity,” she said.

Hanycz currently serves as president of La Salle University in Philadelphia, a Lasallian, Catholic university. Prior to that, she served for seven years as Principal (President) of Brescia University College in London, Ontario, Canada, a Catholic women’s university in the Ursuline tradition.

Catholic higher education has been a vocational calling for Hanycz, one discerned through prayer alongside her husband and three children. “My job has been to really identify where God would like to see me next and that has been, certainly for my husband and me, a shared vocation, a shared question, a shared discernment, and for our family, as well,” said Hanycz. “[It’s been] about where is the place that we can go next, hopefully to make the most positive impact.”

“My first presidency I served at Brescia University College in Canada. Brescia is the only women’s university in the country.

It happens to be an Ursuline school. And I had the opportunity to really interrogate the notion of women’s leadership: What does that mean and how is that different?,” she said.

Hanycz continued, “The more that we have representation from an entire diversity of thoughts and viewpoints and lived 1 6 | T H E C ATHOLIC TE LEGR A P H

experience and skill sets – it makes our decisions better, our strategies better. With higher ed in particular, it allows us to serve our students better.”

Her idea of serving fits perfectly with her views on the benefits of Catholic higher education. “Across Catholic higher ed, you see a focus on formation of young men and young women, that often provides a service, [and makes] the world better,” she said. “The Catholic university sits squarely at the intersection of faith and reason and it is an institution that we need to strengthen in the world as we look around and see a dire need of authentic leadership.”

She continued, “With all this going on around us today, [students] need educators, faculty, staff, all around them who are going to help them look at the world and make sense out of it. I really want to be part of that.”

With any major move, comes change. Hanycz is ready to embrace the Queen City, the local Catholic community, and the lives of Xavier students. “It will be at the top of my list to connect at a parish level. ... We must be grounded in our local Catholic community, and that will be an absolute priority when we get there,” she said.

Hanycz continued, “The thing I’m most focused on right now is immersing myself in the Xavier community and then in the broader Cincinnati community. To really get to know the people… and assuring them that I am going to be part of them, that I’m going to share their hopes and their dreams and their aspirations and that we are all going to work together.”

Hanycz will serve as the 35th President of Xavier University, succeeding Father Michael J. Graham, S.J. Hanycz will begin her new role effective July 1.

WELCOME COLLEEN HANYCZ, PHD 35TH PRESIDENT OF XAVIER UNIVERSITY xavier.edu/hanycz | 17

300 Miles with Mary Archdiocese Prepares for 33 Day Marian Pilgrimage in Honor of Bicentennial WHAT DEFINES A PILGRIMAGE?

A pilgrimage is a journey to locations of religious importance.

The external journey is meant to ignite an internal spiritual journey of conversion. Pilgrimages can be life-changing. It is a deep act of prayer in which individuals bring special intentions, hopes for the future and hearts ready to be transformed to more fully radiate Christ to the world.

WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR A 33-DAY MARIAN PILGRIMAGE COME FROM?

Archbishop Schnurr asked every institution in the archdiocese to consider how to celebrate the upcoming bicentennial on June 19. In response, the Center for the New Evangelization prayerfully discerned the idea of organizing a 33-day Marian Pilgrimage to prepare for the archdiocese’s re-consecration to Jesus through Mary. Traditionally, the preparation for a consecration to Jesus through Mary takes 33 days.

WHAT MAKES THIS PILGRIMAGE SPECIAL?

This is the longest Marian Pilgrimage in the U.S.: 33 days long, spanning more than 300 miles with stops at 33 parishes in every deanery of the archdiocese. We will travel with a special statue of Our Lady of Fatima, blessed by Archbishop Schnurr.

The final day of the pilgrimage is on the anniversary of the bicentennial. On that day, the statue will visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, and Archbishop Schnurr will lead a re-consecration of the archdiocese to Jesus through Mary.

WHO WILL COMPLETE THE PILGRIMAGE?

We are recruiting individuals who will commit to portions of the pilgrimage. Each portion will cover three to four days of the route. Our goal is to have at least eight pilgrims processing with the statue every day.

1 8 | T H E C ATHOLIC TE LEGR A P H

WHY WAS OUR LADY OF FATIMA CHOSEN?

The apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima have always been closely connected to making a consecration to Jesus through Mary and to pilgrimage. In 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the entire world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in response to Our Lady of Fatima’s request. The location of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima is a popular pilgrimage destination. At the same time, pilgrim statues of Mary have been deployed across the world to bring the message of Fatima and to inspire prayer.

WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE?

The day will begin with pilgrims celebrating Mass at the host parish at which they arrived at the previous evening.

After Mass, pilgrims will begin their journey to the next host parish, processing with the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The average route will be about 10 miles. Pilgrims

The Center for the New Evangelization prayerfully discerned the idea of organizing a 33-day Marian Pilgrimage to prepare for the archdiocese’s reconsecration to Jesus through Mary.

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will have a prayer routine throughout the day that will include praying for intentions people can submit on our website. Individuals, groups or families who would like to walk a portion of the pilgrimage may join pilgrims along the route. The itinerary on some days will include stops in between the host parishes. These stops include local homeless shelters, pregnancy centers and correctional institutions. The day will end with a Marian celebration at the next host parish.

CAN WE PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY?

Check out our daily prayers and resources on our website in order to “walk” the same prayer journey as the pilgrims.

Request a free copy of the Marian consecration booklet 33 Days to Morning Glory: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat in Preparation for Marian Consecration by Michael Gaitley, MIC, which will be available at every parish in the archdiocese.

CAN WE PARTICIPATE IN PILGRIMAGE EVENTS IF WE CAN’T DO THE PILGRIMAGE?

We have four “cornerstone” events that will be fun, prayerful and family-friendly.

• May 16: Opening Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Russells Point • May 21: Evening Procession, Holy Hour and Movie Night at the Maria Stein Shrine • May 29: Family Concert at the Dayton Dragons Stadium • June 19: Family Concert at Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati with Marian Consecration WHERE CAN I GET THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE MARIAN PILGRIMAGE?

Go to www.mary2021.org. The website will be updated continually, so check it often!

N E W S / M ARCH 2021 | 19

Statement on the Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as 46th President of the United States

by Most Reverend José H. Gomez Archbishop of Los Angeles President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

A NOTE FROM ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and current president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement on the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as 46th President of the United States of America. It is a beautiful articulation of Catholic Social Doctrine and I urge you to prayerfully read and consider it. In the words of Archbishop Gomez, “our duty to love and our moral principles lead us to prudential judgments and positions that do not align neatly with the political categories of left or right… We are Catholics first, seeking only to follow Jesus Christ faithfully and to advance his vision for human fraternity and community.” May God bless America.

My prayers are with our new President and his family today.

I am praying that God grant him wisdom and courage to lead this great nation and that God help him to meet the tests of these times, to heal the wounds caused by this pandemic, to ease our intense political and cultural divisions, and to bring people together with renewed dedication to America’s founding purposes, to be one nation under God committed to liberty and equality for all.

Catholic bishops are not partisan players in our nation’s politics. We are pastors responsible for the souls of millions of Americans and we are advocates for the needs of all our neighbors. In every community across the country, Catholic parishes, schools, hospitals and ministries form an essential culture of compassion and care, serving women, children, and the elderly, the poor and sick, the imprisoned, the 2 0 | T H E C A THOLIC TELE GR A PH

migrant and the marginalized, no matter what their race or religion.

When we speak on issues in American public life, we try to guide consciences, and we offer principles. These principles are rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the social teachings of his Church. Jesus Christ revealed God’s plan of love for creation and revealed the truth about the human person, who is created in God’s image, endowed with God-given dignity, rights and responsibilities, and called to a transcendent destiny.

Based on these truths, which are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights, the bishops and Catholic faithful carry out Christ’s commandment to love God and love our neighbors by working for an America that protects human dignity, expands equality and opportunities for every person, and is open-hearted towards the suffering and weak.

For many years now, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has tried to help Catholics and others of good will in their reflections on political issues through a publication we call Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. The most recent edition addresses a wide range of concerns. Among them: abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, immigration, racism, poverty, care for the environment, criminal justice reform, economic development, and international peace.

On these and other issues, our duty to love and our moral principles lead us to prudential judgments and positions that do not align neatly with the political categories of left or right or the platforms of our two major political parties. We work with every President and every Congress. On some issues we find ourselves more on the side of Democrats, while on others we find ourselves standing with Republicans. Our priorities are never partisan. We are Catholics first, seeking only to follow Jesus Christ faithfully and to advance His vision for human fraternity and community.

I look forward to working with President Biden and his administration, and the new Congress. As with every administration, there will be areas where we agree and work closely together and areas where we will have principled disagreement and strong opposition.

Working with President Biden will be unique, however, as he is our first president in 60 years to profess the Catholic faith.

In a time of growing and aggressive secularism in American culture, when religious believers face many challenges, it will be refreshing to engage with a President who clearly understands, in a deep and personal way, the importance of religious faith and institutions. Mr. Biden’s piety and personal story, his moving witness to how his faith has brought him solace in times of darkness and tragedy, his longstanding commitment to the Gospel’s priority for the poor – all of this I find hopeful and inspiring.

Abortion is a direct attack on life that also wounds the woman and undermines the family. It is not only a private matter, it raises troubling and fundamental questions of fraternity, solidarity and inclusion in the human community. It is also a matter of social justice. We cannot ignore the reality that abortion rates are much higher among the poor and minorities, and that the procedure is regularly used to eliminate children who would be born with disabilities.

Rather than impose further expansions of abortion and contraception, as he has promised, I am hopeful that the new President and his administration will work with the Church and others of good will. My hope is that we can begin a dialogue to address the complicated cultural and economic factors that are driving abortion and discouraging families. My hope, too, is that we can work together to finally put in place a coherent family policy in Our duty to love and our this country, one that acknowledges the moral principles lead us crucial importance of strong marriages and parenting to the well-being of children to prudential judgments and the stability of communities. If the and positions that do President, with full respect for the Church’s religious freedom, were to engage in this not align neatly with the conversation, it would go a long way toward political categories of restoring the civil balance and healing our left or right... country needs.

At the same time, as pastors, the nation’s bishops are given the duty of proclaiming the Gospel in all its truth and power, in season and out of season, even when that teaching is inconvenient or when the Gospel’s truths run contrary to the directions of the wider society and culture.

So, I must point out that our new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage and gender. Of deep concern is the liberty of the Church and the freedom of believers to live according to their consciences.

Our commitments on issues of human sexuality and the family, as with our commitments in every other area – such as abolishing the death penalty or seeking a health care system and economy that truly serves the human person – are guided

by Christ’s great commandment to love and to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable.

For the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the “preeminent priority.” Preeminent does not mean “only.” We have deep concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But as Pope Francis teaches, we cannot stay silent when nearly a million unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through abortion.

President Biden’s call for national healing and unity is welcome on all levels. It is urgently needed as we confront the trauma in our country caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the social isolation that has only worsened the intense and longsimmering divisions among our fellow citizens.

As believers, we understand that healing is a gift that we can only receive from the hand of God. We know, too, that real reconciliation requires patient listening to those who disagree with us and a willingness to forgive and move beyond desires for reprisal. Christian love calls us to love our enemies and bless those who oppose us, and to treat others with the same compassion that we want for ourselves.

We are all under the watchful eye of God, who alone knows and can judge the intentions of our hearts. I pray that God will give our new President, and all of us, the grace to seek the common good with all sincerity.

I entrust all our hopes and anxieties in this new moment to the tender heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ and the patroness of this exceptional nation. May she guide us in the ways of peace and obtain for us wisdom and the grace of a true patriotism and love of country.

N E W S / M AR CH 2021 | 21

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ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI LENTEN

FISH FRIES Carroll High School (Dayton) 36th Annual Irish Fish Fry 4524 Linden Ave. Mar. 12, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. carrollhs.org/stpatsfest Holy Angels (Sidney) Knights of Columbus Hall 1300 4th Ave., 937-492-9431 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar.5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19 , Mar. 26, & Apr. 2 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Immaculate Heart of Mary (Anderson Township) 7820 Beechmont Ave., 513-388-0031 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar.19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7p.m.

Drive thru only Knights of Columbus Council 1592 (Saint Marys) K of C Hall at Spring & Pine Sts. 419-394-5050 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Carry-out only Maria Stein Shrine (Maria Stein) 2291 St. John’s Rd. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Tuesday, Feb. 16 Starting at 5:30 p.m.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Reading) 177 Siebenthaler Ave., 513-733-4950 Fish Fry: TBA Carry Out Available Queen of Peace (Hamilton) 2550 Millville Ave., 513-863- 4344 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Drive thru only

Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus (McCartyville) 9377 State Route 119W Mar. 12 Begins at 6 p.m. until sold out Drive thru St. Aloysius (Shandon) 3350 Chapel Rd., 513-738-1014 Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Carry out only St Antoninus Boy Scout Troop 614 (Cincinnati) 1500 Linneman Rd., 513-430-9987 Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, Apr.2, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Carry out or curb-side pick-up only St. Benignus (Greenfield) 204 S. Second St., (937) 981-2785 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Donation $8, Drive-thru only Stations of the Cross at 7:00 p.m.

St. Bernadette (Amelia) 1479 Locust Lake Rd., 513-753-5566 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 5 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Drive thru Only St. Catharine of Siena (Westwood) Westside Brewery, 3044 Harrison Ave., (513) 661-0651 Feb. 19, Mar. 5, Mar. 19 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

AT St. Catharine of Siena 2848 Fischer Pl., Cincinnati (513) 661-0651 Feb. 26, Mar. 10, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

St. Columban (Loveland) 894 Oakland Rd. (Fish Fry in the Cafeteria) 513-683-0105, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26 St. Columbkille Knights of Columbus (Wilmington) St. Columbkille Parish Center Basement 73 N. Mulberry, 937-382-2236 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Carry out only St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Milford) 5890 Buckwheat Rd., (513) 575-0119 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Drive thru or carry-out.

(No dining-in.) www.setonmilford.org St. James the Greater (White Oak) 3565 Hubble Rd., 513-741-5311 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26 2 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. in the Church Hall www.stjamesfishfry.org Curbside pick-up, carry out only!

St. John Neumann (Cincinnati) 6180 Winton Rd., 513-858-3237 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. http://sjnews.org/sjn-fish-fry-2021 Carry-out with curbside pickup St. John the Baptist (Dry Ridge) 5361 Dry Ridge Rd., 513-385-8010 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Drive thru only F IS H F R IE S / M ARCH 2021 | 23

FISH FRIES St. John the Evangelist (West Chester) 9080 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd., 513-777-6433 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. www.stjohnwc.org St. Lawrence (Price Hill) 3680 Warsaw Ave. Feb. 17, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, Apr. 2 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Drive-thru only!

Call 513- 921-4230 to order ahead for pickup.

St. Louis (Owensville) 250 N. Broadway 513-732-2218 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Drive-thru available St. Mary (Piqua) 528 Broadway St. 937-773-1327 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., $8 Carry out / drive-thru only St. Mary of the Woods (Russells Point) 464 Madison Ave., 937-843-3127 Feb. 19 , Mar. 12, Apr. 2 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Carry out and dine in!

St. Maximilian Kolbe (Liberty Twp) 5729 Hamilton Mason Rd. 513-777-4322 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Drive-thru only https://saint-max.org/FishFry 2 4 | TH E C A THOLIC TELE GR A P H

St. Patrick Knights of Columbus Council 1782 (Bellefontaine) 316 E. Patterson Ave., 937-592-1656 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19 St. Remy Catholic War Veterans Post 661 (Russia) Catholic War Vets Hall, Kelch Rd, Mar. 12 4:30 p.m. until sold out Carry-out or eat-in both available Knights of Columbus, St. Malachy Council 5128 (Morrow) 944 E. US 22 & 3 513-899-3601 Feb. 19 Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Dinners $10, Drive thru, carry out only St. Susanna (Mason) 500 Reading Rd. Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Drive thru service St. Thomas More (Withamsville) 800 Ohio Pike 513-752-2080 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Drive-through only stmfishfry.cloudwaitress.com St. Veronica (Mt. Carmel) 4473 Mt. Carmel-Tobasco Rd., (513) 528-1622 Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, Drive-thru only

At Home Fish Fry

BY JESSICA RINAUDO

Lent looks a little different this year thanks to social distancing and health and safety protocols. And while some parishes will keep their fish fries going by means of carry out and drive-thru options, many churches are opting to skip this year’s Lenten tradition. But all hope is not lost! You can still have a fish fry in the comfort and safety of your home. And because I hail from the Deep South, my list of essential items for a Lenten fish fry may differ slightly from your own.

Here’s what you need for a good, down home, Southern fish fry.

1. Fried (cat)fish. Growing up, this meant venturing out onto the Red River or Lake Bisteneau and catching the whiskered critters first, then watching as my dad filleted, battered and fried them up on our back porch.

While not realistic in the chilly flurries of southern Ohio, there are other, easier options.

If you’re going to buy the fish fillets and make the batter from scratch, look no further The Cajun Ninja. His recipe is easily located on YouTube.

4. Fries. As a kid, my dad would make our French fries.

He’d wash and chop the potatoes, then roll them around in the same batter he’d already made for the fried fish, before dropping in the fryer.

While I highly recommend this approach, these days we keep it simple. Our favorites frozen fries are Trader Joe’s brand, but any frozen bag will do. Dump them into the fryer, air fry them, or bake them in your oven.

Looking for an easier alternative? Buy pre-battered fish in the freezer section of your local grocery store. You can drop them in the fryer, or if you’re looking for a healthier option, place them in your air fryer.

5. Fried squash. One of my favorite parts of the fish fry growing up was watching my dad harvest the squash he grew in his garden, slice it up thinly, dip it in milk and then roll it in batter before tossing it in the fryer. Crunchy deliciousness.

2. Slaw! We call this “the good stuff.” In The Catholic Telegraph’s Ultimate Guide to Lent, you can download my recipe for free!

6. Tartar sauce vs. ketchup: which do you go for?

We’re a house divided, but if you’re the tartar sauce type, Love & Lemon’s recipe is sure to please.

3. Hushpuppies. No fish fry is complete without these tasty crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside goodies.

While you can buy these pre-made in the freezer section (which we did when we had a lot of fish, and not enough time for other things), they are wonderful when they’re made from scratch.

Remember that fish fries usually provide a big financial boost for our Catholic parishes. While you bless your food, remember to pray for your pastor and parish family, and consider making a donation to your church in lieu of purchasing a fish-fry plate in person this year.

For all of the recipes to complete your at home fish fry, look no further than The Catholic Telegraph’s Ultimate Guide to Lent! The 2021 edition is a free, beautiful, helpful and easy-to-access resource to help you enter into the season of Lent in a whole new way.

The guide will meet you wherever you are in their faith journey, with articles ranging from meat-free recipes to how to embrace the power of silence in prayer life.

Visit thecatholictelegraph.com/lent-guide to get your free copy.

F IS H F R IE S / M ARCH 2021 | 25

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The Year of

St. Joseph

BY BONNY VAN

In March 2020, the world as we knew it came to a stop with little time to prepare. However, through faith, initial fear turned into action and acceptance of how we must change going forward. Such fear and anxiety surely gripped St. Joseph when God called him to take Mary as his wife and the world as he knew it came to a stop. Through his strong faith, St. Joseph overcame his fear and accepted what was to be, taking on the role to protect his young family from the dark times ahead.

And, so it is fitting Pope Francis has called upon St. Joseph to be our role model, guide, counselor and intercessor during our own dark times. The pope declared the Year of St. Joseph from Dec. 8, 2020 through Dec. 8, 2021.

ourselves to his paternal love by asking him to walk with us, protect us, and bring us safely home to the Father’s House.”

Along with the pope’s Apostolic Letter, the Apostolic Penitentiary has issued a decree for special indulgences throughout the Year of St. Joseph.

“For the Year of St. Joseph, there are 15 good works that will grant one an indulgence,” said Nicholas Hardesty, associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA. “These include praying for St. Indeed, St. Joseph Joseph’s intercession for the unemployed; offers us an excellent celebrating the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1; praying the Litany example as we make of St. Joseph for persecuted Christians; our way through meditating on the Lord’s Prayer for at these difficult days least 30 minutes or praying the Rosary with one’s family.” that have been filled

“In his Apostolic Letter Patris corde, the Holy Father explains that this with unrest and Also, according to vaticannews.va, “the proclamation was motivated by two uncertainty and fear.

Apostolic Penitentiary grants a plenary reasons,” said Archbishop Dennis M. indulgence to the faithful who will recite Schnurr. “First of all, it is a celebration of any legitimately approved prayer or act of the 150th anniversary of the proclamation piety in honor of St. Joseph, for example, of St. Joseph as the Patron of the Universal ‘To you, O blessed Joseph’” especially on Church by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1870.

Mar. 19, his feast day, and on May 1, the Feast of the Holy Secondly, Pope Francis hopes that St. Joseph may serve as an Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. inspiration and guide to all of us as we undergo the crisis of the ongoing pandemic. He writes, ‘Each of us can discover in For more information on plenary indulgences, prayers and Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and devotions to St. Joseph, visit www.yearofstjoseph.org from the hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in Diocese of Charlotte, or go to the website of the Oblates of St. times of trouble. St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear Joseph, www.osjusa.org, and look in the top menu under “St. hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the Joseph.” history of salvation.’

“Indeed, St. Joseph offers us an excellent example as we make our way through these difficult days that have been filled with unrest and uncertainty and fear. Again and again, God called Joseph to follow a path that was unclear, to journey to places that were unknown, and to make sacrifices that defied human calculation and worldly wisdom. As we look to St. Joseph’s holy example with a renewed focus this year, let us also entrust 2 8 | T H E C ATHOLIC TE LEGR A P H

“Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.

A word of recognition and of gratitude is due to them all.”

– Patris corde.

Letters About Dad We asked Catholic Telegraph readers to share stories about their fathers. Over the next several pages, you can read some of their beautiful and moving submissions.

FROM JEAN BUELTERMAN (CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF ST. PETER IN CHAINS)

My dad was kind, generous and loving and never had a nasty word to say about another person. He was a man of great faith. He loved our Blessed Mother. He could fix anything.

We used to say give him a Bobby pin and he could fix your car. He was a simple man, but made everything seem like it was golden. He built our home, by hand, from the ground up. He worked for the railroad. In the early days he would travel from Cincinnati to St Louis weekly, but found time to plant a garden and grow beautiful flowers for us to enjoy.

He loved us girls, and took care of mom and us with loving hands. He taught my sisters and me everything from driving a car to climbing ladders, and hammering nails and saying the Rosary. I remember him teaching me how to whistle!

He had a great bass singing voice and would stand in the kitchen eating Oreo cookies and sing “Old Man River.” It was his job, working for the railroad in Indiana, that took him away from us way too young. He wanted to spend time with us at home, so he would commute to work. I remember that December morning when we heard about the accident.

I’m sure he had his flaws but I can’t remember what they were. We will always love our dad.

FROM GERI SCHICK (VISITATION PARISH)

My father, Jerome Rosenberger, was a workaholic. He worked a full time job, had his own electric business on the side and worked a third job to provide for his family.

He would go to work every day, no matter how he felt. If someone in the community called and needed an electrician, he would go to help. He made sure his family always went to church, even on vacations we had to make it to Sunday church to pray for a safe trip. He was always there to give his advice and help if you needed it. He loved his family and his Catholic faith. Christmas was his favorite season and he went to confession frequently. He taught us how important it was to help others in need. He was always on time – he did not like to be late. My dad didn’t get to enjoy much retirement, passing away suddenly at 67, but he enjoyed traveling and taking his family on vacations.

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A C L OS E R L OOK

PATRIS CORDE: DEVELOPING A FATHER’S HEART WITH ST. JOSEPH On Dec. 8, 2020, Pope Francis promulgated his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde (“With a Father’s Heart”), to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church and to proclaim a Year of St. Joseph. Patris Corde is a meditation on the life of St. Joseph, commemorating him as a beloved, tender, obedient, courageous and faithful foster father to Our Lord and, as such, an example to all fathers.

gave himself completely to God’s plan for redemption, submitting to the will of the Father for the good of humankind. As a father to my children, I cannot duplicate that profound submission. I can, however, participate in St. Joseph’s uniquely radical cooperation, as a witness to my children of the joy of the gospel. As the man closest to Jesus, St. Joseph is a constant reminder of my duty to draw my children closer to Our Lord. And he is my refuge when I fail.

But as St. Joseph is patron of the entire Church, he is a source of spiritual comfort and strength not just to fathers, but also to their children, which includes all of us.

This is an especially acute point for me for two very personal reasons: First, I did not know my own father, who was killed in an automobile accident three months before I was born. As such, I take special solace in the spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph, a medal of whom hangs close to my own heart. And second, as a father, I am both deeply aware of my obligation to be a faithful witness to my nine children, and profoundly disappointed with those many times I’ve failed in that duty. Pope Francis speaks to this in Patris Corde.

As Pope Francis goes on to explain, St. Joseph is an example to all of us in his quiet, docile witness to God’s salvific plan. This is a reminder that almost no one is converted to the faith (or has his faith deepened) by argument or debate. Rather, people are persuaded by persistent witness to the truth and joy of the gospel.

This is exemplified by St. Joseph, whose pattern “is not one that explains, but accepts,” says Patris Corde. Trusting God, St. Joseph is our example of keeping our eye on the goal, accepting our evangelistic roles, and “to accept life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations and disappointments.” By his persistent example of enduring the confusion of a mysterious future, St. Joseph teaches us to persevere with grace rather than to despair with resentment. “Only as a result of this acceptance, this reconciliation, can we begin to glimpse a broader history, a deeper meaning.”

ST. JOSEPH’S ROLE

The Holy Father begins by emphasizing St. Joseph’s role in salvation history. As the spouse of St. Mary and father of Jesus, St. Joseph “placed himself . . . at the service of the entire plan of salvation” and “cooperated . . . in the great mystery of salvation.” Of course, as the foster father of the Savior, St. Joseph’s position is unique in this regard. He 3 0 | T H E CATHOLIC TE LEGR A PH

A FATHER IN THE SHADOWS

Patris Corde ends with a consideration of St. Joseph as “a father in the shadows,” which has at least a couple of meanings.

First, as a father in the background, St. Joseph’s love for Jesus, Mary and us is disinterested. As citizens of what some call a commercial republic, we Americans (including American Catholics) have a tendency to reduce every human interaction to a transaction, in which mutual rights are asserted or mutual obligations are enforced. We tend to expect something in return for everything we give. We think of every gesture as requiring a reciprocal gesture—a repayment. But Pope Francis offers St. Joseph as an antidote to this unfortunate tendency.

“St. Joseph found happiness not in mere self-sacrifice,” explains the Holy Father, “but in self-gift.” He gave of himself perfectly and completely, without any expectation of something in return. And as St. Pope John Paul II often said, one cannot give what one does not possess. The ability to give oneself wholly to another calls us to cultivate virtues of hospitality, generosity, self-control, temperance and humility.

St. Joseph is a model for fathers to set their children on the right course, but then allow them to set sail on their own.

Second, as a father in the shadows, St. Joseph is a model for fathers to set their children on the right course, but then to allow them to set sail on their own. It is a father’s responsibility to show his children how to live their own lives, not to live their lives for them. Of course, this is subject to the normal course of physical, emotional, and psychological development. But even these considerations should always have an eye toward the ability of our children to go forth on their own – trained to choose well, but free to fail.

As Pope Francis puts it, “Every child is the bearer of a unique mystery that can only be brought to light with the help of a father who respects that child’s freedom.” If he is successful, the father becomes most “useless” precisely when he sees the fruit of his guidance: a child whose life follows the proper course, with gratitude for her father’s tutelage. As such, our children may leave our homes, but they will never leave the hearts of their fathers.

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. He holds a Ph.D. in moral theology from Boston College, and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law.

Letters About Dad FROM ANNE COYLE HORN (HOLY FAMILY PARISH)

My father, Thomas Joseph Coyle, was born in 1921, the second of 11 children. He was a lifelong member of Holy Trinity/Holy Family Parish in Middletown. He was inducted as a private into the U.S. Army in 1942; 313 Battalion; 80th Artillery under General George Patton. He was promoted to sergeant in 1943. His unit received battle honors for fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. In addition, his unit liberated a concentration camp. He was honorably discharged in 1945. He worked as a metallurgist at Aeronca for 24 years and retired from Armco Steel in 1986. After retiring, he and my mother volunteered at Middletown Regional Hospital, delivering Meals on Wheels. My father worked hard to provide my sister, brother and me with a solid Catholic education. He was a member of the parish council and volunteered at the Bishop Fenwick High School festival for many years. One of the things my father was most proud of was being a deacon. He was a graduate of the very first diaconate class of 1975. He served as a deacon at Holy Trinity/Holy Family parish for 30 years.

The best lesson my father taught me was to be of service to others. He served his country, his community and, most importantly, God. This lesson has inspired me all of my life. My father entered eternal life in 2013. Three priests celebrated his funeral Mass and 11 fellow deacons were in attendance. I could hear God saying “Well done good and faithful servant!”

FROM MARJORIE TEPE WELDIE (ST. ALBERT THE GREAT PARISH)

My father, Bernard Tepe, showed the meaning of marital love in such a special way. My mother suffered from dementia for a good portion of their final years together.

My father was devoted to making sure she was taken care of by going every day to the nursing home to see that she was dressed with her hair combed. He went daily to feed her lunch and dinner, and absolutely nothing stopped him from fulfilling his mission to care for her. Dad felt that no one could care for mother the way he could and that, despite her dementia, she knew who he was when he went to see her. After nine years in a nursing home, my mother passed away. I think Dad felt his duty was fulfilled as he died just nine months after Mother. Today my husband and I have been married 55 years and I know my dad’s example of loving my mother greatly influenced us in our marriage.

Thanks, Dad, for showing me the love of a husband, like St. Joseph, in giving totally of yourself to your wife.

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A DAD’S PARTING WISDOM AND

Spiritual Fatherhood

BY FATHER EARL FERNANDES

In his Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, Pope Francis describes St. Joseph as a beloved father; a tender and loving father; an obedient and accepting father; a working father who was creatively courageous; and, finally, as the “shadow of the Father,” reflecting the Eternal Fatherhood of God. Priests are also called “Father.” Most of what I know about fatherhood, I learned from my own father. He spent long hours as a doctor at the hospital to put food on the table, and he spent his free time teaching us about the faith.

My father had a profound respect for human life and cherished us, and later, his grandchildren, always encouraging us to do our best. He also prayed, not only at home during our family Rosary, but also at the hospital for his patients. He taught me to desire to be a father, and as a priest, to exercise spiritual fatherhood.

THE SACRIFICE OF CALVARY

Pope Francis wants a synodal Church that walks together.

The priest, as spiritual father, must lead the People of God on their pilgrimage to heaven. He cannot allow anyone of His children to lag too far behind or to settle for less.

As a spiritual father, the priest must offer encouragement to the flock to bring out the best in them. He animates their vocation, their gifts and talents. How many priests unfortunately go through the motions in the celebration of Mass, in their preaching, and in their study? Everything can become routine and functional, but true fathers, with As a spiritual love for their children, never allow this to happen. True love for the flock opens them father, the priest to hope which lies in the potential of their realizes that he children.

is at the service life.

Shortly before his death in July 2019, I of had my last substantive conversation with my father. I asked him, “Is there anything else you’d like to teach your grandchildren?” His answer led me to reflect more deeply on the vocation of a priest as a spiritual father. He said, “Yes. First, tell my grandchildren to pray every day, but prayer alone is not enough. They need the fruits of the sacrifice of Calvary. Tell them to go to Mass.”

As spiritual fathers, priests are called to lead the Family of God in prayer. Like other fathers, priests do work on behalf of others in the liturgy. Priests offer the sacrifice of Calvary at each Mass; they feed God’s family with the Bread of Life.

STRIVE FOR HEAVEN

“Second,” my dad said, “tell them to strive for greatness.

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God did not make them for mediocrity. They must strive for heaven, not purgatory. Greatness is measured in faithfulness to God.”

PROTECT LIFE

My father added, “Third, remind them to protect, defend, cherish and nurture human life.” This was not surprising to me as my father spent his life saving lives. He defended the unborn, the disabled and the elderly. He accompanied the sick back to health and comforted the dying and their families. To be a father, it is not enough to have children and generate life, one must nurture and educate that life. Certainly, Pope Francis calls the whole Church, but especially priests, to resist the throwaway culture which values people for what they do and have rather than for who they are. The priest accompanies God’s people.

Priests must lead the defense of life. It is not enough to baptize children; rather, the gift of faith must be nurtured through catechesis and formation and by offering support

and encouragement to parents. As a spiritual father, the priest realizes that he is at the service of life.

Letters About Dad

BE WHO YOU ARE

Never short for words, my father continued, “Tell my grandchildren to be humble. There will always be someone faster, stronger, smarter or more handsome, but recall what St. Francis de Sales said, ‘Be who you are and be that well in honor of the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.’”

As spiritual father, configured to Christ, the priest must follow the example of Jesus who humbled Himself to become man, born in utter poverty in a stable; who associated Himself with the poor and lowly; who washed the feet of His disciples; and, who humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death.

BUILD OTHERS UP

He concluded by saying, “Finally, tell them never to humiliate another person.” He recounted a story which he had never previously told me of how he was sent by his mother with special biscuits to a wealthy relative’s home on Christmas. Being poor, they did not have much to offer, but my grandmother wanted to give something. When my father knocked at the door, the woman took the biscuits and threw them on the floor for the dogs to eat. My father said, “She did that to humiliate us because we were poor. Never let my grandchildren humiliate another person.”

As spiritual fathers, priests are called to be like St. Barnabas, a “son of encouragement,” building people up, especially the poor. The priest must be equally accessible to the poor and rich alike. St. Luke’s Gospel demonstrates the preferential option Jesus had for the poor. The bottom line: Treat others with respect. Every father must acknowledge the dignity of his child.

I learned a lot about fatherhood from my own father. During this Year of St. Joseph, I am learning from St. Joseph about priesthood and fatherhood. The Holy Father writes: “In every exercise of our fatherhood, we should always keep in mind that it has nothing to do with possession, but is rather a sign pointing to a greater fatherhood. In a way, we are all like Joseph: a shadow of the heavenly Father, who ‘makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust’ (Mt 5:45). And a shadow that follows his Son.” (PC, 7) I ask you to pray for your priests – that we may be holy like St. Joseph and reflect the tenderness of the one God and Father of us all.

MATTHEW RUTTLE (ST. RITA PARISH)

Our father, Patrick Joseph Ruttle, was a man of humor, deep faith, compassion and love. He, and our Mother, Yvonne, truly “enfleshed” what it means to be a disciple of the Lord. My father always made room in his life and heart for my mother, our family and those suffering in our community. He always worked to bring out the good in others through jokes, singing, fun parties and in good dialogue. He was – and still is from heaven – a sure guide on what it is to be a man of family, faith, work and enduring love. I miss him – and my late mother too. Pray for us! Watch over us!

FROM BERNARD RIESKAMP (OUR LADY OF VISITATION PARISH)

Mom and Dad raised a family of six boys during the 1950’s.

My two sisters were born in the 60’s, making us a grand total of eight. Raising a large family was a loving challenge my parents carried out with discipline, respect and affection.

Dad was a Cincinnati policeman and worked a second job as a groundskeeper for a large estate. He worked many hard, long hours, but always, somehow, made time for his family. Car trips and rides to one of the many local parks were our family’s most anticipated and best-loved form of entertainment. Once a week or so, dad would load up the kids in the family station wagon and take us on rides in the countryside or to a park. Slowly driving down our street, the neighborhood kids shouted out to us as we passed by: “Where are you guys going?” With a big smile on his face, dad shouted back: “To the moon, we’re going to the moon!”

The family members laughingly parroted dad’s statement: “We’re going to the moon.” About 20 minutes later we passed by The Moon Tavern. What fun simple times we had. I’ll always remember one of dad’s favorite lectures: “It’s the simple things in life that are important. You can have all the money and possessions in the world but if you lose your soul, you have nothing. Always remember to honor God, family and country, and in that order!” It still rings in my ears to this day. Dad taught me the importance of hard work. “You’ll better appreciate the things you work hard for and earn. But remember, they’re only things. The intangibles are important; love & friendship! The older you get, the more you’ll understand.” “Respect all people and all living things.”

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P e rcy S tr i c k l i n Church of the Resurrection Parishioner and Father Serves as Family and Community Role Model

BY E ILE EN C O NNEL L Y , O S U

Keeping God first. For Percy Stricklin, that’s the key to living his vocation as a loving husband, father and committed Catholic, and it’s a choice he affirms daily.

“Every morning when I wake up, I immediately focus on God,” he explained. “It sets the tone for the day. Even though there may be some adversity, you get through that by keeping Christ at the center.

Stricklin, a convert to Catholicism and active member of Church of the Resurrection in Bond Hill, appreciates the opportunity the Year of St. Joseph offers to honor and reflect on the carpenter’s deep faith and example.

“He kept God first, and that takes humility, discipline and courage in the face of ridicule and danger. Joseph teaches us that there will be times when we have to allow something to happen that isn’t the ideal of what we perceive it should be, but also realize that it could be the biggest blessing. It takes faith and the belief that God will be true.”

Born and raised in Mississippi in the Southern Baptist tradition, Stricklin was exposed to Catholicism at various points over the years, but became better acquainted with it when he met his future wife, Lucy, in college. Both were students at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Lucy was a Catholic exchange student from the State of Yucatan, Mexico, and Percy, an unofficial English tutor.

When the young family relocated to Cincinnati from Memphis in 2004 for Stricklin’s work with Kroger, their search for a Catholic parish led them to the then St. Agnes (now Church of the Resurrection). They were immediately welcomed into the diverse urban faith community by Deacon Royce Winters and his wife, Nor-Rita, Inspired and encouraged by his family and their St. Agnes friends, Stricklin entered RCIA and was received into the Catholic Church in 2006.

Now he feels that every day is the chance to walk “hand in hand with Jesus” and strive to be an example of faith and love for his family.

“We met through friends,” he recalled. “All it took was one look at her smile.”

“I spend a lot of time praying about my role as a father,” he said, “especially because I was raised by a single mother and didn’t have any father figures. It wasn’t until later that I came to know my father. I promised myself early on to be there for my family no matter what.”

The Stricklins have been married for 21 years and have two daughters, Lileth, 20, and Annette, 17.

“I can be a provider for my family, but I also want to set the example,” Stricklin added. “It’s sometimes tough, so you

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Letters About Dad need to have a center, you need to have faith. I tell my girls to that they have to be open to focusing on God, to listening to Him.” He’s hopeful that his involvement at Church of the Resurrection is a means of modeling their faith for his daughters. Sticklin is currently chairperson of the Pastoral Council, serves as a sacristan, and has been active on various parish committees.

“When they come to me to have a conversation about our faith, or get involved without me asking, it gives me great joy,” he said. “When I see them volunteering, how they pray for and encourage other people, I know they’ve been listening.

They are both blossoming in their faith.”

I spend a lot of time praying about my role as a father, especially because I was raised by a single mother and didn’t have father figures.

That faith has also been the unifying factor in his bicultural marriage to Lucy. “Yes, we are from different cultures, but our mindset has always been to focus on Christ, along with an openness to understanding and respecting each other,” Stricklin said. “The universal Church unites us all, and the same thing has happened at home for us. We’re in sync with each other because we keep our eyes on the same thing: God. It’s been a journey, and it’s something we work at every day, but we’re stronger because of any struggles we’ve faced.”

“My wife is a very patient, quiet woman, and that’s been good for me,” he added. “She’s allowed this country boy to mature. We talk about our faith more than ever now, and grow together spiritually as one through our prayer.”

Regarding his role at the parish, Stricklin said he and his family are committed to ensuring that “all are welcome,” just as they were years ago.

“Welcoming is one of our pillars at Church of the Resurrection, followed by growing, evangelizing and stewardship. Being welcoming is the key to opening the door to hearing God’s message, to experiencing His call. This plants the seed.

Community has to be that way. It’s what people are looking for and how they can experience God.”

JARROD LUX (ST. PETER IN CHAINS)

I have been blessed to have excellent fathers in my life, all of whom resemble St. Joseph: my grandfathers, Bill and John, and my father-in-law, Conrad. I write to you today about my own father, Jerry Lux. Our parents are the first images of God for us, and if God chose St. Joseph to be His human father, He had to have seen much of Himself in St. Joseph. Our Savior learned the value of hard work, dedication, and perseverance from him, and the “passion” with which St. Joseph lived his life must also have been a reflection of the “Passion” of Jesus. Dad, likewise, used his passion of baseball to teach me important life lessons. Be courageous: When I stepped out of the batter’s box in fear, he put a bat behind my feet to ensure I stood my ground and faced that fear. When I felt ashamed for having to relearn how to hit by using a tee, he told me that even major leaguers have to relearn fundamentals sometimes to break through a slump. When I would lollygag on the field, his enthusiasm compelled me to hustle. When I would lose faith in my ability to play, he never gave up on me, and he never let me give up on myself. Years later, I can still see and hear Dad rooting and encouraging me from first base, his words instilling me with confidence. His insight and wisdom now help me hit line drives, despite the curve balls life pitches to me. If they play baseball in Heaven, I’m sure St. Joseph will recruit my father when he arrives. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on St. Joseph and my awesome dad, Jerry.

FROM LINDA (ST. HENRY PARISH)

I am the oldest of five children in our family. My father owned a drug store and worked on Sunday. When I turned 13, I went to work with him on Sunday morning, so regular Sunday Mass was hard to attend. He would take me to midnight Mass in the city at one of the large churches downtown. It was a special time we shared together.

FROM MORGAN KRICHBAUM (ST. BERNARD PARISH)

My father, John, is an outstanding example of a loving, patient, selfless, contemplative, and wise man. Everyone who encounters him benefits from his characteristic reflection of Christ. As I prepare for new life adventures – including marriage and geographical relocation – I am honored and challenged to reflect the light and love of our God that dad has exemplified throughout my life.

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S T . JOS EP H CRE AM PU FFS

BY WAYNE & MAR IANNE TO PP

When we first started having children and began discussing names, we always seemed to lean towards family names for the middle name. By the time our third came along, we began to focus on choosing saints names. It seems slightly embarrassing to admit it, but it wasn’t until we were expecting our fifth child that we finally thought to choose, Joseph. Why had it not occurred to us before? Shouldn’t it have been an obvious choice? But perhaps this is always the case with this humble, holy saint.

He should be so obvious, but his important role is often hidden and even forgotten when we reflect on our story of salvation. Well, not this year and certainly not this month! With the entire year dedicated to this outstanding saint, we certainly aren’t going to miss celebrating St. Joseph on his feast day, March 19.

So often when we reflect on the story of Jesus, we immediately turn to his mother, Mary, but she was not alone in God’s plan to bring Christ into the world. God made sure to include Joseph. When Joseph considered quietly divorcing Mary, God sent an angel to assure Joseph that he was part of His plan, too. And who was Joseph? Not a king, or nobleman. Not a man of wealth or stature. He was a carpenter.

A simple, poor, everyday, hard-working man – but a faithful man who loved and honored God. And just like Mary, Joseph said yes! He awoke from his dream and took Mary into his home and became the foster father to the Son of God. Through many trials he provided for their

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needs, protected them from harm and helped to prepare Jesus for His mission. By imitating his humble example, and living a life of love and faithfulness, we too can lead our families in a life of holiness, just as Joseph did.

It is a tradition in Italy to honor this humble saint with a special dessert called Zeppole di San Giuseppe (or St. Joseph Cream Puffs). They start with choux pastry, then they’re filled with a delicious vanilla pastry cream, and topped with a red cherry and powdered sugar. While they look like some sort of gourmet delicacy, these delicious morsels are not nearly as hard to make as you might think! So, get out your aprons and have a little fun in your kitchen. Once they are complete, sit down with your family, say some special prayers to the Patron of the Universal Church and thank him for his own humble fiat that helped make possible our salvation!

Here is the recipe we use: Zeppole di San Giuseppe. Note: We always double the amount of pastry cream for the filling. We just can’t get enough of it!

S H IN E ON

FEELING LIKE YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH My life’s greatest regret happened during a baseball game my nine-year-old son was playing in. It’s a day I hate to remember, and yet I can’t forget it.

Bottom of the last inning, my son’s team was up by one run, with runners on second and third base and two outs. If we got an out, we would win the game. The windup, the pitch.

It was a high pop up to the left side of the field. It should have been an easy out – but wait! The third baseman and the shortstop couldn’t hear each other calling for the ball. They were both going for it. The shortstop leapt… and his glove collided with the third baseman’s glove as the ball ricocheted off into foul territory. The runner from third scored to tie the game. The runner from second scored. The other team won.

That’s when my big, dumb mouth yelled, “Great guys! You cost us the game!”

My son was the shortstop. When we got in the car he told me he had never felt worse in his life. Truth is, neither have I. He felt like he let his team down. I knew I had let him down.

Why do I share this terrible memory with you? Why would I admit to such an epic failure of fatherhood? I want to shine a light on something most of us fathers almost never talk about: Shame.

Call it by another name – regret, remorse, guilt. Simply put, many fathers feel like they aren’t good enough.

I’ve worked with hundreds of dads in small groups and retreats, and I’ve met with men one-on-one. I can promise this wound is real and it cuts deep. Men who wish they could

go back and do things differently. Fathers who wish they could go back and change something. Men who think things would have been better if only they had done this, or hadn’t done that.

Here we are in the midst of this magazine issue celebrating fathers, and I wonder how many fathers will read this issue and feel the twinge of regret, the sting of shame.

Maybe it’s because an adult child has fallen away from the faith. Maybe it’s guilt from a broken marriage. Maybe it’s as simple as the insight that comes from age and wisdom.

Whatever the reason, now is a good time to shine a light on those feelings of regret and remorse. As we approach the Feast of St. Joseph, bring your imperfections to him and ask for his prayers.

St. Joseph lived under the same roof as Mary and Jesus. He was the only imperfect person in the family. If you need an example of God using an imperfect man to help accomplish His perfect will, look no further! He understands you and his intercession is powerful.

You can’t do anything to change the past, and you will always be imperfect, but you can ask for the intercession of St. Joseph as you move into the future, letting his humble and silent service to the will of God inspire you to be the person God created you to be.

DOMINICK ALBANO

is the director of digital engagement for The Catholic Telegraph, as well as an author and national speaker. He and his wife have been married for 13 years and have four sons.

S H IN E ON / M AR CH 2021 | 37

CA TH OL IC AT H OM E

HEAVENLY HOPE FOR IMPERFECT PARENTS I’m just a few days into a consecration to St. Joseph. In anticipation of handing my merits and shortcomings over to the adoptive father of Jesus, I’m gaining more hope in St. Joseph as a leader, provider and protector of my own heart and family. I feel a pull, an invitation to entrust my worries to him – especially anxieties concerning my marriage and children.

Full disclosure: prior to Pope Francis declaring this the Year of St. Joseph, I had given just a couple of glances in the direction of the “silent father,” as he is sometimes known. It’s OK for a saint to not be a favorite – they’re all great, but I didn’t feel much of a draw until recently, and I’ve discovered a man after God’s heart who will be a holy protector of not just me, but of my family as well.

We know that Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world.

Similarly, God revealed his plan for humanity through the Blessed Virgin Mary; she was handpicked to be Christ’s mother as well as ours. But St. Joseph? He was born with original sin while his family was spared the stain, but as Catholics – Catholic parents especially – it’s paramount that we see St. Joseph as CHOSEN. MOM AND DAD’S INFLUENCE

Every kid, adopted or born into a family, grows up emulating his parents’ behaviors. I joke like my mom. I’m pragmatic like my dad. The whole “nurture” argument is strongly supported when I take a close look at my mannerisms in light of my parents. And so it was with Jesus. Though fully divine, the Christ Child wasn’t immune to the influence of His surroundings, and that includes His upbringing by His Mother Undefiled, as well as His imperfect adoptive father.

What’s amazing to consider is that God, knowing Jesus would grow up learning to be like his earthly father, chose St. Joseph and blessed him with certain characteristics that Jesus himself would eventually emulate: his obedience to the will of God; 3 8 | T H E C ATHOLIC TE LEGR A PH

his trust amid uncertainty; his compassionate care for Mary and hard work for his family. St. Joseph was born to raise the Son of God, just as we were born to raise the children we have.

God chose with detailed intention the woman to be His mother and the man to be His earthly father for His only Son. 1 John 3:1 says “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” It is because of God’s love for us that He chose us to be parents for our kids with the same care and concern he had for Jesus.

WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

Our boys and little girl weren’t arbitrarily thrown into the Sciba house – God blessed my husband and me with the gifts and charisms needed to bring these young souls back to Him. We parents struggle. We worry. We wonder how our kids will turn out. We wonder if we have what it takes to get through this season of life or all of life.

In blessing us with our children, God simultaneously assures us, “I have what it takes,” because He placed these particular children in our care. The graces we need to handle the brilliant mind, the will of iron, the special needs and the attentionseekers are free for the asking, if only we invite the Author of Life into our parenting. By doing so, we can and will give our kids enough of what they need.

Sure we’re imperfect, but so was St. Joseph, and Jesus turned out all right. St. Joseph himself is a strong beacon of hope for the rest of us imperfect parents. He was chosen, and to be chosen for the task is to be equipped with the graces to do it.

KATIE SCIBA

is a national speaker and Catholic Press Awardwinning columnist. Katie and her husband, Andrew, have been married for 11 years and are blessed with six children.

St. Joseph

St. Joseph, a descendant of King David, was engaged to Mary, but when he saw her already pregnant, he felt sad and betrayed. Joseph was planning to divorce Mary quietly until one night an angel appeared to him in a dream and explained that Mary was going to bear the Son of God. Joseph understood and trusted and followed God’s orders. The couple had Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. When they received the Magi’s warning of King Herod, they fled to Egypt.

Besides the Christmas story, we don’t know much about St. Joseph. He stayed holy and pure to Mary, which is why he is often pictured with a lily. He was a carpenter and the earthly father of Jesus. So, we like to think he would have played with Jesus, taught Him carpentry skills, gave Him bear hugs, and maybe even told dad jokes. What we do know is, St. Joseph was a perfect father and husband.

Pray through the intercession of St. Joseph for your relationship with your father, ultimate trust and purity.

“Be in good spirits under the fatherly mantle of St. Joseph, a place of safest refuge in trials and tribulations.”

St. Joseph Marello

Carpenter Father Husband Jesus Lily

Mary Perfect Purity St Joseph Trust K ID S ’ C OR N E R / M A R CH 2021 | 39

Forged in Flood Dayton’s St. Joseph Church Founded in 1847 Despite Record-Setting Flood B Y MARK D A NIS

On Jan. 2, 1847, at 2:00 in the morning, the bells in Dayton rang out signaling another historic flood was deluging the city.

The Mad and Miami Rivers crested and broke through their levees. The East Side was completely flooded and a contractor responsible for the construction of Dayton’s newest church watched helplessly as more than $1,500 of stockpiled lumber floated away.

“Go to Joseph.” The Catholic faithful of Dayton have long lived by that advice.

“Go to Joseph” is the key theme of Pope Francis’ most recent Apostolic Letter, Patris corde. The document marks the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church and proclaims the Year

of St. Joseph, which runs until Dec. 8.

Pope Francis identifies Joseph as the saint who, “stands at the crossroads between the Old and the New Testaments.” In the rich history of devotion to him, St. Joseph has often been invoked as the builder of a brighter future.

In late 1846, the phrase, “Go to Joseph,” was the sentiment of a group of largely Irish Catholics in Dayton. They represented the English-speaking parishioners of the predominantly German-speaking Emmanuel Catholic Church. Emmanuel, established in 1837, is the oldest Catholic Church in Dayton, and its early Englishspeaking parishioners were initially content to quietly worship alongside their Germanspeaking brothers and sisters.

A letter dated Jan. 12, 1847, from Father O’Mealy to Archbishop Purcell about the Dayton flood.

The founding of one of Dayton’s great parishes would ultimately find its patron in the guise of a simple, silent carpenter.

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But, as Pope Francis points out in his Apostolic Letter, “Saint Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows, can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.” The founding of one of Dayton’s great parishes would ultimately find its patron in the guise of a simple, silent carpenter.

On Nov. 1, 1846, Father Patrick O’Mealy, a newly-ordained, 22-year-old priest, led the first planning meeting for a new Dayton church. Because the English-speaking parishioners of Emmanuel always sat on the side of the church facing St. Joseph’s statue, St. Joseph became the patron of their new parish. In December of that year, they purchased two lots and hired a contractor who immediately began stockpiling material for the new church’s construction.

The founders of St. Joseph Church in Dayton submitted to the patronage of the foster father of Jesus. And in the words of Pope Francis, “A man does not become a father simply by bringing a child into the world, but by taking responsibility to care for that child.”

Pope Francis shares many powerful and consoling messages in his document, but none more appropriate for us than the message the angel of the Lord directed to Joseph prior to his marriage to a pregnant Mary: “Do not be afraid.”

POST-ACUTE HEALTHCARE SERVICES ASSISTED LIVING | AND MORE 513-769 - 0511 | T H E G L E N S L .C O M |

CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH Archbishop Dennis Schnurr has designated St. Joseph Church, Dayton as one of three diocesan shrines in honor of St. Joseph during this Holy Year remembering the 150th Anniversary of the proclamation of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church.

Church is open from 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday for private prayer.

Confessions Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. until daily Mass at noon.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH 411 EAST SECOND ST. • DAYTON 937-228-9272 • STJOSEPHDAYTON.ORG Founded in 1847 as the first English speaking Catholic Church in Dayton.

Some of the building material from the 1847 flood was eventually recovered, and construction on St. Joseph Church began in May of that year. Bishop Purcell laid the cornerstone on July 11, 1847, and St. Joseph Church was ultimately completed in the summer of 1848.

As is so often the case, the Church goes to St. Joseph in the midst of tumultuous transitions. Such is the case today, as it was in 1846. But the Holy Father’s words provide us with sound advice that will see us through all these difficulties: “Do not be afraid, Go to Joseph.”

F AT H E R S & S T . JOS E P H / M AR CH 2021 | 41

S E IZE TH E M OM E N T

LEAN INTO FATHERHOOD I’m very … particular. Hang out with me long enough and you’ll see what I mean. How papers are written, how posters are designed, how food tastes, how clothes fit, how temperature is regulated, everything has to be just so. If something is even slightly off, I can tell. Most of the time, I don’t say anything. I don’t want to be hypercritical of others and I don’t want to be a burden. But inside, I’m anxious and restless.

Imagine a life like that, a life of anxious pickiness. Then, insert kids, four of them, disrupting all order and living life with their own plans on where half-eaten apples should go, how many toys can pile up on the floor and whether or not the Lego Ford Mustang you spent a whole weekend building actually deserves to stay in one piece. It’s a formula for crazy.

It’s my life.

WHAT I THINK I WANT

Sometimes, when I’m overwhelmed by it all, I long for a weekend all to myself. Three days of blissful solitude – wouldn’t that be perfect? I could clean the house and actually keep it clean. I could eat what I want, watch what I want, sleep as late as I want. I could ensure that every single thing was just right and exactly how I like it.

Peace and perfection – that’s what I think I want. But, on the rare occasions when I get it, I find that it doesn’t work out quite well for me.

Sometimes, over the summer, my wife will take the kids to visit her parents for the week and I’ll remain home because of a work obligation. It ought to be a dream come true, but what happens? I stay up too late and I sleep in too late. I eat food that isn’t good for me, and I eat too much of it. The house ends up messier, not cleaner, and I end up a wreck, guilty and missing my family.

MY BEST SELF

In other words, I’m not my best self when I’m not being a 4 2 | T H E C A THOLIC TELE GR A P H

father. Those rare moments when I’m left to my own devices are a reminder that fatherhood is not an obstacle to my peace and happiness. Instead, it is the vehicle, the driver, the very stuff of my life that makes peace and happiness possible.

My children make life disorderly, unpredictable, and a little crazy at times, but they also make me a better person. I eat better, talk better, act better, pray better, and live better when I have my family with me. I’m more disciplined, more honest and even more holy when they’re around.

It makes sense that it would be this way. For one, my children depend on me to be the best father I can be, for the sake of their own growth and prosperity. And, since I’m hardly ever without them, they become a built-in source of accountability that keeps me moving in the right direction. I’m also better when I’m being a father because fatherhood is my vocation.

God would have never called me to this particular state in life if it were not also through this state that He would complete the good works He began in me, and that includes His work to make me happy and holy.

If you’re a father who gets overwhelmed with fatherhood, I encourage you: don’t avoid fatherhood or long to be without it. It’s okay to step away for a bit, to go for a drive or attend a retreat to recharge and recollect yourself. But, don’t fight against fatherhood. Don’t resent it. Instead, lean into it. Seize it. Love it and accept it wholeheartedly.

One day, when you stand before Jesus on the precipice of real peace and perfection, He will want to see that you tackled fatherhood head on and lived it to the fullest. And you will be the better for it, broken Legos, half-eaten apples, and all.

NICHOLAS HARDESTY

is the associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA for the Center for the New Evangelization, an archdiocesan initiative that empowers parishes and schools to equip the laity for missionary discipleship. nhardesty@catholicaoc.org.

Written by Gail Finke llustrated by Emma Cassani

1860 parish formed

“We have a beautiful modern church that was painted about a year ago.

I wish every priest would come see what can be done with a modern church. Every square inch is painted. I wouldn’t call the style ‘historic,’ I’d call it expressive of faith. Instead of coming to a hall to meet, we’re worshipping God together.” - Father Andrew Umberg, pastor

St. Joseph Church on the banks of the Ohio River in North Bend exists because the town beat Cleves in a fundraising challenge. Bishop Purcell would allow only one church for both villages, and located it in the first town to raise enough money to build.

property purchased for first church; railroad workers hired to construct it

1887 church dedicated

1911 First parish picnic held; still held today

1962 second church dedicated

Tippacanoe Park was the land donated to the church and used for parish recreation. It is the site of the current church and school.

2015 new sanctuary added

2017

Father Robert Leugers created a “tax stamp” fundraiser. Ohio Sales Tax Stamps were made redeemable in the 1960s by religious groups for 2-3% of face value.

picnic shelter finishes St. Joseph Gardens; prayer gardens and recreation grounds on the site of the old public high school, purchased through a parish fundraising campaign and created through volunteer labor.

200 volunteers sent out letters across the state asking for donations of tax stamps.

3,000-9,000 letters were sent every day; so many the Post Office created a precancelled postage stamp for the parish. $260,000 was redeemed from tax stamps (about half went to expenses). $200,000 total cost of second church 5 Eagle Scout candidates helped design and construct the gardens.

There is an outdoor garden and Stations of the Cross across the street from the church. Art for each station is sandblasted on a Tennessee Crab Orchard stone boulder set in a landscaped strip. Matching stone benches and a walking path allow visitors to walk or sit as they pray.

1886

Archbishop Schnurr has designated St. Joseph, along with churches named for the saint in Dayton and Wapakoneta, shrines for the duration of the Year of St. Joseph. All who make a pious visit, under the usual conditions, will receive a plenary indulgence.

When Father Andrew Umberg first talked about designing a symbol for the Holy Spirit to be painted above the crucifix (which is original to the first church), someone suggested adding an ancient symbol for God the Father, as well. The symbol is a triangle containing the four letters of God’s name in Hebrew, surrounded by clouds and lightening recalling when God showed His presence in a pillar of cloud. It can be seen in many medieval churches.

D ID YOU K N OW ? / M AR CH 2021 | 43

Ways to Celebrate Dad

BY DOMINICK ALBANO

March 19 is the Feast of St. Joseph, sometimes referred to as St. Joseph’s Day. This Feast of St. Joseph is extra special because it is also the Year of St. Joseph. With all of this St. Joseph-ness going on, it’s a great time to take a look at how you celebrate the St. Josephs in your life.

While God is Jesus’ father, Jesus also had the wonderful example of Joseph, his foster-father.

In the same way, while our ultimate father is God, God shares His love with us through many different father figures: Traditional fathers, step fathers, foster fathers, brothers, priests, uncles, grandfathers, coaches, teachers and fathers-in-law, are just a few examples of the many different father figures we can have in our lives, and the feast of St. Joseph is a great time to celebrate them all.

Here are six ways to celebrate the father figures in your life: RECOGNIZE HIM

Moms want to hear, “I love you.” Dads want to hear, “I need you.” Recognition is a spectacular form of appreciation. Try telling him you appreciate him by recognizing what he does for you or how important he is to you.

Especially great for: step-fathers, foster fathers, fathersin-law, priests and coaches.

PLAY WITH HIM

Imagine being St. Joseph and having to raise the Son of God! Fathers feel an incredible sense of responsibility, and more pressure than you likely realize.

Take your father golfing, watch a movie, play a board game, a wiffle ball game in the backyard, anything that will make him feel playful for a little while.

Especially great for: Traditional fathers, priests and brothers.

MAKE SOMETHING WITH HIM

There is a reason dads love to tinker around in the garage and pretend we know things about cars. Dads love to create. From making a craft with the kids to helping him with a project around the house, fathers love spending time working with the people they love.

Especially great for: Grandfathers, uncles and foster fathers.

PRAY FOR HIM

Fathers never want their loved ones to be worried about them, but prayer is both powerful and essential.

Remember him in your prayer intentions, go to Mass with him, or even have special prayer time with him on St. Joseph’s day.

Especially great for: Traditional fathers, step-fathers, foster fathers and brothers.

GIVE HIM A GIFT

St. Joseph’s feast day falls during a bleak time of year.

March isn’t really filled with any holidays; the weather is often cold and rainy; and baseball hasn’t started yet.

Celebrate St. Joseph’s feast day by surprising him with an unexpected gift.

Especially great for: Priests, uncles, traditional fathers and fathers-in-law

FEED HIM

Fathers love to eat. Seeing as St. Joseph’s feast day is, well, a feast day, go all out and celebrate! It may be Lent, but Catholics still love to party. Try having a big dinner with family, grill out in the backyard or safely go out to his favorite restaurant.

Especially great for: Traditional fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles and priests.

No matter what kind of father figure you want to honor this St. Joseph’s feast day, these six celebrations are sure to make him feel special and beloved on March 19. St. Joseph, husband of Mary and father of Jesus, pray for us!

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HOnoring St. Joseph in the NOrth Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics to Host Special Mass and St. Joseph Relic Veneration on His Feast Day B Y M A TT H ES S

To mark this special Year of St. Joseph, the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics will hold a special St. Joseph Mass on his feast day, Mar. 19, at 7 p.m. This will be an occasion for the faithful to join together to meditate on the life of the foster father of Christ, asking for his protection and thanking him for the blessings received by the grace of his Son. Father Dan Schmitmeyer, archdiocesan Vocations Director, will celebrate this Mass, which is fitting, because in his ministry he forms men who are and will be the fathers of our Church communities.

“St. Joseph is a great saint to ask to intercede for you as you discern who God wants you to be,” said Father Schmitmeyer. “In Scripture, we never hear him say anything, but he is always doing God’s will. In humility, we should try to follow St. Joseph’s example and be quiet so we can listen for God’s whisper.”

After Mass there will be a special blessing for fathers in attendance so they may be strengthened in caring for their wives and nurturing their children. The family unit remains the central structure of society, and by this blessing we ask St. Joseph to be the guardian of the family guardians.

A relic of St. Joseph from the Shrine’s collection will be available for veneration

by the faithful. Even though it can not be touched and kissed as is usual because of COVID-19 safety protocols, visitors can be near this sacramental and allow it to aid them in their veneration and mediation on St. Joseph’s life.

While the body of St. Joseph has never been found, there are relics from his life in churches across the globe. The relic the Shrine will display is a particle of St. Joseph’s cloak. The full cloak is in St. Anastasia Church in Rome.

The final piece of the night feeds the stomach as well as the soul. Drawing from a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, a special table to St. Joseph will be set up in his honor. It is traditional to fill it with treats that surround a stature of the day’s patron.

All present are welcome to share in these sweet blessings of St. Joseph and take some with them following the event.

The Shrine will keep the festivities rolling throughout the year, which comes to a close on Dec. 8. This summer, special pilgrimages will be available, focusing on the titles Catholics have given St. Joseph over the centuries.

For more information about the Mass or pilgrimages, you can reach the Shrine by phone (419) 925-4531, or by social media, facebook.com/mariasteinshrine.

F AT H E RS & S T . JOS E P H / M AR CH 2021 | 45

Go to

St. Joseph Resources and Spiritual Advice for Husbands and Fathers During the Year of St. Joseph

BY PAUL MCKIBBEN

POPE FRANCIS DECLARED A YEAR DEVOTED TO ST. JOSEPH. The Holy Father is telling the Church, especially those of us who are husbands and fathers, to “go to Joseph.”

“Our children will learn far more from our actions than our spoken words. Prayer to St. Joseph will help guide those actions,” said Steve Green, a member of IHM’s FATHERS Team.

In our noisy secular culture how can we learn from St. Joseph who does not a speak a single word in the Gospels?

MARIAN DEVOTION Developing a relationship with the Blessed Mother is also key for fathers. Pray the Angelus, a Hail Mary or a decade of the Rosary. Include a statue of an image of the Blessed Mother that you see each day.

FATHERS RECOMMEND...

Kurt Buckman of the FATHERS Team at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Anderson Township is one of several men who recommend Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC. The book features a 33-day preparation for consecration to St. Joseph, readings and prayers. Buckman also recommends that dads get together. He said an important practice for him is the group’s weekly hour-long meeting.

Resources

“Sharing and learning from our community of Catholic fathers is more personal,” he said.

“Metal sharpens metal and Catholic fathers sharpen Catholic fathers.”

BOOKS:

PRAY It might sound simple, but fathers need to pray. Chris Weller of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Sharonville, became a dad last year. For Weller, daily prayer and Sunday Mass are most helpful for him in fulfilling his vocation as a father and as the spiritual leader of his household.

• The Fourth Cup by Scott Hahn

“I think Catholic fathers can learn faith and humility from St. Joseph. Jesus’ conception must have been an extremely trying experience, especially considering the culture during that time in history. He truly trusted in God, accepted God’s grace, and put the will of God ahead of any personal hopes and dreams,” Weller said.

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“Mary teaches us how to pray and meditate, especially because she treasured the moments of Jesus’ life in her heart,” said Father Edward Looney, a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay. “As a father, be like Mary and treasure the experiences of your life.”

• Go to Joseph

by Father Richard W. Gilsdorf • Keep Your Kids Catholic

by Marc Cardaronella • Real Men Pray the Rosary

by David N. Calvillo • The Return of the Prodigal Son

by Henri J.M. Nouwen • St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body series HABITS: • • • •

Eucharistic Adoration Read the daily Mass readings Pray the Rosary Build brotherhood with Catholic men in your parish • Pray with, and for, your spouse • Pray a daily Examen

F AT H E R S & S T . JOS E P H / M AR CH 2021 | 47

OUT AND ABOUT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE

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1) REFLECTING ON GOOD EXAMPLES

Bishop Leibold School students spent time recently reflecting on those in their lives who are good examples of how to follow Jesus. They were invited to write a thank you note to the person explaining how he or she has helped them. Aila wrote a heartwarming message to her father.

2) ROYALMONT HOSTED LOVE-ED

Royalmont Academy hosted Coleen Kelly Mast to present the LoveEd program. This program teaches children about “the birds and the bees” the way God intended. Mast broadcast her two-hour radio show directly from Royalmont Academy.

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3) RESPECT LIFE AWARD

Vivian Koob was honored with the Respect Life Award at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains’ 11 a.m. Mass on Jan. 24.

It is awarded every year to an individual who embodies the call made in the U.S. bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, to “proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God.”

4) MLK ASSEMBLY AT ST. XAVIER HS

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St. Xavier High School hosted a Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Assembly on Jan. 22.

Guest speaker, Coley Harvey of Fox Sports and the Big Ten Network, offered a message to persevere with “energy and empathy.”

President Tim Reilly encouraged students to be “Men for the excluded, men for the marginalized, men for others,” in the Jesuit tradition.

5) VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS

Immaculate Heart of Mary School (IHM) kicks off Catholic Schools Week each year with Sundae Monday! The IHM PTO provided ice cream sundaes to all students and staff.

Students also participated in Career Day, Science Day and the ever-popular teachers vs. students volleyball game!

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65 www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

or actual 44 The feast of St. Catherine of Siena is in this month 45 Big number 46 Pub drinks 47 Football statistics 51 Good 54 “___time…”

55 Metallic element 56 River in central Europe 57 Smith, Catholic director and creator of the “Silent Bob” character 59 Roman greeting 60 El ___ 61 “Pygmalion” flower-seller 62 Cry of a goose 63 Sharp 64 Swellings 65 Against DOWN 1 Carriage 2 Eskimo dwelling 3 “And lead us not into ___” 4 Affirmative reply 5 Arab chief 6 They will be called children of God 7 High (comb.)

8 Island (Fr.) 9 Not (prefix) 10 Greek title for Jesus

11 Grandson of Abraham 12 “It was ___ joke.”

13 ___ Thursday 21 South African river 22 `Direction (abbr.)

24 First farmer 25 Attempt to convert 26 “…and do not share in another’s ___” (1 Tim 5:22) 29 Out 30 Type of prayer 31 Seize 32 Female horse 33 Saucer letters 34 Pop classic 38 View from Chamoix, to a native 39 Parched 41 Chalice covering 42 “Comin’ ___ the Rye” 46 Brother of Moses 48 Father-in-law of Caiaphas 49 What Goliath was 50 Valued mushrooms 51 Cowl wearer 52 Garfield’s pal 53 Actress Russo 54 Ardent 57 Understanding 58 “Strange Magic” rock grp.

59 Half a dance?

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ACROSS 1 Vatican ___ 5 St. James is the patron of this country 10 Wife of Jacob 14 Double curve 15 A greeting 16 Nobel Institute city 17 Soprano Gluck 18 Consumed 19 Audacity 20 Policeman 21 Veni, vidi, ___ 22 Version of the Bible 23 Breakfast treat 25 Frat letters 27 Baseball class just below the majors 28 Saint Goretti 30 Its films begin with a roar 33 Pending 35 Beside 36 Hunk of history 37 Sinn ___ 38 “…is still ___, a sigh…”

39 Purim month 40 Exclamation of surprise 41 Common person of ancient Rome 42 Reuben or Gad, for example 43 It may be original

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T H E C AT H OL IC T E L E G RAP H / M ARCH 2021 | 49

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THE FINAL WORD with Nicholas Jobe

REMEMBER THE FAITHFULNESS OF JOSEPH Those who are familiar with the extended lore of Tolkien’s Middle Earth know of the great wolfhound Huan, the “Hound of Valinor,” who was given the power to speak only three times before his death. Knowing this, you would be sure to pay special attention to whatever extraordinary words came from Huan’s mouth. You would never forget those words – just like I’ve never forgotten the words St. Joseph spoke to me.

with God. But it was the only answer I received in prayer.

Joseph obviously plays a prominent role in the Gospels and in the life of the Holy Family, yet he has no recorded words in all of Scripture. Imagine my surprise, then, when he spoke to me in prayer one day. It was a cold winter morning in late 2014, and I was at Holy Family Catholic Church in Dayton, praying before St. Joseph’s statue after confession and before the start of Holy Mass. In prayer, I sought Joseph’s intercession for my struggles as a single man in graduate school. Suddenly, in a clear voice that sounded in both my ears and my heart, I heard Joseph say eight unmistakable words: “You need to increase your devotion to me.”

God does not always ask us to do what is easy, but He does ask us to do what is right. When Joseph intended to divorce Mary quietly, because she was found to be pregnant, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said:

Immediately after Holy Mass, I began searching online and at our local Catholic bookshop. I was soon invested in the Purple Scapular of St. Joseph, and I began acquiring holy cards and other small artworks of him to fill my tiny apartment with daily reminders of his patronage. My devotion to him has ebbed and flowed in the six years since that morning, but I also know that my victories and defeats vary directly with that devotion. The closer we are to the saints who are with God in Heaven, the closer we are to God Himself!

Joseph followed the path of the Lord again when he took Mary and Jesus into Egypt to escape Herod’s plot to kill the Messiah. In just a few verses, St. Joseph becomes for us an exemplar of faithfulness, one who continually hears the will of God and does whatever it takes to follow Him. Joseph follows God even when the reason may not seem clear or the path may be difficult. In this Year of St. Joseph, and as we approach his feast, remember the faithfulness of Joseph. Increase your devotion to him, and he will lead you to the Lord!

I realized much later that the year leading up to that moment was already a precursor to St. Joseph’s unforgettable admonition to me. I had my heart set on a particular school for graduate studies – but when it came time to apply, God said, “No.” It wasn’t that I applied and was rejected; I mean that God presented a different option, and He asked me to choose that one instead. I resisted for weeks, and I was angry

and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Anderson Township with their two young daughters, Madeleine and Mariana. They are parishioners of Old St. Mary’s. Nick has been the Registrar at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology since 2016.

He is also the founder and “Quartermaster” of Our Lady’s Armory, selling handcrafted rosaries, sacramentals and other unique Catholic gifts.

5 0 | TH E F INAL WORD

So I took a leap of faith, and I applied. But it was a challenge.

I took six years to finish a two-year master’s degree. As Providence would have it, however, I met my wife there. Today we have two beautiful daughters, Madeleine Immaculata and Mariana Caeli. God surely knew what He was doing.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him (Matt. 1:20-21, 24).

NICHOLAS JOBE

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