The Catholic Telegraph May 2022

MAGAZINE

191st year | issue 5

bringing faith into the home

may 2022 | devotions + graduation | 1

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editor’s note

Cultivating Devotion I’ve been meditating for weeks on this May issue’s theme of devotion, rolling it over in my head. While growing up, the word “devotion,” in relation to faith, only extended to flowery “devotional books.” I wasn’t even aware of devotions to particular saints then, because I had no real understanding of who the saints are.

“Devotion” only resonated with me in connection to relationships I witnessed in my young life. Devotion was my father working 10 hours a day to care for our family. It was my grandfather showing up to my third grade basketball games. It was my dog sitting in bed with me as I cried through teenage angst and heartbreak. In short, it was utter loyalty from those who loved me most.

In that context, devotion in terms of faith becomes much more approachable, much more tangible. It’s more than just words on a page (though as an avid book lover, I wholeheartedly endorse a good devotional book). Devotion is about relationships, about loyalty. And who loves us most?

Who is most devoted to us? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Just think of how much devotion fills our hearts for those we love in our earthly lives. In fostering devotion to and with our Savior, imagine what that can do for our souls!

Again, in thinking about my devotion to my own mother, it was easy to find a similar connection with Christ’s mother, especially under a title that so directly affects the struggles in our lives.

You know what’s really neat? Pope Francis has a special devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots, too! At the conclusion of his month-long rosary in May 2021, Pope Francis said: “Tonight we gather before you, our Virgin Mother, venerated in this image as the one who unties knots. In fact, there are many knots that bind our lives and our activities. They are knots of selfishness and indifference, economic and social knots, knots of violence and war.”

Considering his intentions, it’s pretty amazing to realize that our devotions can extend beyond our own desires.

So, if you’re like me and still looking for ways to cultivate personal spiritual devotion—whether to a saint, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Divine Mercy, and so many more.— I encourage you to think about the ways devotion manifested in your own earthly life, then apply that to your spiritual one.

You’ll be amazed by how much cultivating devotion helps you grow in your faith life!

And more than having a devotion just to Christ, garnering a devotion to a particular saint also yields spiritual rewards.

One that I cultivated first was to Our Lady Undoer of Knots.

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 191st Year No. 5 • May 2022 513-263-6635 • thecatholictelegraph.com

PUBLISHER Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jessica Rinaudo

MEDIA SALES Deacon Graham Galloway

GRAPHIC DESIGN Emma Cassani

PHOTOGRAPHY Margaret Swensen

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Dominick Albano

NEW MEDIA EDITOR Greg Hartman

SOCIAL MEDIA Katherine Geiger

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Bishop-Elect Earl K. Fernandes page 8

may devotions

columns

24 MAY CROWNING

7 QUESTION OF FAITH

EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

A history of crowning Mary’s images

Mass offerings?

28 CATHOLIC AT HOME

DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

KATIE SCIBA

Our Lady Star of the Sea 29 SEVEN SISTERS

news 8 CELEBRATING BISHOP-ELECT EARL K. FERNANDES JESSICA RINAUDO

An exclusive interview with the next Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus 10 BEACONS OF LIGHT DEACON MARK MACHUGA

Foundational principles: A Partnership of Peter, Pastors & Parishioners 12 PRIEST ORDINATIONS 7 Men to be Ordained on May 21 18 CELEBRATING VETERANS BONNY VAN

Gate of Heaven hosts Annual Memorial Day Field Mass 46 OUT & ABOUT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE

PHOTO BY: MARGARET SWENSEN

Felicity Cooley crowns a statue of Mary at Christ the King Church in Cincinnati.

4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

16 A CLOSER LOOK The dignity and purpose of work 20 A PRIEST’S PERSPECTIVE BISHOP-ELECT EARL FERNANDES

KARY ELLEN BERGER

The joy and delight of your heart

Growing program unites women to pray for priests

21 BOOK REVIEW FATHER ALBERT BELTZ

28 ST. JOSEPH PILGRIMAGE

The Silent Knight

MATT HESS

In Fort Recovery, St. Joseph devotion strengthens community

22 SHINE ON DOMINICK ALBANO

What is Mary’s Myers-Briggs?

graduation

32 KIDS PAGES St. Damien of Molokai

38 TEACHING DIVERSITY

34 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

PATRICIA MCGEEVER

DR. ANDREW SODERGREN

Mother Teresa School Teacher Amanda Ocariz wins award

Gift, self-gift and the meaning of life, part 1

40 FAITH & SCHOOL IN THE FAMILY

37 SEIZE THE MOMENT

BONNY VAN

Five ways to keep your faith on campus

Carroll High School a Sableski family institution 43 QUEENS OF THE COURT JOHN STEGEMAN

ON THE COVER

contents

Alter & Purcell Marian win state in girls’ basketball

NICHOLAS HARDESTY

50 THE FINAL WORD FATHER ROB JACK

Acts of Devotion: Dedication to the Mother of God

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FOR MAY For Faith-Filled Young People

We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.

Seek the Lord ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

Devotion to the saints, those holy men and women who have gone before us on earth and are now with God in heaven, has been a vital part of Catholic culture and practice from the earliest centuries of the Church. In particular, we venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary. We honor her as the mother of God, the mother of the Church and our mother, as well.

Depictions of the Blessed Virgin as an aid to prayer have appeared on frescos in the catacombs of Rome, on icons and on statues and paintings in churches throughout the world and over the centuries. Many of our most beautiful Catholic hymns are about Mary, reflecting the affection Christian people have always had for her. She is not a remote figure, but close to us as our model of faith, intercessor and Blessed Mother. In all of these roles, she leads us to Christ.

Mary is often called the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus. She believed in the message of an angel even though she did not know how it could be. In response to her kinswoman Elizabeth’s cry of “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” at the Visitation, she responds with the beautiful prayer, the Magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior” (Lk. 1:46-47). Mary is a model of faith, and we draw on her example for courage and strength as she accompanies us during life’s challenging times and big transitions.

In the Gospel according to John, we see Mary as intercessor when she subtly advocates for the bridal party at the wedding feast of Cana. She says just two things: “They have no wine” (Jn. 2:3) and “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2:5). Despite protesting that His hour has not yet come, Jesus turns water into wine at the behest of His mother. Following the ancient practices of the Church, Catholics often ask Mary to go to

God on our behalf. That is what we do when we say such treasured Marian prayers as the “Hail Mary,” the “Hail!

Holy Queen” and the “Memorare.”

Mary is the ideal intermediary because she is close to the Lord and close to us, a mother to both. She became the mother of God Incarnate when she told the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, “May it be done unto me according to your word” (Lk. 1:38). She became the mother of the Church and its members when Jesus said to her at the foot of the cross, “Woman, behold your son” and to the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother” (Jn. 19:26-27). Later, she was with the other disciples in the Upper Room (Acts 1:13) as a part of the early Church community in Jerusalem.

There are many ways in which the faithful can devote themselves to Mary, including the rosary, the Angelus, Mary gardens, Marian pilgrimages and May crownings. And since her assumption into heaven body and soul, the Church has found many apparitions of Mary worthy of belief, generating special devotions and feast days to Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe and others.

In my own life and in my ministry as priest and bishop, I have always felt close to the Blessed Virgin and valued Marian devotions as a means to follow her to Christ. Last June 19, on the bicentennial of the founding of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, I was pleased to re-consecrate our local Church to Jesus through Mary culminating a 33-day pilgrimage during which a blessed statue of Our Lady of Fatima was carried to 36 parishes across the archdiocese. This March 25, I again called upon Mary, asking her to watch over our archdiocese. We can be sure of Mary’s maternal care as we strive to be faithful disciples and joyful witnesses.

Holy Mary, Mother of God and our mother, pray for us!

S E E K T H E L O R D / MAY 2022 | 5

Busca al Senor ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

La devoción a los santos, esos hombres y mujeres santos que nos han precedido en la tierra y ahora están con Dios en el cielo, ha sido una parte vital de la cultura y las prácticas católicas desde los primeros siglos de la Iglesia. En particular, veneramos a la Santísima Virgen María. La honramos como madre de Dios, madre de la Iglesia y madre nuestra también.

Las representaciones de la Santísima Virgen como ayuda para la oración han aparecido en los frescos de las catacumbas de Roma, en iconos, estatuas y pinturas en iglesias de todo el mundo a lo largo de los siglos. Muchos de nuestros himnos católicos más hermosos son sobre María, lo que refleja el cariño que el pueblo cristiano siempre ha tenido por ella.

Ella no es una figura lejana, sino cercana a nosotros como modelo de fe, intercesora y Madre Santísima. En todas estas capacidades, ella nos lleva a Cristo.

María es a menudo llamada la primera y más perfecta discípula de Jesús. Ella creyó en el mensaje de un ángel, aunque no sabía cómo podía ser. En respuesta al grito de su pariente Isabel de “¡Dichosa tú por haber creído que se cumplirían las promesas del Señor!’” en la Visitación, ella responde con la hermosa oración, el Magníficat: “Proclama mi alma la grandeza del Señor, mi espíritu se regocija en Dios mi salvador” (Lc 1:4647). María es un modelo de fe y nos inspiramos en su ejemplo de coraje y fortaleza mientras nos acompaña durante los momentos difíciles y las grandes transiciones de la vida.

En el Evangelio según san Juan, vemos a María como intercesora cuando aboga sutilmente por la pareja en las bodas de Caná. Ella dice solo dos cosas: “No tienen vino” (Jn 2:3) y “Hagan lo que él les diga” (Jn 2:5). A pesar de protestar que aún no ha llegado su hora, Jesús convierte el agua en vino a instancias de su madre. Siguiendo las antiguas prácticas de la Iglesia, los católicos a menudo le pedimos a María que vaya a Dios en nuestro nombre. Eso es lo que hacemos cuando decimos oraciones marianas tan preciadas como el “Ave 6 | THE C ATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

María”, el “¡Dios te Salve!” y el “Memorare”.

María es la intermediaria ideal porque está cerca del Señor y cerca de nosotros, madre de ambos. Ella se convirtió en la madre de Dios Encarnado cuando le dijo al ángel Gabriel en la Anunciación: “Hágase en mí según tu palabra” (Lc 1:38).

Se convirtió en madre de la Iglesia y de sus miembros cuando Jesús le dijo al pie de la cruz: “Mujer, ahí tienes a tu hijo” y al discípulo el amaba: “Ahí tienes a tu madre” (Jn 19:26-27).

Más tarde, ella estuvo con los otros discípulos en el Aposento Alto (Hch 1:13) como parte de la comunidad de la Iglesia primitiva en Jerusalén.

Hay muchas formas en que los fieles pueden dedicarse a María, incluyendo el rosario, el Ángelus, los jardines de María, las peregrinaciones marianas y las coronaciones de mayo. Y desde su asunción al cielo en cuerpo y alma, la Iglesia ha encontrado muchas apariciones de María dignas de creer, generando devociones especiales y días festivos a Nuestra Señora de Fátima, Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, y Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe entre otras.

En mi propia vida y en mi ministerio como sacerdote y obispo, siempre me he sentido cercano a la Santísima Virgen y he valorado las devociones marianas como una manera para seguirla a ella hacia Cristo. El pasado 19 de junio, en el bicentenario de la fundación de la Arquidiócesis de Cincinnati, tuve el placer de volver a consagrar nuestra Iglesia local a Jesús por María, culminando una peregrinación de 33 días durante la cual se llevó una estatua bendecida de Nuestra Señora de Fátima a 36 parroquias de la arquidiócesis. Este 25 de marzo volví a llamar a María, pidiéndole que velara por nuestra arquidiócesis. Podemos estar seguros del cuidado maternal de María mientras nos esforzamos por ser discípulos fieles y testigos gozosos. ¡Santa María, Madre de Dios y Madre nuestra, ruega por nosotros!

QUE ST IO N O F F A IT H

Mass Offerings?

What does it mean when a priest says a Mass is being offered for a person?

priest and parish. It, therefore, creates an obligation that the priest must satisfy.

As part of the prayers of the Mass, the priest may offer a Mass for a particular intention, which is often for the repose of a deceased person’s soul, though Masses can be offered for the intentions of the living.

However, this does not mean that the Mass was purchased, nor that the Mass’s prayers are offered only for that single intention. Moreover, not all Masses may have a particular intention. All pastors are required to offer a weekend Mass for the intentions of his parishioners – without any financial offering attached.

THE GRACES OF THE MASS

The celebration of the Mass is among the Church’s most powerful and efficacious prayers. In it, the Church prays in union with Christ and brings to Him the needs of individuals, communities and societies. The people call to mind their intentions during the Mass, which is most evident in the Prayers of the Faithful and in each of the Eucharistic prayers, where the faithful pray explicitly for the living and the dead.

PRAYERS FOR THE DECEASED

An early Church tradition was offering prayers for the deceased, as seen on some early Christian tombs that bear inscriptions asking for prayers for the dead. This soon led to the practice of honoring the dead and praying for their repose on the anniversary of their deaths. We know this custom was widespread in the early Church, as evidenced by St. Monica’s final request of her son, St. Augustine: “The only thing I ask of you is that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be” (St. Augustine, Confessions, IX, 11).

THE OFFERING

A small offering usually accompanies a Mass intention. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the suggested amount is five dollars, though more can be given and less can be accepted.

The small sum is meant for the Church’s needs, connecting the person requesting the Mass intention to the work of the

NAMING THE INTENTION

Arranging a Mass offering can be seen as a thoughtful and meaningful response to illness or death, or even a birthday or wedding anniversary. In some places, Mass cards are provided to the person or family for whom the Mass is offered. This furthers the Mass’s prayers by inviting prayers from those connected to the intention, such as the deceased’s children or spouse.

In many parishes, the intention is stated aloud, often included in the Prayers of the Faithful when the person’s name precedes “for whom this Mass is offered.” The intention, however, need not be vocalized. It is sufficient for the priest himself to be mindful of it as he offers the Mass.

While not always well understood, this early Church practice of offering Masses for particular needs reminds us of the Mass’s efficacy and how prayer transcends time and place, connecting the living and the dead, all of whom benefit from the prayers offered at the Mass.

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

Q U E S T IO N O F F A IT H / MAY 2022 | 7

CELEBRATING

Bishop-Elect Earl Fernandes An Exclusive Interview with the Next Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus

BY JESSICA RINAUDO

of Toledo, right next to a Sun Oil refinery. … My father never let us tell anyone what he did for a living. And we lived pretty simply, and my parents were very devout people.”

On the morning of April 2, the faithful of Ohio woke to a surprise: Father Earl K. Fernandes, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, was designated by Pope Francis as Bishop-elect of the Diocese of Columbus. Although many in southwestern Ohio are sad to say goodbye to Bishop-elect Fernandes, the overwhelming responses expressed great joy for him.

In a special interview with The Catholic Telegraph, the man known for always smiling and radiating the joy of Christ shone while he spoke about his early life as a child of immigrant parents, who instilled the Catholic faith from a young age.

“My parents and brothers are immigrants from India. My father came to the United States in January 1970. The Vietnam War was on. There was a shortage of physicians in this country because of the war, and so green cards were being granted to people from India, Philippines, Pakistan because they spoke English,” said Bishop-elect Fernandes.

“We went to St. Thomas Aquinas Church on the eastside 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

His parents passed on their faith to their children through consistent prayer, including nightly family rosaries that concluded with the Angelus, as well as prayers for world peace, the souls in purgatory and the family’s intentions.

Bishop-elect Fernandes spoke of his childhood with both solemnity and humor, “We’d have to kneel there on our floor and our knees would hurt. And we tried to say our Hail Mary really fast, and if my dad couldn’t understand us, he would say, ‘Repeat.’ If he said repeat three times, he’d take off a slipper and [wave it at us].”

As he grew, the Fernandes family remained close to their church. Bishop-elect Fernandes laughed as he recalled, “When I got to be in eighth grade, my classmates and I tried to predict what we’d be in 50 years and my classmates predicted I’d be the first American pope!”

He felt tugs toward a religious vocation throughout his young adulthood, talking to vocations directors throughout high school and college. While studying in Manchester, England, Fernandes made his first trip to Rome.

“Just before Christmas I was in Rome, and I remember walking into St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time. I remember how quickly my heart started to beat…. And I came to the tomb of St. Peter. And I fell to my knees, and

then I knew that God’s really calling me to be a priest.”

Despite that overwhelming feeling, Fernandes continued with his medical degree at the University of Cincinnati.

Through the local vocations director’s promptings, he spent a year at a discernment house in Rome.

“At the end of that year, I decided to come back to Cincinnati and begin the seminary. And so I began the seminary in 1997, and was ordained in 2002. During that time, I spent a pastoral year at Assumption Church in Mount Healthy.”

There, he befriended his long-time mentor, Msgr. Amann.

“To see how faithful he was, even with great pain, made a profound impression on me. He never missed a genuflection.

He would do sick calls, and once, when an elevator was broken, he climbed seven flights of stairs to bring an elderly woman communion… And so, when I became a priest, Monsignor gave me his chalice, and so I remember him during Mass and I’m very grateful to him.”

The newly ordained Father Fernandes was appointed to Holy Angels Parish and as chaplain to Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney, OH. He spent 2004 to 2008 in Rome for further studies, then taught moral theology and served as academic dean at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology in Cincinnati. During that time, he also helped at Guardian Angels Parish across the street from the seminary.

helping straighten out finances. He also kept regular contact with Archbishop Pierre, phone calls between them were quite usual. So, Father Fernandes didn’t think much of it when the phone rang on March 21.

“I said, ‘Excellency, how are you?’ And he said, ‘Where are you? ... Are you alone?’ ... And all of a sudden, I got this burning sensation in my gut. And he said the Holy Father has nominated you as the next Bishop of Columbus. And then there was this kind of pause, and I looked up at a picture [taken] after my Mass of Thanksgiving at my home parish up in Toledo with my parents. And then I looked over at the crucifix on my desk and I said, ‘I accept.’ And he said, ‘We worked together well at the nunciature. You know the mind of Pope Francis. Your experience at the nunciature and even these years in the parish will have prepared you. You’ll be fine.’”

Bishop-elect Fernandes continued, “I said, ‘Excellency...

One of my last substantive conversations with my father before his death, I asked him, “Is there anything that you want from me?”...

And then my father held my hand and he said, “I don’t know what the Holy Father will ever do in your regard, but if he does ask, you must accept. We have these problems in the Church. We need good shepherds. And if he asks, you remember the humble origins of your family. You remember your faith.

Above all, you remember Jesus Christ.’”

In some ways he was prophetic.”

“

And I came to the tomb of St. Peter. And I fell to my knees, and then I knew that God was really calling me to be a priest.

Father Fernandes’ life took another unexpected turn in 2016: The apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Vigano, requested Father Fernandes to serve as a secretary at the nuncio’s office in Washington D.C.

As Bishop-elect Fernandes prepares for his episcopal ordination in Columbus on May 31, he plans to draw on his experience as a pastor and high school chaplain and on his work in the nuncio’s office.

“Early on, because of the transition from Archbishop Vigano to Archbishop Pierre [at the nuncio’s office], I didn’t have very much to do,” said Bishop-elect Fernandes. “And I’m a workaholic and so I was absolutely bored. And now, looking back on it, I think what God was maybe wanting me to do is to be still and know that He is God. And so I had to learn how to not work, how to be, how to pray, how to shut down the computer. And then eventually Archbishop Pierre came and got into his stride and we began to work very well together.”

“Part of being a bishop or a priest, a Christian, is to facilitate the encounter with the person of Jesus Christ that opens up new horizons for life and gives our life this decisive direction. … Christ is made present in the human reality through His church, and God’s grace comes to us in the human reality.

And so to engage reality, and to help people experience God’s grace in this reality, is what I hope to be spending the next 25 years of my life and priesthood and episcopal ministry in Columbus doing.”

Called back to Cincinnati in 2019 to serve as St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish’s pastor, Father Fernandes took over on the heels of a sexual abuse scandal. He had a lot to do to restore the parish’s stability, which he did, reigniting ministries and

Note: This article is only a small portion of our interview with Bishop-Elect Fernandes. Much more will be shared in The Catholic Telegraph’s June issue and through online videos. Stay tuned!

N E W S / MAY 2022 | 9

FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES #4: LEADERSHIP A PARTNERSHIP OF PETER, PASTORS AND PARISHIONERS

BY DEACON MARK MACHUGA

This article is the fourth in a series covering each of the six foundational principles of Beacons of Light, the pastoral planning process of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt. 16:18-19)

“

It should be no surprise, then, that leadership is one of those six principles on which Beacons of Light is built. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr approved those principles as the foundation for the plans each Family of Parishes will develop.

As a cooperative leadership vision unfolds within our Families of Parishes,

The Leadership principle states: “Pastors, in collaboration with parochial vicars, deacons and lay ministers, according to their proper roles and charisms, share responsibility for pastoral leadership. The spiritual, physical and mental health and ongoing support of ordained and lay leaders is vital for Families of Parishes.”

it is good to explore the With these words, Jesus entrusted the Church’s leadership directly to Peter dimensions that will bring It recognizes and celebrates contributions and his successors. The hierarchy was from the many leaders in a parish this about effectively. established in the years that followed community. While ultimate authority and authority was passed on through and final decisions rest with the pastor, the popes to bishops and pastors for the care and feeding of the gifts of many others contribute to a parish’s success and their flocks. It is important to recognize that the origins of vitality. As a cooperative leadership vision unfolds within our authority within the Church are traced directly back to Jesus Families of Parishes, it is good to explore the dimensions that Himself. will bring this about effectively.

1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

• Our Pastor is Our Shepherd: Appointed by the archbishop to lead the Family of Parishes, a single pastor is, ultimately, entrusted with the care of souls and is, therefore, responsible for the parish’s leaders and leadership.

• We Are Unified Under Our Pastor: The goal is the unification of multiple parishes into one Family: one parish led by one pastor.

• Deacons Will Assist the Pastor and Parochial Vicars: As part of the diocesan clergy, appointed by the archbishop, deacons will join the pastor and parochial vicars in serving the Family of Parishes, rather than just their individual parish.

• We Show Concern for the Health and Well-being of Our Leaders: Through acts of fraternal charity and concern, all Family members support and foster the health and well-being of all leaders, to whom is entrusted the Church’s success.

• Co-responsibility Is Essential for Success: Pastors, staff and parishioners share responsibility for bringing all relevant perspectives to the process of discernment, according to their proper roles and gifts. In this way, all

Family members’ contributions are recognized, respected and included.

• We Plan for Tomorrow’s Leadership: Pastors actively cultivate skill in their leaders and draw others into leadership with them. Planning and formation for our leaders’ futures will sustain the Family for generations to come.

• Leaders Embrace Personal Development: Clergy participate in and are accountable for their own formation, so that both they and the laity are well-formed spiritually, theologically and in leadership to support their respective roles.

Many people and teams make up our Family of Parishes’ leadership, sharing a common desire to bring the Gospel to life in the community. Clergy, pastoral council, finance council, competent and qualified staff, and numerous ministries, commissions and associations embrace this vision and participate as members of the Body of Christ.

As we embark on this journey, let our prayer be that each of us, endowed with special and unique gifts from God, contributes to our Family of Parishes’ vitality and success.

In this way, we cooperate in the leadership conferred on St. Peter by Jesus Himself at the Church’s dawn.

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B E A CO N S O F L IG H T / M AY 2022 | 11

Priest Ordinations 7 M E N T O B E O R D A I N E D O N M AY 2 1

Chibueze Asiegbulem I was born and raised in Nigeria, the fifth son in a family of four boys and one girl. I migrated to the U.S. on May 8, 2016. I was a student of University of Dayton before I started discerning a priestly vocation with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. I am the only one among my siblings outside the shores of my country. My home parish is Immaculate Conception in Dayton.

My call to the sacred ministry began when I was an altar server. As a result of my early vocational call, my parents supported me, and at age 12 was offered admission at Maria Mater Ecclesiea Seminary, which is similar to high school.

Rectors in Nigeria have been my mentors along my journey to the sacred priesthood. Father Anselm Anukam of blessed memory was a good mentor to me.

I look forward to celebrating the Eucharist with the people of God and making myself readily available as God’s instrument for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

My favorite devotion is to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I like to watch and play soccer.

1 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

Uriel Santos Garcia I was born in Mexico into a Catholic family and have one brother and sister. My first catechist was my dear grandmother, a significant influence on my spiritual life. She encouraged me to embrace the Catholic faith and serve as an acolyte in my childhood, which is when I began hearing a call to the priesthood. I keep my home parish of Santiago Apostol very close to my heart. My mother lives in Middletown, and through her I felt a second calling: to serve the Latino population in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as a sacred minister.

I was blessed to have an exceptional mentor named Mariano Cortes who led the acolyte ministry at Santiago Apostol and taught me proper liturgy and prayers. Even today he remains an influence in my life. He is steadfast in praying before the Blessed Sacrament and offers a holy hour once a week just for my vocation.

I look forward to administering the sacraments of healing, particularly of reconciliation and anointing of the sick. I feel a special calling to the infirm because I have endured my own illness. In this way, I also see my sickness as a blessing and gift from God, as an example of how God brings good out of suffering.

Among my favorite devotions are the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Way of the Cross. When I pray these prayers, I meditate on Jesus’ suffering and I ask for mercy. Everyone needs mercy; we can feel God’s love through these beautiful meditations.

I enjoy cooking—especially carne asada. I like to gather with my family here in Cincinnati and go home to Mexico to visit my father and sister.

I am very happy that the archdiocese allowed me the opportunity to study Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and learn English along the way. I thank God for sustaining me through times of struggle, a new language and culture and coping with an autoimmune disease. I look forward to sharing my experiences with parishioners, especially the message of God’s mercy and unending love.

Robert Hale I grew up the oldest of four right outside of Louisville, KY, and was homeschooled until high school, then graduated from the local public school.

I was involved with my parish and really enjoyed being an altar server. I was able to witness my sister’s marriage as a deacon! My brother and I love playing video games together.

My grandmother prayed for me to be a priest. I, however, did not seriously discern the priesthood until my mid-20s. My pastor asked if I thought about the priesthood and I decided I had to give seminary a chance. I thank God that I was finally open to following His will for me! My spiritual director, Father Sunberg, is a wonderful example of how to be Christ to others.

I look forward to a life of service for the people of God. I want to meet them where they are and help them fall more in love with Jesus Christ. St. Thérèse had an important role in my discernment to the priesthood, and I am filled with awe by her simplicity and love for the Lord. I also enjoy a litany to the saints.

I love watching Star Wars and have since I was kid. I also love astronomy – seeing the stars and planets humbles me, and not seeing everything that is out in space that God created reminds me of how much He loves us!

I ask the faithful to pray for their priests, religious and seminarians and to encourage young people to pray about the vocation God is calling them to. If a young man thinks he may have a vocation to the priesthood, to talk with his priest about it. Regardless of your vocation in this life, as Pope St. John Paul II would say, “life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.”

Ethan Hoying I am 27 years old from a typical Catholic family—my parents celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary the day after my First Mass. I have two brothers and one sister, and many cousins. Raised on a family farm outside the small town of Russia, OH, the heart and cultural life of the community is St. Remy’s parish – it is the town’s identity.

Growing up on a farm is one of the most appreciated aspects of my life. And I still enjoy slipping home just to feel the dirt in my hands and find something to keep me busy, particularly when there is work with Dad or one of my brothers or cousins.

My family life fostered a “natural” vocation in me, we are ardent members of St. Remy Church. I served the Holy Mass and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament almost every week on Thursday evenings from seventh grade until I left for college seminary. Another big part of my discernment was my childhood pastor who presented discernment and priesthood by the way he lived his life in our simple interactions. During college seminary, my vocation became alive because there was a peace in the depths of my soul. My vocation did not involve any “love at first sight” or “firework” moments. Instead my vocation was a gradual progression. As I grew, my vocation grew on me.

Father Frank Amberger, my pastor for “my impressionable and informative years” was assigned to St. Remy’s from my third grade year until after I entered seminary. Pope St. Pius X has been my best friend (and confirmation patron) for many years, and my grandparents, each in their own way, have been mentors to me.

I most look forward to offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but a close second is listening to confessions and praying for the flock entrusted to my care. The Most Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Confession are the two things which have been my biggest help, my greatest peace, and my most ardent loves. My favorite prayer is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but I also enjoy the psalms in the Divine Office (the Liturgy of the Hours).

I like farming, hiking, and anything out in the woods and working outdoors. I also like reading, watching movies, hanging out with friends and family and playing cards.

Pray for me! I cannot ask you enough – indeed beg – for you to pray for me. I will never be able to repay those who pray for me, although our Heavenly Father can and surely will. Let us pray for each other!

O R D IN A T IO N / MAY 2022 | 13

Stephen Jones I grew up in Kokomo, IN, along with most of my family. I played baseball, participated in Boy Scouts, served at Mass with my best friends, played the trumpet in band and attended then led our youth group. I graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a degree in Philosophy and Theology, with new friends from Cincinnati, and with a growing discernment to join a diocese I did not grow up in. My family began to move to the Cincinnati area, and I knew that I was being called to join the archdiocese.

I thought the priest had one of the best “jobs” I could imagine, but I never thought I could be called to the priesthood; it was only for the holiest of holy people, and I was a regular kid. During my high school junior year, God shattered that misconception during a Eucharistic procession at a retreat, and I began to seriously discern if God might be calling me.

I had many priests help me realize a vocation to the priesthood was one of joy, love for the people and love for God and what it is to be a priest, including Fathers Martin Fox, Barry Stechschulte, Alexander Witt and Thomas McCarthy. I had the examples of many holy people who gifted me with their time and insights.

I look forward to finally getting to serve the parishes of the archdiocese as a priest! I will finally be able to offer the people of God the grace of the sacraments which I have loved and depended on my whole life. I have always had a devotion to Mary through the Rosary and St. Louis De Montfort’s beautiful Consecration to Jesus Through Mary. Later in life I added the Divine Mercy Chaplet as I experienced its power in the midst of loss and pain to restrengthen my trust in the Lord and His mercy. I continually turn towards St. Joseph of Cupertino, Padre Pio, and to St. John Vianney and St. Philip Neri in their examples of priestly devotion to Jesus and his Church.

I enjoy listening to audio media, be it good books about scifi or other fiction, podcasts on historical events, talks from Catholic media, Catholic books and spiritual works. I also like dabbling with technology, constantly building, tearing apart, upgrading and repurposing electronics.

As an “adopted” seminarian studying for a diocese I did not grow up in, I want to say thank you for all these years of welcome. You have made this a new home and made the decision to be ordained here an easy and a joyful one. I cannot wait to serve you as one of your priests, and I look forward to all the gifts God will give to me through you.

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Jacob Lindle I am the son of Doug and Denise; the younger brother of Jason and Emma; and the older brother of Anna, Meredith, Elise, and Michael.

My dad is a retired detective for the City of Cincinnati, and former owner of Bridgetown Hardware and Paint where I worked in high school. My mom was a police dispatcher before raising us crazy kids, and she now works as a teacher’s aid. We are a Westside family through and through. I was baptized at St. Bernard, Taylor Creek, and I went to grade school at Our Lady of the Visitation. I went to Elder High School and graduated in 2013.

My family was always very faithful, but I lost my way in high school. I believed in the Lord and His Church, but my faith was not a living reality. A retreat was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I heard the Gospel and its demands for the first time in their clarity: Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, must be the center of our lives. In adoration between high school and college I first encountered the Lord Jesus in the Eucharist—not simply as a doctrine but as a living Person. Without ever having thought about a vocation before, I prayed, “Lord, I see the beauty of the priesthood: I want to be a priest if it is Your will.”

God has given me amazing priests and mentors. My parents and siblings taught me how to love. I think of two young priests, Father Anthony Brausch and Father Kyle Schnippel, who were assigned to my parish as I was growing up. My spiritual directors were incredibly helpful and formative.

My cousin Father Jeremy Miller gave crucial guidance and candid advice. And my professors at the University of Notre Dame where I first began really discerning the call to the priesthood I heard in 2013, and their rich education in the beauty of the Catholic faith fanned the flame of my faith and my vocation.

I most look forward to living totally for the Church. What a gift to offer Jesus to the Father in the sacrifice of the Mass and what a responsibility to imitate what I celebrate in a life of self-giving love. My favorite devotion is Eucharistic adoration. Nothing comes close to the inexhaustible silence of His love.

I love hunting for used books at St. Vincent de Paul, climbing trees and playing soccer and ping-pong.

Jesus is proposing something to you right now. Beg Him to see. Life with Him in the Church is the most beautiful adventure.

Michael Willig I’m from St. Antoninus Parish on the Westside of Cincinnati.

I am the sixth of eight children.

I had an uncle, Father Jim Willig, who faithfully served as a priest of this archdiocese until his death in 2001. My brother is also a priest of the archdiocese, Father Jacob Willig.

Growing up, my family emphasized the importance of discerning one’s vocation and that provided an openness to God’s plan. When I was a boy, my uncle, Father Jim Willig, as well as Father Al Lauer, had a tremendous impact on my respect for the priesthood. I thought about the priesthood when I was a child, but not during high school or college. It wasn’t until a few years after graduating college that I began seriously discerning a call to the priesthood.

My brother, Father Jacob Willig, entered seminary five years before me and having him as a brother and mentor has been an incredible blessing. In addition, I had several other priests who mentored me over the years.

HELPING THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI call the community to worship for 180 years VERDIN’S 1 INSTALLATION Old St. Mary’s, Cincinnati, OH (1842) ST

I look forward to being completely available to serve Christ as one of his priests and to serve the people of God by providing the sacraments and spreading the Gospel.

I hope I may be an instrument in the hand of God to accomplish His work.

Praying the rosary changed my life. Growing up, my family prayed the rosary together every evening and that had a major positive impact on my life. I like to pray the Memorare, ask for intercession from my patron saints, and my top three devotions are the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph.

I enjoy hiking in the wilderness and particularly enjoy climbing mountains. Going to the mountains is like a retreat for me.

I am excited to serve as a priest of Jesus Christ. Know of my prayers for you. Please pray for our priests and for vocations to the priesthood.

Read the full ordinand interviews on our website!

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Father Patrick Sloneker Congratulations on Your 25th Priestly Anniversary!

May the good Lord continue blessing you in a special way for the love and concern with which you minister to all those entrusted to your care.

May your life be filled with God’s good gifts, and abundant joy.

THE VERDIN COMPANY A FAMILY OF INNOVATORS SINCE 1842 800-543-0488 | www.verdin.com

from the Church of the Incarnation O R D IN A T IO N / MAY 2022 | 15

A CLO SE R LO O K

The Dignity and Purpose of Work Later, Washington and his students made and laid the literal In 1955, Pope Pius IX established May 1 as the Feast of bricks that became Tuskegee University, while the students St. Joseph the Worker, a day set aside to seek St. Joseph’s also labored in agricultural work as part of the curriculum. intercession on behalf of laborers. The date was chosen as The purpose, he recounted, was so that “the students an alternative to International Workers’ Day, to celebrate themselves would be taught to see not only utility in labor, workers while avoiding association with May Day’s historical but beauty and dignity.” They would learn “how to lift labor Marxist inflection. Although many countries still celebrate from mere drudgery and toil, and would learn to love work May 1 as Labor Day, for Catholics, the Feast of St. Joseph the for its own sake.”

Worker is the day to recognize and celebrate the dignity of work and workers without subscribing In describing work’s value both for to the errors of collectivist political “its own sake” and for the purpose of economic theories. And, of course, serving others, Washington expresses it reminds us that we must always be mindful of a proper understanding of Work’s higher dignity is essential elements in the Catholic of work, especially as the nature and purpose of work. realized in the creativity understanding articulated by Pope St. John Paul II in and diligence that goes his 1981 encyclical, Laborem Exercens.

In his classic 1901 memoir, Up From St. John Paul expounded both the Slavery, Booker T. Washington reflected into the work by the “objective” and “subjective” natures on labor’s value by recalling his days human person, rather than of work, finding dignity in both, but as a student and janitor at Hampton elevating the latter as the greater part.

Institute (now Hampton University). merely the product that “The subjective dimension of work comes out. must take precedent over the objective “At Hampton,” Washington wrote, dimension,” he wrote.

“I not only learned that it was not a disgrace to labor, but learned to love labor.” He learned to Objectively, work is the good, service or product formed love work for its “own sake” as well as the satisfaction of by human effort. The object is some thing, external to the supplying goods and services to others. Through physical worker, that can be used by another person. But work’s labor, he wrote, “I got my first taste of what it meant to live deeper dignity is found in the subjective sense, intimated a life of unselfishness” and to discover the happiness that

by Washington and expressly articulated by St. John Paul. can be found in providing services to others.

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Experience the presence of Our Mother at

In this sense, work is a means of “self-realization.” Work’s higher dignity is realized in the creativity and diligence that goes into the work by the human person, rather than merely the product that comes out. Understood this way, human work not only proceeds from the person, but contributes to her own moral and social development.

The greater purpose of work is the flourishing of the human subject who performs it.

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St. John Paul’s emphasis on the subjective nature of work helps us see the dignity in work where the produced outcome might not seem dignified. By emphasizing the worker’s moral development, we can see that dignity is found in all aspects of human labor, regardless of the objective product or service provided. This celebration of the subjective human dignity found in work is nicely illustrated in Alice McDermott’s novel, The Ninth Hour.

Set in early 20th Century Brooklyn, the novel’s protagonist, Annie, is a young woman who becomes a widow suddenly, close to the birth of her child, Sally.

Having no other means of support, Annie accepts a job in the basement laundry of a local convent where nursing nuns serve the sick and dying. The objects of Annie’s work certainly do not seem very dignified. Every day, she washes “the stained bedclothes of the sick,” and her duties include the nuns’ routine laundry. “Whatever troubles the Sisters encountered in their daily work were illustrated by the stains on an apron or a sleeve—the odor of vomit on wool, a spattering of blood across a white bib.” Annie’s days are filled with saliva, mucus, blood, urine and feces, yet she discovers her own labor’s dignity, becoming a witness to the subjective goodness and worth of the objectively “undignified” work of tending the sick and cleaning up after them. For Annie, the work becomes not just an end in itself, but also the means to serve others while contributing to her own moral development.

This is the “subjective” nature of work, in which the laborer’s good is greater than labor’s product. And so, especially during the month of May, let us petition St. Joseph the Worker to pray for us to grow morally and spiritually through the dignity of our work.

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.

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CELEBRATING

Veterans Gate of Heaven Hosts Annual Memorial Day Field Mass

BY BONNY VAN

Every Memorial Day, hundreds gather at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati to remember the military men and women who served our country.

“It’s such a community effort,” said Tom Jordan, Director of Gate of Heaven and Calvary Catholic Cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. “Everybody has a role to play.

We have a lot of volunteers and organizations who call year after year asking if we’re going to need them.”

The event began when a father wrote to Father Norbert J. Miller, then director of Gate of Heaven, in March of 1948, said Kate Thesing, Gate of Heaven’s community outreach coordinator.

“This father’s son was a Lieutenant in World War II and was lost in the Pacific, killed in action Feb. 5, 1945,” Thesing said. “[The] father wanted to purchase a lot on the sacred grounds to be ready as he and his wife waited for the remains of their son to be brought back home that summer of 1948.”

At the time, Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day, established on May 30, 1868, for the Civil War’s fallen soldiers. With the burial of the young soldier and others who served America at war, Gate of Heaven started its own tradition for a remembrance Mass on Decoration Day. In 1968, 100 years after Decoration Day’s creation, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act that established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May. Decades later, the Memorial Day Mass at Gate of Heaven Cemetery continues, with more than 700 attendees expected this year on May 30.

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“We structure the day to focus on the Mass,” Jordan said.

“The Mass is the highest form of prayer and we’re praying for souls, praying they’re united with God and we’re thanking them and we’re grateful for their service. In addition to the archbishop being here, the Holy Spirit is very obviously present that day. You can feel it. ” Activities begin at 10:30 a.m. with a veteran guest speaker; a formal laying of the wreath on a WWI veteran’s grave; and a U.S. Marine gun salute. Approximately 7,000 American flags are distributed by volunteers to mark veterans’ graves throughout the 165-acre cemetery.

“We get a lot of interest from the local veterans’ organizations and police forces, so there’s a lot of patriotism out there and a lot of people are willing to give their time and efforts to honor the veterans,” Jordan said. “Another element is the Cincinnati War Birds. It’s a tradition for them to fly over various cemeteries. It’s pretty inspiring when you see them fly in formation over the cemetery,” he added.

This year’s Mass will begin at 11 a.m. with celebrant Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr and the youth choir, directed by Ron Miller from St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Liberty Township. Refreshments will follow. Participants are asked to arrive early for parking and to bring a lawn chair.

“We want to stress that anybody’s welcome,” said Jordan. “[It’s] a good way to start the holiday weekend and pay honor to the veterans. And, there’s no better way to start the day than with Mass.”

Annual Memorial Day Field Mass Monday, May 30

with Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

10:30 a.m. Memorial Day Presentation 11 a.m. Memorial Day Mass Monday, May 30th, Memorial Day will be a day of ceremony, remembrance and prayer, as Gate of Heaven Cemetery celebrates its annual Memorial Day Field Mass at the Priest Mound.

All are welcome to come, express our faith and remember those who have served and died for our great nation and freedom. We will also remember family and friends interred on these sacred grounds.

Transportation will be provided from parking areas to the Priest Mound for those who need assistance.

There will be light refreshments after Mass, for all.

Please bring your folding chairs.

In case of rain, the Mass will move to Good Shepherd Parish at 8815 East Kemper Rd., Cincinnati

11000 MONTGOMERY RD. • CINCINNATI, OH 45249 gateofheaven.org • 513-489-0300 facebook.com/gateofheavencemetery

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A PR IE ST ’ S PE R SPE CT IV E

The Joy and Delight of Your Heart When I was a child, my family prayed the rosary daily, but during June, the month when we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we prayed the “Sacred Heart Rosary.”

This version substitutes, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine,” for the Lord’s Prayer, and “Sweet Heart of Jesus, Be Thou, my Love,” for the Hail Mary. While we otherwise concluded the Marian Rosary with the Litany of Loreto, during June, we recited the Litany of the Sacred Heart.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Apostleship Prayer were instilled in my father by the Jesuits who educated him in India. Before school each morning, my parents had us recite the “Morning Offering,” which includes the words, “O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee my prayers works, joys and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart …” They placed a Sacred Heart picture near my bed, and no matter where I lived, I brought that picture and taped it to the wall near my bed.

HISTORY OF THE DEVOTION

In the early 1600s, a moral rigorism arose in the Church called Jansenism, in which people looked to God with fear instead of love. They adopted a false anthropology that saw people as having a corrupted nature, such that human reason could not be trusted. With a strong emphasis on law and violations of the commandments, many priests routinely denied people the sacraments, fearing unworthy reception.

Lamenting that men’s hearts, especially those of priests, had grown cold; in 1673 Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary His Sacred Heart to show forth God’s tender mercy. St. Margaret Mary said Jesus allowed her to rest her head upon His heart, then told her of the wonders of His 2 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

love and His desire to make these wonders known to all people—and He chose her to accomplish this work. Jesus revealed new devotions, including receiving Holy Communion on each month’s first Friday and attending Thursday Eucharistic adoration during a “Holy Hour.”

Unfortunately, from the end of the 20th Century and into the 21st, devotion to the Sacred Heart waned. Jean Galot, SJ (1919-2008), suggested around the 1950’s that it urgently needed to be recovered and proposed a new reparation theology. Pope St. John Paul II strongly supported this and emphasized building a “civilization of love.” To build anything though, one needs a firm foundation. Galot believed that through reparation and devotion to the Heart of the Redeemer, a solid foundation could be built over the ash heap and rubble of the 20th Century, which was marked by great wars and incredible violence.

It appears that this century’s first two decades have not gone any better. There remains the urgent need to recover devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus— not only to make reparation, but also to understand the Divine Mercy, Jesus’ humanity and His love for us. When reading the Gospels, it is interesting how often Jesus’ heart is moved with compassion. If only we, His disciples, were moved with similar compassion.

It seems to me that amid this world’s misery and pain, devotion to the Heart of Jesus can help us experience the joy and peace that Christ desires for each of us.

BISHOP-ELECT EARL K. FERNANDES is the pastor of St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Cincinnati and holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome.

BOOK REVIEW

The Silent Knight A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art

by Elizabeth Lev REVIEWED BY FATHER ALBERT BELTZ

Dr. Elizabeth Lev’s The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art is a worthy addition to the many works reviving devotion among the Christian faithful to this great saint. A visual treat, the text showcases finely reproduced images on almost every other page of semi-glossy paper. Dr. Lev discusses these masterworks in lucid detail, including paintings, mosaics, precious metals and carved sculptures.

This creates a sense of Dr. Lev personally guiding us through a virtual gallery and inviting us to study each work while she teases details from the sacred compositions.

The Silent Knight is a worthy follow up to Dr. Lev’s earlier book, How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter-Reformation Art. Similarly attractive, this previous publication broadly highlights the development of Catholic art and faith during the upheavals of the late Renaissance and Reformation eras and through the vigorous response of the Baroque period, an art-historical range for which Dr. Lev is best known. The Silent Knight’s artwork, however, spans 17 centuries of artistic expression and innovation across cultures, a breadth of time and style that far exceeds the author’s usual scope of research and expertise. Although she makes a fine foray into Josephine art’s early developments in the first third of the book, her 15th through 18th Centuries’ knowledge fills a considerable portion of the 14 chapters. Only one final chapter briefly acknowledges the modern era’s Josephine images, a mild disappointment. Yet Dr. Lev’s earnest labor and passionate devotion to art and faith shine brilliantly in this book.

With her characteristic playful humor and conversational style, Dr. Lev engages us as a friendly companion on a journey through art history that readers are sure to enjoy.

Chapters are short, blending serious headings with comical turns of phrase, like Renaissance Mr. Right or Joseph Goes for Baroque, but the joyful, light tone does not undervalue the text, which gathers a wealth of historical, cultural, artistic and theological research for this saint who has been elusive for long periods of history.

Dr. Lev reveals this often enigmatic figure’s exciting complexities by exploring the diverse contexts that inspired, subdued and even necessitated the fashioning of his likeness among the faithful. She brings to life a figure who, far from being a silent observer in our salvation history, embodies a faithful servant, active laborer, loving father, vigilant protector, evangelical missionary and powerful intercessor for all.

I highly recommend The Silent Knight for spiritual reflection, and further, hope that it encourages artists and patrons in our own time to, as Dr. Lev concludes, “muster their creative courage to serve as faithful squires to this silent knight.”

Father Albert Beltz is a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Toledo.

The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art, by Elizabeth Lev; Sophia Institute Press; 240 pages; $18.95; published Dec. 20, 2021 D E V O T IO N S / M AY 2022 | 21

SHINE O N

What is Mary’s Myers-Briggs?

Do you know about Mary or do you actually know her? What was she like?

How did she speak? What did she care about? What made her laugh? If you’re like me, you really want to get to know Mary – but how do we do that? We can learn or deduce aspects of her personality from Scripture, scholarly texts and both ancient and modern books written about her. Perhaps the very best way to know the Blessed Virgin is through prayer and contemplation, but during this month, let’s try a new, creative approach.

Let’s shine a light on Mary with one of the most famous personality profiling tools: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. While the Myers-Briggs is far from perfect, and an exercise like this might seem a little silly, this tool, our imagination, and the information available to us, can help us think deeply about Mary in a new way, which perhaps will help us get to know her a little bit more.

INTROVERT (I) VS. EXTROVERT (E)

Often mistaken for being the difference between being sociable and being shy, the first pair of personality traits actually indicates from where we get our energy. Extroverts are energized by active involvement in many events and people, while introverts are energized by ideas, personal reflections, memories and solitude. So which one is Mary?

This might be the easiest trait to guess…

“He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Lk. 2:51)

Stained glass at Immaculate Conception Church, Dayton.

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Externally processing thoughts and feelings is an extrovert tendency. Mary doesn’t seem to want attention, and this fits the understanding that Mary points us to Christ, never to herself. Mary’s first type indicator is Introvert (I).

SENSING (S) VS. INTUITION (N)

This second pair of personality traits considers how we take in information about the world. The S focuses on details and relies on physical reality for information (taste, touch, smell, hearing, etc.). The N looks for the big picture, looking beyond the details for impressions, patterns and ideas. This might be the toughest indicator to figure out for Mary, but…

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk. 1:31-33) “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’

Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.” (Jn. 19:26-27) I’m going to assume that God knows how to speak to Mary’s heart, and in these two examples, God speaks, not about the moment’s details, but about the great plan beyond the moment. If God spoke to Mary through the big picture, that’s good enough for me. Mary’s second type indicator is Intuition (N).

THINKING (T) VS. FEELING (F)

This third pair of personality indicators relates to how we make decisions, and it is often misunderstood. In this, thinking is not just using logic, and feeling is not being overly emotional. Everyone uses both rational thought and emotion when making decisions; however, the T relies on objective principles and facts,

ignoring circumstances, whereas the F cares more about values, the people involved and personal concerns. So what about Mary?

“When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.’”

(Lk. 2:48) Mary knows that Jesus is God. She knows He is perfect.

All the facts are there. But how Mary voices her concerns emphasizes the circumstance’s personal concerns and values beyond just the situation’s facts. Mary’s third type indicator is Feeling (F).

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JUDGING (J) VS. PERCEIVING (P)

The last pair of personality indicators reflects how we orient ourselves with the rest of the world. The J prefers that decisions be made, schedules be set and plans be thoroughly reviewed.

The P is typically more flexible and spontaneous, trusting that things will work out. Which one best describes Mary?

“Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”(Lk. 1:38) “When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (Jn. 2:3,5) In both instances, Mary does not need to know the plan, the details, but trusts that God’s Will be done. She gives overall planning, schedules and control to the Lord. Her preference is clear. Mary’s third type indicator is Perceiving (P).

MARY IS AN INFP

Those who are INFP tend to be quiet, introspective, and extremely caring and creative. Empathy is usually among their greatest characteristics, and others describe INFPs as contemplative and kind. Does this sound like the Mary you know?

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Of course, we could have this all wrong. Perhaps Mary supersedes all analysis and understanding, and it is pointless to try contemplating the wonder of her personality. But perhaps not. Perhaps a little time spent combining what we know about Mary with our God-given imaginations can lead us to a deeper relationship with her than ever before.

DOMINICK ALBANO is The Catholic Telegraph’s director of digital engagement, as well as an author and national speaker. He and his wife have been married for 14 years and have four sons. dalbano@catholicaoc.org D E V O T IO N S / MAY 2022 | 23

{ devoti on }

may

C ROW N I N G A History of Crowning Mary’s Images

BY EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU

However, Father Roten continues, “Examples of crownings are more numerous and become singularly traditional in the 14th Century in Essen, Germany and Boerglum, Sweden.

The Servite Order customarily crowned well-known Marian images on Holy Saturday since [the late] 14th Century. The custom spread during the Counter-Reformation … entrusted to the Vatican (chapter of St. Peter) for the financing of the crowning of Marian images. This chapter established criteria The wreath of flowers with for the crowning of images, namely the which Mary is crowned in image had to be of venerable age and of miraculous character – ie, the object May highlights a special of a miracle recognized by the bishop. connection with spring, Aside from these official crownings, many local customs developed.” new life and Mary’s

May Crowning is a longstanding tradition in the Catholic Church, when children don their First Communion attire or Sunday best, gather to sing for the Blessed Mother, present her with spring’s first flowers and crown her with a small wreath of blossoms. It’s a joyous occasion, typically held at schools and parishes.

What are the origins of this custom?

Evidence “as iconographical motif, such as painting, sculpture, can be traced back to the middle of the 12th Century,” writes Marianist Father Johann Roten, an instructor at the University of Dayton’s international Marian Research Institute. “In these sculptures, Christ crowns His mother after her Assumption into resplendent Heaven. However, the beginning of the crowning of a Mary sculpture or image is much older. We have at least one example, that of Pope Gregory III (731-741) who donated a golden diadem to crown a holy image located at St. Peter’s, which represents not only Mary, but also Christ and other saints.”

2 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

beauty.

“In 1982, Pope John Paul II reorganized the rite for the crowning of images,” Father Roten writes. “The custom of crowning Marian images with wreaths is much older than the well-known May Crownings. They are related to bridal wreaths and have their origin in medieval courtly love rituals. A wreath

of red (mother) and white (virgin) roses was put on Mary’s head and amounted to a declaration of love. The wreath of roses is one of the historical roots of our rosary.

Over time, the wreath of flowers transmuted and became a wreath of prayers. The wreath of flowers with which Mary is crowned in May highlights a special connection with spring, new life and Mary’s resplendent beauty.”

“In short, devotions such as May Crownings have very little magisterial direction; they are mostly popular in their beginnings, their scope and their execution,” said Jeremy Helmes, Director of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Office for Divine Worship & Sacraments.

“People are always amused when I tell them ‘There’s no wrong way to pray the rosary,’ because there [are]

no specific directions on how to do it—just tradition.”

He added, “It’s important to remember that while May is devotionally a month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), the liturgy is Eastertide, and so Marian devotions shouldn’t infringe upon the liturgy itself.

Some parishes choose to actually crown the image of the BVM not during May, but on the solemnity of the Assumption (Aug. 15), and leave said crown on for exactly one week, until Aug. 22, the feast of the Queenship of Mary.”

How and when Catholic parishes and schools carry out the long-held tradition of crowning Mary varies, it always aims for proper reverence seeking our heavenly mother’s prayerful intercessions.

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CA T HO LIC A T H O ME

Our Lady Star of the Sea Heaven never tires from pursuing our hearts through the saints and different titles of Jesus and Mary. If you’re drawn to certain saints or holy titles, consider it a nudge to the soul from the Holy Spirit.

I once got lost driving through the middle of nowhere in southernmost Louisiana.

Relying on a stranger’s scribbled directions, I was turned around and not sure how to arrive at my destination.

Aside from the paved two-lane highways, no signs of civilization were in sight. My hope dragged with the miles as I searched for some directional marker.

Stella Maris, or the Star of the Sea, continued appearing in both our lives, so that we felt greatly loved under this title of Mary and returned the favor through what is now a family-wide devotion to her. In a landlocked state, our home bears several Stella Maris images, and we conclude mealtime and bedtime prayers by asking for her intercession: “Our Lady Star of the Sea, pray for us.”

My husband’s video company is called Stella Productions and I made a Marian consecration under that particular title.

In time, what looked like a bell tower broke the horizon and, as I neared the sight, I discovered Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Since I was little, my mom taught me to stop at Catholic Churches in my path to say hello to Jesus before going on my way, so I was relieved and excited to find this place of soulful rest where I could reorient myself.

Of course, it’s not the title, but the meaning of Stella Maris that carries our souls so aptly. Perpetually pointing us toward her Son, Mary is a guide and example in the Christian life. She is a constant, whether life goes merrily along or inflicts battering storms, and she is a humble light when everything seems dark.

Our Lady Star of the Sea is an ancient title for Mary, but was a new one to me at that time. I prayed in the church and walked among the cemetery’s Church Suffering, found a new route and went on my way.

When you feel drawn to a saint or a particular title of Mary, bring that saint’s images into your home and ask for his or her intercession daily. Read biographies and the saint’s own writings to learn his or her challenges, victories and prayer intentions.

At home several weeks later, I searched online for “Star of the Sea” and a handful of images appeared, displaying Mary standing on or near the water, her head adorned by a single star. And my heart was drawn to this name and depiction of Mary.

“Do you have a favorite image of Mary?”

I asked my husband, Andrew. “There’s a picture of her on a beach,” he said, “and she’s holding baby Jesus and there are waves and stars.” Jaw on the floor, I turned my screen to face him. “You mean this one?” I asked. We had separately stumbled on the same obscure image 2 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

within days of each other.

In His wisdom, God blesses us through friendships with the saints while we journey towards our heavenly home, supporting us with those who wear an imperishable crown. Dive fully into these relationships to discover love and devotion to last an eternity.

KATIE SCIBA is a national speaker and Catholic Press Awardwinning columnist. Katie has been married for 14 years and is blessed with six children.

{ ap ostolat e }

seven SISTERS

Growing Program Unites Women to Pray for Priests

BY KARY ELLEN BERGER

“We feel like we have received a great gift to be called to this.”

We hear about the calling men and women experience when discerning a religious vocation, but what about a calling to support those men and women through prayer? That’s a main mission for both Serra Club International and its Seven Sister Apostolate.

The Serra Club of Cincinnati supports priests, seminarians and religious in various ways, including prayer, meals, catechizing young people, and promoting a relationship with Jesus through The Traveling Crucifix and high school speaker program. One of their new and growing programs is the Seven Sister Apostolate, which asks a group of seven women to each take one day a week when they will focus on praying for a priest. The goal, according to Serra Club of Cincinnati president, Julie VanHoose, is to have a Seven Sister Apostolate in each of the newly formed Family of Parishes in the archdiocese.

For a lot of these new pastors, they are only a few years out of the seminary. I have a son who was made a pastor after only two years as a priest and I am appreciative to know that he has a Seven Sister group in his parish praying for him every day!”

When first starting a Seven Sister Apostolate in Cincinnati, VanHoose met with two other women, including Seven Sister Apostolate founder, Janette Howe. The three women have a special connection: their sons were initially diocesan priests in the Diocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis.

“I think maybe because I am a mother of a priest, and to quote Howe, ‘It is a privilege and the responsibility of every baptized Catholic to pray for our priests,’ [that] I want people to appreciate the fact that priests have literally given up everything for them, the Church and to ensure their salvation,” said VanHoose. “This Mother’s Day is on the same day as World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This would be a fantastic day for the parishes in our archdiocese to start a Seven Sisters Apostolate group.”

Howe and VanHoose are planning a meeting for those who are interested in learning more, interested in forming a group, and already in an established Seven Sister Apostolate group.

The meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, at 9 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (325 W. 8th St., Cincinnati). To learn more about the Seven Sisters Apostolate visit sevensistersapostolate.org.

“Seven sisters times 60 Families equals 420 holy women who are willing to join our mission: Committed prayerful support toward a parish pastor through the assurance of the offering of at least one Holy Hour every day of any given week, for the pastor alone – a ‘holy wasting,’ as it were, for the conversion and holiness of that particular priest,” said VanHoose.

Currently, there are only a few Seven Sister Apostolates in the archdiocese and VanHoose notes that a commitment to form 60 overall is no small feat.

“I’ve prayed and contemplated in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament for priests and about how we might get all parishes in the archdiocese praying for our new pastors,” said VanHoose. “I know this idea was inspired by the Holy Spirit!

Apostolate founder Janette Howe and Serra Club of Cincinnati president Julie VanHoose

D E V O T IO N S / MAY 2022 | 29

ST. JOSEPH

Pilgrimage In Fort Recovery, St. Joseph Devotion Strengthens Community

BY MATT HESS

St. Joseph Church, outside Fort Recovery, has witnessed growth and change since its founding in 1839. Through it all the parish held their patron saint in high esteem and rallied around his strong example of faith, continuing the church’s care to this day, including its century-old ceiling mural honoring St. Joseph and its beautiful antique stainedglass windows depicting events in Christ’s early life with His foster-father.

Moved to prayerful action in response to 2020’s pandemic, St. Joseph Church’s restless parishioners sought to do something. They landed on the idea of a procession and a new tradition was born – and it continues to grow. It all began when Carl Koesters spoke with Father Ned Brown, pastor of the Fort Recovery Parish Cluster, about a time when J&M Manufacturing, a major area employer, was in a slump. A few employees responded by walking the premises and praying for help, inspired by the Battle of Jericho in the Book of Joshua (6:1-27). The Israelites processed around Jericho for seven days, then the walls of the city fell down.

St. Joseph the Worker in stained glass inside St. Joseph Church in Fort Recovery.

Including people from surrounding parishes, over 200 cars parked around St. Joseph Church. Reflecting on that first pilgrimage, Father Brown said, “I think it helped a lot of people during a pretty dreary time, we were all united.”

The procession at St. Joseph Church strengthened the community’s faith during a time of uncertainty, and the event was repeated in 2021, though with changes as restrictions lifted.

Gary Steinbrunner, parish manager at St. Joseph for 27 years, sprang into action to coordinate people and spread the word. Fort Recovery Radio offered to bring their equipment so people could easily tune in to hear the prayers and songs from their cars. For people nervous about the future, given the unknowns about COVID-19, this was a call to trust in our Lord’s protector, St. Joseph.

This year the church plans to mark the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, with a pilgrimage expanded both in distance and community engagement. It will begin at St. Peter Church in Fort Recovery at 3 p.m. before processing to St. Joseph Church. Once there, Father Mike Kapolka, parochial vicar of the Fort Recovery Parish Cluster, will lead Sunday Vespers. This will grow a tradition that the parish hopes to continue in their Family of Parishes for years to come.

Joined by Father Alexander Witt, then parochial vicar at the Coldwater Parish Cluster, Father Brown processed around the church with the Blessed Sacrament seven times, while then-parochial vicar Father Christian Cone-Lombarte prayed the Rosary over the radio. At the service’s end, Father Brown blessed the bells he had asked parishioners to bring, stating that bells are an important sacramental because “when you ring a bell it drives the demons away,” and St. Joseph is the Terror of Demons.

While the format evolved, the goal for this year’s pilgrimage remains the same. Father Brown believes this procession will “unite people in prayer and keep them strong in their faith,” enabling them to persevere in our Lord, no matter the challenges to come. St. Joseph Church has seen many changes over its 183 years, but it continues to unite as a community around its patron saint as a witness to the mighty power of God.

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| 31

a i k i? s o o l S h t o . Da W M f o mie n

Color me!

Joseph de Veuster was born on Jan. 3,

those with this sickness, moving them to

1840, in Belgium. When his oldest brother

a remote area, Kalaupapa, on Molokai

entered religious life, their father planned

Island, which was surrounded by ocean

for Joseph to run the family business in

on three sides and a very tall cliff on the

his brother’s place; however, Joseph also

fourth. Abandoned, the people begged

desired to enter religious life! At age 19,

for spiritual guidance, so in 1873 Damien

he entered the novitiate and took the name

became the first priest to minister to them in

Damien.

person, and other priests followed.

Five years later, his brother was supposed

He did much to bring order to the chaos and

to travel to Hawaii for mission work but

restore hope in the people who suffered

became sick. This time Damien took his

physically, mentally and spiritually. Damien

brother’s place, arriving in Honolulu on

chose to remain permanently. In 1885 he

March 19, 1864. He was ordained a priest

contracted the disease himself and died

just two months later.

four years later, after 16 years of caring for

At that time, the Hawaiian government tried to stop leprosy’s spread by quarantining

the bodies and souls of those affected by leprosy.

Feast Day: May 10 3 2 |THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

Damien Molokai Leprosy Hawaii Religious Missionary Kalaupapa Minister Belgium Quarantine

“It is at the foot of the altar that we find the STRENGTH we need in our isolation...”

St. Damien of Molokai

Guidance

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe

BY WAYNE & MARIANNE TOPP

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• With a kitchen scissors cut small triangles out of the edge of 10 pineapple rings to create flower shapes.

Cut any remaining rings into small pieces. Save the cut pieces.

• Cover the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan with the melted butter butter and brown sugar.

• Arrange the pineapple flowers in a wreath shape around the bottom of the pan. Arrange the pieces in a single layer in the center of the pan, keeping space between the flowers and the pieces.

• 1 box yellow or pineapple supreme cake mix • 1 can (20oz.) pineapple slices, drained (reserve juice) • 8-10 maraschino cherries • 1 cup packed brown sugar • ½ cup melted butter • ½ cup vegetable oil • 3 eggs • 1 cup reserved pineapple juice plus water

• Place one cherry in the center of each pineapple flower. Set pan aside.

• Follow directions on box to make cake batter. Pour batter evenly over pineapples and cherries.

• Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

• Cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Invert onto a serving dish.

• Enjoy celebrating the life of the great saint of Molokai.

K ID S / M AY 2022

| 33

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

Gift, Self-gift and the Meaning of Life – Part 1 This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB).

For several months, I reflected on the “original experiences” explored by Pope St. John Paul II in his Theology of the Body (TOB). Before moving on to other aspects of TOB, I want to ponder the crucial theme of “gift,” a golden thread woven throughout the late pope’s work.

Like our first parents, we all enter the world through a power other than our own. None of us creates ourselves or bestows the gift of life on ourselves. Rather, we all come from Another.

Our life, our being, comes to us as an unmerited gift from God our Creator mediated through our parents. This points to a fundamental truth: all of creation depends on God for existence. Indeed, an important principle in Catholic theology that informed Pope St. John Paul II’s thoughts is that God is the only being who necessarily exists. He possesses His own existence and does not depend on anything or anyone in order to be. Rather, God exists for all eternity in a state of fullness and perfection. Even more, this state of fullness and perfection consists of an exchange of love without beginning or end among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and this exchange of love is so real and perfect that we can affirm with St. John the Apostle that God is love (cf. 1 Jn. 4:8b). God Himself is a Divine Communion of Persons in which there is an eternal giving and receiving of Love.

about you specifically and loving you into existence. Every beat of your heart, every breath of your lungs, every second that goes by is a gift of love given to you by our God who is Love. Indeed, the very ground of our being is the infinite love of God. Our first and most fundamental calling, then, is simply to receive God’s gift of life with gratitude, awe and wonder.

Furthermore, we saw in our reflections on original solitude that all of the visible creation is further given as a gift of love to humanity. All creatures are meant to reveal – in the measure they are capable – something of the glory and majesty of God. God gave us the entire cosmos to remind us of Himself and for us to cultivate and make a home worthy of humanity, His most beloved creation in the visible world.

In our reflections on original unity, we saw that it was not enough for our loving Father to give us the world, but He also gave us to each other by introducing the sexual difference into our humanity. Through our maleness and femaleness, which are revealed in the body and affect the whole person to his or her very core, we are called and capacitated to form a communion of persons through spousal love. Through the total gift of self in marriage, the love of man and woman can be personified in the gift of their child, thus forming an icon of the Blessed Trinity.

When God creates, He does not do so out of any necessity, but does so freely out of the superabundance of His love.

Everything He creates depends on Him for the gift of its existence. This is true not only at the beginning of life, but also at every moment thereafter. Indeed, all of creation only exists moment-by-moment because God continually wills it into existence. It is through His loving gift that you and I exist right now. As my college chaplain once told me, “If God ever ceased loving you, you would cease to exist.”

In all of this, we see that the logic of gift defines the very structure of reality. In God, there is an eternal giving and receiving among the Divine Persons. The act of creation itself is also a sheer act of generosity in which creatures are given the gift of existence at every moment by God. Man, most of all, is the recipient of God’s greatest gifts – life, the cosmos, each other, and, ultimately, Himself. This logic of gift is thus fundamental for our understanding of God, the world and ourselves. We will ponder this theme further in next month’s issue and unpack its importance for our vocations.

This connection between love and existence is incredibly profound. It means that all things that exist – rocks, plants, animals, humans, angels – only exist because God loves them into being at every moment. One implication of this is that there is NEVER a moment in which God is not thinking

DR. ANDREW SODERGREN, MTS, PSY.D. is a Catholic psychologist and director of psychological services for Ruah Woods. He speaks on the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith.

He and his wife, Ellie, have five children.

3 4 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

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T H E G R E A T O U T D O O R S / A PRI L 2022 | 35

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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

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SE IZ E T HE MO ME NT

5 Ways to Keep Your Faith on Campus You just graduated from high school – Congratulations! Now college is on the horizon, a time full of promise and possibility.

You will learn a lot, meet interesting people, choose a career, and possibly even find your future spouse.

You will also make important decisions about your faith. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that 2/3 of Catholics who leave the Church do so before age 24. What will you do? It all depends on the plan you make now to nurture your faith during your college years.

Here are 5 ways to keep your faith on campus: 1. Own your faith. Maybe you only went to Mass or Confession because your parents and teachers took you there.

Maybe you are only Catholic because that’s what they raised you to be. If so, that’s ok. It’s a start – just try not to make that the end of your story.

Once you are on your own, it won’t be up to your parents or teachers anymore. It can’t be. If you are going to live as a practicing Catholic, it must be because that’s what you want.

Otherwise it won’t stick. You have to make it yours.

2. Find your why. One way to make it yours is to put it to the test. Ask the difficult questions: “Who is Jesus?” “What’s so bad about premarital sex, getting drunk, or skipping Mass?”

“Should I even be Catholic anymore?” These questions are scary, but God can take it. At any rate, you need answers.

Without the “why” behind the “what” you believe and do as a Catholic, your faith will crumble with the first atheist, Protestant, or secular apologist who comes along.

During this time of so much learning, don’t forget faith knowledge. Find a great Catholic podcast and start listening.

Ask a Catholic you admire why she’s Catholic. Watch videos.

Read articles. Pray! Do what you need to do to find your why.

3. Find others to be Catholic with. Faith is confirmed through learning, but it also needs to be lived with others.

A group of good Catholic friends can hold you accountable,

look out for you, and show you how to enjoy life and still be true to what you believe.

Look for a Newman Center or a local young adult ministry.

Look for someone making the Sign of the Cross before they eat. Look for dirty foreheads on Ash Wednesday. Good Catholics are always around, you just have to find them. They can provide the support you need to live your faith well.

4. Serve others. I know you are probably looking forward to that first Spring Break without any chaperones, but what if you went on a mission trip instead? At first, that may sound like too much work, but I assure you: your faith will come alive when you see how it transforms the lives of others.

Someone is waiting for your spiritual or corporal work of mercy. Someone is waiting for you to share your faith with them. When you do, your smile will make them smile and you will be so glad that you are Catholic.

5. Stay close to the Gift-Giver. While you are doing all these things, keep in mind: your faith does not come from your own striving, it is a gift from God (Eph. 2:8). He gave it and He will sustain it. You just have to remain close to Him. This closeness is achieved primarily through prayer and the sacraments. Pick a time, a place, and a way to pray. That’s the best way to make prayer a habit. Put the local Mass and Confession times in your calendar so you won’t forget those either.

There is abundant grace in cultivating this day-to-day proximity to Jesus. With this grace you can be, not another statistic, but a happy Catholic, full of life and in love with the Lord.

NICHOLAS HARDESTY is the associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA for the Center for the New Evangelization. | nhardesty@catholicaoc.org G R A DU A T IO N / M AY 2022 | 37

teaching

diversity Mother Teresa School Teacher Amanda Ocariz Wins Award

BY PATRICIA MCGEEVER

In Amanda Ocariz’s language arts class at Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Liberty Township, students learn what it means to be an upstander. “The bystander is someone who stands by and watches. The upstander stands up and does something,” said Ocariz.

The books her seventh and eighth graders read drive this message home. They include To Kill a Mockingbird, Elie Wiesel’s Night and A Long Walk to Water, which recounts how Salva Dut was born in Sudan, lived as a refugee for a decade and eventually returned home to bring clean water to those in need.

“I wanted to read about good examples and people doing the right thing,” said Ocariz. “And, a little bit of people doing the wrong thing so we can learn about that, too.”

The selected novels and memoirs look at the fight for Civil Rights and basic human rights, shining a light on discrimination, diversity and the difference between right 3 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

and wrong. Ocariz’s ability to challenge her students’ thinking earned her this year’s “Excellence in Teaching Diversity Award” from the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

She is the first Catholic school teacher to earn the honor.

In nominating her, principal Aideen Briggs said Ocariz stretches children’s thinking about themselves and their world: “By exposing her students to the failures of humanity as well as its achievements, she shows them the ugly and beautiful truth of what it is to be human, and how important it is to look inward for what is right, and then act outward toward redemption for all.”

Ocariz developed the curriculum and started the junior high program at Mother Teresa with co-teacher, Karen Geiger.

“

By exposing her students to the failures of humanity as well as its achievements, she shows them the ugly and beautiful truth of what it is to be human...

“She puts her heart and soul into the books she chooses,” said Geiger. “We look at these books and try to make them relevant to what’s going on in today’s society and try to help them learn from the past and not to repeat it.”

Ocariz and Geiger also continue to educate themselves. They attended a week-long class at the Cincinnati Holocaust and Humanities Center so they could hear first-hand accounts from survivors then better teach their students about this awful period in history.

Those who know Ocariz say it’s not just her reading list that is impressive, but the way she teaches. The students research the history around each story so they can better understand the events’ context.

Chad Schaefer is a Board Trustee for Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary and

father to one of Ocariz’s students: “Over the 10-12 years I’ve been [a part of the school] she just has an ability to make these kids achieve things they don’t think are even possible as far as their intellectual skills, their writing, their literature and their understanding of the material.”

Beyond reading and researching historical events, students write essays and news articles, create podcasts, choose role models, and work on one philanthropic project each year that gets them involves them in a community charity. By graduation, these students are far more prepared for high schoollevel classes than many of their peers.

Ocariz has an ability “to really challenge kids and get them to do things they didn’t think were possible. She finds a way to get them to respond,” Schaefer said.

! s n o i t a l u t a Congr 2 Class of 202 Natalie Abugoch Emily Acito Kelly Albrinck Brooke Auciello Grace Barber Trinity Batton Taylor Bays Meghan Behr Ariee Bess Brianna Birkle Madelyn Blake Elizabeth Bocklet Rebecca Bode Leah Bosse Kristianna Bourbeau Paige Brandstetter Abigail Byrum Christina Chu Emma Clark Marisa Dalessandro Azaria Davis Madeleine Dietrich Elizabeth Dodd Finley Dotson Lily Douthat

Claire Duebber Grace Durkin Kayla Egnew Madelyn Ehrhardt Grace Eisele Ashtyn Elbe Maria Emmerling Ashley Enginger Jada Eubanks Emily Fortman Carly Fulmer Caitlin Gildea Farion Gray Avery Gumm Grace Hageman Elise Hardig Lily Harp Maryah Harris Damya Harris Madison Henry Briar Herbert Rose Hewald Aaliyah Hill Katherine Hollstegge Ashley Hopper

Madelyn Hopper Annie Hornsby Anna Horton Hope Hunley Jenna Jenkins Diana Jones Madelyn Junk Caitlin Kelhoffer Rebecca Kelhoffer Sophia Kemble Carly Kersting Aspen Knight Emily Lagedrost Emily Lehn Jacqueline Martini Ava McKenna Erin McLaughlin Mackenzie Meehan Maggie Meiners Ellen Meiners Anna Melchers Kristen Meyer Hannah Morgan Sophia Neiheisel Cha'Tyana Nelson

Jacqueline Nichols Michelle Nie Emma O’Brien Eryn O'Connor Margaret O'Connor Anna Olding Megan Overbeck Maura Overman Julia Parsons Nevaeh Pickens Megan Pierani Eriana Hendrix Pitts Norah Ramahi Gabrielle Ranz Jenna Reder Maura Reilly Kylie Rielag Elizabeth Rinear Alyssa Robers Olivia Roberts Alyssa Rose Elizabeth Russo Raelyn Sanders Elaina Sauerland Lucy Scherpenberg

Cassidy Schulten Emma Serger Elizabeth Sexton Vaani Sharma Natalie Smith Samantha Sparks Georgia Staab Ellye Steinberg Christa Stephenson Sarah Sucietto Hannah Sweeney Tai Sykes Melena Tesfu Mar'Yana Tye Ava Villamagna Rachel Ward Abigail White Amelia White Dior Williams Maggie Wood Sylvie Wright Jahnay Yarbrough Hannah Younghans

www.mercymcauley.org GraduationAd 7.25x4.75.indd 1

S CH O O L S /4/1/22 M AY10:10 2022 AM | 39

Faith & School

IN THE FAMILY Carroll High School a Sableski Family Institution

BY BONNY VAN

On May 20, 2022, three Sableski family members will appear on stage at Carroll High School (CHS) in Dayton’s graduation—and one is both the principal and an alumnus.

Matt Sableski, CHS Class of ’91, will hand out diplomas to and shake hands with his twins, Patrick and Annie. Sableski and his wife, Mary-Kate, also have daughters Nora, a sophomore at CHS, and Colleen, a seventh grader and future CHS Patriot.

“I feel truly blessed to work at the place my kids go to school,” Sableski said. “I have loved watching them grow and learn and interact with their classmates each day. By and large my kids do well academically, make good choices and they have wonderful groups of friends. We set boundaries and I give them their space, but the best part of any day is when I see them during the day … even if they’re coming to ask for money or an item left at home!”

Having your dad just down the hall in the main office every school day could be intimidating for any teenager, but Annie and Patrick eventually embraced it and the extraordinary richness it brought to their high school career.

4 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

“[Having my dad as principal] shaped my formation by giving me a chance to experience high school in a special way that others didn’t get to experience,” said Annie. “Getting into the building after hours, talking with my dad about concerns my friends and I had and seeing how much the school meant to my family were all ways that my experience was unique.”

“Going into and throughout the first year or two of high school, I was definitely worried about becoming my own person and not being identified only as the principal’s son,” said Patrick. “Just like any high schooler, I have really come into my own the last couple of years ... My dad is obviously a huge part of my life, but I have become my own person and I feel now as if I am viewed that way rather than as an extension of my father.”

Sableski admitted that his own freshman year at Carroll High was much like his son’s: a lesson in discovery.

“When I came in as a freshman, I was 4’11” and weighed about 90 pounds,” said Sableski. “I was kind of lost that first year, but once I started running cross country and track as

a sophomore, everything changed. I became more confident, started to succeed academically and made great friends.”

Like his father, Patrick ran cross country and track and was captain for both teams. He’s been involved in numerous service activity clubs, including Youth in Government, while Annie was busy with theater, campus ministry, cooking club and Trinity House, where she was service coordinator.

Congratulations Graduates!

Despite all the advantages of having your parent on campus with you, both teens admit to being aware of his presence when in the presence of others.

“Especially early on, I felt as if some of my peers worried about me being the principal’s kid when interacting with me, not talking to me much,” said Patrick. “Some teachers, too, would seem to sort of walk on eggshells around me. Overall, however, my experience at Carroll with my dad and sisters has been a very positive one.”

“The funniest moment with my dad was when a teacher made a joke about my dad and the teacher quickly realized that I was in the room and got embarrassed,” Annie said. “I thought it was funny and laughed right along with everyone else.”

There were also many special moments, such as when Sableski presented to each child an award for academic achievement and when he addressed the student body at school Masses.

High School

www.carrollhs.org

“Mass is very important for us at Carroll, so it is very cool to see everyone in a good mood with my dad addressing all of us,” said Patrick. “I felt how special this was and appreciated it a little extra this year as we weren’t able to have any all-school Masses last school year due to the pandemic.”

After graduation, Annie plans to attend college then become a kindergarten teacher in Catholic education, crediting her father with inspiring her to work with students. Patrick also plans to attend college, major in English, and eventually become a filmmaker. Both take with them a strength in both character and faith, thanks to the example set by their father.

“I have seen how hard [my dad] works every day and how he cares so much, especially these last few years,” said Patrick.

“Watching him work through a pandemic has shown me just how much this job means to him.”

Annie added, “My dad is a great role model who has a very strong faith and has inspired in me a strong work ethic, a love of my family, and a love of God.” Pictured Sableski family members: Patrick (Carroll senior), Colleen (student at St. Helen School, Riverside), Mary-Kate, Nora (Carroll sophomore), Matt (Carroll Principal and Class of ‘91), and Annie (Carroll senior) | Photo by Danny Schneible

“Oh, my dear son, what happiness for us if for the rest of our lives we can walk along the beautiful path of faith and live only from faith, act only by faith.”

- Blessed Joseph Chaminade

Congratulations, Men of Moeller Class of 2022

Catholic. Marianist.

Forming our Students into Remarkable Men. G R A DU A T IO N / M AY 2022 | 41

ARCHBISHOP ALTER HIGH SCHOOL

CLASS OF 2022 CONGRATUL ATIONS

class of 2022

Bettina Anyanwu Denissa Ariestanto Natalie Armbruster Emery Arszman Trinity Barber LillyAnn Benjamin Ella Berigan Jessica Black Paige Blust Madeleine Boone Syncere Brandy Calyn Bransford Meredith Brinkmann Julia Brisken Bailey Broughton Riley Brown Lydia Burns Maggie Butkovich Alena Campbell Carmen Carpenter McKenna Carpenter Sarah Carter Juliette Casavant Lauren Cepluch Maria Chesko Galen Cline Maria Coffaro Sophia Colangelo Claire Connell Lucy Corder Taylor Cox Lola Craig Sydney Crandell Cortney Crouch Isabel Denegar Jayla Dixon Megan Dodds Riley Donovan Lilian Dragon Alaina Dreisbach Hayley Dreisbach Alaina Durant Kallista Edwards Mallory Egloff Courtney Ellis Aniveawna Famble Diana Ferra-Villalobos Corrine Ficke Elisabeth Fischer Katherine Flege Hannah Flohre Anna Fox Karis French Emma Frey Rubie Frey Elle Fritts Stephanie Garay Rachel Garcia Allison Gardner Emily Gardner Mae Gehring Reagan Gick Gabriella Gilmore Hannah Grau Lindsey Greiser Katherine Grothaus

Morgan Grubbs Katalina Guter Jasmine Haas Zoe Hagedorn Cassidy Hall Christina Hampton Isabelle Hare Jennifer Harmon Faith Heffner Carly Hendrickson Kennedy Hendrix Rachel Hennessy Savannah Herzog Isabella Heverin Harper Heywood Isabella Holland Katherine Holt Lexie Holum Maggie Horsley Kelsey Horst Molly Hull Storm Hyden Grace Iorfida Addison James Kendall Jansing Devyn Johnson Erica Johnson Grace Johnson Madelyn Jones Echo Kattmann Catie Keefer Margaret Keenan Heidi Keller Lauren Keller Kiley King Caitlin Kirwan Aubrey Klein Mackenzie Klusman Abby Kohls Samantha Krah Sara Kroeger Lauren Laake Keeli LaCroix Crysta LaCrosse Heather Lausche Clara Leder Savana Lee Ivy Lin Sophia Louder Caitlin Mackey Emma Magness Abigail Maier Anna Marshall Payton Martinez Cassidy Mason Aubrey Mathein Maryn Mays Emery Mayzum Lahna McCann Leela McCart Anna McKnight MacKenzie Milbourn Anne Miller Caroline Miller Sophie Miller Thando Miller

Mary Katherine Mokedi Sidney Montgomery Christine Mormile Taylor Mullen Madison Mullins Maria Munafo Rachel Noschang Bridget Packer Kayla Patla Anjali Pema Megan Pettit Ali Pickett Jenna Plogmann Donna Powell Mackenzie Pryor Isabella Puthoff Julia Recker Meredith Reed Madison Reid Taylore Reilman Brooke Richter Anna Riesenberger Julia Ripperger Juliana Robinson Jillian Ruffner Abigail Ryan Natalie Sage Marlo Santoro Isabella Schenker Victoria Schlachter Hannah Schneider Abby Schomaker Audrey Schum Elle Seeger Danielle Sharp Natalie Shimrock Gabrielle Shropshire Margaret Shull Nina Sims Olivia Smith Kayla Spikes Rachel Steffen Kendall Steinmann Myah Stiggers Sydney Sweetman Haley Taylor Leah Tennie Maeve Tierney Lydia Townsend Anna Transier Rachel Trapp Isabella Varn Sidney Voss Olivia Wagoner TiaBella Wesley Brooke Westerkamp Molly Wiesman Katelyn Wiggins Nicole Wildner Meghan Wilking Grace Willis Jah’la Wilson Kaitlyn Winslow Ava Wittrock Abigail Wolterman Marin Wowk

www.mndhs.org

4 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

For I know the Plans I have for you, declares the Lord Plans to Prosper you and not to harm you Plans to give you Hope and a Future

Founded on Faith Preserved with Pride Sustained by Spirit

alterhs.org

Jeremiah 29:11

God Bless You Class of 2022 — As you move on from your CJ home, you will find new challenges and experiences that will make you grow. You are ready!

Take what you have learned, and bring it to your next adventure.

Congratulations on all that you have accomplished, and remember to be true to you.

I pray that you continue to grow as the people God made you to be and as role models for the rest of us.

God bless and forever, Go Eagles!

— Emma Vargas ‘23 Catholic Faith • Excellent Academics • Enriched Community

Alter High School Senior guard, Emma Hansley, in the OHSAA championship game against Sheridan.

A LT E R & P U R C E L L M A R I A N

Queens of the Court W I N S TAT E I N G I R L S’ B A S K E T B A L L STORY BY JOHN STEGEMAN • PHOTOS BY JEFF UNROE

By the time Archbishop Alter and Purcell Marian high schools reached their respective girls basketball state tournament finals on March 12, they were ready to make a statement. In Division II, Alter left no doubt with a 5438 victory over Thornville Sheridan, while in Division III, Purcell Marian dispatched Worthington Christian 62-38.

Alter’s state championship, the school’s fifth, relied on three seniors’ leadership, standout sophomore Riley Smith, and a team-first attitude. “They were a unique group nowadays in that they were very selfless,” said Christina Hart, Alter cocoach with Kendal Peck. “They played hard every night for one another, which is very unusual. It made it really a fun experience for everyone and allowed us to really be a team.”

Hart said the team also excelled academically this year, living up to the high standards of Alter’s Catholic education.

“Almost all of them grew up in the Catholic feeder schools,” she said. “They’re well rounded and they’re very motivated to achieve that kind of success.”

This year’s state championship games were played at the University of Dayton’s UD Arena, just six miles from Alter’s campus. Alter fans made good use of the short drive.

“The support of everyone at school and the community, especially Alter’s alumni, made it so special,” said Smith, whose performance earned a spot on the All-Ohio third team. “The support during tournament time really showed how special Alter is. You could tell they wanted us to win, and they would be there every step of the way.”

For Purcell Marian, this was their first girls basketball state championship, thanks in part to freshman phenom Dee Alexander. The 6-foot-1 underclassmen averaged 24.5 G R A D U A T IO N / M AY 2022 | 43

“

They played hard every night for one another... and allowed us to really be a team.

points and 12.2 rebounds this season and outpaced those averages in the final with 25 points and 16 rebounds. While still a freshman, Alexander has scholarship offers to more than 28 Division I colleges. She was named Division III Player of the Year and made first team All-Ohio. The team is doubly blessed, though, as freshman Ky’Aira Miller earned an honorable mention for the All-Ohio teams.

Girls Basketball Div. II State champions Alter High School

With seven freshmen on the roster, the team’s youth was a concern for coach Jamar Mosley, but it never became an issue. “Their chemistry meshed together really well,” he said.

“Even as well as we played during the summer, I thought, ‘We’re so young.’ We started five freshmen in our first game!

Saint Ursula Academy is proud to introduce the

CLASS OF 2022,

1339 East McMillan St. www.saintursula.org 513-961-3410

women of faith, integrity and courage committed to building a better world.

These students have embodied grace, strength, leadership, and resilience during the past four years. SUA is so proud of each one of you!

Reese Marie Abercrombie Peyton Grace Allen* Regan Carleigh Armbruster* Emma Grace Atwell Elizabeth Anne Baker* Alina Bowen Bedacht Arianna Thomai Beltsos* Eleanore Renee Bender* Sarah Elizabeth Bender* Mary Louise Besl Lillian Morgan Bien* Kathryn Anne Birrer Brenna Skye Blackwell Abigail Jo Boeing Ella Marie Bolinger Sydney Marie Boosveld* Ella Kendall Bosse* Rory Kathryn Bradley* Margaret Anna Braun Annelise Adele Bronstrop Elizabeth Rose Burns* Ainsley Mae Cahill* Caroline Anna Caudill* Brooklyn Reece Chrisman* Symone Paree Conley Bryn Elizabeth Connelly Lenna Grace Couch*

Lillian Rose Coughlin Lindsay Nicole Coughlin* Mary Kathryn Craft Caitlyn Rose Crist* Kennedy Marie Dalton* Megan Elizabeth Deese Sara Elizabeth DiLonardo Emily Grace Domingo* Meghan Lynn Donovan Emma Langley Edmondson* Isabel Sullivan Edmondson* Nathalie Rose Ehrler* Caroline Rose Endres* Aubrey Helene Englert Natalie Marie Fahner* Margaret Eileen Felton* Abigail Marie Fermann* Katherine Grace Ferris* Gretchen Davin Fesenmeier* Eva Marie Finni Laura Eileen Fitzpatrick* Shelby Ann Flynn* Anna Marie Frey Katherine Ann Frey* Sydney Lucille Gardner Anna Grace Geiger* Madeline Jane Gillock*

Avery Christina Glynn* Abigail Marie Helmrath Madeline Margaret Hines* Karlee Elizabeth Hissett Lucinda Rose Hittle* Eleanor Grace Hoffman* Carly Jean Hoog* Naima Gabrielle Hoskins Holland Macke Howe* Sophia Patricia Marie Hudepohl* Brooke Elisabeth Hunstad* Anna Clara Iacobucci* Olivia Kate Jenkins* Isabella Ernestine Johnson Celia Lynne Karsten Grace Ann Kessler* Audrey Sophia Kirwin* Ella Rae Kleeman* Emma Claire Kucia Kaitlin Mary Kuhlman* Lauren May Kuhlman* Elizabeth Grace LaFountain* Mercedes Carmen Lita Baskin Lagdameo Grace Olivia Leuenberger* Hope Elizabeth Lieber*

Courtney Rose Loew* Emma Mary Lohrer* Claire Catherine Lucas* Reese Kathryn Lynn* Fiona Sullivan Mack* Elizabeth Catherine Mader* Charlotte Mae Maliborski* Maia Jane Malone Maribella Grace Marcheschi* Elizabeth Caroline McCluskey Lauren Christine McConnell Caroline Ruth McKeown* Grace Leigh McMahon* Madison Kate McMath* Maria Vivian Meinhardt* Grace Logan Milton* Sophia Ann Mock* Molly Elizabeth Montanus* Halle Rose Morgan* Samantha Ashley Mrusek* Alyssa Eden Napier Lillian Kathryn Nelson Mya Grace Nguyen Madeline Ann Nusbaum Mary Catherine O'Connor* Lauren Margaret Otten Leah Christian Paul

Audrey Marie Peters Yasmeen Nailah Porter Rylie Mae Postel* Tara Brynn Pund Margaret Kate Ragland* Julia Anne Raines* Annaleise Elizabeth Rammes Avery Renee Reid* MacKenzie Adele Reilly* Gracie Ann Reisman* Samantha Michelle Roberts* Jessa Kathleen Roettker* Marissa Kathryn Rouse* Courtney Marie Ruesink Isabella Marie Rueve* Josephine Therese Ruther Tėa Jane Sabin* Sara Elizabeth Salem Rosemary Galanti Sammarco Caitlyn Rose Saupe Tatum Louise Scanlon* Danielle Elizabeth Schneider* Ingrid Grace Schonberg Clare Elizabeth Schuermann* Caroline Kirby Schulte* Kathryn Elizabeth Schulte* Michaela Lea Schulze

Caroline Rose Schwartz* Ellen Lee Scott* Moira Haskett Seger Amanda Mae Serger* Ella Kathryn Shepard* Noelle Kron Shiffert Maggie Katherine Simonson* Avery Rose Somerville* Estelle Grace Speiser Molly Cody Sprong* Clara Agnes Stehlin Avery Jordan Stewart* Skylar Frances Stimson* Catherine Elizabeth Strode Emma Ann Thomas Madeline Belėn Thweatt* Kaitlyn Alexia Torbeck Rebecca Kathryn Veid* Emma Grace Voelkerding* Madeline Marie Volker Ella Christine Weber* Rachel Gwendoline Weidner Jaclyn Elizabeth Wenhold* Rachel Sophia Wilcox Claire Paige Wiseman Kayleigh Marie Zimmer* *National Honor Society Member

4 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

These girls really cared about each other. As special of a talent as Dee Alexander is, she has so much trust in her teammates. Whether it was Jayda Mosley who hit 100 threes this year, or Ky’Aira Miller who was the point guard, they all just really trusted one another on and off the floor.”

Purcell Marian Freshman Forward Dee Alexander

Their success stemmed in part from their work ethic, which is evident academically. The team’s first semester collective GPA was 3.5, improving to 3.7 by season’s end.

Mosley believes his basketball program includes several valedictorian candidates.

“We got pretty good basketball players but quite a few amazing students in our program,” he said, adding that the young team prayed before each practice and game.

With only one graduating senior, Purcell Marian looks to be a contender for a championship next year as well, but Mosley hopes for success in more than just basketball.

“It’s pretty surreal,” he said of expecting most of his team to return next season. “Hopefully they get better in every aspect of their lives, academically, spiritually and athletically. It’s pretty amazing to know I’ll get to see these girls grow.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2022

Men for Others

May you utilize your God-given gifts and talents in service to others while holding true to the characteristics of a St. Xavier High School graduate.

X Open to Growth X Loving X Intellectually Competent X Religious X Committed to Doing Justice

stxavier.org

# LongBlueLine

CONGRATS

GRADUATES! Congratulations Class of 2022!

We wish you the best as you step towards new challenges in life. May all your dreams be fulfilled.

Keep making a difference along the way.

Best Wishes from the administration, faculty & staff at Stephen T. Badin High School #BadinAlumniRock #BadinProud G R A DU A T IO N / M AY 2022 | 45

OUT & ABOUT 1

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1) LEHMAN PARTICIPATES IN MIAMI VALLEY SCIENCE DAY Ten students from Lehman Catholic High School participated in the Ohio Academy of Science Upper Miami Valley District Science Day, held at Edison State Community College in Piqua on March 9. Students from Champaign, Darke, Miami and Shelby counties exhibited projects in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Seven of the Lehman Catholic students received superior ratings, and several received special awards and cash prizes.

2) BADIN STUDENTS DONATE BLOOD Badin High School junior Abby Wagner was happy to donate blood at the high school’s annual blood drive on March 25. The Community Blood Center was on hand to oversee the effort. Some 99 people signed up to donate, and based on the total number of pints successfully donated, nearly 200 lives will be positively affected.

Congratulations Class of 2022!

Katherine Albanese Margaret Allaire Alexandra Amrhein Kendal Baldwin Helene Beerman Avery Bennett Faith Berkmeyer Mary Bingaman Annabella Black Katherine Blandford Monroe Blatt Grace Boron Alyssa Boutwell Jolie Brausch Kara Broderick Marley Broenner Avery Broughton Megan Brueck Madelyn Butera

Madison Cassinelli Shea Chamberlain Anika Chanchani Sadie Co Eliana Cohen Claire Coleman Norah Collins Cheryl Cramer Brooke Davenport Kalyn Devlin-Bergman Berkley Dixon Lauren Doerger Natalia D'Souza Jody El-cheikh Ayla Estes Bridget Estes Gabriela Farris Lilly Feeney Molly Frame

4 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

Madeline Frank Catherine Gemrich Maelynn Geoppinger Tam Ha Eleanor Haas Mary Haberer Thea Han Mallory Hanna Isabelle Hathaway Sidney Higgins Brooke Hoctor Katherine Hoffman Brigitta Hufziger Isabella Huneck Nadia Kassis Megan Kelley Sydney Kennedy Adelaide Kern Marie Khouzam

Lillian Kirk Megan Kiser Brittany Konruff Julia Kowaleski Holly Kramer Evelyn Krebs Caroline Lamermayer Gabriella Le Julia Licu Juliane Lim Sara Linduff Isabelle Lynd Gabriella Mangano Maya Matesa Emma McCabe Juliana McClure Madison McDonough Brenna McFarland Nicole Mech

Marie Meyer Kiersten Moning Mara Morrissey Grace Morton Sarah Motley Mackenzie Mueller Mattie Mulligan Elizabeth Naylor Victoria Nguyen Katelyn Noelcke Mary Noschang Lily Ogburn Emma Olszewski Maria Palcic Riley Partin Madeleine Pavelka Mandy Phan Haley Pitman Alyssa Prasinos

Anavictoria Proaño Claire Ratkey Halle Reed Jocelyn Reed Isabelle RingswaldEgan Ella Roelker Ember Rolf Keely Rose Carys Rudell Jane Rumely Rose Rye Elizabeth Schaltz Chloe Schowalter Hope Seibert Claire Shimala Mackenzie Sickinger Anna Sidoti Rachel Sidoti Katelyn Skufca

Adrienne Smith Alexis Smith Ava Stanard Katherine Stuhlreyer Maria Suchoski Lauren Summe Anne-Marie Tardivon Olivia Thomas Alysa Thornton Leigha Timberlake Paige Tissot Elissa Toadvine Francesca Tomassetti Gillian Tosh Jenna Van Schaik Emma Wang Delaney Widenhouse Julianna Wojno Sarah Wordeman Alexis Yearout

3) ARCHBISHOP SCHNURR VISITS ROYALMONT ACADEMY Archbishop Schnurr visited Royalmont Academy in Mason. He concelebrated Mass with Royalmont Chaplain Father Jesus Salinas and Deacon Mike Hinger from St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish.

Following the Mass, he toured the school and visited every classroom.

4) SPECIAL ART PRESENTATION AT ST. XAVIER CHURCH On March 12, St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati featured an immersive exhibition of sacred art in the parish gallery. Using vibrant colors and rich textures, renowned local artist Holly Schapker offered a wide variety of paintings and unexpected installations inspired by her journey through St. Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. The show will remain open through July 31. The sacred art gallery is in the parish center directly beneath St. Francis Xavier Church.

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CONGRATULATIONS Class of 2022!

“I would wish to fit you for that world in which you are destined to live.”

- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Mary Catherine Agee Sophia Anglavar Megan Armstrong Emma Austing Margaret Bailey Madeline Baker Avery Barnes Isabella Bass Sara Bates Madison Becker Grace Belletti Karaline Berns Madison Biggs Jenna Book Natalie Briggs Mary Brossart Hope Bruce Emma Buelterman Elizabeth Busch Emma Camardo Megan Cavanaugh Kailee Chowning Anna Davis Riley Davis Meghan Davitt Elena Dean Audrianna DeGregorio Bitanya Derese Hailey Doerflein Audrey Eary Charlotte Ehling Serenity Eichhorn Julia Eilers Avery Emerson Emily Faillace Faith Feldman Riley Fitzpatrick Madyson Flower Sydney Frimming Sydney Gavin Rylie Geiger Grace Geigle Carly Gerdes Elizabeth Goettke Anna Goins Abagail Guillermo

Kendal Hart Rebecca Hater Sarah Haverbusch Madisyn Heideman Olivia Hein Vivian Hockenberry Audrie Imhoff Rachel Jarvis Melis Johnson Mackenzie Johnston Tessa Jones Brooke Kamstra Allison Keith Ally Kelly Bridget Kemper Skyy Klayman Alexis Knoblauch Elise Knoll Jenna Kramer Presley Kruse Sophia Kuchenbuch Lucabella LaEace Melinda Lamb Kamryn Lambers Jill Laub Lourdes Leurck Katherine Liderbach Laryssa Lively Mackenzie Loebker Priscilla Lorenzo-Lopez Elizabeth Luebbering Lucille Luebbering Allison Mangold Delaney McCarthy Megan McCarthy Carly McClatchey Elizabeth McLaughlin Riley Meier Mariah Mevers Olivia Meyer Claire Miller Olivia Mohs Katelyn Morman Elizabeth Murray Sydney Neville Chloe Niederhausen

Angélica Nolasco Rebecca Ochs Bailey Peters Emma Pitman Kathleen Pressler Anna Railey Alena Rapien Kailey Ray Julia Redder Grace Reilmann-Brown Dylan Ritsch Kaelyn Roa Sydney Roberts Molly Rodenberg Sophia Roebel Samantha Ruff Isabella Saupe Georgia Schaefer Kaitlyn Schloemer Sabrina Schultz Morgan Schwarz Courtney Schweitzer Elizabeth Selby Emma Sellmeyer Isabella Seuberling Kylee Smith Ella Stapleton Abigail Stautberg Sydney Stigler Allison Streckfuss Jessica Streckfuss Olivia Stumin Emma Sucher Samantha Tarvin Jayden Teschner Carly Thaxton Megan Thompson Megan Tressler Chloee TuckerMiddleton Margaret Utley Leah Wedig Elisabeth Weidner Mary Willig Alexandra Witsken Lucy Wullenweber

Seton High School 3901 Glenway Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45205 setoncincinnati.org 4 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

5) MCNICHOLAS HIGH SCHOOL LEADS PROGRAM FOR GUARDIAN ANGELS STUDENTS As part of Guardian Angels School’s CANabilities Program, McNicholas High School hosted the eighth grade class from GA, leading them through a morning of witness, reflection and activities fostering kindness and compassion.

CANabilities is the progression of the program “Everybody Counts,” switching focus from disabilities to CANabilities, highlighting the talents and skills of differently-abled people. Senior Megan Kuhn shared stories about her life experiences as the sister of a person with autism, and spoke about the importance of acceptance and treating others with compassion.

Congratulations, Class of 2022!

We are so proud of all the ways in which you have grown toward Full Stature and we look forward to seeing how you will let your brilliance shine outside of McNicholas!

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Class of 2022!

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ACROSS 1 ___ works 5 The three kings 9 Canonized pope known as “the Great” 14 “Mercy!”

15 Not a base 16 Spicy concoction 17 Bring into existence 18 “Comin’ ___ the Rye” 19 Essential 20 Before, to Byron 21 Prompted 22 Depend 23 Name given to the fox 25 Pats gently 28 Turnabout, familiarly 29 Incitement of rebellion 33 He played a pope and wanted to be a priest when he was a young boy 36 Cut into small pieces 37 Oxlike antelope 38 Picnic intruders 39 Swedish imports 40 Campus figure 41 Owing 42 In an appropriate manner 43 Esther has the longest one in the Bible 44 Describes 55D

46 The Supreme Being 47 City in Northwest France 48 Take communion 52 Lenten duty 55 Foot covering 56 It means nothing 57 Beam of light 59 Coconut husk 60 Apollo creator 61 Reduce by two 62 Stopper 63 Single entity 64 Bay 65 ___ gin fizz 66 Bordeaux bean?

DOWN 1 Wife of the prophet Hosea 2 Chicago airport 3 Best way to sing 4 Catchall name 5 Catholic star of “Samson and Delilah” 6 Pained 7 Enclose 8 Words at the end of the aisle 9 ___1, papal license plate 10 “Blessed are those who hunger and ___ for righteousness…”

(Mt 5:6) 11 Beer type 12 Israel’s airline 13 Greasy 21 First child

24 Convent dwellers 25 Annual race 26 Summer drinks 27 Make an offer 29 Commandment word 30 Composer Stravinsky 31 Singles 32 Unclothed 33 Muslim judge 34 E Pluribus ___ 35 Separate article 36 He entered Judas 39 Location 40 Yield 42 Title of address for a friar or monk 43 Sotto ___ 45 Eight days of a holy season 46 Patron saint of England 48 African animal, for short 49 Silly 50 Catholic custom of dropping into the Church for a few minutes to say a quick prayer 51 Tickle pink 52 Alphabet string 53 Mr. Greenspan 54 Shout heard on the trading floor 55 See 44A 58 Encountered 59 TV station 60 Kernel

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THE FINAL WORD with Father Rob Jack

Acts of Devotion DEDICATION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD

We must never lose sight of the basics of our faith. Faith in Jesus Christ, prayer and devotion are about as basic as you get. Religious devotions are little “snacks” for our souls so we can make it through the day with the help of the Lord, His Blessed Mother and the communion of saints. Here is a quick review of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s place in our lives.

Why are Catholics devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

There are two reasons that devotion to Mary is important for Catholics. The first is that Mary was chosen by God to be the Mother of Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Her consent to become the Mother of God, known as her “fiat,” manifests her love of God and desire to serve Him. Her cooperation in God’s saving plan provides the Eternal Word of God with a true human nature, so that Jesus Christ is like us in all things except sin. Thus, Mary is venerated by all Christians as the “New Eve,” who gave birth to the “New Adam,” Jesus Christ.

The second reason for Marian devotion is the command of Jesus her Son. “Son, behold your Mother; Mother behold your Son” (Jn. 19:25-27). Jesus gives His mother, Mary, to the apostle John as they stand together at the foot of the cross. When Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other, Jesus makes Mary the spiritual mother of John, and by extension, the whole church. The Blessed Virgin Mary is truly our “spiritual mother.” Mary loves all Christian believers as much as she loves Jesus. She exercises her maternal presence in the lives of every Christian to this day.

How do we practice our devotion?

There are many ways to show devotion to the Mother of God. The oldest Marian prayer is from the 3rd Century, “We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.” We present 5 0 | THE F INAL WORD

our requests and needs to Mary that she may give them to her Son, Jesus. St. Louis de Montfort and others taught that the surest and quickest way to Jesus is through His Mother, Mary.

Another way we can show devotion to Mary is by striving to model her great faith. Elizabeth praised her by saying “Blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). Mary is the best teacher in the life of faith by constantly reminding us to look to her Son. The Rosary helps us to see the life of Jesus through the eyes of His Mother. We reflect on the Seven Sorrows of Mary so that we can learn how to use the suffering in our life to strengthen our faith during hard times. She teaches us that by pondering God’s actions in our lives, we will grow in God’s love.

What are the spiritual benefits of devotion?

When we commit ourselves to Jesus through Mary, our life takes on a Marian attitude. Marian devotion deepens our bonds to the heart of Jesus Christ, making us a more perfect channel of divine grace. It also frees our hearts from many fears and burdens because of our increased trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to sustain us in this life.

Finally, devotion to Mary moves us out of ourselves to serve and intercede for others’ needs, especially those who know little of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.”

FATHER ROB JACK is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Ordained in 1992, he currently hosts the daily radio show “Driving Home the Faith” on Sacred Heart Radio. He earned an STL (Licentiate in Sacred Theology) in Mariology from the International Marian Research Institute in Dayton, OH. He is from Middletown, OH.

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