MAGAZINE
190th year | issue 9
bringing faith into the home
september 2021 | people radiating christ | 1
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edi t or’s not e
Radiate Christ Boldly Who radiates Christ to you in your life? Whose love for their faith shines so brightly that they can’t help but pull others into God’s love? For me, there will always be the legendary Sister Martinetter Rivers, OLS. Sister Martinette, or, as she called herself, “The Butterfly Queen,” walked into my life and took it by storm. With fire in her heart, passion in her faith and a concern for the elderly that she spread to all she encountered, Sister was not easy to ignore. And, she positively insisted I allow her to write for the Catholic magazine I edited at the time. Once she realized she had taught my husband in elementary school, that was it. She became a fixture, and, subsequently, an adopted grandmother into our family. Sister Martinette would often sit with me and share stories from her past. The ones that left the strongest impression on me came from her years of ministering to orphans in Bangladesh. She described how children were tossed out on the side of the road, abandoned to neglect, poverty and death. The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows took them in. Ultimately, Sister Martinette helped many of those orphaned children find adoptive parents in the U.S. and maintained friendships with them as they grew up and accomplished amazing things. When Sister Martinette came into my life, she spent most of her time ministering at nursing homes, to the delight of all who resided there. Her light shone brightly, and, with her command of multiple languages, her order sent her to Italy to teach for an extended period. But she never forgot about us. In fact, for our first child’s baptism, Sister Martinette purchased her baptismal gown in Italy. When Sister finally returned stateside, my husband and I took our children – all four of them still quite tiny – to her convent to be loved and doted on by
the sisters. Once there, Sister Martinette walked us through her garden and gave our children gifts from Italy. She also joined us for dinner on occasion and even showed up for “Grandparent’s Day” at the kids’ school. Sister was one of the shining examples in my life whose unwavering faith led me to convert to Catholicism. The way she loved God and firmly and passionately ministered to those around her, all while embracing those of different faiths with love and respect, radiated Christ boldly in my life. Sister Martinette passed away unexpectedly nearly two years ago. Upon her death, all those whose lives she had touched shared their stories of how she made them laugh as she taught them (and, even intimidated them a little). To know her was to love her and to see Christ’s love radiated through her. We dedicate this issue of The Catholic Telegraph to people like Sister Martinette – people who let Christ’s love shine brightly through them, without apology, to everyone they encounter.
cteditorial@catholicaoc.org
THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 190th Year No. 9 • September 2021 513-263-6635 • thecatholictelegraph.com
PUBLISHER Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr
EDITOR 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
100 East Eighth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 ctadvertising@catholicaoc.org The Catholic Telegraph (xUSPS 094-520) ISSN. 10736689 is published monthly by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati 100 E 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Catholic Telegraph, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
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contents news
radiating christ
columns
8 BEACONS OF LIGHT: CREATING THE PASTORAL PLAN
22 BOBBY KENNEY III
7 QUESTION OF FAITH
KARY ELLEN BERGER
FATHER DAVID ENDRES
DOMINICK ALBANO
Photographer, Dayton
10 A PRIEST’S PERSPECTIVE
24 JAKE & ALYSSA DEMANGE
Where does the Church stand on homosexuality?
FATHER EARL FERNANDES
SUSAN BERGMAN
14 CATHOLIC AT HOME
Families of Parishes as evangelizing communities
Parents and volunteers, North Star
KATIE SCIBA
12 MEET THE KNIGHTS AND DAMES OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
PATRICIA MCGEEVER
16 A CLOSER LOOK
ICU burns unit nurse, Cincinnati
DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT
26 PACO PATAG
Radiating the love that moves the sun and stars
JOHN STEGEMAN
25 KARA STEPHENSON
Running on fumes
JANET PATTERSON
15 DID YOU KNOW?
Student and entrepreneur, Cincinnati
GAIL FINKE & EMMA CASSANI
Annunciation Church
19 SHINE ON DOMINICK ALBANO
28 DICK STEINMAN
You radiate Christ
MARK DANIS
18 BICENTENNIAL: WRITTEN IN LIGHT SARAH ATER
34 KIDS’ PAGE EMMA CASSANI
St. Philip Neri
Advocate and volunteer, Troy
36 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY DR. ANDREW SODERGREN
29 HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU
Pope St. John Paul II on “Original Solitude”
Good Samaritan Hospital Region, Cincinnati
37 SEIZE THE MOMENT NICHOLAS HARDESTY
32 EMILY GROSS
The more of life and the more of God
BONNY VAN
ON THE COVER PHOTO BY: MARGARET SWENSEN
Dayton area photographer, Bobby Kenney III, had a reversion to his Catholic faith and now radiates Christ’s love through his photography and life. 4 | CONTENTS
Graphic designer, Morrow
38 MAKING CATHOLIC MEMORIES WAYNE & MARIANNE TOPP
34 MARY BETH KOENIG
Heart of Sorrows
KARY ELLEN BERGER
Mother, Mason
42 THE FINAL WORD SISTER CHERYL ERB, SM
Let your service shine! Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for September – Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyle: We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.
SEEK THE LORD ARCHBI S HO P D E NNIS M. SCH NUR R
Throughout this bicentennial year of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, I have urged members of our local Church to radiate Christ. Far more than just a slogan, this is a call to conversion and action. Articles in this issue of The Catholic Telegraph profile individuals who have answered that call in significant ways. To radiate Christ means to be a joyful witness to the Lord, and to do so wherever and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. In some ways, this is a tall order. Fortunately, God has empowered us for this mission by baptismal grace and by the particular gifts and talents He has given each of us. God also has given us the Church so we have the love and support of other Christians to strengthen our faith and give us courage. The examples of fellow Catholics of our archdiocese radiating Christ that you will find in this magazine, therefore, should encourage, inspire and motivate you. However, your own opportunity to witness the Lord in your sphere may be very different from theirs. We each have a unique place in the Church and in God’s creative plan. And our local Church will only be the instrument God intends if each of us seeks the face of the Lord, is converted to Him and allows Jesus to work through us – in short, if we radiate Christ. At the same time, the broader community the archdiocese serves will never be what God intends it to be without Christian believers being “salt and light” to our hurting world (Mt. 5:13-14). Wherever you are, Christ should be there through you. That means radiating Christ by your behavior in meeting rooms, on the construction site or while waiting tables; in the doctor’s office, in the grocery checkout line and at your bank; and in encounters with people of difference races, religions and political persuasions.
It is perhaps particularly important at this moment in American history to radiate Christ in the public square, where our national dialogue today is marked not only by radically different worldviews, but by incivility, nastiness and even destruction of property and lives. It is natural to blame our political leaders for this sad state of affairs, but we all have a role to play in making ours a more civil society by the way we treat those with whom we disagree. This is a daily, undramatic undertaking. We can look to St. Joseph, the patron of the Church, as an exemplar of one who radiated Christ in a quiet way in his everyday life. He did so by seeking and following God’s will, as Christ did, no matter how difficult for him. “St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation,” Pope Francis wrote in his apostolic letter, Patris Corde. Before we radiate Christ, however, we must know Him. That is why in my pastoral letter, Radiate Christ, I invite you to strengthen your relationship with the Lord through prayer, an openness to God’s plan for you and frequent reception of the Eucharist as the center of your spiritual life. All of this requires the most precious commodity we have – time. Like all our gifts, however, time comes from God, and it is only right that we give some of it back to Him while getting to better know His Son. Living in intimate relationship with Jesus Christ promises us peace, joy and fullness of life here on earth as a taste of the life to come. And when we have that ourselves, then we can share it with others by making the decision to radiate Christ. It is my hope that we continue to focus on this mission and this challenge well beyond this bicentennial year of our archdiocese. S E E K T H E L O R D / S E PT E MBE R 2021 | 5
BUSCA AL SEÑOR ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR
A lo largo de este año del bicentenario de la Arquidiócesis de Cincinnati, he instado a los miembros de nuestra Iglesia local a irradiar a Cristo. Mucho más que un eslogan, este es un llamado a la conversión y a la acción. Los artículos en este número de The Catholic Telegraph perfilan a las personas que han respondido a esa llamada de manera significativa. Irradiar a Cristo significa ser un testimonio gozoso del Señor, y hacerlo dondequiera y en cualquier circunstancia que nos encontremos. En cierto modo, esta es una tarea difícil. Afortunadamente, Dios nos ha dado poder para esta misión por la gracia bautismal y por los dones y talentos particulares que Él nos ha dado a cada uno de nosotros. Dios también nos ha dado la Iglesia para que tengamos el amor y el apoyo de otros Cristianos para fortalecer nuestra fe y darnos valor. Los ejemplos de compañeros Católicos de nuestra arquidiócesis irradiando a Cristo que encontrará en esta revista, por lo tanto, deben alentarle, inspirarle y motivarle. Sin embargo, su propia oportunidad de presenciar al Señor en su esfera puede ser muy diferente de la de ellos. Cada uno de nosotros tiene un lugar único en la Iglesia y en el plan creativo de Dios. Y nuestra Iglesia local sólo será el instrumento que Dios pretende si cada uno de nosotros busca el rostro del Señor, se convierte a Él y permite que Jesús trabaje a través de nosotros – en resumen, si irradiamos a Cristo. Al mismo tiempo, la comunidad más amplia a la que sirve la arquidiócesis nunca será lo que Dios quiere que sea sin que los creyentes Cristianos sean “sal y luz” para nuestro mundo herido (Mt. 5:13-14). Dondequiera que estén, Cristo debe estar allí a través de ustedes. Eso significa irradiar a Cristo con su comportamiento en las salas de reuniones, en el sitio de construcción o mientras sirve mesas; en el consultorio del médico, en la línea de caja del supermercado y en su banco; y en encuentros con personas de diferentes razas, religiones y convicciones políticas.
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Tal vez sea particularmente importante en este momento de la historia Estadounidense irradiar a Cristo en la plaza pública, donde nuestro diálogo nacional hoy está marcado no sólo por visiones del mundo radicalmente diferentes, sino por la incivilidad, la maldad e incluso la destrucción de bienes y vidas. Es natural culpar a nuestros líderes políticos de esta triste situación, pero todos tenemos un papel que desempeñar para hacer de la nuestra una sociedad más civil por la forma en que tratamos a aquellos con los que no estamos de acuerdo. Esta es una tarea diaria poco dramática. Podemos mirar a San José, el patrón de la Iglesia, como un ejemplo de alguien que irradió a Cristo de una manera tranquila en su vida cotidiana. Lo hizo buscando y siguiendo la voluntad de Dios, como lo hizo Cristo, sin importar cuán difícil sea para él. “San José nos recuerda que aquellos que aparecen ocultos o en las sombras pueden desempeñar un papel incomparable en la historia de la salvación”, escribió el Papa Francisco en su carta apostólica Patris Corde. Sin embargo, antes de irradiar a Cristo, debemos conocerlo. Es por eso que en mi carta pastoral, Irradiar a Cristo, los invito a fortalecer su relación con el Señor a través de la oración, una apertura al plan de Dios para ustedes y la recepción frecuente de la Eucaristía como el centro de su vida espiritual. Todo esto requiere el bien más preciado que temenos – el tiempo. Sin embargo, como todos nuestros dones, el tiempo viene de Dios, y es justo que le devolvamos parte a Él mientras conocemos mejor a Su Hijo. Vivir en una relación íntima con Jesucristo nos promete paz, gozo y la plenitud de la vida aquí en la tierra como un sabor de la vida por venir. Y cuando tenemos eso nosotros mismos, entonces podemos compartirlo con otros al tomar la decisión de irradiar a Cristo. Tengo la esperanza de que sigamos enfocándonos en esta misión y este desafío mucho más allá de este año del bicentenario de nuestra arquidiócesis.
QUE ST IO N O F F A IT H
WHERE DOES THE CHURCH STAND ON HOMOSEXUALITY? Does the Church believe homosexuality is a choice? Your question is a complex one, straddling science, moral theology and pastoral practice. In discussing the origins of homosexuality, it is important to understand the Church’s vision of the person and human sexuality. This is particularly crucial since the Church’s teaching regarding homosexuality is not well understood. Even the terminology that the Church uses, because it is not consistent with society’s view of homosexuality, has prevented many from understanding this teaching. IDENTITY AND DIGNITY
Every person is made in the image and likeness of God. Each person has a fundamental dignity as a son or daughter of God. Using labels such as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual can obscure this reality, making one’s sexuality appear as a primary or even exclusive identifier. The Church seeks to avoid reducing persons to their sexual orientation. Considering sexual inclination as an aspect of one’s life, the Church prefers not to refer to anyone by the terms gay or homosexual, but instead, as a person with same-sex attraction or homosexual inclinations. Those who experience same-sex attraction do not in any way forfeit their human dignity. They should be treated with respect and love, and those who are Christian, as fellow brothers and sisters in faith and co-heirs to the life of heaven. Any forms of violence or unjust discrimination are not consistent with the example of Christ. SCIENCE AND ORIGIN
Science continues to weigh in on the origin of same-sex attraction, including studies of a potential genetic basis. A consensus seems to be forming that there is no single biological or genetic origin. Consistent with the developing scientific consensus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, “[Homosexuality’s] genesis remains largely unexplained” (CCC, 2357). Though, for some, same-sex attraction may be experienced in
a transitory way, others experience it throughout their lives, which may be due to an “innate instinct” or condition (“Persona Humana: Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics,” 8). The first edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (published in 1994) contained a paragraph that read: “[Persons with same-sex attraction] do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial” (CCC, 2358). However, the catechism’s second edition (from 2000) omitted the reference to choosing homosexuality to be more consistent with the scientific uncertainty of the causes of samesex attraction. FREEDOM AND VIRTUE
If same-sex attraction were determined to have a purely biological or genetic cause, it would not alter the Church’s understanding of human sexuality. Since sexual activity of either orientation outside of marriage is not ordered to the Christian’s flourishing, the Church teaches that God calls all persons, including those with same-sex attraction, to live the virtue of chastity. The Church reminds us that it is actions, not inclinations, that are sinful and that human persons possess agency over their actions. Each person is called to cultivate a life of virtue and achieve greater freedom through discipline. For this reason, we must avoid “the unfounded and demeaning assumption that the sexual behavior of homosexual persons is always and totally compulsive” (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 11). Since neither the Church nor science fully knows the causes of same-sex attraction, the Church does not take a position on its origins. Instead, it emphasizes each person’s dignity and the call to chastity. For a person is not primarily heterosexual or homosexual but a son or daughter of God, and, through His grace, an heir to the life of heaven. 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 / S E PT E MBE R 2021 | 7
BY DOMINICK ALBANO
CREATIN G T H E PA S TO R A L PLA N As the pastoral planning initiative Beacons of Light moves forward, Catholic Telegraph writers are meeting with its leaders, including Father Jan Schmidt, to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate information on what is happening, describe how decisions will be made and provide clear descriptions of what to expect. This article series on Beacons of Light will appear in every issue of The Catholic Telegraph. Please visit beaconsaoc.org to sign up for the free monthly Beacons Update newsletter. “If we are to be the Church as Christ intends, we must understand that ‘status quo’ can have no place in our vocabulary.” – Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, “Letter to the Faithful Concerning Beacons of Light” This powerful quote from Archbishop Schnurr’s July letter concerning Beacons of Light has ringing implications for our archdiocese. It also gives great insight into why Beacons of Light is happening and why it is happening now. The process of looking at where we are, where we have been and where we are going is not new to the Beacons of Light core team. It was the first step of the journey. 8 |
THE CATHOLIC TEL EGRAPH
In the fall of 2020, as the archdiocese prepared to celebrate its 200th anniversary, the Beacons of Light core team, under the leadership of Father Jan Schmidt, began reaching out to parishes and collecting data to understand the existing state of affairs in the parishes and parish schools of the archdiocese. The team worked with PartnersEdge, an industryleading consultant in data analysis and diocesan planning. Together, they collaborated with parishes to develop an understanding of the whole diocese: its population, infrastructure, births, deaths, sacraments, finances, schools and much more. From this wealth of data, they created an extensive “Current Reality Report.” The team presented this information to archdiocesan leaders throughout the summer and has made the report available to the public on the Beacons of Light website (beaconsaoc.org). With a better understanding of the current state of the archdiocese, the Beacons of Light core team began drafting the archdiocesan pastoral plan. An important step in this process included soliciting input from archdiocesan leaders, deans, pastors and even other dioceses who have undergone pastoral planning processes in recent years. Each new step in the process was scrutinized, feedback solicited and
adjustments made. The plan timeline was established and published on the Beacons of Light website. The planning is not over. “Beacons of Light is a living, breathing process,” said Father Jan Schmidt. “A big part of this is being able to adjust the plan when necessary. We have a timeline and process in place, but we are able to change certain aspects of it at this point based on feedback.” So what’s next? One of the most personal and impactful aspects of Beacons of Light will be released at the beginning of October: a draft of the grouping of parishes into about 60 Families of Parishes will be made available to the public for the first time. The draft will be available at beaconsaoc.org Oct. 1-20 for the faithful of the archdiocese to provide comments and feedback. Just as our personal journey toward holiness is not over until we get to heaven, the Church’s mission is never “finished.” The Great Commission is ongoing and never completed. There will always be more souls to save, more friends and family to evangelize and new circumstances to assess and respond to. As Archbishop Schnurr so rightfully points out, the “status quo” isn’t acceptable. Our goal isn’t to maintain, but to move forward, striving for personal holiness in response to God’s mission for the Church.
B EA CON S OF LI G HT
Glossary Family of Parishes: A grouping of parishes led by a common pastor and characterized by collaboration and shared resources. A parochial vicar (or multiple parochial vicars) or retired priest may also serve a Family of Parishes. From Maintenance to Mission: Focusing the attention, resources, and activity of parishes and parish schools on the mission given us by Jesus Christ: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). This will require Families of Parishes to find ways to minimize the amount of time, energy and money currently consumed by temporal demands.
Missionary Disciples: Individuals who follow Jesus Christ in and through His Church, striving to share the Gospel message and draw others into a more intimate relationship with Jesus.
Beacons of Light Guiding Principles: Six principles that have been discerned by the Beacons of Light leaders and approved by Archbishop Schnurr that will be the foundation of the pastoral plan each Family of Parishes will develop for itself. These principals are Eucharist, Church, Leadership, Stewardship, Evangelization, and Love in Action. Planning Parameters: The common expectations for all Families of Parishes. These will specify those items that all Families must or must not do as they come together.
Pastoral Planning Pathway: The eard.Ensure Stay Informed. Sign Up. process, based upon the Beacons of you are part of Beacons of
Light Guiding Principles and consistent
by subscribing the free Update at: ribe to Light the free monthlytoBeacons with the Planning Parameters, that Beacons Update at beaconsaoc.org. View the timeline, be informed and get involved in the process by giving feedback.
Evangelization: Fulfilling Christ’s instruction to share the Good News and make disciples through our words and actions. “The evangelizing efforts of the baptized are not simply focused on those who have not heard of Christ. They are also directed toward our brothers and sisters who no longer join us around the Lord’s table. Furthermore, the baptized disciple of Christ is also continually evangelized through ongoing renewal of faith and living out that same faith.” (Living as Missionary Disciples, p. 6)
will bring together the leaders of all parishes within each Family to create a plan specific to that Family’s unique circumstances and opportunities.
olicAOC.org/Beacons
Discernment: The process of searching for a solution or making a decision that is in accord with God’s will through prayer and reflection. Prayerful discernment frees the mind and spirit from vested interests and distractions.
Family of God: A way of understanding the Church as the communion of all the faithful, united by virtue of their baptism and organized around the distinct characteristics of prayer, Eucharist and companionship. Subsidiarity: A foundational principle of the Church’s social doctrine affirming that decisions should be made at the most proximate or local level to those whom they affect. “The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which ‘a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1883) Canon Law: The laws (“canons”) which provide the norms for good order in the visible society of the Catholic Church. In addition to the laws contained in the Code of Canon Law, other laws issued by the Apostolic See and the laws particular to each diocese make up the entirety of the Church’s canon law.
B E A CO N S O F L IG H T / S E PT E M BE R 2021 | 9
A PRIE ST ’ S PE R SPE CT IV E
FAMILIES OF PARISHES AS EVANGELIZING COMMUNITIES Last month, I reflected on the Church as the Family of God. We need to think not only of parishes as families, but of multiple parishes as extended families or “Families of Parishes,” as we move from maintenance to mission. Beacons of Light is a means for channeling our resources in a way that best serves the mission of evangelization. What are characteristics of an evangelizing community? First, we are a Church that goes forth. We are missionaries. Going forth demands courageously leaving our comfort zone. In an interview in 2013, Pope Francis said: “Instead of just being a church that welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent. The ones who quit sometimes do it for reasons that, if properly understood and assessed, can lead to a return. But that takes audacity and courage.” (Antonio Spadaro, Sept. 21, 2013) Second, the community of missionary disciples shows initiative. The Spanish word primerear captures this idea of being proactive rather than reactive. In Evangelli Gaudium the Holy Father writes: “An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative; He has loved us first, and therefore, we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast.” (EG, 24) Here in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, we cannot afford to wait for people to come to us; rather, we must seize the initiative and become “spiritual entrepreneurs.” Third, the evangelizing community is engaged with its 1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH
members. Pope Francis sometimes uses the word balconear, which means to stand on the balcony to see what is happening without personal engagement. The Pope proposes Jesus as the opposite of this sort of person: “Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. The Lord gets involved and He involves His own, as He kneels to wash their feet. He tells His disciples, ‘You will be blessed if you do this.’ An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in people’s daily lives; it bridges distances. It is willing to abase itself if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in others.” (EG, 24) The priest cannot do everything. He must encourage his people to get involved by identifying and utilizing the talents and gifts of his flock. Fourth, a community of missionary disciples accompanies others. Speaking in Assisi in 2013, Pope Francis said: “I repeat it often: walking with our people, sometimes in front, sometimes in the middle, and sometimes behind: in front in order to guide the community, in the middle in order to encourage and support; and at the back in order to keep it united and so that no one lags too far behind, to keep them united.” (Pope Francis, Cathedral of San Ruffino, Assisi, Oct. 4, 2013) A father of a family must lead his family, spend time with his family and offer encouragement, keeping the family together. Accompaniment entails guiding, encouraging, supporting and uniting. The pastor must lead the process, accompanying his own people, learning about their joys, sorrows, hopes and needs, and offering encouragement. This demands listening and empathizing on his part. At the same time, the parish community walks with him, with each member playing a role in strengthening each other, serving as bridges, rather than
barriers, in a united effort to evangelize.
the difference. Jesus warns of the need to be patient and discerning because things are not always initially clear.
Fifth, the evangelizing community is fruitful. Commenting on the parable of the weeds and wheat, the Holy Father says: “An evangelizing community is always concerned with fruit, because the Lord wants her to be fruitful. It cares for the grain and does not grow impatient with the weeds. The sower when he sees weeds sprouting among the grain does not grumble or overreact. He or she finds a way to let the word take flesh in a particular situation and bear fruits of new life, however imperfect or incomplete these may appear.” (EG, 24)
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO US; RATHER, WE MUST SEIZE THE INITIATIVE AND BECOME “SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURS.”
Patience and discernment allow us to move forward. It is particularly necessary for all of us to help the faithful understand why Beacons of Light is happening and to accept the reality of change. The final characteristic of an evangelizing community is joy. The Eucharist is the sacrament of Christian joy. In the Eucharist, the joy Jesus has won is not only preserved and shared, but perdures. The Church celebrates the Eucharist with the spousal joy of one promised to Christ. It is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. Families of Parishes, nourished by the Holy Eucharist, will have the courage to go forth, to seize the initiative, to be engaged and to accompany others so they might bear lasting fruit. They will be evangelizing communities, marked by the joy that comes from the Gospel and the Eucharist.
Fruitfulness demands discernment and patience. The parable of the weeds and wheat speaks of discerning what is from the Son of Man, who sows good seeds in the field, from the weeds, sown by the devil. In Greek, the word for weeds is zizania, which refers to rye grass. Zizania looks like wheat initially, but only when it is mature can one discern
FATHER 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.
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Meet the Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre BY JOHN STEGEMAN
If you have ever seen men and women dressed in white and black cloaks with a red Jerusalem cross at Mass, you’ve encountered the knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (EOHSJ). EOHSJ is an ancient lay institution under the protection of the Holy See. Just how far back it goes is unclear. Some note a historical mention in 1336, while others trace the origin of the order all the way back to 1099 during the Crusades. Once responsible for the defense of the Holy Land, the order was reconstituted under Pope Pius IX who tasked it with providing material and spiritual support to the Latin Patriarchate (similar to a diocese) of Jerusalem. The order has around 30,000 members in nearly 40 countries. The amount of aid rendered to the Latin Patriarchate each year by the order is nearly $12 million. While the lieutenancies (regional groupings) and sections (local chapters) do gather a few times a year, the order is not a social club. Local events by the Cincinnati/Dayton 1 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
section include an annual dinner for the archbishop, a retreat and the celebration of one of the four feast days of the order. In addition to vesting for major events like ordinations, if desired, the knights and dames attend funerals of fellow members in regalia. “We don’t come together as often [as some other organizations],” said Dan Andriacco who, along with wife Ann, serves as co-president for the Cincinnati/Dayton section. “When we do come together, it is in solidarity with the Holy Land, and to support each other, support our archbishop and grow in holiness.” According to a lieutenancy website, members are distinguished by their practice of Christian faith, living by high standards of moral conduct, their involvement in the Church at the parish and diocesan levels, their willingness to engage in the apostolate of the order, their ecumenical spirit and their active interest in the needs and problems of the Holy Land.”
When we do come together, it is in solidarity with the Holy Land, and to support each other, support our archbishop, and grow in holiness. Membership is often by invitation. It includes a period of formation, and each member must be approved by the Grand Magisterium in Rome. There are recurring financial obligations which include the cost of attending the annual meeting and investiture, and an annual charitable contribution. Members are also expected to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and pray for those who live there. “There is a financial commitment and every person who is interested has to assess his or her financial situation,” Andriacco said. “Most Catholics make charitable contributions every year in addition to their own parish. For me, it was an issue of prioritizing and saying this is where I want my contributions to go.” “All that money goes [to the Latin Patriarchate],” he added. “All the money goes directly to help the cause of Christians in the Holy Land. We have heard again and again from the Latin patriarch, and from our
contacts in the schools, that our support has been absolutely essential.” This September, between 350 and 400 knights and dames from the Northcentral Lieutenancy will gather in Cincinnati for the annual meeting and investiture. The Cincinnati/Dayton and Covington/Lexington sections are co-hosting. The meeting will take place at the Netherland Hotel in Cincinnati, a promotions ceremony will be at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, KY., and the investiture will take place at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Downtown Cincinnati. During all the gathering, members will keep the people of the Holy Land in their prayers. “The biggest thing that Christians in the Holy Land will say is, ‘Don’t forget us,’” Andriacco said. “They’re always in our prayers and in our hearts, as well as being a cause we contribute to financially.”
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CATH O LIC A T HO ME
RUNNING ON FUMES The alarm I rarely hear went off. My husband Andrew and I agreed to rise early to “parallel pray” before the day got going. I felt his nudge, “Time to wake up.” In mornings prior, I intended to wake up early to pray, but ultimately discerned that Jesus must want me to get more sleep instead. This morning, however, I bolted up and reached for my daily reading and journal. If I wanted to be the kind of woman who prayerfully readies for the day, I was going to have to fight against myself for it. There in my room, I took a deep, slow breath and rested in Jesus, Who I knew at once had been waiting for me. The forthcoming hours played in my mind and I already felt weary. As a working mom, I asked God to bless my efforts on the job, and to help me be generous and receptive to my children. Give me the grace to be supportive and encouraging to my husband, and charitable in all circumstances today, I pleaded. I wanted to receive the life in our home and respond with love, which felt like a tall, dare I say impossible, order. Regardless of our varying seasons in life, each of us is tasked with obligations. We have people to care for, work to do, problems to solve. In my busyness, I tend to become selfreliant, petitioning God for aid only when I feel out of my depth; but what I’ve realized is that to be human is to be in need of the Lord every single second. We run on fumes and exhaust ourselves unless we’re allowing God to fill us. This one morning of prayer was absolutely transformative. Throughout the day, I was sweeter with my kids and we laughed together all day long. I ordered a cinnamon roll and coffee for my husband, leaving the surprise right where he’d find it next to a jotted YOU CAN DO IT note. I was productive around the house and cheerful. I felt unburdened by life. Unburdened. Most of the time I feel dry, taxed, weighed upon – that spouse-parent-professional sensation we get. 1 4 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
But I see clearly that juggling stress, tasks, babies and marriage without solid time with the Lord greys the brightness of each blessing. It turns them into burdens and makes us feel as though they suck our life away instead of adding to it. Jesus had been waiting to relieve me of this – I just had to draw near. In prayer, I present my burdens and ask for the grace to see blessings instead. What results isn’t some kind of false optimism, but deep contentment. I’m more eager to radiate Jesus, and I submit myself to Him in order to do so. And if, as human beings made in the Image and Likeness, we’re supposed to imitate the Lord in his responses to life and people, then being in honest, frequent conversation with him will sharpen that imitation. It harkens to the beautiful prayer: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. My heart and life can’t possibly resemble Christ’s unless I know Him. So here’s to the start of something new – the start of being made new. I have every intention of keeping up with Andrew’s prompting, which is clearly the Holy Spirit working through my husband to get to me, and I can’t wait for how a build-up of days and days of Jesus in the morning will change our family’s world. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt. 11:28-29). KATIE SCIBA
is a national speaker and Catholic Press Award-winning columnist. Katie and her husband, Andrew, have been married for 13 years and are blessed with six children.
Written by Gail Finke • Illustrated by Emma Cassani
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Clifton was designed as a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, the temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos (“Athena the Virgin”), in order to honor the true God and the true Virgin. While much of the décor is Greek in style, mid-century Western-style stained glass windows tell the story of Mary’s life.
Gerhard Lamers Born and trained in Germany, Gerhard Lamers painted the sanctuary mural at Annunciation, as well as murals in many other churches in several states, including the murals at the Pontifical College Josephinum and the Monte Cassino Shrine in St. Meinrad, IN.
1910 Parish established. 1910 Original church building constructed. (It was demolished in the summer of 2021). 1914 School opened for grades 1-4; followed by grades 5-6 the following year and grades 7-8 in 1918.
“Annunciation is a part of my identity. Since 1953, there’s been someone in my family living in Clifton and at Annunciation. I went to school there, my three children went to school there. It’s been a huge part of the neighborhood for more than a hundred years. There has always been a bond between Annunciation and the people of Clifton.” - Parishioner Ray Faller
1930 Church building completed. 1954 Mural in apse painted. 1955 Wooden baldacchino installed over altar. Sisters of Charity originally taught all classes at the school Edward T.P. Graham architect 1 Central mural of the Annunciation 2 Greek icon-style paintings of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Holy Family in elaborate wooden frames 1 Relic of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati in the St. Joseph Chapel
Monogram The mosaic in the sanctuary floor is a symbol beloved to Eastern Christians. The letters in the four corners made by the cross are a monogram that mean “Jesus Christ Conquers” – both an allusion to Constantine’s vision predicting his military victory under the banner of Christ, and Christ’s victory over death.
The Annunciation is the name given to the moment in Luke 1:26-38 when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 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.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
“I love the murals, all those pictures of the saints. I’m always taken by how many of us are named after those saints. My granddaughter Lucy was very impressed to see Lucy up there - holding her eyes out! Those are important pieces of our faith.” – Parishioner Barbara Mussman 18 Standing figures of saints (5 male and 5 female) and angels (8) 24 Columns with hybrid ionic/ Corinthian columns T E CH N O L O G Y / A U G UST 2021 | 15
A CLO SE R LO O K
RADIATING THE LOVE THAT MOVES THE SUN AND STARS Arguably the most important official document to proceed from the Second Vatican Council was the “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church,” written “to unfold more fully” the “inner nature and universal mission” of the Church. (LG 1.) The document is better known by its Latin title, “Lumen Gentium,” taken from its first sentence: “Christ is the light of nations.” By proclaiming the Gospel, explains Lumen Gentium, the Church “brings the light of Christ to all people.” It is fitting, therefore, that the theme of the bicentennial year of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is “Radiate Christ.” We can contemplate what it means to radiate Christ in at least a couple ways. PERMEATE
First, to radiate means to “permeate.” If we are to radiate Christ, we must not merely reflect the light of Christ, but rather be saturated by it. Christ must fill and spread through us, transforming us into different people from who we would be without His light. One of the errors of many Protestant theologies is the notion that Christ merely “cancels out” our sin by a forensic transaction, but does not effect a real change in our selves. 1 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
This is contrary to the Catholic understanding that we are transformed by the grace of Christ; that He does not merely forgive us from our sins, but change us from sinners to saints. He truly enlightens us through the sacraments. Thus, we must allow the grace of Christ to permeate our lives, so we can truly be the light of Christ to others. As such, of course, we must be the kind of people in whom people see Christ. If the light of Christ has permeated our very being, and is transforming us from sinners to saints, that must be visible to those around us. Again, we do not merely reflect Christ. To be radiated by Christ is to become Christ for others, so when others see us they see Him. Hospitality, generosity, graciousness, and forgiveness are some of the virtues we will exhibit when we are permeated by the light of Christ. TRANSMIT
Second, to radiate is to “transmit.” To be sure, our lives should be a reflection of Christ’s love, mercy, and peace. But to radiate Christ means much more than that. If we radiate Christ, we are sending forth that love, mercy, and peace, not merely reflecting it. In other words, we are called to participate in the life of Christ in a real, tangible way. Light is a physical reality. It is comprised of waves that drive out
darkness and change the things they touch. To radiate the light of Christ is to send it forth—to emit the rays of love that Christ brings to the world. Thus, as lights of Christ, we are called always and everywhere to be evangelists. We have a mandate to spread the light of Christ to our families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations. To radiate Christ is to emit transformative grace and beauty. It is to change people around us by driving out the darkness with waves of radiating love, always understanding that it is a participation in the light of Christ who enlightens us.
faith alive in his heart.” That is to say, he has been engulfed by the light of Christ; now may he transmit that light to the world.
To be radiated by Christ is to become Christ for others, so when others see us they see Him.
It is no mere coincidence that light is at the center of two of the most important events in the life of the Catholic Christian: Baptism and the Easter Vigil Mass. At baptism, through our godparents, we “receive the light of Christ” in the form of a symbolic candle. After giving the candle, the celebrant says to the parents and godparents, “this child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He is to walk always as a child of the light. May he keep the flame of
And, of course, the baptism candle is lit from the Easter candle, which itself was lit from the Easter Vigil fire, built to symbolize that Christ, in His resurrection, drove out the darkness of death by radiating the light of life. Perhaps this is why the rubrics for this “Service of Light” prescribe a “blazing fire,” suitable to radiate into the night and dispel the darkness.
And the Light of Christ, a light greater than any other, is love. Indeed, in the final words of Dante’s Paradiso, it is the radiating “love that moves the sun and other stars.” DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT
is an attorney and the James J. Gardner Family Chair of Moral Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. He holds a Ph.D. in moral theology from Boston College, and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law.
Peace and joy
IN THEIR T WILIGHT YEARS
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ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI BICENTENNIAL
Written in Light
B Y S A RAH ATE R
In the early 20th Century, two Cincinnati priests brought the light of Christ to Catholics locally and nationally through their writings. Father Francis Lasance was plagued by bad health and lived as a recluse, but his name was known in Catholic homes across the country. Father Francis Finn, SJ, a native of St. Louis, embraced Cincinnati and immersed himself in church and civil activities. Their published works remain as a testament to their faith, and both were responsible for many religious vocations. Honoring each other’s gifts, Father Finn remarked that Father Lasance’s books, “take prayer and meditation into the bracing air and sweet sunshine of God. Happiness and holiness are brought together and are shown to be fit partners of each other.”
Photo courtesy University Archives and Special Collections, Xavier University Library
Father Francis Lasance (1860-1946)
Father Francis J. Finn, SJ (1858-1928)
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Francis Finn discerned his priestly vocation with the Jesuits while a student at St. Louis University. He professed his religious vows in 1881 and was ordained a priest 10 years later.
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Before coming to Cincinnati, Finn was a teacher at St. Mary’s College in Kansas. There he began his literary career. His first book was published in 1890. In total, he published 27 novels. Popular titles included the exploits of Tom Playfair and Percy Wynn. These all-American stories were written for children.
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Father Finn arrived in Cincinnati in 1900, and served at St. Xavier Parochial School and St. Xavier College (now Xavier University). The success of students at each school was often attributed to him, and Father Finn saw himself as the spiritual father of thousands.
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At the college, Father Finn contributed to the building program, athletics record, intersectional contests and the welfare of the graduates. Xavier owes its mascot, The Musketeer, to Father Finn. He also established the rallying cry, “One for all, All for one.”
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Father Finn was also active in the local community, both civil and religious. A chaplain for the Knights of Columbus, he was known and loved throughout the city.
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At his funeral, Father Finn was praised for making religion attractive. He made it known that it was a privilege to serve other people, and that the neglected had a special place in his heart.
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Father Lasance was ordained on May 24, 1883, and served in parishes in Cincinnati, Dayton, Lebanon and Monroe before illness forced him to go on sabbatical. He traveled to Europe hoping to regain his strength, but was unsuccessful. Returning to Ohio in 1890, he was assigned as chaplain for the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at The Summit on Grandin Road, and remained there until 1924. Father Lasance’s 34 years as a chaplain afforded him much time for prayer and meditation on the Christian life, suffering and intimacy with Christ.
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Using insights he gained from prayer, Father Lasance published more than 30 books. Many of his titles were prayer books to be used at Mass and in adoration.
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Father Lasance’s most popular title, My Prayer Book, first published in 1908, was an instant success and sold more than one million copies.
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Two popular titles, The Catholic Girl’s Guide and The Young Man’s Guide, were written for young people who were transitioning from being students to entering the world and choosing their vocation in life. These two titles have experienced a quiet revival in the last decade with reprints.
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“Religion does not take the sunshine out of a man’s life. The true follower of Christ has a blessing on his lips and a song in his mouth, amid sorrows and trials.” – My Prayer Book
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S HI N E ON
YOU RADIATE CHRIST On July 3, 2017, my uncle Mark died suddenly and tragically. It was not a beautiful and gentle end to a long life. It was unexpected and painful. I’ll never forget getting the call that night from the police, informing me he had died. I’ll never forget driving my devastated mom to her sister’s house. I’ll never forget the look on my aunt’s face as she asked me, in all sincerity, why God would let something like this happen. My uncle was warm and charming, able to make instant friends with anyone. He took his dog for a walk around the neighborhood and had a conversation with every person he passed. He called when you were in trouble. He spent his time at family gatherings playing with all the kids, instead of watching football with the other dads. The week after he passed, family gathered as preparations were made. It seemed like there were always dozens of people at my aunt’s house. The lasagnas – oh my, the lasagnas – and other dishes overflowed the fridge. So many people brought over food to offer whatever comfort it could provide. WHO IS HOLY ENOUGH?
AN UNEXPECTED GIFT
Surrounded by family and friends and lasagnas just a few days after my uncle’s death, my aunt was still shattered. But then something happened – a gift from God that made her feel like everything was going to be OK. There was a young man who lived down the street. He was home on summer break from college. My uncle used to talk to him about football when he walked the dog because the guy had been the local high school’s quarterback and my uncle played college football. He knew what had happened and wanted to do something – but really, what could a college kid who lived down the road do to help in such a horrible situation? He noticed the lawn needed to be mowed – something my uncle usually did – so he pushed his mower down the street and cut the grass. He didn’t knock on the door or ask permission. He called no attention to himself. But my aunt heard the lawnmower and looked out her kitchen window, saw him, and God spoke to her in that moment.
What does it even mean to radiate Christ? How do you radiate Christ in a situation like that? Who is qualified? Who has the right theology degrees? Who is holy enough?
She felt like God was telling her everything was going to be okay. It didn’t heal her pain. It didn’t make her feel better. But for her, the young man with the lawnmower radiated Christ.
It sounds silly, but when many people think of evangelization – sharing the good news of the gospel with the world around us – these are the worries that come to mind. I’m not holy enough. I don’t know the answers to all the questions. I don’t know the right words to say. I’m not qualified.
As we celebrate those who radiate Christ, let’s shine a light on the fact that God uses each of us in mysterious ways. Let’s shine a light on the fact that you radiate Christ. You might not know when or how, but God shines through you in the simple, the everyday.
If I asked you to think of someone who radiates Christ, someone will immediately come to mind. If I asked you to think of how you radiate Christ, many of you would think you don’t or can’t. But that’s not how radiating Christ works. Radiating Christ is mysterious, because God is mysterious.
DOMINICK ALBANO
is the director of digital engagement for The Catholic Telegraph, as well as an author and national speaker. He and his wife have been married for 14 years and have four sons. PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E M BE R 2021 | 19
Mis s io n O f f ic e Dinners Join Us for Food & Fun for a Cause! Sept. 23: DoGood Restaurant in Osgood RSVP to: Jane Pierron, janepierron@gmail.com Sept. 28: St. Ignatius Church in Cincinnati RSVP to: Jerome Gabis, jergabis@gmail.com
Oct. 5: Immaculate Heart of Mary Heritage Hall in Cincinnati RSVP to: Susan Keefe, skkeefe37@gmail.com Oct. 12: Flyboys Restaurant, Oakwood RSVP to: Debra Sanderman, debrasanderman@gmail.com
Arrival: 5:30pm • Dinner: 6pm
$30 per person, $50 per couple. Reservations and donation due 7 days prior to dinner. Make checks payable to: “Archdiocese of Cincinnati Mission Office” with “Mission Office Dinner” in the memo line. Mail to: Mission Office, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Dr. Mike Gable, Mission Office Director mgable@catholicaoc.org • (513) 263-6680
EMPOWERING LOCAL LIVES THROUGH COMPANIONSHIP Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio provides local families with nonmedical, in-home companionship for seniors, veterans, and disabled individuals through its Heart of Mary Respite & Companion Services. We are actively recruiting and training volunteers to serve those in need throughout our 11-county service area of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The minimum commitment for volunteers is 2-3 hours a week. If you are interested in volunteering for this program or supporting it through your donations, please visit our website ccswoh.org/heartof-mary-respite-and-companion-services/ or call (513) 535-2291.
DONATE TODAY at ccswoh.org or mail in your donation Enclosed is my gift of: £$25 £$50 £$100 £$250 £$500 £$__________ Please make checks payable to: Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio Mid Pointe Tower, 7162 Reading Rd., Ste. 600 Cincinnati, OH 45237
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PEOPLE WHO
RADIATE CHRIST We are called to radiate Christ in our everyday lives. Sometimes that means small gestures like being a listening ear for someone who is hurting, or praying with and for others. Other times it means larger gestures – volunteering, participating in parish life, stepping out of our comfort zones and evangelizing to strangers. We asked our readers to nominate those who radiate Christ in the community. Nominations came from across the archdiocese and included people from a wide range of age groups, professions and faith journeys. One thing they all share: Wherever they are, whatever they do, the love of Christ shines through their actions.
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RADIATING CHRIST
BOBBY KENNEY III Photographer St. Susanna Parish, Mason Our Lady of the Rosary, Dayton
Follow on Instagram: BY KARY ELLEN BERGER
Pictures are worth a thousand words. Looking at a picture of photographer and entrepreneur Bobby Kenney III, though, would only give you a glimpse of the faith journey he has been on in his life so far. Growing up in West Chester, Kenney admitted his connection to Christ wasn’t strong when he was younger. “At the age of 13 was when I really started falling into sin,” Kenney said. The sin Kenney referred to led him to dangerous activities that included getting shot at during a drug deal when he was 16. Two years later, Kenney was in felony rehab, “a clean prison for juveniles,” as Kenney described it. While there, he began to hear the Lord’s message. “There were a couple guys who came every Sunday for Church to talk about Jesus and Scripture,” Kenney said. “It was there that I found hope for the very first time in my life.” Out of rehab, Kenney went to college, but quickly found 2 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH
@bobbykenney3 @bk3weddings @youarelovedmission himself back on a destructive path. After more highs and lows, Kenney felt an urge to reignite his relationship with God. “I asked myself, ‘What am I doing? I’m not seeking anything of living for any sort of purpose,’” Kenney said. “So I decided to pray for the first time in years. I simply asked God for help and some sort of guidance.” That guidance came in the form of a gift at Christmas. “My mom gave me her old camera for Christmas, along with a necklace that had Jeremiah 29:11 on it, which says, ‘For I know well the plans I have in mind for you – oracle of the LORD – plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope,’” Kenney shared. “I was instantly inspired.” In the years that followed, Kenney fell in love with photography and built his relationship with God. While finding success with his photography, Kenney realized he could expand on his work to share God’s love. He was also in the process of creating a clothing line, but his initial plans for the brand weren’t aligned with promoting Christ.
At the same time, Kenney began attending a Bible study with coworkers and, later, was invited to attend a SEEK conference, Kenney went, and, during the life-changing experience, he said a prayer.
“I take/share polaroids of people wearing the shirt, and I ask them the question, ‘What do you want to bring to the world?,’” Kenney said. “Regardless of where people are in their life, it brings out the goodness of their heart and helps them see the light inside, and also shows that there is love instilled in every human heart.”
“I prayed, ‘God, what do you want me to do with this? I’m giving it to you,” Kenney reflected. “It was then that I had a vision. The vision was of a girl waking up, with black makeup smeared under her eyes. She looked miserable and as if she’d So I decided to pray been crying. She got up out of bed, for the first time walked into the bathroom, looked in the mirror, looked down at her shirt, and it in years. I simply said, ‘You Are Loved,’ and she smiled. I asked God for help instantly teared up and had chills – the good kind. I said to myself and God, and some sort of ‘That’s it! That’s what the clothing line guidance. will say!’” You Are Loved is now an established non-profit that is more than a clothing line. The organization focuses on bringing the message, “You Are Loved” to those incarcerated or in rehab facilities, the homeless, at-risk youth and others. Kenney also connected his passion for photography with this organization.
Kenney has future goals of spreading the word about “You Are Loved” through events and a book. Photography remains his full-time job, and, with every picture he shares online, he makes sure to include scripture or his own faith-filled thoughts in the caption. Kenney’s future continues to grow brighter as he and his fiancée prepare to marry in Dayton in 2022.
“I want people to know that there is newness in every day,” Kenney said. “There is resurrection power in every day. God made this day specifically for you out of pure love. The question is how do you respond? The answer is simple. Love God, love your neighbor. And your neighbor is every human being you encounter. Make sure when you approach people, you are giving off the impression ‘You Are Loved.’ For that is what it means to be Christ-like.”
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RADIATING CHRIST
JAKE & ALYSSA DEMANGE Parents & Volunteers St. Louis Parish, North Star
a turn.” One of their twin boys was stillborn. Jake and Alyssa agreed it was a pivotal point in their relationship with God. “It was a wake-up call. It fundamentally changed our outlook on how much of a gift life truly is,” added Jake. A few years later, through the encouragement of his wife, Jake joined the St. Denis Knights of Columbus in Versailles. He is a past Grand Knight and currently serves as a trustee. In an effort to increase local engagement, he helped organize “Breakfast with the Lord” for local students and also developed a Lenten speaker program that features nationally-known Catholic evangelists. “We are blessed to live in an area with great people and strong faith, so we were really just looking for a way to bring them together,” said Jake. The event now averages 180 attendees. “We all believe that even if we only bring one person closer to God, then we have achieved our goal.”
BY SUSAN BERGMAN
We all know someone who inspires the faith of others. In the northern archdiocese, lovingly called “God’s Country” due to its large Catholic population and abundant churches, individuals who exuberantly radiate Christ are visible in nearly every community. Nestled among extraordinary wave makers, are individuals softly shining Christ’s love and positively impacting those around them. In the likeness of St. Therese of Lisieux, their spirituality is doing the ordinary with extraordinary love. “What matters in life,” she famously wrote, “is not great deeds, but great love,” and Jake and Alyssa DeMange, of North Star, are people who do just that. Together, the couple is instrumental in organizing the Darke County Right to Life bus, which transports more than 50 local Catholics to Washington, D.C., each year for the March for Life. As parents to eight children, it’s an event to which they feel strongly connected. “During our second pregnancy, we found out that we were expecting twins,” Alyssa recalled. “We were so excited, and then things took 2 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH
It fundamentally changed our outlook on how much of a gift life truly is. Clearly that’s a goal Jake carries over into his personal life. Fellow Knight, Paul Borchers, has been inspired by Jake: “He radiates Christ through his actions in what he does for his community, as well as sharing his faith with his children.” Those actions with his family include participating in First Friday early morning Mass, which Alyssa explained is a treat for the kids, because Jake goes into work a little later, and they enjoy donuts afterward. The emphasis on combining faith and family activities is something both Jake and Alyssa credit to generations of positive influence. “We were both raised doing similar things with our parents and grandparents. It brings us joy to continue those traditions with our own children.”
RADIATING CHRIST
KARA STEPHENSON ICU Burns Unit Nurse
St. Cecilia Parish, Cincinnati BY PATRICIA MCGEEVER
In an intensive care unit at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC), there are 10 beds where some of the most critically injured patients are treated. They are in the hospital’s Burn Center. Among those caring for them is a young, newly-minted nurse who says she wants to bring Jesus’ healing ministry to health care. Kara Stephenson graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December from Wright State University. The Centerville native knew she wanted to work in critical care and started her job at UCMC this spring.
brings His healing touch through my hands, that He will trade out my hands for His because His are way better.”
“It’s definitely not easy, and I’m still adjusting to the stress that does come with seeing that kind of suffering,” said Stephenson. “But it is exactly what I wanted to do, so I know He’ll give me the graces I need to figure that out.”
Stephenson wasn’t always this devout. Only when she grew tired of party culture did she embrace prayer. When she did, her life changed instantly. Stephenson also said she experienced her own healing. Growing up, she suffered from depression. She was never formally diagnosed, but did see a counselor. While attending a seminar for a charismatic ministry, Stephenson said someone prayed over her.
With her education and faith as foundations, Stephenson cares for patients who are sometimes in the ICU for months. The Burn Center receives the most seriously burned patients in the region. Their pain and suffering is intense and their injuries are difficult to see. To care for them, Stephenson steps into what she calls “imaginative prayer,” and pretends she is caring for Christ’s wounds after the passion. “When I’m physically interacting with them, changing dressings, giving them medications or doing any kind of procedure at the bedside, I’m asking the Lord to work through my hands as I am caring for them,” she explained. “Every time I touch them, I pray for them and ask that God
Stephenson prays her patients will be restored to health and will heal without scarring. Patients are often sedated, so there is not much opportunity to pray with them. But she does offer to pray with their families. Stephenson says she tells them, “I’m a Christian. We don’t have a chaplain on duty at this time, I’d be happy to pray with you... I leave it open to them.”
“I can’t explain it but I’ve never had a depressed or low thought,” she recalls. “I was completely healed by Jesus. That was the big reason why I’m bringing this to health care because I saw that it’s possible.” Stephenson loves her work and says it’s a bonus that she gets paid to do it. “It’s difficult, and it’s not all rainbows and sunshine, but I do feel like I get to minister to the poor, sick and imprisoned, all of them grouped into one,” said Stephenson. PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E M BE R 2021 | 25
RADIATING CHRIST
PACO PATAG
Student & Entrepreneur St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish Liberty Township
BY JANET PATTERSON
When Paco Patag talks about his life and his faith, the world seems to be a brighter place. Baptized Pablo Francisco, when he was born in St. Louis, Patag credits his parents with the strong Catholic faith that has been his inspiration. “My parents are solidly Catholic and have always been so great about handing on the faith.” Homeschooled through high school, Patag is the second of the family’s five living children. After high school he studied mechanical and electrical engineering at Cincinnati State Community College and the University of Cincinnati, while volunteering with local crisis pregnancy centers and the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Eagle Eye Ministries and his home parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Liberty Township. Now in graduate school, Patag has shifted his professional focus to business, studying for a Masters in Business Administration through Canton’s Walsh University with formation studies in theology and philosophy at the St. John Leadership Institute in Englewood, CO. The Institute grew out of Eagle Eye Ministries which attracted his attention when he was in high school, Patag explained. Founded by Father Nathan Cromly in 2003, Eagle Eye Ministries hosts a variety of programs from excursions and pilgrimages to retreats and summer institutes for young adults from 16 to 35. The ministry is designed to inspire young people in high school for the new evangelization, and the Leadership Institute provides an atmosphere where emerging Catholic leaders can develop skills to influence the business culture. Patag, along with fellow graduate students in business entrepreneurship, live in community in Colorado. In his personal vision statement Patag says that his goal is, “To offer all that I am and all that I have to Jesus Christ, and so use my professional career to love as He loves, leading all those entrusted to my care to Heaven, and participating in the creative work of God by helping build his kingdom here on earth.” Patag said this season between his first and second year of graduate school is a “free agency summer” when he is exploring a variety of ways to begin living that vision.
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One of the highlights of this summer was the archdiocesan Marian Pilgrimage from May 16 to June 19. The pilgrimage covered more than 300 miles in 33 days, visiting 36 parishes from Russells Point to the Basilica Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains in Downtown Cincinnati. “Mary was truly leading us in pilgrimage to her Son,” he said. “I have a strong devotion to the Holy Family, and it struck me that I was acting as a guardian of Mary in the Year of St. Joseph. It was a real gift.” Calling the pilgrimage a “massive undertaking” for the archdiocese and the parishes that participated, Patag said he was heartened by the depth of faith he witnessed during the nine days that he participated. “We were blessed with some really fantastic people.”
Until he returns to Colorado in late August to finish his studies, Patag will continue his involvement in the community through his work as a coach with the Clifton Strengths Finder program, co-directing the Midwest Summer Institute of Eagle Eye Ministries at Maria Stein and working with the archdiocesan Campus Ministry introduction program.
I have a strong devotion to the Holy Family, and it struck me that I was acting as the guardian of Mary in the Year of St. Joseph.
He said the teams he served with forged a strong bond during the pilgrimage and he hopes their friendships will continue.
“I’m just finding ways to help where I can,” he said. In this last year of study for his MBA, Patag hopes to discern where the Holy Spirit may be calling him after graduation next spring. “I would like to do apostolate development,” he said thoughtfully. He also feels a strong call to marriage and the permanent diaconate.
When asked to talk about radiating the Light of Christ, he responded humbly, “Are you looking for people who radiate Christ? I have a few names I could give you...”
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futurelancers.com PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E MBE R 2021 | 27
There, Steineman witnessed what to this day he describes in great, albeit despairing, detail. He experienced how the poorest members of that society struggle for daily existence. He viewed a community of people living in squalor, many with little more than cardboard for protection against the elements. It changed him forever. Retiring from basketball at age 29, Steineman returned to Ohio, initially settling in Cincinnati in the famed Over the Rhine neighborhood. He briefly considered a religious vocation but instead served as a lay volunteer with the Marianists. He and Father Mark Schmieder established the first St. Joseph’s House Shelter, along with a soup kitchen named for social activist Dorothy Day. Steineman identifies Day and St. Teresa of Calcutta as his inspirations.
RADIATING CHRIST
DICK STEINMAN Advocate & Volunteer St. Patrick Parish, Troy BY MARK DANIS
True holiness requires the courage and humility to allow Christ to continue to live His earthly life through us, to utilize our human talents and passions in the service of God’s Kingdom. Dick Steineman never imagined his passion and talent for basketball would carry him around the world, or that it would then lead him to serve God’s Kingdom back in his hometown of Troy, OH. Today, Steineman runs St. Joseph’s House, a homeless shelter. And, along with Deb Grant, he also oversees the St. Patrick’s Parish soup kitchen, which served over 30,000 meals last year. A high school basketball standout, Steineman won a college scholarship to Ashland University. After graduation he played professional basketball throughout Europe and South America. It was in Venezuela where the Lord placed a new desire in Steineman’s heart. There Steineman asked a local resident to show him what the tourists never get to see. His guide brought him to the brow of a hill outside the town. 2 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
After 10 years, Steineman returned to his native Troy. He served as a gym teacher and basketball coach, while pursuing the desire placed in his heart in Venezuela. In 1994, Steineman approached St. Patrick Parish about a soup kitchen, offering to put up a thousand dollars of his own money to start the project, with the agreement that once the money ran out, they would shut the operation down. Twenty-five years later, the kitchen continues to serve meals six days a week. Steineman is quick to point out that what happens is beyond him. “The work,” he explains, “is all Christ’s.” As evidence, he shares how in 2013, a large local employer, Illinois Tool Works (ITW), contributed more than $500,000 to build and outfit separate kitchen and dining facilities. Steineman also shares that the first night the shelter opened in Troy, they had only two beds for the five men looking for a accommodations. Within minutes, a truck pulled up, and a man Steineman did not know explained he had three beds in his truck and wondered if the shelter could use them. But the work is not without its challenges. The drug epidemic in 2017 forced Steineman to move to a smaller shelter facility to better manage the guests. And, he says he struggles trying to help volunteers and people of faith better understand and serve the homeless population. His own approach is to try and live their experience, so he literally lives in the soup kitchen and even sleeps on its cement floor each night. When pressed to identify what sustains him, Steineman cites his daily attendance at Mass, daily Rosary and his devotion to the Blessed Mother. He doesn’t use the word courage to describe his work, he explains that he is merely doing what he believes Christ would do.
RADIATING CHRIST
HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS Good Samaritan Hospital Region
Their ministry is one of presence, prayer and bringing Christ’s love and comfort to others. The team of six chaplains in the Department of Pastoral Care at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati fills these roles daily. According to Austin Schafer, manager for Mission and Pastoral Care for the Good Samaritan Hospital region with TriHealth, their duties include providing sacramental and spiritual care, reaching out to patients of all faith traditions (or none), bringing hospitality and offering a listening ear. “When people feel heard, they begin to heal,” he said. During the height of the pandemic, when the hospital was receiving between 80 and 100 new positive COVID-19 cases per day, the chaplains were often overtaxed, but considered their ministry a “sacred” responsibility, Schafer said. “It was definitely a very emotional time for everyone,” he said. “It was just nonstop. There was sadness and grief, certainly, but also so many examples of faith and beauty. It helped to hang on to that.” “We see the patients’ families as part of the team,” Schafer said. “When they couldn’t have visits, we did as much tele-ministry as possible, via iPads and phone calls, anything to facilitate that connection. We visited family members at their cars, trying to address their fear and uncertainty.” Staff wellness was also a priority, whether it was a chaplain bringing a cart of refreshments to overtired medical team members or providing opportunities to honor lives lost.
BY EILEEN CONNELLY, OSU
Out of the challenges of the pandemic came a powerful reminder of the sense of community in the hospital setting. “During COVID, there was such a strong sense of people caring for each other, showing love and concern,” Schafer said. “It was very intentional in a way I hadn’t seen before.” He emphasized the unique role hospital chaplains play in peoples’ lives, saying, “We don’t establish long-term relationships with people. We’re here for a very acute time during someone’s health journey. We’ll likely never hear from that person again, but while they’re here, we can offer them genuine openness, a safe place where they can share and heal.” Father Cosmas Mabu came to his position at Good Samaritan two years ago after diverse ministry experience, including serving as an Army chaplain in his home country of Nigeria. For him, seeing to the sacramental needs of Catholic patients and responding when a priest is requested is truly a way of radiating Christ. “Giving care is radiating Christ,” Father Mabu said. “That’s what we’re called to do: radiate Christ in His humanity through our care and concern for others. As chaplains, our role is to bring Christ to the people and help them understand the love He has for them. They need that more than ever when they’re ill or injured.” He acknowledged that it can be challenging to be on call 24 hours and to roll out of bed at midnight to handle an emergency call, but wouldn’t have it any other way. continued on page 30 PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E M BE R 2021 | 29
continued from page 29
“This is my ministry, the ministry of Christ,” Father Mabu said. “It gives me great joy to be able to bring Christ to people in this way. It’s not easy, and there are tears, but to walk with people, to help them know God is with them when they need comfort, is a privilege.” It has been especially rewarding to witness the sense of relief and peace a patient feels upon receiving the sacrament of reconciliation. “They feel free,” he said. “Then you pray with them and encourage them, and they experience the joy of Christ.”
making the transition to professional Catholic healthcare chaplaincy.
During her first few days at Good Samaritan, Mesewicz was called upon to visit a patient who requested a female chaplain (she is currently the only one on staff). “It was definitely trial by fire,” she said, “but also It’s not easy, and very humbling and such an honor. I feel there are tears, but to like walking into a patient’s room is like being on holy ground. Each person is a walk with people, to beautiful image of the body of Christ.”
help them know God is with them when they need comfort, is a privilege.
Annie Mesewicz is new to the chaplain team at Good Samaritan, but is answering the call to a vocation she began discerning in high school. “I’ve always wanted to help people spiritually and emotionally,” she said. “My mom, who is nurse, asked if I had ever considered becoming a chaplain. From then on, my heart was on fire for this ministry.” A 2019 graduate of Xavier University, Mesewicz recently completed her first unit in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center and is excited to be
“We’re meeting people wherever they are on their faith journey,” she added. “We’re there to reassure them that they’re not in this alone, to pray with them, to really do what the Gospel calls us to do.”
Schafer encourages those who love to “radiate Christ through listening and pastoral care” to discern chaplaincy or become involved as a hospital volunteer or Communion minister. “It is holy and sacred work,” he said. “Christ and the Church need you, and you can help improve the lives of many through your servant leadership.” For more information, email Schafer at austin_schafer@trihealth.com.
Saturday, September 25
Centennial Celebration It’s an all-day community celebration for our 100th anniversary, and we want YOU to be there!
3 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH
RiverScape in Downtown Dayton Activities from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. • FREE admission • 5K Centennial Run/Walk • Live Music & Entertainment • Wiffleball Home Run Derby Tournament • Outdoor Mass at Day Air Ballpark • Kids’ Fun Area • Food Trucks & Wine Garden • Dayton’s Biggest Fish Fry
Get the details & plan your visit! cssmv.org • 937.223.7217
Called by our legacy and values. Caring for the community has been our calling since the founding of Good Samaritan Hospital 168-years ago, and Bethesda Hospital, 125-years ago. Our Mission has guided us to spread the love of God through the ministry of health care. Each person’s intrinsic value and dignity is honored at TriHealth; we are compelled by this Mission to embrace the uniqueness that each person brings. We focus on gratitude, hope and loving our neighbors, as we care for each other, our patients and the community.
We invite you to learn more about the health care services at TriHealth. Go to TriHealth.com/YourHealth.
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RADIATING CHRIST
EMILY GROSS Graphic Designer
St. Philip the Apostle, Morrow BY BONNY VAN
With a flair for all things creative, 23-year-old Emily Gross could never have imagined that one day she would combine art and faith to help spread the message of God’s love. But that’s exactly where her heart and her art landed with her April launch of “Fruitful Creative,” an online space designed to “bring together a social media community through original illustrations, music and content, focused on Christianity and Catholicism,” according to her website. “I think that, to someone who would go to the site, it’s definitely faith-based, you would see a lot of crosses, religious depictions, definitely that’s the main thing,” explained Gross. “But that is the goal, to spread the faith in an artistic, creative manner.” Fruitful Creative had its beginnings as Gross’ senior year capstone project in the Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) program at the University of Cincinnati (UC). However, the path that lead her there began much earlier. Gross grew up in Morrow, faithfully attending Sunday Mass at St. Philip the Apostle Church with her parents, Chris and Debbie Gross, and her three siblings. Gross said she always loved creativity, from drawing with markers and crayons to helping her dad with small construction projects. “I always loved any creative project growing up, and would even offer to do my younger sister, Maddie’s homework if it had anything to do with using the art bin,” she said. “Naturally, I was just drawn to making things with my hands as I grew up.” Gross’ faith journey began when she started attending UC and joined the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). She also lead Bible studies and had a core community of Catholic friends who helped her to continuously grow in her faith. “When I got into college, we were raised Catholic, went to Mass every Sunday, but we didn’t understand... what that encompasses, like why the Church teaches what it does and that love for Christ. And I think as I got into college, you grow and go through different trials in life that helps you kind of stay grounded and see that not only is there a Creator, there is a God,” she said. Through her strong faith and faith community, Gross began to see her artistic talent as a gift from God to help spread His word. “At first I thought, ‘Oh I need to try so hard and be perfect,’
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THE CATHOLIC TEL EGRAPH
but slowly, He showed me it’s nothing I can do; it’s all through Him,” Gross said. “And when Curtis [her brother] went to the seminary, I think that exaggerated that in a good way because it helped me dive deeper. [I thought,] ‘Wow, that’s giving your whole life to Christ.’ It helped me to realize how close people can come to their faith, and I can do that as well, no matter what vocation I find is right for me.” When the time came for Gross to determine her capstone project, the decision was easy. The one thing she was most passionate about was her Catholic faith. Admittedly shy about her work, encouraging words and support from her Catholic community helped Gross put her faith forward for others. She said the project was also an opportunity to share, through art, with her fellow students.
S T. A N
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“They were very receptive to a lot of the artwork I had done,” she said. “And they wanted to see more of it, which I thought was really nice because it welcomes a lot of people in to the Catholic Christian faith.” Gross, who graduated in May, now works as a graphic designer with Proctor & Gamble in Cincinnati. She enjoys outdoor activities, especially kayaking. She still attends Mass regularly and continues sharing her faith through art on “Fruitful Creative.” Gross, who plays the ukulele, even has a few original songs on the site. “As I think through actually posting on the Fruitful Creative, launching the brand itself, I remember reading this in an email, if it just touches one person’s life, or helps someone one day, it’s so worth it. So it’s shifting the focus off myself and allowing God to do the work in my life,” she said.
H I PA R I S C I R E ELA M
Combined Parishes of St. Patrick, Fayetteville & St. Martin, St. Martin
Sunday, September 5
Schedule your personal visit and tour today! carrollhs.org | 937.253.8188 | admissions@carrollhs.org
11:30am - 9:30pm
Chicken or Roast Beef Dinners Served Sunday, 11am - 6:30pm
Raffles, Silent Auction, Booths, Games & Bingo
Held on the grounds of
St. Patrick Chapel Fayetteville, OH • US 50 at US 68 513-875-5020 PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E MBE R 2021 | 33
RADIATING CHRIST
MARY BETH KOENIG Mother
St. Susanna Parish, Mason BY KARY ELLEN BERGER
When you strike up a conversation with Mary Beth Koenig, you’ll hear frequently about “God’s awesomeness.” Not only is that one of her favorite phrases, but in her actions and her words, she radiates how good God is. Mary Beth and her husband met at the University of Cincinnati and recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. The couple have been members of St. Susanna in Mason for 17 years, where Mary Beth has been involved in various parish ministries. The couple has three boys and live in a neighborhood that Mary Beth describes as “family.” Family – both in the biological and community sense – have been a supporting arch to the Koenigs throughout the years. The Koenig boys have had varying medical complications that have included stays at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. In one of God’s “awesome” moments, Koenig shared how she found God in one of the most unexpected times. “I was standing in the hallway at Children’s and a sorority sister from college turned the corner,” Koenig said. “I hadn’t 3 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH
seen her in 25 years. She’s a faithful Catholic, a beautiful soul and she’s like, ‘I’m here for you Mary Beth. I’ll pray for you.’” Praying has been a mainstay for Koenig, who enjoys attending daily Mass and praying with her family every day. During one of the boys’ trying times, when asked what people could do to help, Mary Beth encouraged everyone to turn to God. “I love morning Mass,” Koenig shared. “I couldn’t go, so people who had not been to church in forever went to Mass. People who weren’t even Catholic went to Mass. It was beautiful.” When asked how she can stay so positive during difficult times, Mary Beth smiled. “God is our Father,” Koenig said. “Think about a child, and every time they get scared, they run to their father. There are totally times I get scared, but I just fill every morsel of my being with as much of God’s goodness.”
“Our job here on Earth is to spread the faith, and in spreading that faith all you’re doing is spreading the love and joy of Christ,” Koenig continued. “You’re a much happier person if you’re doing good for everyone else around you the whole day rather than focus on, ‘Woe is me.’ There is no way you can’t be happy in those times.” Mary Beth admitted that she embraces the difficult moments knowing that God is always by her side. “He will provide. Trust Him,” Koenig said. “The ultimate glory is to live eternity with God but, man, oh, man, are we so happy that we get this extra time to be a family. He does amazing things.”
I love morning Mass. I couldn’t go, so people who had not been to church in forever went to Mass. People who weren’t even Catholic went to Mass. It was beautiful. Amazing things, that Koenig said, include seeing her sons grow into young men who are looking towards their futures. “From when my boys were little, I always prayed to God for their wives,” Koenig said. “I don’t know who their wives will be when they grow up but I prayed for God to pray for them, that they were growing in a happy, loving home, but, more important, that they’re growing closer to God.” And sharing the importance of God with children, from an early age, is something near to Koenig’s heart. “I hope people are inspired to go back to church or morning Mass and have conversations about God with their kids,” Koenig said. “No one’s relationship with God can always be on fire — always be on the top or always be at its best. You have down days, you have good days, and you have days where you turn away from God. But the thing is the door is always open.” PE O P L E R A D IA T IN G CH R IS T / S E P T E MBE R 2021 | 35
ON ORIGINAL SOLITUDE POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II’S THEOLOGY OF THE BODY This article is the second in a series of reflections on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). In my last article, I introduced Pope St. John Paul II’s concept of “original experiences.” He coined this term while pondering the opening pages of the book of Genesis in light of human experience. The first of the original experiences he probed is original solitude. Recall how in the second creation story found in Genesis 2, God first created the man, and later the woman, remarking, “it is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). Most people take this to mean that it is not good for the male to be without a female counterpart, but, as Pope St. John Paul II pointed out, the sacred author is using an inclusive Hebrew term that applies to “humanity,” not just “male.” Original solitude, then, does not refer so much to male and female as it does to humanity. As the pope reflected, “When God speaks the words about solitude, he refers with them to the solitude of ‘man’ as such and not only to that of the male” (TOB 5:2). ALONE IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD
For Pope St. John Paul II, original solitude flows from our human experience of being alone in the physical world, but in what sense are we alone? He is speaking of our search for identity. We all desire to know who and what we are. As we pursue this search, we encounter, in the physical world, many different types of living beings, i.e., many different “bodies.” While we find some similarities – and certainly every creature reflects the glory of God in some way – none of these bodies is fully like us. Our bodies bear an essential difference from the rest of creation. We are alone in the sense that in all of the physical world, the human body is the only one that reveals a person. Original solitude is the experience of discovering that we alone, in all of the physical world, are embodied persons. The 3 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH
human body reveals a person. As such, the human person is not only an object but also a subject. He has a self-knowledge and self-awareness far surpassing animals. The subjectivity of man allows him to reflect on his own nature and existence. He can ponder his origin and his end. He can reflect with awe and wonder at the beauty of creation and be moved in the depths of his spirit to worship his Creator. Man alone can do this in and through his body. GENUINELY HUMAN ACTIVITY
Through our bodies we also discover that we alone are capable of what Pope St. John Paul II called “genuinely human activity” (TOB 7:2). As persons, God has given us the gift of freedom and intelligence. We express these spiritual gifts through free bodily acts in a way that no other creature can: through human movement, speech and innumerable forms of creative activity. Thus, we are able to become, as Pope St. John Paul II said, “partners with the Absolute” in caring for and developing the rest of creation, which the Creator has given to man as a gift and task. Lastly, through original solitude, we discover that as personal subjects, we are “set into a unique, exclusive, and unrepeatable relationship with God himself” (TOB 6:2). This relationship defines us at the core of our being and identity. Before all else, we are sons and daughters of God, who called us into existence out of nothing and holds us in being through the constant, attentive gift of His love. By giving us bodies, God has shown us we are uniquely called to make His love and wisdom incarnate on earth. We are able to discover this through the prayerful contemplation that is the fruit of solitude. DR. ANDREW SODERGREN, MTS, PSY.D.
is a Catholic psychologist and director of psychological services for Ruah Woods. He speaks on topics related to the integration of psychology and the Catholic faith. He and his wife, Ellie, have been married 21 years and have five children.
SE I ZE THE MO ME NT
THE MORE OF LIFE & THE MORE OF GOD In my column from last month’s issue, I closed with these words: “In Jesus, there is always more to life.” My family recently spent some vacation time in Maine, and it provided me ample opportunity to ponder “more to life.”
overflowing, a God of more, if He can only give me 10 minutes of peace with the pine trees?
One day, when there was a break in the summer rain, we decided to get the kids out of the house and go for a nature walk at a nearby campground. Maine is known for its towering cathedral pines, and our little trail guided us right through them. The grandeur of these massive trees enveloped us as we entered deeper and deeper into the forest. The air smelled like Christmas. The temperature was a perfect 70 degrees. With a great many “oohs” and “ahhs,” the children soaked it in. For a moment, it was glorious.
God really does desire to give us more. Sometimes He bursts open the doors of heaven and lets His glory pour all over us. Sometimes He gives us more than we could ever hope for or remotely dream of. But, as I learned among the great pines, sometimes He doesn’t. Sometimes His glory trickles out. Sometimes we want a rushing river but all we get is a babbling brook.
But then, it wasn’t. The baby started crying. My next youngest son ate a bright red berry, and we had no idea if it was poisonous or not. My daughter started whining for food. My oldest son started complaining that he was tired. Then they all started fighting. Then my second-youngest son lost his shoes in the woods. Then my daughter lost the cap on her water bottle. Of course, the baby continued to cry, until our lovely day ended up a bit of a disaster! WHAT KIND OF GOD IS THIS?
When we finally got back to our car, my wife said, “Well, at least it was nice for about 10 minutes.” That got me thinking, and on the car ride back to our lodge, I had a little chat with God. “Ten minutes? That’s all you could give me? You could have wooed me in those woods. You could have taken my breath away. You could have given me rest – but you didn’t. Instead, you gave me 10 minutes. Why, Lord? Why? Why does it always have to be this way?” What do you think? Is our God really a God of outlandish gratuity, a God who fills our cups to
Paradoxically, I think the answer is yes. A GOD OF MORE
As I prayed about this more, I came to realize the brook doesn’t mean God has changed His mind. He doesn’t cease to be a gratuitous God that simply because we don’t always get as much as we want from Him. Any time we experience peace, glory, love, beauty or any good thing, that’s the “more” of heaven breaking in. Whether it’s for 10 minutes or 10 hours, it’s a generous gift. God doesn’t have to let heaven break in like that, but He does. That’s just the kind of God He is. Also, the “something more” that He freely offers is not always the “more” of this world. A babbling brook is evidence of a larger body of water. Heaven is the only place where all of our desires are ultimately and definitively fulfilled. It’s heaven we are made for, not all this, not even the cathedral pines. When we step into that resplendent glory, there will be no doubt about the kind of God we have. Our task then is to trust that the 10 minutes we get aren’t proof of a God who offers just enough. Instead, they’re proof of a God who has a bounty of gifts ready and waiting. NICHOLAS HARDESTY
is the associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA for the Center for the New Evangelization, an archdiocesan initiative that empowers parishes and schools to equip the laity for missionary discipleship. nhardesty@catholicaoc.org. S E IZE T H E M O M E N T / S E P T E MBE R 2021 | 37
The devotion they promulgated quickly grew and by the middle of the 14th Century, it was well known throughout the Church. At that time, Mary appeared to St. Brigid of Sweden and asked her to spread this devotion even further. She gave St. Brigid seven promises to all who would honor her sorrows – all of which pointed to her desire to be remembered not just as the mother of God, but as the mother who suffered for us all. Eventually, in 1814, Pope Pius VII officially set Sept. 15 as the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. On this day, the Church celebrates a mother who perfectly understands our suffering. She is a woman in tears with seven swords piercing her Immaculate Heart, which is on fire with love of us! Mary didn’t have to appear in this way, but she chose to! By doing so, she revealed to us that even though she IS perfect and was saved by God’s grace from the moment of her conception, her life was far from easy or “fine.” She endured much, and she did so out of the boundless love she had for the Father and HE AR T O F S O R R OW S
her Son. Because of her many trials, she became our most compassionate mother and showed us the value of our own sorrow. God allowed Mary to suffer. God allowed Jesus to suffer. And God allows us to suffer. Therefore, we are never alone in our
BY WAY NE & MARIANNE TOP P
“Lie number one: You’re supposed to have it all together, and when they ask how you’re doing just smile and tell them, ‘Never better.’” These are the opening lyrics of “Truth Be Told,” a song written by Matthew West. His words ring true and familiar to many of us, similar thoughts playing over and over in our own minds. We may even have the tendency to live our lives pretending everything is “fine,” easy and perfect. But, hundreds of years ago, our Blessed Mother gave us the opposite message when she appeared to seven men who later became known as The Servants of Mary. In the year 1212, Mary appeared to these men and asked them to devote themselves to her sorrows and spread that devotion across the world. They built an altar to Mater Dolorosa (Mother of Sorrow - the first altar of this title) and a little more than 20 years later, they established the order Servants of Mary (Servites). 3 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH
times of grief and sorrow, because she and Jesus will bear our suffering with us and allow us to take part in the work of salvation. Matthew West is right. We need not deny our suffering. Instead, we can look to our mother, Our Lady of Sorrows, and be reminded that our sufferings are part of God’s plan for us to become the people He made us to be. By God’s grace, may our sufferings allow us to be people filled with the same love and compassion that fills the heart of Mary.
Cincinnati Right to Life’s
Evening for Life
SUPPLIES
Thursday, October 21, 2021 Sharonville Convention Center
• 2 Seven Swords of Sorrow templates (find them online at
Different but not less
thecatholictelegraph.com) • 2 Sheets of plain white paper
Featured Speaker
(cut into fourths)
George Dennehy
• Yellow construction paper (optional) • Red construction paper (optional) • Clear tape
Reservations are required
CincinnatiRighttoLife.org
• Crayons/Markers/Colored Pencils
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Print and cut out the Seven Swords of Sorrow template. 2. With each quarter sheet of paper, fold in half crosswise 3 times to form a 4” x 1/2” rectangle. 3. Trim one end of the folded paper to form the tip of the sword. 4. Use tape to secure one label to each sword while also closing the open edge of the folded paper. 5. Color the sword handles any color you want (or trace the shape onto yellow construction paper). 6. On one of the cut-out hearts, cut through the marked slits.
Ignatian Retreats Behold, I Make All Things New - Rev 21:5 The Jesuit Spiritual Center offers Catholic retreat experiences Rooted in Scripture and modeled on Ignatian Spirituality, retreats the Spiritual include: Exercises of Inspirational Presentations St. Ignatius.
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7. Color the front of the heart with the slits and the back of the second heart. 8. Tape the two hearts together with the color side facing out.
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9. Tape the handle pieces to the folded sword pieces. 10. Label the heart “Seven Swords of Sorrow.” 11. In prayer, place each sword in the heart as you contemplate the many ways in which Our Mother chooses to enter fully into the suffering of her children.
M A K IN G CA T H O L IC M E M O R IE S / S E PT E M BE R 2021 | 39
St. philip neri
St. Philip Neri lived in the mountains for most of his life. He wasn’t totally reclusive though. At night, he walked to Rome and prayed by St. Sebastian’s tomb. On one of those nights, something strange happened. A ball of light appeared and went into Philip’s mouth. He swallowed the light and immediately had an overwhelming feeling of warmth, love and energy in his heart. The intensity came and went, but the warm feeling was always present. Soon after this experience, Philip became a priest and started teaching children about God. People would often say there was a physical warmth about Philip and that sometimes it looked like his face was radiating with light. After Philip died, his body was examined. Scientists found that his heart was four times the size of a normal heart! Pray through the intercession of St. Philip Neri that we may radiate Christ.
“First, let a little love find entrance into their hearts, and the rest will follow.” FEAST D AY MAY 26 4 0 |THE C ATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
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DOWN 1 Father of Rachel 2 Disco era phrase 3 Gold coin 4 Sycophant 5 Period of history 6 “For the body does not consist of one ___ but of many.” (1 Cor 12:14) 7 Cougar 8 Former Russian ruler 9 Urges 10 Saint for sore throats 11 Charged particles 12 Spoils or plunder 13 Alphabet string 24 “Son of” in Hebrew 25 ___ on of hands
27 Narrow inlet 28 Symbol of hope 29 Catholic actor Connery 30 Sicilian volcano 31 Scarf 32 Large mop 33 Daughter of Cronus 34 Pull down 35 “The Jungle Book” python 39 Jurisdiction of a bishop 40 Person in the first stage of the process of Christian initiation 44 Armed ser. mail service 46 Nickname for Aquinas 47 Old Testament prophet 49 Kitchen top 50 Reddish dye 51 Catholic creator of Sherlock Holmes 52 Pyramid scheme, e.g. 53 Israeli round dance 54 Black 55 “How will it end for those who ___ to obey the gospel of God?” (1 Pet 4:17) 56 Soprano Gluck 57 Spit out 61 Ques. response
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ACROSS 1 Our ___ of Sorrows 5 “…the rich he has sent away ____” (Lk 1:53) 10 Catholic actor/ comedian Murray 14 Malarial fever 15 Employ again 16 Apparatus for weaving 17 ___ Raton 18 Capital of Jordan 19 Soon 20 Muslim titles of honor 21 Obstructs 22 Ratio words 23 Remarkable 26 Advent through Ordinary Time 27 Pharaoh of the Exodus, perhaps 32 Lustrous 35 Relatives 36 Hellenic “H” 37 Damage by regular use 38 Son of Sarah 40 Fleming and McKellen 41 JFK datum 42 PBS funder 43 She gave birth to the prophet who anointed Saul 45 Ligature 47 Alphabet string
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S E P T E MBE R 2021 | 41
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THE FINAL WORD with Sister Cheryl Erb, RSM
LET YOUR SERVICE SHINE! Bicentennials are a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the past and build on the stellar work of many. We walk on the shoulders of religious men and women and lay people who radiated Christ in our communities throughout the years. As women and men religious gathered to plan their role in the bicentennial of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, we realized every congregation who traveled to our archdiocese in the 19th Century had the avowed purpose of serving the immigrants of our cities. The 16 congregations who arrived between 1829 and 1887 boarded their sailing vessels or steamships from Europe to settle in our geographical area. They set up schools, hospitals and social service centers to serve the poor. In 1858, 11 Irish Sisters of Mercy traveled to Cincinnati where they planned to educate and build a hospital – but their plans were derailed by a raging cholera epidemic. They adjusted to the need of the people, converting their living quarters into a “MASH” (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) unit, where they cared for thousands of the sick. A few years later, during the Civil War, injured soldiers were brought to the sisters for treatment. Despite this and other epidemics and challenges throughout the decades, the sisters still founded schools in the region and a hospital in Hamilton. All the religious congregations experienced these challenges in their early years, but their spirit of service was contagious. A mantra for all area religious congregations was: “See a need, garner resources and provide solutions through service.” In light of history, it’s natural for our 21st Century congregations to celebrate the archdiocesan bicentennial by facilitating a day of service alongside Catholics in parishes, schools, agencies and congregations. Together, on October 9, we will radiate love, energy and service throughout our 19 counties and “Let your service shine!” 4 2 | THE F INAL WORD
Many parishes and schools have already planned a service event they will sponsor. We encourage you to get involved. Be part of the solution! You can make a difference! If you feel called to serve and your parish has not planned something, visit www.Cincy200.org. There you will find great service ideas, along with contact names and phone numbers, so you can get involved. As you participate in our archdiocesan-wide Day of Service, take some photos of your service project and share them on the Cincy 200 website. You will be writing the bicentennial story for future generations and providing a great resource. Let your love, generosity and compassion shine for all to see. For nearly 200 years the men and women religious of our archdiocese have worked with our lay counterparts to provide quality Catholic education. They have built firstrate hospitals and provided care for the poor. Women and men religious were here for you then. We are here for you now. We need the wisdom, generosity and compassion of all – lay and vowed religious – to bolster our service and address real needs. Please consider joining us for the Oct. 9 Day of Service. Thank you for the many ways you collaborate with women and men religious to help us continue our ministries. Together, we can radiate care and compassion, create solutions to complex situations and continue to be a positive force across our archdiocese. SISTER CHERYL ERB, RSM is a Sister of Mercy who taught at McAuley and Mercy High Schools, worked for RENEW International and served as Mission Director for Bon Secours Mercy Health. She is presently in leadership for the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy in the role of Sister Life Minister.
Are You Prepared? LET US HELP.
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