The Catholic Telegraph - December 2023

MAGAZINE

192nd year | issue 12

bringing faith into the home

december 2023 | love in action | 1

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Putting God’s Love Into Action Love in action. When you hear those words, what images come to mind?

On a personal level, those words conjure up for me very concrete moments: of holding my children; of working so I can provide everything they need; of going on a walk with my spouse and listening while he shares his concerns.

On a spiritual level, they contain both an intense reality and deep mystery revealed in the epitome of what we celebrate this Advent and Christmas season: the gift of Christ’s birth into our earthly world. God, in all of His love for us, put His love into action and gave us salvation in the form of Christ as an infant. That love reached the world through Mary and Joseph’s love for God in action.

On a community-minded level, they mean caring about others outside my immediate circle: perhaps someone hurting and desperate for anyone to notice them, or someone in need of life’s basics, such as food, shelter, clothing or companionship.

Giving our love to Jesus and our families might seem relatively easy by proximity, but what about those we don’t even know? The idea can be intimidating! How do we even begin to help strangers?

In his Advent Angelus address on December 19, 2021, Pope Francis offered one easy, practical answer: He encouraged small kindnesses for others, “such as calling an elderly person, or giving them a little company. By helping others, we help ourselves to rise up from difficulties.”

as God’s love in action—sometimes it’s just the cashier knowing we always have patience and a smile when we check out. And of course, we should always pray, but for more than our families, extending petitions for those in need.

We are blessed with opportunities to help on a larger scale, but in a manageable way, through our parishes, schools and organizations. This issue of The Catholic Telegraph highlights amazing acts of love through collaborations: Families of Parishes and outside organizations feed the hungry in their communities; students focus their extra time and energy on people they’ve never met; and a university helps children overcome personal barriers to pave the way for success. In each story, the givers act without seeking a return. Instead, they experience Pope Francis’ words: By giving to others, they raised themselves up from difficulties.

This Advent and Christmas season, try seeking opportunities, large or small, to help others, at home and, as Jesus did for more than Mary and Joseph, in the larger community. In doing so, may we seek to glorify God by putting His love into our actions.

We might already do such things without thinking of them

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH 192nd Year No. 12 • December 2023 513-263-6635 • thecatholictelegraph.com

PUBLISHER Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jessica Rinaudo

MEDIA SALES Deacon Graham Galloway

GRAPHIC DESIGN Emma Cassani

PHOTOGRAPHY Margaret Swensen

NEW MEDIA EDITOR Greg Hartman

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Trenton Scroggins

SOCIAL MEDIA Taylor Motley

100 East Eighth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 ctadvertising@catholicaoc.org The Catholic Telegraph (xUSPS 094-520) ISSN. 10736689 is published monthly by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati 100 E 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Catholic Telegraph, 100 E. 8th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202

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december contents Showing Love

by Taking Away Barriers page 16

love in action

columns

12 SETON HELPING SAINTS

FATHER DAVID ENDRES

LISA FLETCHER

Before Christ

Students support community and nonprofits through service projects, donation drives & monetary assistance 14 NOURISHING HOPE

Faith & Fellowship page 30

7 STATEMENT ON ISSUE 1 ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

22 DID YOU KNOW?

BY GAIL FINKE | ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

St. Barnard of Clairvaux, Spring Grove Village 26 CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

BY REBEKAH DAVIDSON

40 OUT & ABOUT IN THE ARCHDIOCESE

ON THE COVER PHOTO BY: MARGARET SWENSEN

Audrey Scott volunteers with Last Mile Food Rescue: an organization that partners with the Crescent Parishes Garden to feed the hungry.

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10 A CLOSER LOOK DR. KENNETH CRAYCRAFT

Disinterested giving in Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory”

KARY ELLEN BERGER

20 BOOK REVIEW

Mission of Mary Co-op

MARGARET SWENSEN

16 SHOWING LOVE

Saints alive! Two Word on Fire children’s books encourage parents, too

KARY ELLEN BERGER

Taking away barriers 18 GROWING TOGETHER JOHN STEGEMAN

news

8 QUESTION OF FAITH

Cresecent Parishes unite to fight food insecurity

28 ST. JOSEPH’S TOOL BELT TRENTON SCROGGINS

Iron hands, giant hearts 32 CATHOLIC AT HOME KATIE SCIBA

24 MORE THAN A MEAL MATT HESS

Holy Angels parishioners serve the community with growing soup kitchen ministry 30 FAITH & FELLOWSHIP APRIL DEOCARIZA

What gives you pause in your faith?

34 SEIZE THE MOMENT NICHOLAS HARDESTY

One final moment 36 THEOLOGY OF THE BODY

Las Guadalupanas draws women to Our Blessed Mother

DR. ANDREW SODERGREN

42 THE FINAL WORD

BY JESSICA RINAUDO

Adultery of the heart, part 1 38 KIDS’ CORNER

TONY STIERITZ

ILLUSTRATED BY EMMA CASSANI

Love in action through Families of Parishes

Jolly, Old St. Nick

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER INTENTION FOR DECEMBER For persons with disabilities

We pray that people living with disabilities may be at the center of attention in society, and that institutions may offer inclusive programs which value their active participation.

Seek the Lord ARCHBISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR

On Christmas morning, in the opening prayer of the Mass at Dawn, we ask God to allow the light of faith, which radiates from the incarnate Word, to shine through in our deeds. This prayer reminds us of a beautiful truth: the gift of our faith is not something we keep to ourselves; rather, having received the very life of God within our souls, He then calls us to share that divine goodness with others.

Jesus Christ is the model of such self-giving. Out of love for us, with nothing to gain for Himself, He entered into our human nature and offered Himself for our redemption from sin. During the season of Advent, we prepare ourselves to celebrate this mystery at Christmas.

Christ’s birth into this world invites us to renew our awareness of the humble nature of God’s saving love and His desire to reveal the truth of our humanity by becoming human Himself.

The Lord, who has given us everything out of love, asks us, in turn, to give of ourselves for others. We live in a world desperately in need of love. Our faith invites us to put the love we have received from God into action, thereby recognizing the inherent dignity of each person created in the image and likeness of God. The Church has outlined the 14 Works of Mercy, the practical, timehonored ways we can put our love into action. The Corporal Works of Mercy are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned,

shelter the homeless, visit the sick and bury the dead. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are to instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, admonish the sinner, bear wrongs patiently, forgive others, comfort the afflicted and pray for the living and the dead. There are so many ways in which we can strive to love others as God has loved us!

As we prepare this Advent to celebrate the mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation, it is a fitting time to reflect on the love we have received from God and what our response to that love may be. As individuals and families, we can discern how God may be inviting us to grow in our love for others. There are many opportunities to share Christ’s love with others through our parish communities and other groups, including the many charitable ministries which offer assistance or provide services addressing the wide range of needs in our society. Maybe there is one such ministry which is uniquely suited to your own talents and interests. If so, this might be the perfect time to get involved.

I pray that this Advent may be a fruitful period of prayer and preparation for each of you, for your families, for our parishes and for our archdiocese as a whole. May we welcome the Christ Child and know that with the love He has come to offer us, He also calls us to offer that love to our brothers and sisters here on earth. And may the peace, joy and fullness of life that only Christ can bring be yours this Advent and Christmas!

S E E K T H E L O R D / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 5

Busca al Senor ARZOBISPO DENNIS M. SCHNURR

En la mañana de Navidad, en la oración de apertura para la Misa de la Aurora, le pedimos a Dios que permita que la luz de la fe, que irradia del Verbo encarnado, brille en nuestras obras. Esta oración nos recuerda una hermosa verdad: el don de nuestra fe no es algo que deberíamos guardar solamente para nosotros mismos, sino que, habiendo recibido la vida misma de Dios en nuestras almas, Él nos llama a compartir esa bondad divina con los demás.

Jesucristo es el modelo de esa entrega. Por amor a nosotros, sin nada que ganar para sí mismo, entró en nuestra naturaleza humana y se ofreció a sí mismo para redimirnos del pecado. Durante el Adviento, nos preparamos para celebrar este misterio en Navidad. El nacimiento de Cristo en este mundo nos invita a renovar nuestro reconocimiento de la humilde naturaleza del amor salvífico de Dios y de su deseo de revelar la verdad de nuestra humanidad al hacerse Él mismo un hombre.

El Señor, que nos lo ha dado todo por amor, nos pide, a su vez, que nos demos por los demás. Vivimos en un mundo desesperadamente necesitado por el amor. Nuestra fe nos invita a poner en práctica el amor de Dios que hemos recibido, reconociendo así la dignidad inherente de toda persona creada a imagen y semejanza de Dios. La Iglesia ha delineado las 14 obras de misericordia, las formas prácticas y consagradas de poner nuestro amor en acción.

Las obras de misericordia corporales consisten en dar de comer al hambriento, dar de beber al sediento, vestir al desnudo, visitar a los presos, dar posada a las personas sin hogar, visitar al enfermo y enterrar a los muertos. Las 6 | THE C ATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

obras de misericordia espirituales consisten en instruir al ignorante, aconsejar a los que dudan, amonestar al pecador, soportar las injusticias con paciencia, perdonar a los demás, consolar a los afligidos y rezar por los vivos y muertos. ¡Hay tantas maneras de esforzarnos por amar a los demás como Dios nos ha amado!

Mientras nos preparamos en este Adviento para celebrar el misterio de la Encarnación del Nuestro Señor, es un momento apropiado para reflexionar sobre el amor que hemos recibido de Dios y cuál pudiera ser nuestra respuesta a ese amor. Como individuos y familias, podemos discernir cómo Dios nos invita a crecer en nuestro amor por los demás. Hay muchas oportunidades de compartir el amor de Cristo con los demás a través de nuestras comunidades parroquiales y otros grupos, incluidos los numerosos ministerios caritativos que ofrecen ayuda o prestan servicios para atender la amplia gama de necesidades de nuestra sociedad. Tal vez haya un ministerio que se adapte a tus talentos e intereses. Si es así, éste puede ser el momento perfecto para participar.

Me pongo en oración para que este Adviento sea un período fructífero de oración y preparación para cada uno de ustedes, para sus familias, para nuestras parroquias y para nuestra arquidiócesis en su conjunto.

Que acojamos al Niño Jesús y sepamos que, con el amor que ha venido a ofrecernos, nos llama también a ofrecer ese amor a nuestros hermanos y hermanas aquí en la tierra. ¡Y que la paz, la alegría y la plenitud de vida que sólo Cristo puede traer sean suyas en este Adviento y en esta Navidad!

November 8

STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF ISSUE 1 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Yesterday’s passage of Issue 1 is deeply disturbing.

The people of Ohio missed on this important opportunity to demonstrate that the health and safety of women, the fundamental rights of parents, and the lives of preborn children deserve protection. Despite this outcome, we are grateful for all of you who prayed, educated yourselves and others, and voted NO on this horrific amendment.

And we praise God for the gift of His great love and mercy which He continues to pour out to us in good times and in bad.

The passage of Issue 1 shows that there remains a desperate need for conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death. This conversion will come about only through earnest prayer and the witness of our compassionate care for the most vulnerable among us – immigrants, the poor, the elderly, preborn children, and women in need.

Expectant mothers can face many challenges, including lack of support from the father, financial strains, concerns about her own health and that of her child, and pressures from family and friends.

In such times, every woman should be able to count on a community of support, both during pregnancy and after a child is born. Thank you to the many pregnancy centers, Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul conferences, Catholic healthcare systems and other wonderful pro-life ministries that create that community of support, lovingly walking with women in need and helping them

navigate difficult circumstances. I urge everyone in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to redouble support for these Catholic ministries that provide material resources and personal accompaniment to women, children and families so that abortion, legal or not, ceases to be even a consideration. For a listing of such ministries in our archdiocese, please go to catholicaoc.org/forlife.

The passage of Issue 1 in Ohio is part of what appears to be a coordinated state-by-state attack on life. Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, and South Dakota who likely will face proposals similar to Issue 1 on their respective state ballots in 2024. We must not become disheartened by setbacks. As Catholics, we are called to trust always in God’s providence and be courageous in our defense of the health and safety of women, the inviolability of the family, and the inestimable value of each human life.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, graciously help us build a culture of life and a civilization of love to the praise and glory of God, the Creator of all.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr Archbishop of Cincinnati

Please visit catholicaoc.org/forlife to continue supporting pro-life ministries in our archdiocese.

F R O M T H E A R CH B IS H O P / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 7

QUE ST IO N O F F A IT H

Before Christ What does the Church believe happened to the souls of those who lived before Christ?

Many presume that those souls who lived before Jesus had no opportunity to attain heaven, but the Catholic Church teaches that salvation is a gift from God offered to all people.

Those who lived before the coming of Christ were able to attain salvation by their faith in God’s promises and by their response to Jesus when He preached to them in the realm of the dead.

THE PEOPLE OF THE COVENANT

In the Old Testament, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising to be the God of his descendants and to bless all nations through them. This promise was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, the “Lord of Life” and the savior of Jews and Gentiles.

The Church believes that the Old Testament patriarchs and prophets, such as Abraham, Moses and Elijah, were saved by their faith in God’s promises and obedience to God’s commands. As we read in the Book of Genesis, Abraham “put his faith in the Lord, who attributed it to him as an act of righteousness” (15:6). God’s grace was at work in their lives, enabling them to respond in faith. This is why the Church venerates the saints of the Old Testament as heroes of the faith and examples of obedience to God. THE ABODE OF THE DEAD

In the Apostles’ Creed, we proclaim that after His crucifixion, Jesus “descended into hell.” This phrase is often a source of confusion, leading some to believe that Jesus raised the damned. But “hell” in this context is different: it is the abode of the dead (Sheol in Hebrew or Hades in Greek).

In this so-called hell, all are deprived of the vision of God— but not necessarily for eternity. Rather, in this abode of the 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEG RAPH

dead, souls awaited the Redeemer, and the just responded to his call to salvation: “Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 633).

SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST

Even for those who lived centuries before Jesus, their salvation is from Him. The saints in the abode of the dead were saved by divine grace and their response of faith to Jesus, not by their pre-Christian religious observance. As St. Peter writes in his first epistle: “The gospel was preached even to the dead” (4:6).

In going to the dead, Jesus brought the message of salvation to fulfillment. All—from the beginning of time—have the opportunity for redemption. Jesus’ descent to the dead was the last phase of His mission, which, though “condensed in time [is] vast in its real significance” (CCC, 634). Christ’s redemptive work spread to all humanity—peoples of every age, language, religion and place.

THE SOULS OF THE JUST

Christ’s descent to the dead reminds us that just men and women have lived throughout history. As we hear in a passage from the Book of Wisdom, which is often proclaimed at funerals: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them… They are in peace” (3: 1, 3).

Those who lived before Christ had the opportunity for redemption when Jesus descended into the realm of the dead.

This act is considered the fulfillment of the Gospel message and the completion of Jesus’ redemptive work, extending salvation even to those who lived before His time on earth.

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

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A CLO SE R LO O K

Disinterested Giving in Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory” In his January 16, 1980, general audience, Pope St. John Paul II noted that the second creation account in Genesis affirms two essential truths about the human person. The first is that the human is the only creature that God “willed for its own sake.” All other created things are ordered for the benefit of the human person as the crown of creation. The second truth is that the human person “can find himself only in the disinterested giving of himself.” Pope St. John Paul II uses the nakedness of the man and woman in the garden as a metaphor for the transparency and vulnerability that are necessary qualities of self-giving. “[A]t the root of their nakedness is the interior freedom of … the disinterested gift of oneself.”

In his 1981 Apostolic Exhortation, Familiaris Consortio, the pope develops this idea more fully. “[T]his free giving,” he explains, “takes the form of heartfelt acceptance, encounter and dialogue, disinterested availability, generous service and deep solidarity” (emphasis added). By his use of the term “disinterested,” Pope St. John Paul II is not saying that authentic availability is unconcerned with the good of the other, nor that it is cold or detached. Rather, he means that availability — along with “service,” “dedication” and “help” — are to be given without any expectation of something in return. As the human person is willed by God for his own sake, we are called to serve others solely for their benefit, and not with the expectation of something in return.

1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

Truman Capote’s 1956 short story “A Christmas Memory” is a lovely portrait of two people who have nothing to give one another but disinterested availability, and who love one another solely for the sake of the other. As such, the story is perfect Christmastime reading, illustrating the selfless nature of “love in action.”

Based loosely on Capote’s childhood, “A Christmas Memory” is the first-person account of a pre-teen orphaned boy, Buddy, about his relationship with an unnamed 60-something distant cousin, whom Buddy simply calls his “friend.” Buddy’s friend is cognitively impaired in some way, exhibiting emotional maturity that is roughly equivalent with Buddy, who is seven-years-old as the story begins. Buddy and his friend live in a house with “other people,” who, Buddy explains, “have power over us, and frequently make us cry.” But Buddy and his cousin take solace in one another’s company. “We are each other’s best friend,” he explains.

The story’s fulcrum is Buddy and his friend’s annual ritual of making fruitcakes to give away as Christmas gifts. The process begins with the backbreaking work of gathering windfall pecans “among the concealing leaves, the frosted, deceiving grass” in a nearby orchard, whose trees have otherwise been picked clean by its owner. Buddy and his friend then turn to counting the money they saved since last Christmas to purchase the remaining ingredients from the grocery store.

Through various creative endeavors, they accumulated a “Fruitcake Fund.”

Having gathered the ingredients, Buddy and his friend spend the next four days making 31 fruitcakes for Christmas gifts.

“Who are they for?” asks Buddy rhetorically, knowing they are mostly for people who he and his friend met only once, and many never at all: Passers-by of their rural southern home, for example, who they only waved to from the porch; the “California couple whose car one afternoon broke down outside the house and who spent a pleasant hour chatting with us on the porch”; the Baptist missionaries from Borneo who lectured once at a nearby church; the knife sharpener who passes by twice a year. And President Roosevelt.

These tokens of gratitude, explains Buddy, “make us feel connected to eventful worlds beyond the kitchen.”

In no case, however, do they give fruitcakes to anyone who gives them a gift in return. Instead, Buddy and his cousin are gratified by “thank-you’s on White House stationary, timeto-time communications from California and Borneo, the knife-grinder’s penny postcards.” These tokens of gratitude, explains Buddy, “make us feel connected to eventful worlds beyond the kitchen.”

As Christmas nears, Buddy and his friend separately prepare the meager homemade gifts they will present to one another on Christmas morning. They both work diligently in secret, spending love in lieu of money, wishing they could give one another more. In the innocence of her simplicity, Buddy’s friend says, “It’s bad enough in life to do without something you want; but confound it, what gets my goat is not being able to give somebody something you want them to have.” And thus, she gets to the essence of Pope St. John Paul II’s notion of “disinterested” love.

I have been careful to leave out significant narrative details of “A Christmas Memory,” because I don’t want to spoil it for those who have not read it. Suffice it to say, however, that those details merely fill out—often hilariously—the details of Buddy and his friend’s disinterested availability to one another. In his story, Capote shows you love in action. And don’t be surprised if he makes you cry along the way.

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Seton Helping Saints Students support community and nonprofits through service projects, donation drives & monetary assistance

BY L I SA F L E TC HE R

Creating a space for students to use their time, talent and treasure to serve in the community is at the heart of Seton Helping Saints (SHS), a student-led organization with more than 100 members at Seton High School, an all-girls Catholic school in Cincinnati.

“It’s so important to teach young people that they can have an impact and be actively involved in doing so. It’s very encouraging and hopeful to see a room overflowing with young people who are there to give to others,” said Lauren Zlatanov, Seton Communications Coordinator and the organization’s moderator.

Seton Helping Saints operates to support Seton families, community members and local nonprofits through service projects, donation drives and monetary assistance.

The group typically works with 10-12 Cincinnati-based organizations annually, and its members meet monthly to complete service projects, including assembling care packages, writing cards, creating goodie bags and organizing food drives for local non-profits.

Student-board president, senior Paige Leicht, said she 1 2 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

wanted to be part of SHS since her freshman year. “I knew this club would allow me to dedicate my time to others and meet similar people who wanted to better the world through community service.”

Junior Brooke Schneider, the club’s service coordinator, agreed. “The minute I stepped into my first meeting I knew that this was a club I wanted to join. Knowing that what we do makes an impact on others’ lives is such an amazing feeling that everyone should experience.”

SHS began in 2011 when Seton combined two existing outreach activities: the annual Wellness Walk, which raised funds for needs at the school, and the philanthropic Magnified Giving, where students researched nonprofits and voted annually on one organization to receive donated money. Zlatanov graduated from Seton in 2012 and participated in both Magnified Giving and the Wellness Walk when she attended there.

“I have grown up seeing the good that people can do when they come together for a cause or purpose greater than ourselves,” she said. “Service is one of the four pillars at

Seton, and it’s inspiring to see students take time out of their day to be involved in the club when they could be doing a million other things in their busy high school lives.”

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Schneider said, students assembled goodie bags with stress balls, pens, chapstick, home-made bracelets and hand-written messages.

“My best friend’s mom had breast cancer, and I saw firsthand how this disease affects not only the patient but the whole family. … We saw that just doing something small can have an impact on the journey of cancer patients and their families,” Schneider said.

The club supports the Yellow Ribbon Support Center, a non-profit created by Keith Maupin in memory of his son Matt, who was captured and killed by Iraqi insurgents in 2008. The center’s mission is to support deployed troops until “they all come home,” said Bob White, Yellow Ribbon Support Center volunteer.

“

I knew this club would allow me to dedicate my time to others and meet similar people who wanted to better the world through community service.

Every week, center volunteers send deployed service men and women care packages, including nonperishable food and personal care items. During recent drives, SHS donated 200 pounds of candy and 700 individually packed personal care items, as well as wrote cards to those overseas. To date, the support center has sent more than 35,000 boxes to deployed soldiers.

“Seton Helping Saints has been a tremendous help. We are very grateful for their service. It saves us a lot of time and money, so we can focus on reaching more soldiers,” White said.

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According to Leicht, the lessons she’s learned about being a servant leader go well beyond the classroom.

“Community service has shaped my character and my values. Because of philanthropy, my view of the world has changed, and I have developed leadership skills and life-long goals.”

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 13

Nourishing

Hope

BY KARY ELLEN BERGER | PHOTOS COURTESY MISSION OF MARY CO-OP

How can you show love? While there are the physical aspects and emotional gestures, a recent legacy gift showed love not only to the Mission of Mary Cooperative, but to others who will benefit from them.

Earlier this year, Mission of Mary Cooperative, located in the Twin Towers neighborhood of Dayton’s inner eastside, received a $424,000 legacy gift from Theresa Steinbruegge’s estate. As a long-time supporter of the organization, she hoped the gift would help it grow.

“It was truly a miracle and we were very humbled by the generosity of Theresa,” said Michael Schulz, Executive Director of Mission of Mary Cooperative.

The organization partners with neighbors and others in the community to transform vacant lots in the Twin Towers neighborhood into land plots where vegetables can be grown to provide fresh produce year-round.

1 4 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

“Over the past six years we have built over 110 gardens for neighbors and educated them to grow their own food and be more self-sufficient and resilient,” said Schulz. “This, paired with growing and distributing 35 tons of produce annually through our food access programs, along with educating youth and adults on gardening, is part of our vision to create a local food system that improves the communities’ health profile.”

“Giving back to my community, volunteering and picking food with my family—I’m eating vegetables more than ever and eating healthier!” said Twin Towers resident Jennifer Mendiola.

“I love being able to grow from seed and feed what I grow to my family and neighbors,” said Twin Towers neighbor Kyeshela Law. “The community garden program allows me to plan and execute effortlessly.”

Steinbruegge’s legacy gift may have been a surprise

to many, but not to those who knew the avid gardener and humanitarian.

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“I had the pleasure of knowing Theresa for over 25 years,” said friend Stephen Renie. “She was modest and lived below her means so that she could take care of others later. She wanted to make a loving and lasting impact [for] the people and organizations that she cared about.”

“Theresa didn’t ask much of others but always gave her heart and soul to those she cared about,” added friend Patty Tatar.

“Our world needs more Theresa’s, more kindness with a giving heart.”

“Theresa’s gentle and kind manner touched so many individuals,” said friend Meg Thomas. “You would often find a delightful vase of flowers adorning your porch, just waiting for you to notice. They were often accompanied by a plate of warm snickerdoodle cookies—her passions of gardening and baking, always wrapped in great kindness.”

“Over the past six years we have built over 110 gardens for neighbors and educated them to grow their own food and be more self-sufficient and resilient.”

(Carols begin 1/2 hour b

Holy Family Catholic Church

Traditional Latin Christmas Mass 140 S Findlay St. • Dayton

12 a.m. (Midnight) High Mass 8 a.m. Low Mass 10:30 a.m. High Mass (Carols begin 1/2 hour before High Masses)

It’s Steinbruegge’s kindness and love for helping others that will enable Mission of Mary to continue to grow. Schulz said her gift will be used to expand current programs and continue efforts supplying and educating Twin Towers neighbors to grow their own food.

“Healthy food should be available to all,” said Schulz. “Theresa’s support will bolster what our many donors, volunteers and partners have helped us build in the last decade.”

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 15

Showing Love B y Ta k i n g A w a y B a r r i e r s

BY K A R Y E L L E N B E R G E R

16 |

What could you do without barriers in the way?

• Run a marathon if you had time to train?

• Finish the book you’ve wanted to read if you rearranged your schedule?

• What about your education? If you had the right resources, could you perform better in school?

That last is the reality for too many children across the nation. That’s why the University of Dayton (UD)’s Empowering Children with Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) program aims to combat the non-academic barriers preventing children from performing their best.

Begun in 2002, it was previously called Urban Child Development Resource Center (UCDRC).

After the pandemic, this counseling and social services program saw children’s needs intensify.

“The pandemic and the isolation from COVID-19 has created significant trauma for our children,” said Alison Carr-Chellman, Dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences at UD. “It has clearly impacted achievement, with data showing lower scores among schoolchildren in math and reading.

There is a clear and desperate need to help our children address this trauma, and mental health counseling is key to our recovery. ECHO is a vital lifeline for our traumatized children, it has made so much difference for our schoolchildren and entire school communities.”

“I am very excited about the expansion,” said Mercs. “Our job is to help students be successful in the classroom. This expansion is allowing us to support many more students.

In addition, we are able to help teachers and principals understand certain behaviors of their students.”

ECHO provides services at the schools so students do not miss valuable time in the classroom, as they would if they saw someone outside of school. These services are led by licensed mental health therapists and social workers.

“The goal of mental health therapy is to help students feel better about themselves and provide them with tools and skills for life,” shared Mercs. “Not only do we provide mental health counseling, ECHO staff teaches a social and emotional curriculum. The curriculum focuses on understanding empathy, how to manage emotions and problem solving. All of the skills learned help students build positive relationships with others.”

“

ECHO is such a fantastic illustration of love in action.

ECHO’s Director, Rhonda Mercs, agreed. “There is an increased demand for mental health therapy and the supply of therapists [is] not able to meet this demand. By being present in the schools, we are able to provide services right away to the students instead of them being placed on a waiting list for several weeks or months.”

Last year, ECHO served more than 3,700 students throughout 18 Catholic schools, from Middletown to Sidney. The program is now expanding to include children in Hamilton and Clermont counties.

One of the schools receiving ECHO services through the expansion is St. Veronica School.

“We love having our counselor here to support students!” shared Stephanie Woodall, Principal of St. Veronica.

“Education is not simply books, but also extends to support our students’ social and emotional well-being. We are grateful to work with ECHO to extend our educational options beyond the classroom and continue to support the whole child.”

UD and ECHO leaders hope to continue expanding their services so every child is free from barriers to their education.

“ECHO is such a fantastic illustration of love in action,” said Carr-Chellman. “The University of Dayton is committed to community-based service and scholarship.

We take community service outside the walls of our institution as a sacred opportunity to fulfill our mission.

We are partners with our community and ECHO is a big part of helping our community to heal.”

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE M B E R 2023 | 17

Crescent Parishes Unite to Fight Food Insecurity

BY JOHN STEGEM AN

A garden project not only provides sustenance to the hungry, but also fosters a stronger sense of community. Meg Anderson and Matt Davidson, married parishioners of the Crescent Family of Parishes just east of Cincinnati, share a passion for gardening. Last year, they learned of a Dayton-area cooperative that turned unused green space into gardens to feed the hungry.

Enthusiastic about what they’d seen, the couple brought the idea to their community, and the new Crescent Parishes Garden now supplies several local food pantries.

We’ve been able to see God’s love in so many ways through the people we’ve been able to help.

While St. Saviour provided the space, the garden has become a ministry uniting all five communities in the Crescent Family of Parishes: Church of the Resurrection, Holy Trinity, Church of the Nativity, St. John the Evangelist and St. Saviour.

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“

“It was special, because this was really the first project as a family where we are coming together as [a] united ministry,” said Anderson, the Family of Parishes’ director of stewardship and outreach. “It was … very special to have so much support from all of our Crescent Parishes to make this happen, to build the garden and to collaborate and learn and get to know each other. We’ve come together as [a] united front to see that food insecurity is a huge issue in Cincinnati.

To be able to provide healthy, nutritious food is a passion for us.”

The joint ministry started in May with 10 raised garden beds and a deer fence, then Crescent Parishes Pastor, Father Pat Sloneker, blessed the garden.

Anderson and Davidson converted their living room into a greenhouse to start the plants, worked with botanists and master gardeners to maximize success, and even added a pollinator garden.

Since its inception, more than 800 pounds of fresh, organic produce have been distributed to the hungry via Crescent Families’ own food ministries and local food banks.

The parishes also teamed up with Last Mile Food Rescue, the area’s largest perishable food rescue organization, which helps route the garden’s harvest to where it can do the most good.

“We’ve been able to see God’s love in so many ways through the people we’ve been able to help, as well as in the lives of the volunteers who are helping us out,” Davidson said. “We’ve been able to see God working in their lives, as well bringing the parishes together in a way that gives back to the community.”

The garden yielded an impressive array of produce, including collard greens, snap peas, carrots, potatoes, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and even watermelon. Anderson and

Davidson are committed to extending the growing season through various techniques and have plans for expansion.

In May, the Crescent Parishes hosted a feast for parishioners to see the work done on the garden.

“When we came together in May that first time for our event, and all the parishioners went from eating in the undercroft together, sharing a meal and having that fellowship for the first time … it was so special, because everyone could actually see the garden and see the impact,” said Anderson.

She continued, “I think we can really build off of this to promote healthy eating and living, and we’ll continue to just provide food for the community.

I think this is really the start of something even greater to come.”

Learn more about Last Mile Food Rescue:

lastmilefood.org | 19

BOOK REVIEWS

Saints Alive!

Two Word on Fire Children’s Books Encourage Parents, Too REVIEWED BY MARGARET SWENSEN

When my five-year-old daughter came home from school proclaiming excitedly that there is a saint who is still alive, she was indignant when I gently explained that all saints are in heaven. Her face lit up a few days later, however, when I brought home Word on Fire Spark’s Saintly Creatures by Alexi Sargeant, the book, she said, that taught her about the stillliving saint. She turned to the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis, and after reading it together, she said, “He doesn’t seem very saintly, does he?” How could an ordinary boy with four dogs, two cats, an indeterminate number of goldfish and love for video games be a saint? Blessed Carlo’s life looked so familiar to her—as if he is still alive today.

Another Word on Fire Spark book, Light of the Saints, is a favorite in our house. When we remove books from our shelves as the seasons change, that one stays. Its interactive nature is especially appealing to my toddlers, who love shining their flashlights through the pages to make the Holy Spirit’s image appear on nearly every page. Bonus points: the stories rhyme.

While Light of the Saints appeals more to my two- and threeyear-olds, and the sophisticated language of Saintly Creatures better captivates my five-year-old, both books dazzle with their illustrations and mystical, miraculous — but also ordinary — stories of the saints. Over and over, these two books open my children’s eyes to the understanding that each saint in heaven had a unique vocation here on earth. “St. Martin de Porres cut hair in Peru. Cutting hair is something that you could do too.” He worked as a barber, but he could also levitate and bilocate. In our faith, the ordinary and the extraordinary exist side by side.

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These books teach my children (and me) that sainthood is not only something we should strive for, but something we can strive for. Heaven is made attainable in these stories, which continue to open new, startling, but oh-soencouraging conversations with my children. We talk about how suffering—in the form of stigmata on Padre Pio and the permanent wound on St. Rita’s forehead—are actually gifts from God. We talk about how every creature—even the wolf plaguing the town of Gubbio where St. Francis of Assisi lived—can be made new in God. These books have been a catalyst in the understanding of these small children and their unworthy mother that living a holy life is simply being who God created you to be. Living a holy life, while not free from suffering, means living freely, happily; an idea that does not compute for so many. And with every page, we’re reminded that the saints are not just legends long gone, but rather they exist in communion with us today. So, while Blessed Carlo isn’t still living here on earth, my daughter wasn’t so wrong after all.

Margaret Craycraft Swensen is Director of Video Production for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Photography editor for The Catholic Telegraph Alexi Sargeant, Saintly Creatures: 14 Tales of Animals and Their Holy Companions, illustrated by Anita Barghigiani; Word on Fire Spark; 64 pages; $24.95.

Cory Heimann, Light of the Saints, illustrated by Tricia Dugat; Word on Fire Spark; 60 pages; $18.99.

the

Thrill of Hope

Thank you Cincinnati for your unwavering support and generosity.

We celebrate this Christmas season and the “Thrill of Hope” you have brought into the lives of our students. May the new year bring you endless opportunities and blessings.

St. Rita School for the Deaf relies on your donations to help us provide individualized instruction and personal attention to students with communication needs. Please consider a donation in this season of giving. Merry Christmas & may God bless you!

Angela Frith, President • St. Rita Board of Directors, Staff and Students

Donate by credit card—all cards accepted:

Donate online: Scan the code or visit bit.ly/st_rita_donate Mail your check to: St. Rita School for the Deaf 1720 Glendale Milford Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45215

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St. Bernard Church in Spring Grove Village looks like the cozy, thatch-roofed model for a Christmas card, but has gone through some of the most frequent and sweeping changes in the archdiocese.

DID YOU KNOW?

1919 St. Bernard parish established.

1972 St. Bernard School closed.

1920 Current church, an unusual variation of Mission Revival design by JF Sheblessy, built.

1984 Father Jim Shappelle became pastor, a position he held for 28 years.

1925 St. Bernard School, a more typical version of Mission Revival, but made of brick, built. Staffed by Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg.

2011 Father Jim Schutte, pastor of St. Leo the Great in North Fairmount, was made pastor of a new, three-parish region, including St. Bernard and Mother of Christ.

1932 Marian grotto built on what is now the rectory.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux In 1116, Cistercian Brother Bernard founded a monastery in the Valley of Wormwood that became so noted for holiness that the valley was renamed “Clairvaux” – “clear light” – and led the Cistercian revival in Europe. Brilliant as well as holy, Bernard wrote hymns we still sing today, including “O Sacred Head, Surrounding,” helped create the Rule for the Knights Templar, helped lead reforms and end schisms, and wrote books that led to the great flowering of knowledge and faith in the Middle Ages. Canonized in 1174, he was named a Doctor of the Church in 1830.

1946 Mother of Christ mission church established in Winton Terrace. By the 1980s, the two parishes were frequent collaborators.

1973 New Jerusalem, a lay community formed under Father Richard Rohr, OFM, moved from the church to a school basement, attracting 400 members, with a portion staying when Father Rohr moved to Arizona in 1986.

2012 The parishes return to their previous configuration with Father Shappelle as St. Bernard’s parochial administrator.

2017-18 St. Bernard, St. Boniface, and Mother of Christ formed a pastoral region with Sr. Margie Niemer, OSF, as a lay Pastoral Administrator.

2019 St. Bernard and Mother of Christ joined in a pastoral region with the Church of the Annunciation in Clifton.

Quick Facts 12 major stained glass windows feature a distinctive arch shape and multiple panels.

2 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

2 major renovations since Vatican II, the second creating the light, airy look of today.

1 statue of St. Bernard in a niche above the arch-shaped portico over the exterior door.

R E T I R E ME NT FUND FO R R ELIG IO US The National Religious Retirement Office underwrites education opportunities that are designed to enhance elder care and promote comprehensive retirement planning.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has 42 religious congregations with more than 700 men and women. Most are past retirement age and continue to serve in the local community.

Proceeds from the Annual Retirement Fund for Religious enable the National Religious Retirement Office to distribute financial assistance to hundreds of religious communities.

The funds also help provide retired religious men and women with consultations and expertise on practical assistance to religious communities.

Give to Those Who Have Given a Lifetime O PTIO N S T O D O N AT E

Donate December 9 & 10 at your parish.

Donate by mail using the attached envelope.

Give online using the QR code.

| 23

more than a meal Holy Angels Parishioners Serve the Community with Growing Soup Kitchen Ministry

BY MATT HESS

On today’s menu, sweet and sour chicken with fried rice.

For dessert, banana pudding. “This is a new one for us,” says Pat Freisthler, who has volunteered to cook at Holy Angels Soup Kitchen in Sidney since he first brought CCD students to volunteer a decade ago.

Each day is a surprise, both for the guests served and volunteers helping. Challenged each week to take the simple ingredients provided by the community and make a balanced, restaurant-quality meal, Freisthler never disappoints, say those who work with him there.

The soup kitchen began with Pat Luthman, who started the ministry near Holy Angels Church 25 years ago, then saw it expand and grow. Today, it is on the edge of town next to the Mercy Mission House, which shelters around 30 residents and collaborates with the Alpha Community Center to serve those in need.

Judy Smith now oversees the soup kitchen’s operations and shares Luthman’s drive to feed the hungry in her community. The kitchen serves lunch daily for 60 to 70 guests, and added both breakfast and dinner—growing Luthman’s mission to feed Shelby County’s hungry in a way she could only have dreamed.

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Smith is amazed at all the soup kitchen accomplishes each day. “The food just keeps coming by the grace of God,” she said.

Some food comes from local grocery stores that hold food nearing the “sell by” date for immediate use in the kitchen. There is a local event venue that holds leftovers from events for Smith to pick up and use in the soup kitchen. And the area farmers are very generous, often providing fresh eggs for breakfast and donating whole hogs and cows for fresh meat.

Holy Angels Church parishioners are kept abreast of needs through the church bulletins, and nearby parishes host casserole drives. The right people seem to come forward at the right time, reminding Smith and her volunteers that God is present in this ministry. Many who help in the kitchen were like Freisthler—they got involved through young people under their charge and now spend spare time volunteering regularly.

Jerry Pudlewski, who first volunteered seven years ago, now sits on the soup kitchen’s board. He finds his efforts fulfilling because of the people he meets. “There is [a lot] of interaction with people,” Pudlewski shared. “And

they all have a story to tell.” That human connection makes him feel like he’s making a difference in the community.

Volunteer Jeanne Schlagetter agrees. For her, it is the wonderful people she has worked with and served over the years that make this ministry so rewarding.

While teaching at Holy Angels School, she began volunteering at the former downtown location with her class. “The crews are like family,” said Schlagetter.

Ultimately, the work at Holy Angels Soup Kitchen is a labor of love from the whole community. “All comes from hearts that want to help,” says Pudlewski. From the farmers, to the parishes holding casserole drives, to the volunteer crews each day — it is an outpouring of love from the community to those in need. “We do this all out of love for our fellow man,” she added.

Guests witness their love for the ministry in their smiles and greetings for all who come through the door.

And the family atmosphere in the kitchen rubs off on those who come for meals. Guests sometimes just need fellowship and community instead of food, and some guests for lunch are inspired by the volunteers’ generosity and want to help as well. Connie has come to the soup kitchen for about 10 years and is usually seen wrapping the plasticware before the meal. “I’ll do what they need,” she said. “It’s a way to show my appreciation of them.”

Tidings of Comfort and Joy Through a hearty meal, a warm coat, or a present under the tree – your donation to St. Vincent de Paul helps bring comfort and joy to neighbors in need during this special season.

Give today at SVDPcincinnati.org/give

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE M B E R 2023 | 25

Catholic Campaign for

Human Development B Y R EBEK A H D A V IDSON

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) “is an anti-poverty initiative that’s designed to root out the causes of systemic poverty,” said Glen Glenn, the Program Coordinator of CCHD. “We fund initiatives that work toward that end.”

CCHD offers grants to organizations targeting issues that can lead to poverty, such as unemployment, lack of education and language barriers. Through these organizations, CCHD enabled 2,677 low-income people to overcome poverty in the past year.

“The money is being spent in a way that is consistent with Catholicism,” said Glenn. “The organization [receiving a grant] has to be consistent with Catholic social teaching.”

It must also be non-partisan and have a 501(c)(3) status.

Local organizations currently receiving grants for the 2023-2024 cycle include: Churches Active in Northside (Cincinnati), Communities United for Action (Cincinnati), Community Matters (Cincinnati), Drive to Thrive (Cincinnati), El Puente Educational Center (Dayton), Mission of Mary Cooperative (Dayton), Oasis House (Dayton) and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Springfield).

“We have a CCHD committee that is comprised of both priests and laypeople … who actually do the work [by] reviewing the applications,” said Glenn. “They [also] talk to the organizations to make sure the organizations are being good guardians of the funds entrusted to them.”

Embedded into Catholic Social Action, CCHD was founded by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1969. Seventy-five percent of funds go toward national work, while 25% goes to local organizations. The 2 6 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

Archdiocese of Cincinnati previously brought in some of the largest donations in the U.S. “On our [local] level, the grants are no more than $10,000,” said Glenn. “On a national level, the grants can be up to $75,000.”

For its national anti-poverty campaign over the weekend of November 18 and 19, CCHD will primarily collect in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati through the Church, but donations can also be mailed-in and submitted online.

“Our theme locally is ‘Your dollars make a change,’” said Glenn. “We’re trying to tell the story of how the money is used so they can actually see their dollars in the works. In the past year, 2,600 [people] directly benefited … . That is a small fraction of the ancillary benefit of those skills that people are taking forward. Twenty people went to an advocacy training program, but now they’re able to train hundreds because they have that skill set. It’s planting seeds. They don’t want to just give someone the fish to eat with. They want to make sure they can eat for the rest of their lives and have the tools to fish.”

CCHD welcomes assistance in promoting the campaign, and are always glad to have on board those passionate about this initiative, Glen said. “We can never get enough legwork to get this message out and let people know about the good works CCHD has done and will continue to do.

We need more promoters.”

To learn more about the CCHD and its campaign, call Catholic Social Action at 513-263-6690, or visit www. resources.catholicaoc.org/offices, click on the “Catholic Social Action” button, and scroll down on that page to find CCHD under Task Forces and Committees.

Serving Local Familes.

Empowering Local Lives.

Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio serves and empowers people through God’s love in their times of vulnerability. We do so through a full range of local services that engage the community in building solidarity. Through your generous contributions, we provide food assistance, senior and caregiver support, mental health counseling, family and parenting education, refugee and migrant services, and much more.

Our mission is enabled by the generosity of donors.

Please prayerfully consider making your annual gift now for people in need. Your support is essential in sustaining our works of mercy.

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ST. JOSE PH ’ S T O O L B E LT

Iron Hands, Giant Hearts Even for the greatest saints, people can be challenging to work and live with. Why else would God command us to “love one another?” While we can live with “iron sharpening iron” as some distant concept, when our souls are being grazed by the willpower, hearts and intellects of others, we can feel irritated or angry. We may even ask God for deliverance from the person who is unbearable.

Not all communities, workplaces and families are challenging.

Still, two things are certainly true: there is no such thing as a perfect community, workplace or family on this side of Heaven, and they all carry their own unique issues and circumstances.

My father’s stories about the construction sites he frequented as a carpenter included sites that could be challenging—yes, physically, but also socially—even for seasoned carpenters.

Workers were sometimes harsh, ungenuine, spiteful, vulgar, envious and vengeful. Some were passive aggressive, while others were outright aggressive. Such workplace environments can send us into chronic depression or place a heavy load on families. What’s the key to enduring this?

I think any handyman you encounter will tell you the same thing: “It’s just the world we live in,” “Take the blows and keep going” or even, “The world isn’t sunshine and rainbows.” But there is often deeper, more profound advice if you push them, and I gleaned four pieces of wisdom from the handymen I have been blessed to know in my life.

1. “First comes first.” When faced with workplace challenges, handymen recall their priorities: God, their wives, children, families, community and career. These priorities guide their decisions each day, and keep them from choosing what would ultimately jeopardize their priority relationships.

2. “Choose your battles wisely.” This may sound dismissive, but there’s wisdom here: Life isn’t about us. Sometimes, when facing unjust circumstances, it’s in everyone’s best interest to let things go—we can’t win every battle, so why waste time 2 8 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

and energy fighting the little ones? We aren’t always going to get along with every person. Misunderstandings happen, mistakes too, and sometimes there are bigger issues at play that have absolutely nothing to do with us. We should always strive to be humble, gentle, kind and loving in spite of it all.

When handymen face these issues, they recall their priorities, understand their limitations, pray and choose their battles wisely.

3. “Keep it simple.” When stewing in a challenging environment, it can be tempting to fall into paranoia or unloving conclusions. The simpler explanations for offputting interactions are typically the correct ones. For example, when one coworker has a blunt response to another, the complicated, uncharitable explanation could be, “They don’t like my idea. They must hate me.” But the simpler explanation is more likely, “They probably have something going on outside of work.” If something more sinister is happening, do we not trust God’s promise of justice? Let Christ handle it.

4. “Let your word mean something.” It can be challenging to say, “No.” We long to make a difference in the world and to help others. A handyman, though, recognizes that he isn’t capable of doing everything. Yet, desiring to care for others, he lets “his yes mean yes, and his no mean no,” with compassion and patience toward others.

Some handymen might seem gruff, harsh or unloving, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. These men have endured physically, spiritually and socially challenging environments. That they still desire to care for others is a testament to their character. They might have thick skin, but behind their calloused hands is a softened, Christ-like heart with a magnanimous capacity for true love.

TRENTON SCROGGINS is the Director of Digital Engagement for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. tscroggins@catholicaoc.org

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE MBE R 2023 | 29

FA IT H A ND FELLOWSH IP

Las Guadalupanas Draws Women to Our Blessed Mother

BY A P RI L D E O CARI ZA

After Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego in 1531, nearly nine million indigenous people in Mexico converted to the Catholic faith, and she became the patroness of the unborn and the Americas. Nearly 500 years later, Our Lady’s influence and intercession remain, felt even 2,000 miles away from where it all began in Mexico City.

Since August 2022, women have met monthly at St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Madeira for the Las Guadalupanas Spanish rosary group. It has brought together from across the Archdiocese women who represent 14 nationalities, spanning the U.S. and Mexico down to El Salvador and Argentina, providing a shining representation of Our Lady’s patronage of the Americas.

Responding to Our Lady’s Call A native of Panama and a St. Gertrude parishioner, Dina Henderson, was inspired to create the group for Our Lady after a “transformative experience” during a retreat. “I felt a call from the Blessed Mother to do

THE CATHOLIC CATHOLIC TE TELEG LEGRAPH RAPH 3300 || THE

something for her, but I didn’t know exactly what it was,” Henderson said. She shared her experience with St. Gertrude’s Father John Mark Solitario, OP, who encouraged her to continue conversing with the Blessed Mother in prayer. As she prepared for Sunday Mass at the end of June 2022, Henderson received the distinct message to “pray the Rosary.” Las Guadalupanas now meets every first Saturday of the month from 9–10 a.m. to pray the rosary and to read and meditate on the day’s Gospel in Spanish.

Fruits from Our Mother For Las Guadalupanas attendees, the fruit goes beyond having a monthly prayer group. It fosters a deep sense of belonging and community among both Latinas and non-Latinas and of celebration for culture and traditions.

Iris Lydy, a parishioner of The Community of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, has attended Las Guadalupanas since the fall of 2022. The experience not only evoked nostalgia for her home in Costa Rica, but also cured her emptynester loneliness after her daughters’ departure for college. “It was a blessing for me to connect with so many Latinas, which I haven’t had since I moved [to Cincinnati] 17 years ago,” said Lydy.

The group also enabled these women to uphold cherished cultural traditions. One participant opened her home last year for their families to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which coincided with the start of the Christmas novena Las Posadas, popular in Latin America, and provided a unique opportunity to continue this special tradition.

Father Solitario’s regular attendance at Las Guadalupanas was instrumental, Henderson said, because women could also receive the sacrament of Reconciliation with him in Spanish.

“That was very powerful to be able to do confession in their native tongue,” she said.

Las Guadalupanas has impacted even nonSpanish speakers, such as St. Gertrude parishioner Anne Marie Schmidt, who said, “I like Hispanic culture and the family atmosphere of the group.”

Not fluent in the Spanish rosary prayers (which are printed for the meetings), Schmidt still had a heartfelt encounter with the Blessed Mother.

“There was a time in particular when we prayed the rosary that I entered into the mysteries and sensed Mary’s loving presence,” Schmidt said.

Future Plans Henderson hopes to organize a Las Guadalupanas retreat: “I want [to see] the community keep growing and offering one another spiritual support.”

She was nervous when the Blessed Mother first placed a call on her heart to form a group, since she had never organized a ministry before. But the Blessed Mother equips those she calls.

“Our Lady has made it all fall into place at the right time,” said Henderson. “I’m her tool and she has made [this work] feel light for me. Our Lady has made me feel like she’s with me on this.”

L O V E IN A CT IO N / D E CE M B E R 2023 | | 3131

CATHO LIC A T H O ME

What Gives You Pause in Your Faith?

I ran two whole miles yesterday. That doesn’t sound like a lot, so let’s call it 10,560 feet; and I ran them all without stopping.

on Him is non-negotiable. Jesus didn’t say “Apart from Me, it will be a struggle.” Apart from the Lord, nothing is possible.

This is huge for me, not because I’ve never been the athletic type, but because, by God’s grace, I’m recognizing more frequently my fear of pain and discomfort, or maybe just inconvenience in general. I hesitate at unknowns. I avoid confrontation and instead bottle up my emotions. I like to have control over situations before entering; which doesn’t happen often, so I find myself saying “No” quite a bit.

The reality is that I need to trust in His will. God wills only goodness for my soul, so to put trust in my (weak, apparently fearful) self over (omnipotent, omniscient, omni-everythinggood-and-holy) God is a farce.

“No, I can’t run that far. I don’t have the endurance.” “No, I can’t take the kids to Mass on my own — what if they go crazy on me?” “No, I can’t surrender my pain and doubts to Jesus. He’ll ask too much from me.” No, thank you, I’m not comfortable with that. On my run, I kept absolving myself from pushing my limit, thinking, It’s okay if I stop to walk because I don’t want to overdo it; but I knew I was perfectly fine, so I kept the pace.

It didn’t take much introspection to see that the reason I fear uncomfortable, unpredictable or inconvenient circumstances is because I think I have to manage all things 100% on my own. I don’t even consider God as a present factor, much less the Author of my every effort toward goodness. Isn’t that crazy?! Here I sit, entirely reliant on God for every single breath, yet I’ve deluded myself into thinking that everything I do, I do on my own. I don’t depend on God. Impossible.

Untrue.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5).

It seems that the antidote to the illusion of self-reliance is humility and radical trust. The reality is that I need God and that I’ve always needed God, even in times when I forgot about Him or neglected to call on His mercy. My dependence 3 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE GRAPH

It’s not enough to know I need God, however; I have to act on it, to truly surrender: prayer, sacrifice, penance and most importantly frequent Communion. The mark of any belief is corresponding action, and God will work through my steady, yet weak obedience to carry me through unknowns. To Him, they are not unknown at all.

What is it that gives you pause in your faith? What is it that you’re too afraid to seek the wisdom of the Church about; or even just speak aloud in prayer? If like me, your trust and hope are feeble, then praise God for the weakness that gives way for His strength. Life can’t be lived if we simply remain.

A life spent in hesitation or fear is hardly a life at all. So, here I am with renewed understanding: it was never my task to fix my own weakness or answer my own doubts. All any of us need to do is surrender it to God and, oh, what a happier, more peaceful life I will live with many more miles under my feet.

That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me, Jesus, I trust in You. That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me, Jesus, I trust in You. That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You, Jesus, I trust in You. That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You. (The Litany of Trust by the Sisters of Life) KATIE SCIBA is a national speaker and Catholic Press Award-winning columnist. Katie has been married for 15 years and is blessed with six children.

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| 33

SE I Z E T HE MO ME NT

One Final Moment I love the Church’s teaching on catechesis, evangelization and discipleship. The relevant documents have titles that are difficult to pronounce (Apostolicam Actuositatem is particularly fun to say at parties), but they are also some of the most edifying works you’ll ever read. I genuinely enjoy pouring over these documents, synthesizing the key points, and then sharing them with others. As a result, this column has been an important vehicle for communicating what I know and love.

You may be surprised to learn, though, that it hasn’t been easy.

So, after a lot of considering, I’ve decided that this column will be my last.

A NEW DIRECTION

What’s hard about discipleship? Is it forming a prayer habit, leading a group in prayer or proclaiming the Gospel? Is it initiating faith conversations, defending the faith, overcoming sin or drawing closer to Jesus? There are always some aspects of discipleship that are harder than others.

Nothing haunts me more than a blank page. Even once the words appear, they don’t flow right out of me. Nothing about my writing process is graceful or effortless. Every word has to scratch and claw to make it on the page. Every sentence must be perfect. By the time I reach my word limit, I’m exhausted!

I’ve kept at it for five years now because I like the finished product and I think other people do, too. I like having a voice in this magazine that encourages people to evangelize and that hopefully makes discipleship seem possible for anyone. I like how this column paves the way for my work with parish leaders. People always seem to know “that guy with the long beard who has a column in the Telegraph.”

But, if I have to exhaust myself every month in order to achieve these goods, then what is that saying about God’s will for me?

Sometimes, when some aspect of life is challenging, God calls me to persevere through it anyway. Marriage, parenthood, sainthood—I can’t give up on these simply because they aren’t easy. Sometimes, though, I experience adversity because I’m not aligned with God’s will. Sometimes, I’m trying to force my plan above His plan, or force success where He hasn’t gifted me. Sometimes, God actually keeps me from thriving in order to nudge me toward something else.

Once I sense that He’s closing doors and shifting the current of my life in a new direction, I must at least consider that direction.

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SACRIFICE AND SUCCESS

What does this mean for you? Well, after you shed a tear or two for “Seize the Moment,” I hope you’ll examine your own journey as a follower of Jesus. Specifically, I encourage you to identify what’s hard, consider why it’s hard, and then decide what you’re going to do about it.

Why is it hard? Is it hard because you’re inexperienced?

Because sin gets in the way? Because you’re trying to do what others expect you to do when God gifted you for another task of discipleship? Each reason comes with a solution that you can discover.

What are you going to do about it? You can’t just avoid everything that’s hard. God definitely wants you to create a plan for tackling those things. The good news is that He has created one, too, and it’s already in motion. Through the gifts, graces and charisms of the sacraments, He makes discipleship more than just striving and drudgery. God’s many gifts help us to persevere, occasionally change direction and ultimately experience real joy as a follower of Jesus.

And so, turn to Him. Love Him. Discern how He has uniquely gifted you. You may not seize every moment, but

by His help, you’ll seize one every now and then, and through both sacrifice and success, you’ll become the disciple God is calling you to be.

NICHOLAS HARDESTY is still available if you have any questions or comments about catechesis, evangelization or discipleship. Email nhardesty@catholicaoc.org.

Thanksgiving to God!

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S E IZE T H E M O M E N T / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 35

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

Adultery of the Heart, Part 1 Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB).

Jesus came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them (Mt. 5:17). Through His teaching and example, the Lord has called us, His disciples, to a level of sanctity that goes beyond what the Old Law prescribed: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:20). External conformity to the demands of the moral law is not sufficient. Jesus desires not only our exterior obedience, but even more, our interior conversion of heart.

In Theology of the Body, Pope St. John Paul II explored this call to conversion of heart in light of the New Law of the Gospel and the perennial attraction between the sexes. In particular, he took as his starting point Matthew 5:27-28, in which we read, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Adultery was a very important concept in the Old Testament. Not only was it explicitly referenced in the Ten Commandments, adultery was also a frequent image used to describe Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Old Covenant. In many prophetic books of the Old Testament (e.g., Hosea, Ez. 15, etc.), Israel is portrayed as an unfaithful bride who repeatedly turns aside from her husband (Yahweh), giving herself over to other spouses through adultery and even prostitution. These adulterous lovers are the various idols and pagan religious practices that crept into the life of the Israelites at different points in their history, as well as their lack of consistency in following the obligations of the Mosaic Law. Despite this prophetic tradition, the Israelites made certain accommodations when it came to how they understood marriage, such as the possibility of divorce and limited acceptance of polygamy. Jesus challenged their “hardness of heart” (Mt. 19:8), indicating that these concessions were not part of God’s original plan nor are they part of the Kingdom 3 6 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

of God He came to establish. Jesus further renewed belief in the indissolubility and exclusivity of marriage, and He supernaturally fulfilled them through His spousal gift of self to the Church. Subsequently, the sixth commandment (“You shall not commit adultery” Ex. 20:14, Deut. 5:18) came to be understood as protecting the sanctity of marriage by proscribing all sinful uses of the sexual faculty.

According to Pope St. John Paul II, “Adultery indicates the act by which a man and a woman who are not husband and wife form ‘one flesh’” (TOB 37:6). When we engage in sexual acts outside of a marriage covenant, we violate the purpose of our sexual faculty to form, through bodily self-giving, a visible sign of the communion of persons in marriage. Our sexual faculty is intimately connected with the spousal meaning of the body, which reveals that our bodies are apt to express a total gift of self, and the only appropriate “place” for this total gift of self is in a marriage between a man and a woman.

Our Lord not only affirms the immorality of using the sexual faculty outside of marriage, but as Pope St. John Paul II emphasized, shifts the “center of gravity” in his moral teaching to the level of our hearts. Exterior acts of adultery are clearly immoral according to both the Old Law and the New Law of the Gospel, but our call to holiness goes further. Jesus speaks in Matthew 5 of adultery of the heart. How are we to understand this adultery committed in the heart, and what does it have to do with lustful looking?

In TOB, Pope St. John Paul II went on to engage in a penetrating analysis of the human heart to enlighten our understanding of these matters. In the next few installments in this series, we will mine his insights so that we can more accurately discern the movements of our hearts as we strive to follow Jesus faithfully.

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

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Color the Saints!

3 8 | THE CATHOLIC TE LEGRAPH

Depending on how crafty you want to get, we have a couple different ideas for making an ornament. Keep it all paper, or modpodge your image onto a circular log slice, which you can find on Amazon or at your local craft store.

An early bishop, Nicholas was born during the year 270 in what is now Turkey. Some legends say that he calmed stormy seas and saved innocent soldiers from death.

Word Bank Find additional printouts at:

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Candy Children Coins Generosity Gifts Miracles Myra Nicholas Rescuer Santa Sailors Shoes Turkey

One of the most famous legends tells that he rescued three daughters from being sold into slavery by dropping coins in through their windows at night. The coins were said to have landed in their shoes, which is why some people set out their shoes the night before St. Nick’s day, expecting to find there a gift, often candy, in the morning.

His legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional image of Santa Claus.

Not only is St. Nicholas a great example of gift-giving, he also went out of his way to help those in need, by both giving money and standing up for what is right and good.

He is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, pawnbrokers, and unmarried people.

K ID S ’ CO R N E R / D E CE M BE R 2023 | 39

out & about in the Archdiocese

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2) STEM Awards in Sidney The Ohio Academy of Science selected 48 Ohio schools and 615 teachers to receive The Governor’s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for their accomplishments during the 2022-23 school year.

Among them were Sidney’s Lehman Catholic High School and Holy Angels School STEM teachers.

2 1) An Evening with the Priests The Dayton faithful celebrated an evening in October to “get to know” the priest faculty and seminarians at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. Pictured: L-R seated: Debbie Danis, Justin Hanks, Jack Adam, Carol Adam; L-R: standing: Father Adam Berning, Dr. Chris Danis, Tom Burkhardt and Joanie Burkhardt.

4) Student Music at the Basilica

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Saint Ursula Academy music teacher Katherine Jennings and students, Camille Roman and Alex Serger, performed at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati in September.

The concert was presented by a music group called Heri et Hodie. This small treble ensemble performs medieval and modern music by women composers.

4 3) Father Daughter Dance in Xenia Fathers and daughters got dressed in their Saturday best to dance the night away at St. Brigid Church in Xenia on Sept. 30. The Father Daughter Dance was hosted by St. Brigid Church’s American Heritage Girls troop. The AHG motto is Faith, Service, Fun. 4 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

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

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THE FINAL WORD with Tony Stieritz

Love in Action Through Families of Parishes

God is love. In this simple conviction is the vast mystery that when we experience love in our lives or deliver it out into the world, we find ourselves steeped in the very presence of God. We often feel this most intensely with those closest to us: spouses, children and relatives whom we fiercely love and protect. But God made us social beings who have to depend on one another, develop relationships and community, and learn to care about each other’s complicated needs. As Jesus taught throughout the Gospels, the magnitude of our love is greatest when we impart it to the poor and vulnerable, or to those who seem hard to love. In doing so, we learn to love more widely and in new ways.

Together, with the Church’s Holy Sacraments and the proclamation of the Word, this ever-expanding love of neighbor is how God concretely communicates His presence to us (Deus Caritas Est, 25a). Pope St. John Paul II explained that this even influences how open we truly are to recognizing Christ in the Sacrament and the Word we receive at every Mass. “[B]y our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ,” he asserts. “This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged” (Mane Nobiscum Domine, no.28). This is why “Love in Action” is a fundamental principle our parishes are to prioritize through Beacons of Light. It encompasses all those beautiful and prophetic ministries of charity and social justice that help build a civilization of love in the world.

In my work at Catholic Charities, I witness Love in Action in parishes’ organized volunteerism to welcome refugee families as they resettle. I celebrate it in parishioners’ regular service to distribute food to hungry visitors at our food pantries. Love in Action is also lived out through ministries that support pregnant mothers in crisis and stand up for the lives of the unborn against abortion. We see it in letter-writing campaigns 4 2 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH

to state legislators to end the death penalty, in twinning relationships with mission parishes and in concerted efforts to reduce a church or school’s environmental footprint. As disparate as these examples may seem in our ideologically fragmented culture, they are all faithful expressions of the Church’s social doctrine that guide us in building a society where everyone cares for everyone.

Of course, these works of mercy that Love in Action encompasses are nothing new. But organizing for them in our new Families of Parishes certainly is! With a little bit of organization and intentionality, we can harness each member parish’s enthusiasm and resources toward a greater impact on the whole Family’s behalf.

An immediate goal in the Beacons of Light process is for every Family of Parishes to designate someone as a Love in Action Coordinator (or another title chosen by the Family).

Additionally, from across a Family of Parishes, parishioners representing various charity and justice ministries should form a Love in Action Team that collaborates with the coordinator to envision how multiple Love in Action ministries might evolve and grow across the Family.

To train and support these leaders, Catholic Charities, archdiocesan staff and volunteers will offer a three-part series in multiple deaneries throughout next year: “A Vision for Love in Action: Building Communities of Salt & Light.” The training will provide a basic foundation in our Church’s teaching for these ministries and share available resources and models for organization. If you are involved in a Love in Action ministry or interested in joining one, I encourage you to attend one of these trainings. Keep an eye out for details when one comes to your deanery! May God bless our humble efforts to evangelize the divine presence through our actions of love.

TONY STIERITZ is the CEO of Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio and Director of the Archdiocesan Department of Life, Human Dignity and Charity.

ADVENT RESOURCES

There’s something for everyone this Advent on FORMED.

ROOTED: REDISCOVER THE JESSE TREE THIS ADVENT Hosted by Dr. Scott Hefelfinger, each seven-minute reflection helps Catholics apply Scripture to daily life using the Jesse Tree model traditionally practiced by families.

DRAWING CLOSER TO GOD: A CATHOLIC ART SHOW FOR KIDS Join art teacher Ms. Kim as she teaches children to draw different scenes from the Nativity story. As kids learn new art skills, they also begin to see the connections between the big picture of God’s story and their place within it.

There’s still time to join us on FORMED this Advent.

Explore more today!

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