The Catholic Telegraph - July 2025 by The Catholic Telegraph

From the Editor’s Desk

STAY YOUNG AT HEART EVEN WHEN LIFE IS DIFFICULT

Imust admit to struggling with the magazine’s theme for this month. It’s not that it’s a bad theme; I just haven’t been feeling or acting very “young at heart” lately. I seem to be overthinking and worrying about everything. Life is often challenging, and not only do I have my own struggles, but I also witness family and others around me dealing with far more than me. Often, problems and pressures keep growing, and the daily news we get is seldom good.

So, if all of this is part of being an adult, what does it mean to be young at heart? Whenever I feel overwhelmed and scared, I give myself the same advice that I give to others—pray. Prayer should always be our first response, not our last resort. I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to take St. Padre Pio’s advice to “Pray, hope, and don’t worry,” but I always end up thinking, “That’s easier said than done.”

Taking all of this to prayer, I realize that a lot of the pressure comes from… me. I want to be great, to be the best at something (or everything). I want to be popular—well-liked by everybody—and profound and funny. I want people to see the best parts of my personality and none of my flaws. I certainly don’t want to be known as “the guy who really messed up” or worse, as “the one who messes up everything.”

In the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples approach Jesus and ask Him, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus’ response is one I need to read—as, perhaps, many of us do—over and over. Jesus calls a child over to Him, and presenting that child to the disciples, He says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:1-4).

Publisher: Archbishop Robert G. Casey

Editor: David Cooley

Graphic Design: Emma Cassani

What is Jesus saying here? He asks us to cultivate our inner humility and trust God completely. He asks us to be like children because they are not pretentious like adults. Children are who they are, acting in accordance with their nature, and they don’t try to hide it. They see themselves as God sees them. Pride has not yet taken hold of their hearts. He asks us to be like children because they are utterly dependent but experience this dependence as freedom. We must realize that we are utterly dependent on God. We need Jesus and His Church for our salvation, and this truth will not bind us to a bunch of arbitrary rules but set us free!

While being child-like (or young at heart) has nothing to do with age, it has everything to do with spiritual maturity. I’ve come to realize that it is only my pride that makes me want to be the greatest and most popular among my peers. It isn’t me that people need to know and love, it’s Jesus Christ. However, if we’re going to help others encounter Jesus, we must encounter Him first and constantly build up our relationship with Him.

Now that I’m shifting focus to Jesus instead of myself, I feel as if the weight of the world has lifted off my shoulders. While it remains true that there is no shortage of sin, heartbreak, anxiety, and death in our world, we have a refuge in Jesus Christ who already conquered all of it and promised to prepare a place for us. Knowing this and striving to remain young at heart allows the joy of the Gospel to begin filling up our lives, despite the darkness that surrounds us.

David Cooley

cteditorial@catholicaoc.org

Media Sales: Deacon Graham Galloway

New Media / Circulation: Greg Hartman

Digital Engagement: Colin Rahill

Social Media: Taylor Motley

Photography: Margaret Swensen, Danny Schneible

The Columnists

Dr. Kenneth Craycraft

kcraycraft@athenaeum.edu

holds the James J. Gardner Chair of Moral Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology. He is the author of Citizens Yet Strangers: Living Authentically Catholic in a Divided America.

Father David Endres

dendres@athenaeum.edu

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

Dr. Andrew Sodergren

asodergren@ruahwoods.org

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.

Emma Cassani

ecassani@catholicaoc.org

is the graphic designer behind The Catholic Telegraph. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between art and faith.

Colin Rahill

crahill@catholicaoc.org

is the Director of Digital Engagement for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, as well as a writer and speaker.

Katie Sciba

is a national speaker and Catholic Press Award-winning columnist. She and her husband Andrew were married in 2008, and are blessed with seven children.

The Pope’s Prayer Intention

JULY

For formation in discernment

Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life, and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.

Become Like Children

INTO YOUR HANDS | Archbishop Robert G. Casey

What is the best remedy for us when we find ourselves overwhelmed by sadness, despair, or hopelessness? We have all heard it said, “Laughter is the best medicine.” We know from experience that sharing a good laugh or simply a smile can serve as a healing balm and restorative remedy to body, mind, and soul.

Years ago, I knew a priest who forbade smiling in church. He would continually remind his flock that celebrating the Mass was serious work and would scold those that he caught smiling. Fearful of appearing too joyful, the congregation soon found themselves growing more sullen and grim with each passing Sunday. Worried that a bad-tempered parish would do little to pass the faith onto the next generation, the parishioners reached out to the archbishop for help.

That priest needed to read the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which begins with Pope Francis reminding us, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness.” A joyful Catholic cannot help but evangelize, becoming an

instrument of God’s love and mercy for those who may be caught up in sin and sadness and seeking salvation.

Perhaps this is why Jesus calls us to become like children as we embrace the faith and put it into practice. Children possess an innate ability to laugh and to smile. We see this every day. Many of us have made a silly face to babies, knowing that we can easily coax a smile out of their cherubic little faces. Many of us can recall getting the giggles with someone and laughing until our bellies hurt. (I have some wonderful memories of my father quickly ushering me out of church during Mass because I had started giggling with one of my brothers or sisters!) Many of us, too, have found ourselves lifted out of the depths of sadness or a sea of anger by choosing to look on the bright side of life rather than stewing in our sorrow.

Perhaps you have heard the Christian hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing?”. Its lyrics challenge us to rise above the tumult and the strife that can so often overwhelm us in our daily labor. We are asked to hear “the real, though faroff hymn that hails a new creation.” When we can hear the song of heaven, a song that lifts our hearts with the joy and promise of God’s abiding presence, how can we keep from singing? Knowing that God is forever near to us, reaching out to us in our sin and our sadness and raising us up in new hope, we must sing. We cannot help but smile.

Jesus encourages us to be like children, embracing joy, finding happiness in our faith, and holding fast to an excitement for life. With renewed childlike wonder and innocence, we are invited to let go of the cynicism and pessimism that comes with age and heed the advice given to us in Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is a good medicine.”

May we begin each day with the best medicine—a commitment to spend each waking moment seeking out laughter, being good-natured, and blessing one another with joy. May we listen each day for the lighthearted laughter and glorious giggles of children, so that we may find ourselves awakened to God’s presence in our midst and take to heart that contagious laughter, allowing peace, love and joy to bring healing to us and to our world.

Ser Como Niños

EN TUS MANOS | Arzobispo Robert G. Casey

Cuál es el mejor remedio para nosotros cuando nos encontramos abrumados por la tristeza, la desesperación o la desesperanza? Hay un refrán común que dice: “La risa es la mejor medicina”. Sabemos por experiencia que compartir una buena risa o simplemente una sonrisa puede servir como bálsamo curativo y remedio reparador para el cuerpo, la mente y el alma.

Hace años conocí a un sacerdote que prohibía sonreír en la iglesia. Él recordaba continuamente a su rebaño que celebrar la Misa era un trabajo serio y regañaba a aquellos que veía sonriendo. Temerosos de parecer demasiado alegres, la congregación pronto se volvió más seca y sombría con cada domingo que pasaba. Preocupados de que una parroquia malhumorada pudiera hacer poco para transmitir la fe a la siguiente generación, los feligreses recurrieron al arzobispo en busca de ayuda.

Ese sacerdote necesitaba leer la exhortación apostólica Evangelii Gaudium, que comienza con el Papa Francisco recordándonos: “La alegría del Evangelio llena el corazón y la vida entera de los que se encuentran con Jesús. Quienes se dejan salvar por Él son liberados del pecado, de la tristeza, del vacío interior, del aislamiento”. Un católico alegre no puede dejar de evangelizar, convirtiéndose en un instrumento del amor y la misericordia de Dios para aquellos que pueden estar atrapados en el pecado y la tristeza, y buscan la salvación.

Quizás por eso Jesús nos llama a ser como niños al abrazar la fe y ponerla en práctica. Los niños poseen una capacidad innata para reír y sonreír. Vemos esto todos los días. Muchos de nosotros hemos puesto caras chistosas a los bebés, sabiendo que podemos fácilmente sacarles una sonrisa de sus caritas angelicales. Muchos de nosotros podemos recordar habernos reído con alguien hasta que nos dolió la barriga. (¡Tengo algunos recuerdos maravillosos de mi padre ayudándome rápidamente a salir de la iglesia durante la Misa porque había comenzado a reírme con uno de mis hermanos o hermanas!) Muchos de nosotros también hemos salido de las profundidades de la tristeza o de un mar de ira al elegir mirar el lado positivo de la vida en lugar de quedarnos estancados en nuestro dolor.

Quizás hayan escuchado el himno cristiano “How Can I Keep From Singing?” (¿Cómo puedo dejar de cantar?). Su letra nos desafía a elevarnos por encima del tumulto y la lucha que tan a menudo pueden abrumarnos en nuestro trabajo diario. Se nos pide escuchar, como dice el canto, “el himno real, aunque lejano, que anuncia una nueva creación”. Cuando podemos escuchar el himno del cielo, un canto que eleva nuestros corazones con la alegría y la promesa de la presencia constante de Dios, ¿cómo podemos dejar de cantar? Sabiendo que Dios está siempre cerca de nosotros, acercándose a nosotros en nuestro pecado y nuestra tristeza, y levantándonos con una nueva esperanza, tenemos que cantar. No podemos evitar sonreír.

Jesús nos anima a ser como niños, abrazando la alegría, encontrando la felicidad en nuestra fe y aferrándonos al entusiasmo por la vida. Con renovado asombro e inocencia como niños, estamos invitados a dejar de lado el cinismo y el pesimismo que vienen con la edad y prestar atención al consejo que se nos da en Proverbios 17, 22: “Un corazón alegre es el mejor remedio”.

Que comencemos cada día con la mejor medicina: el compromiso de pasar cada momento de nuestros días buscando la risa, estando de buen humor y bendiciéndonos unos a otros con alegría. Que escuchemos cada día la risa alegre y las risitas gloriosas de los niños, para que podamos despertar a la presencia de Dios en medio de nosotros y tomar en serio esa risa contagiosa, permitiendo que la paz, el amor y la alegría traigan sanación a nosotros y a nuestro mundo.

The Gospel is a Comedy In His Resurrection, Jesus turns tragedy into comedy.

A CLOSER LOOK | Dr. Kenneth Craycraft

Genres of dramatic or literary works are identified in multiple ways, but one of the most common ways distinguishes between tragedy and comedy. In this dichotomy, the Gospel begins with aspects of tragedy but ends with a comedic resolution.

A tragic work is one in which an intractable problem either has no satisfactory ending or the ending is sad or regretful. A conflict is created, the author develops the plot and characters to address the tension, but the characters’ efforts fail to resolve it. The virtuous hero might be defeated or the evil antagonist prevail. We may feel sympathy or sorrow for the outcome, but it is never a happy or satisfactory resolution, even within the contours of the play, poem, or novel. Shakespeare’s King Lear and Macbeth are classic examples of tragic drama. Reaching into antiquity, the play Oedipus Rex and poem The Odyssey are tragic literature. Modern examples include Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman play, and the film, Manchester by the Sea. Either through a central character’s obduracy or the cruelty of fate, the story ends either without a resolution or a resolution that is sorrowful.

Comedy, on the other hand, is the unexpected but not implausible resolution of some conflict or antagonism that developed in the plot or between characters. Like tragedy, comedy involves creation of tension that might seem intractable. Unlike tragedy, however, the comic play, poem, novel, or film reaches a satisfactory conclusion, resolving the tension and reconciling the characters’ conflicting interests. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a popular comic novel, as is Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd. Shakespeare’s A

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dickens’ David Copperfield, and Waugh’s Decline and Fall are other popular examples of the comic literary genre, as When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail represent contemporary film comedy.

Neither genre definition above is exhaustive as variations exist within them and other genres could be identified. And, as noted below, comedy might take a tragic trajectory at some point in the story. But these rough definitions and examples enable us to recognize the Gospel as fundamentally comic.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his admirers were confident that he was ushering in a temporal, political answer to their suffering and oppression. He was the new King of the Jews, who would throw off the shackles of Roman oppression and institute a new political order. This is the first stage in the conflict to come, putting the narrative on a tragic trajectory. Over the course of what we call Holy Week, when it became clear that Jesus’ mission was different

from the expectation of much of the crowd, they turned on him. An ersatz conspiracy of cynical Pharisees and political insurrectionists cooperated to bring a charge of treason against Jesus. He was condemned to death, even after Pilate insisted that he found no fault in him. Jesus was beaten, mocked, executed, and buried. It looked like the tragic beginning had a tragic ending.

Of course, we know that the story doesn’t end here.

In her short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor summarizes the turn from tragedy to comedy in the Easter narrative through the voice of “The Misfit.”

The Misfit had escaped from prison, to which he had been confined after murdering his father. He and his current accomplices have committed several more murders before their encounter with a grandmother beside a wrecked car on a back country road. The Misfit’s accomplices march the grandmother’s son, daughterin-law, and grandchildren into the woods and shoot them dead. After we hear the gunshots, The Misfit and grandmother have a climactic conversation in which The Misfit explains the comic nature of the death and Resurrection of Jesus.

“Jesus thown everything off balance,” The Misfit declares (N.B., “thown” is the intentional dialectic spelling of “thrown” by O’Connor). Jesus’ punishment “was the same case with Him as with me except He hadn’t committed any crime,” The Misfit asserts. But then he unfolds his theology of the Resurrection. “Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead … and He shouldn’t have done it. He thown everything off balance.” O’Connor’s point in this dialogue is that Jesus’ death and Resurrection tell us that comedy, not tragedy, is the true and authentic trajectory of the world. The false tragic narrative was upset by Jesus’ Resurrection.

We are created by God for rest and peace in His company. By our sin, however, we created a tragic script, acted out on a sorrowful stage. The death of Jesus was consistent with that tragedy. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, The Misfit explains, “then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can—by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness.” If Jesus stayed dead, the end of human life is tragic, indeed.

But He did not, and it is not. If Jesus did rise from the dead, explains The Misfit, “Then it’s nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow him.” And thus does Flannery O’Connor summarize both the difference between tragedy and comedy and the comic nature of Christian faith. In His Resurrection, Jesus turns the former to the latter. And He invites us to “thow away everything and follow him” in the comedic joy of resurrection. 1

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Which popes have taken the name Leo?

QUESTION OF FAITH | Father David Endres

Our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, is the latest in a long line of popes who have chosen that name. The thirteen previous popes named Leo date from the fifth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. The last pope with that name died in 1903.

Leo is derived from the Latin for “lion,” symbolizing strength or courage. Not all the Leos were particularly notable, but three deserve mention as particularly impactful on the Church and the papacy’s development.

Leo the Defender

The first Pope Leo—known as Leo the Great—was elected in the mid-fifth century. A strong leader, he persuaded the emperors to recognize his spiritual supremacy. He is best known for convincing Attila the Hun to spare Rome. The unarmed Leo convinced the ruthless warlord to turn away from the city (though he was less successful in repelling the Vandals, who attacked the city three years later).

Leo the Great was also known for clearing up a significant theological disagreement at the Council of Chalcedon. He taught that Jesus had two natures: human and divine, without confusion or separation, “complete in what belonged to him, complete in what belonged to us.” The council members, assenting to the formulation, exclaimed: “Peter has spoken through Leo.” This intervention has been called the most important document ever promulgated by a pope.

Leo the Reformer

Leo IX was pope at the turn of the eleventh century. Recognized as a reformer, he sought to limit outside influence in the selection of bishops, curtail the buying and selling of church offices, and improve the spiritual discipline and moral lives of the clergy.

He was especially well-traveled for the time, convening meetings in France, Germany, and northern Italy— an unusual approach for the bishop of Rome, who, previously, rarely left the city. He transformed the Roman

curia from a group of mediocre local clergy into a body of international experts who served as his advisors and promoted reform initiatives.

Leo the Teacher

Pope Leo XIII, one of the longest-reigning popes in history (just short of John Paul II’s 26-year papacy), was considered a master of teaching and communication. He made ample use of encyclical letters (an unmatched 86 are attributed to him), writing on topics ranging from philosophy and Biblical studies to politics. His plan for revitalizing the Christian world, as outlined in his ten major encyclicals, is known as his “grand design.”

He endeavored to provide a framework for a renewed Christian social order based on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. He stressed a more conciliatory approach toward secular governments and saw positive aspects of modern culture, which provided new ways for the Church to influence society.

Leo XIII is best known for his teaching on the economy, property, and work (as taught in an encyclical from 1891 titled “Rerum Novarum”). This teaching earned him the distinction of being the father of modern Catholic social teaching and a chief contributor to the Church’s teachings on human dignity and freedom.

A New Leo

When Cardinal Robert Prevost chose the name, he became the fourteenth Leo. The name is now tied with Clement as the fourth most common papal name, behind John, Gregory, and Benedict. Of the previous popes named Leo, five have been canonized as saints (including Leo the Great and Leo IX).

Leo XIV’s choice of this name has been rightly linked to Leo XIII’s concern for human dignity and the Church’s social teaching, but the new Holy Father has also connected himself to many strong and courageous Popes Leo—just as the name implies. 1

l I sa flet CH er

Still Blooming

Embracing Faith with Joy Across the Years

Remaining young at heart is not about turning back the clock—it’s about turning toward God with open hands and a grateful spirit. It’s the joyful awe of God’s creation, the lightness that comes from deep trust and the ability to laugh even when the memory fades or the knees ache. Christ Himself called us to childlike faith—to openness, wonder, and a wholehearted belief that God is always nearby. At the age of 83, two remarkable religious sisters—Sister Rita Sturwold of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) and Sister Mary Gallagher of the Sisters of Charity (SC)—radiate a youthful spirit rooted in decades of deep devotion. Through prayer, service, and laughter, they show us what it truly means to remain young at heart.

Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN

Notre Dame de Namur Sister Rita Sturwold lives each day with curiosity, gratitude, and purpose. She focuses on what it means to grow—spiritually, emotionally, and in service to others. If there’s a secret to staying young at heart, Sister Rita might tell you it begins with wonder—and continues with gratitude.

“I don’t think about being young at heart,” Sister Rita explains. “However, I do think about sharing God’s goodness because this is the charism of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. I want to keep growing as a person in body, mind, and spirit and seek ways to do so. I am curious. I generally like challenges. I love learning and try to be open to new ideas and to various perspectives.”

A Sister of Notre Dame for almost 65 years, Sister Rita believes maintaining faith is not about recapturing the spirit of youth, but about nurturing trust in God and remaining grounded in wonder.

“I know that Jesus said that we must be like a child,” she shared. “However, I don’t think about having a ‘childlike faith,’ unless you mean trust in God’s goodness and guidance in my life and a sense of wonder.”

Sister Rita’s days begin with an hour of quiet prayer, anchoring her in purpose. Her prayer life is central to everything she does.

“I thank God throughout the day for many things,” she said. “I am grateful that the lifestyle of a woman religious builds in expectations and opportunities to grow in my relationship with God and to share this faith with others.”

When asked what brings her the most joy in her faith, Sister Rita answered, “My relationship with God, my love for the Eucharist, being in a faith community, and sharing faith with my Sisters and with others. These provide strength, joy, and challenge.”

For those struggling in their faith, Sister Rita offers wisdom rooted in experience: “The struggle can be an invitation from God! Ask God for what you want and need, and God

will answer you. Jesus promises it many times in the Gospels! ‘Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find.’”

She recommends making space for quiet and Scripture. “Take time for daily prayer, that is time for conversation with God,” she said. “Take time to listen to God. As the Scriptures say, ‘Be still and know that I am God,’ and ‘In the silence you will

know.’”

“Read slowly St. John’s Gospel, especially Jesus’ Last Discourse, and read the appearances of Jesus after His Resurrection. These are filled with love, hope, strength, and the promise of God’s peace. Read the Psalms. There are many psalms for every mood or situation! Share your struggle with a wise spiritual advisor or a faith-filled friend.”

Sister Mary Gallagher, SC

Sister of Charity Mary Gallagher doesn’t pretend aging is without its challenges. “When you’re in your 80s, many of us are in assisted living,” she said. “And you realize you’re not remembering what you think you should be. But your friends aren’t either—and that can actually be kind of funny.” That laughter, shared in community, is one way Sister Mary keeps a youthful heart: by embracing humor as grace.

What brings her the most joy these days? “More time to spend in prayer. The grounds here are beautiful,” she said of Mount St. Joseph. “I walk outside and see God’s creation—birds going wild, squirrels scurrying about, flowers blooming. Watching creation thrive is like watching God at work.”

Sister Mary’s daily routine includes communal morning prayer before Mass, and later in the day,

Faith That Grows Young

many gather in small groups for prayer. “We sit together for twenty minutes. Just silence and presence,” she said.

That shared silence speaks volumes about her faith community. “Community is essential,” Sister Mary affirmed. “We look out for each other. We check in on the sisters in nursing care. We make sure they know they’re not alone.” Whether at meals with her friends or during prayer time, it’s the relationships that keep faith vibrant. “Community is the air we breathe,” she said.

When asked if she fears losing her faith or sense of wonder, Sister Mary smiled gently. “Faith has grown and matured over 60 years,” she said. “It grows deeper and wider with time.”

“We’re here not to cling to youth, but to keep our hearts open, like children do—to wonder, to laugh, to love.”

Sisters Rita and Mary show that staying “young at heart” isn’t about defying age—it’s about deepening joy. They pray. They walk. They laugh. They mentor and serve. Their childlike faith isn’t naïve—it’s rooted in decades of lived trust, wonder, gratitude, and community.

In their presence, we’re reminded of something essential: that growing older in faith doesn’t mean growing weary. It means growing wide-eyed. More than ever, we need hearts like theirs—open to God, open to others, and still wide open to joy. 1

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Father Jacob Lindle

When the Protodeacon, Cardinal Mamberti, announced the new pope’s name, I lost it: Viva il papa! Papa Leone! The crowd went crazy. It was electric. It was better than any football game, election, or other entertainment. The Church does drama so well because she deals in eternal realities. The pope is the Vicar of Christ, entrusted with the weight of universal pastoral governance of the Kingdom that will never fail.

I was especially filled with joy because of my study of the Church Fathers and my love for Pope St. Leo the Great, “The Savior of the West,” who personally stopped Attila the Hun from destroying Rome in 452. On the anniversary of his own elevation to the papacy, St. Leo explained that the pope is merely the humble steward of Peter’s continual work: “Therefore the constitution of Truth abides, and persevering in the fortitude he has received, Peter does not abandon the governance of the Church he has undertaken” (Sermon 3). And Peter himself is a mere vessel. Elsewhere, Pope St. Leo said that Jesus “wished His gifts to flow into the whole body from [Peter] like from a head” (Letter 10).

It was an incredible grace to experience this divine instrumentality as St. Peter’s successor, Pope Leo XIV, spoke to us the words of the risen Christ: “Peace be with you all!” From the Father, in the risen Christ, and through his steward the pope, we received the gift of peace.

My patristic joy did not end there. As Pope Leo continued, he declared himself a “son of Augustine,” then quoted that great doctor of the Church: “With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop.” That quote is taken from a sermon given by Augustine on the anniversary of his ordination as bishop (Sermon 340), where he explains the unity of believers in their common baptismal priesthood and the high task that a bishop has been called to in his distinct office. Just before the quote, Augustine explains that if Jesus doesn’t carry the burden of the bishop, “We collapse.” But Augustine also humbly confesses that it is the task of the people to support their bishop: “You also hold me up.” We support the Holy Father with our daily prayers, but also by

taking up our share of responsibility allotted to us in the vineyard.

Pope Leo XIV’s motto is another quote from Augustine, and it explains our mission beautifully: in illo Uno unum—in the One, we are one. It is taken from Augustine’s commentary on Psalm 127. This phrase is not some vague wish for unity but the concrete promise of Christ who broke down all false division in His blood. Augustine explains, “There are many Christians, but Christ is one. The Christians themselves with their Head, who ascended into heaven, is one Christ.”

Pope Leo has been called to the office of unity for the Church, and we have been called into that unity. We must support our Holy Father by personally living our communion with Christ and His Church and by inviting others into the fullness of this communion in a world starved for unity.

Another word for this unity is charity. As Pope Leo XIV acknowledged at the end of his first homily as pope, St. Ignatius of Antioch declared (in AD 107) that the Church in Rome holds “the primacy of love.” This love has a price, though, and the price is sacrifice. St. Ignatius paid for it with his own blood as he was ground into wheat “by the teeth of wild beasts.” He wished to become “the pure bread of Christ.”

Pope Leo explained this passage beautifully: those who have been given authority are called “to move aside so that Christ may remain, to make oneself small so that He may be known and glorified (cf. Jn 3:30), to spend oneself to the utmost so that all may have the opportunity to know and love Him.”

May our Holy Father, the lion, protect us from all enemies of truth, unity, and love. May he lead us to the One from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named. 1

Fr. Jacob Lindle, ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in May 2022, is presently studying for a Doctorate in Patristic Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

When Father Mike Schmitz visited Cincinnati on May 21 for his national Parables tour, he was able to reconnect with the bishop who ordained and commissioned him with the assignment that has borne countless fruits for 20 years. Before showtime, as excited Catholics buzzed around the Taft Theater hoping to meet and greet a top U.S. Catholic evangelist, a quiet reunion occurred inside the empty theater.

Many people in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati already know Father Schmitz through his hundreds of YouTube videos, podcast episodes, and weekly homilies, which have helped an untold number of people grow to love and live out the Catholic faith. Many are also aware that Father Schmitz is the No. 1 religious podcaster in the world. “The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)” podcast, produced by Ascension, was the No. 1 show on Apple for a total of 24 days and remains the No. 1 religion podcast in the world. Father Schmitz is a highly sought-after Catholic speaker and evangelist, having addressed crowds as large as 50,000 people.

However, fewer people might know that our very own Archbishop-Emeritus Dennis M. Schnurr ordained Father Schmitz as both a deacon and a priest. As then-Bishop Schnurr of the Diocese of Duluth, he also assigned Father Schmitz to serve as chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth—an assignment Father Schmitz still holds today.

“Archbishop was the person who put me in the assignment that I’m in now, and I’ve just finished my 20th year on campus and with youth ministry, and it has been an incredible blessing,” Father Schmitz said. “I’m just so grateful, because there are times when any of us could easily forget the person, or the many people, who helped you get where you’re at. And Archbishop Schnurr is one of those critical, critical people in my life—that I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without him.”

Reflecting on the positive impact his assignment has had on the Catholic Church, Archbishop-Emeritus Schnurr said, “It goes back to what Pope Francis said very early on in his pontificate—God is a God of surprises, and you may think you know where your priesthood is going to take you but God may very well have other plans. … Father Mike is making such an impact on the young people—not only in this country but, in many ways, throughout the world. I’m just very pleased with that.”

The Parables tour supports Father Schmitz’s fundraising to build a new Newman Center and church building for his “Bulldog Catholic” campus ministry at the university. He emphasized that his digital ministry flows organically from his on-campus ministry with students and parishioners.

“Virtually every video I’ve ever made, every homily I’ve ever posted—that all comes from a conversation I’ve had with students,” he said.

Plans for the new Newman Center include a better digital recording studio to support Father Schmitz’s work with Ascension, like “The Bible in a Year” podcast and weekly YouTube videos.

With his 45-minute keynote message at the Taft, Father Schmitz wanted to “break open” some of Jesus’ parables because “they are often at the heart of Christ’s teaching.” He focused on “The Lost Sheep,” “The Sower and the Seeds,” “The Wise and Foolish Virgins,” and the “Dishonest Steward.” Following the keynote, he offered a 45-minute question-and-answer session.

Jesus used stories as a tool to help listeners understand what a relationship with Him looks like, what the Kingdom of God looks like, Father Schmitz said. He added that stories can change hearts and minds and, ultimately, have the power to change the way people live.

“In His parables, Jesus reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom, discipleship, and salvation. In His parables, Jesus makes it clear what the stakes are—life and death, Heaven and Hell—in such a way that He gets past our normal defenses and reveals His own Heart and the Heart of the Father.”

When the event ended, the crowd expressed their enthusiasm for Father Schmitz’s messages with a standing ovation. It was a joyous occasion. 1

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Plan with peace. Prepare with Faith. A Gate of Heaven

Upcoming Events at Gate of Heaven

Pre-planning Seminar: You make all the major decisions, freeing your family of that burden—what a gift! We can help you prepare.

Dates: 8/26 | 9/23 | 10/21

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Open House: October 11 & 12 Free seminars, cemetery tours, and more.

Plan with peace. Prepare with Faith. A Gate of Heaven

Family Service Advisor will walk with you as you plan your nal arrangements in light of Catholic teaching. Join one of our free seminars to learn about Catholic funeral and burial rites, available sacred space, and meaningful personalization options. Make your wishes known—so your loved ones are spared di cult decisions in a time of grief. Preplanning is a lasting gift to your family.

Upcoming Events at Calvary Springﬁeld

Ceremony for “Jiggs” Donahue

Sunday, July 13 | Noon

Spring eld Historical Society will hold a formal dedication ceremony for “Jiggs” Donahue, a Major League Baseball player in the early 1900s who is buried at Calvary.

Book Review

Fr. David Endres

Have you heard of Polycarp, Justin, Tertullian, and Irenaeus? Although not exactly household names, they should be: they are among the early Church Fathers, who lived directly after the apostolic age. After the apostles, they are the first witnesses to the Christian faith. As St. Irenaeus said, they had “seen the blessed apostles,” “been conversant with them,” and might be said “to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in their ears]” and “their traditions before their eyes.”

And now, selected writings from that generation of teachers and preachers are available in one accessible volume, the recently published Early Church Fathers Collection from Word on Fire. Relying on available English translations, the collection is a carefully curated set of primary texts. Bolded subheadings guide the reader, the font is sufficiently large for easy reading, and a brief introduction about each author helps situate the text in its historical and theological context.

Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (78-79).

Or, did you know that Polycarp died a martyr’s death, but in a miraculous way? When he was cast into a fire, the flames swirled around him like a sail and left him unharmed. Instead of smelling burnt flesh, onlookers smelled the scent of bread breaking—an allusion to the Eucharist (104). Their first attempt having failed, his oppressors stabbed him to ensure his death.

And did you know that an early Eucharistic prayer appears in the document known as The Didache (“Teaching of the Twelve Apostles”)? Its words remind us of prayers in the Mass today: “Remember, O Lord, your Church; deliver it from all evil and make it perfect in your love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the power and the glory forever” (118-119).

Were you aware that Justin offered an early theology of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? He wrote:

For we do not receive these things as common bread nor common drink; but… as Jesus Christ our Savior having been incarnate by God’s logos [Word] took both flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food eucharistized [consecrated] through the word of prayer that is from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who became incarnate (186-187).

On nearly every page, the Early Church Fathers Collection shows that the early Church was the Catholic Church. Though some beliefs were not yet fully developed, these texts from the first through the third centuries witness to the origins of many Christian beliefs and practices, including the sacraments, communion of saints, and martyrdom. They invite prayer, study, and appreciation, reminding us that these early witnesses are not meant to be buried by time but to remain alive in the hearts and minds of believers today. 1

Not just for the scholar, theologian, or priest, these texts contain hidden gems and are for anyone interested in learning more about the origins of the Church and Christian belief. The writings explore early spirituality, prayer, moral theology, and dogma.

Did you know that St. Ignatius of Antioch was the first person to use the term “Catholic Church”? He writes, “Wherever the bishop appears, there let the congregation be; just as wherever

$29.95

Early Church Fathers Collection

David Augustine Word on Fire | 291 pages

The Vice of Gossip

VIRTUES & VICES |

Colin Rahill

“From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.” —Luke 6:45

No sin has been so shameful for me to confess, so mortifying for me to contemplate, than gossip. It’s been in my worst moments that I’ve actively disparaged someone or passively smiled as others spoke slander. When I myself gossip, I feel like Judas; when I casually listen, I feel like pre-conversion Paul who stood by “consenting to [Stephen’s] execution” (Acts 8:1).

A priest once told me that gossip is the murder of character. He didn’t believe that most people even feel good when they gossip—they just experience the dark relief of submitting to anger or fear. Anyone who believes in the God of Love revealed in Jesus Christ knows we are called to something higher. That’s what makes gossip so disturbing: it lacks the

compassion of Christ. Where there is no compassion, there is no love; and where there is no love, there is only death: “Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on their lips” (Rm. 3:13).

Why do people like me gossip if we know it’s wrong? One reason is ignorance, whether feigned or genuine. Surely, we reason, not all conversations about other people can be sinful. So, we excuse ourselves. It becomes more difficult to make excuses, however, once we have a firm grasp of Church teaching around gossip. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury” (CCC 2477). Gossip specifically involves (1) rash judgments, assuming someone’s moral failings without sufficient evidence; (2) detraction, unnecessarily revealing

someone’s genuine faults to those who wouldn’t otherwise know; or (3) calumny, harming someone’s reputation by sharing falsehoods.

By contrast, legitimate conversations about others always involve discretion and charity. They have no intention of harming reputations, derive no pleasure from pointing out faults, and accurately depict the full situation being discussed. They are conducted thoughtfully and at appropriate times, with compassionate confidants who share a sincere interest in resolving the issue.

The solution to gossip, unlike some other vices, isn’t moderation but total refusal. Avoiding it requires constant vigilance over our hearts, minds, and tongues. When speaking negatively about others, we often “justify” our remarks, even though gossip is inherently unjustifiable. We quickly forget the times we ourselves have gossiped, but readily recall when we’ve been gossiped about. And we rarely recognize that the person gossiping with us today may very well gossip about us tomorrow. Indeed, we can even fall into the trap of gossiping about the gossiper.

When we have a legitimate concern about someone’s behavior, we may need to speak to others about it. Jesus teaches us how to handle these situations without falling into gossip: first approach the person in question privately, then involve trustworthy witnesses if the issue persists, and finally, seek higher authority if needed (cf. Mt. 18:15-17).

What do we do if someone gossips in our presence? I used to think the virtuous response was silent disapproval—remaining stone-faced and staring the gossiper in the eye. But there’s a problem with this approach: you may not be willing to gossip yourself, but are you willing to passively watch someone damage their own soul and another’s reputation? Yet, it is the rare person who speaks up, because we’re all afraid of being the “odd man out,” and we don’t want to give others a reason to gossip about us. We want our friends, coworkers, and acquaintances

The temporary relief is nothing compared to the peace Jesus gives.

to like us. But are we really being good friends or faithful Christians if we don’t even offer a word of correction in the face of sin?

No, Christ calls us to speak up courageously— perhaps by reminding others that everyone has struggles or by firmly defending the absent person. Jesus tells us not to be afraid in these situations, and promises that the Holy Spirit will guide our words (cf. Lk. 12:11-12). Others may see you as boring or self-righteous for speaking up, making you an easy target for sharp words when you’re absent. Yet, Jesus lovingly encourages us with this radical beatitude: “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you… on account of the Son of Man” (Lk. 6:22). The temporary relief gained by gossiping is nothing compared to the peace that Jesus gives, and it is only the gossiper who is being selfrighteous—exploiting the defects of others so that he may stand on a pedestal above them.

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us a new commandment: to love one another as He loved us (Jn. 13:34). Gossip directly contradicts this commandment, rendering our love of God hollow. How can we genuinely love God if we simultaneously curse those made in His image (cf. Jas. 3:9-10)? Speaking with Christ in our hearts means letting every word flow from His merciful love. This love heals wounds, covering them with compassionate care rather than deepening them with rash judgment. The God who first loved us calls us to generously share that same love with others. Therefore, let us choose words that build each other up, affirming each person’s dignity and strengthening our shared journey toward holiness. 1

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Finding Joy in Parish Life

“I consider myself young at heart, insofar as I am rooted in Christ,” said Father Isaiah Callan, Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes (OLF) in the Piqua, Troy, Covington, and West Milton communities north of Dayton. To many, his simple joy and depth of faith come across as that child-like trust in the Father that we all strive for.

This past school year at OLF, 17 people formed the core team in charge of events for young people. Father Callan led the ministry to high school youth and spent time with students in the Piqua Catholic and St. Patrick schools. “Each day with the youth is like a ‘box of chocolates,’” he said, “and it’s always an occasion for a front row seat to profound miracles.” He witnessed God’s grace moving in students’ hearts, saw their wonder, and allowed it to inspire deeper faith in himself.

“Child-like wonder fits quite beautifully and with wild abandon into my vocation,” said Father Callan. “This wonder is a thirst for truth that can only come from God and forms the soul.” For Father Callan, it flows from what you might expect, the Mass and sacraments, but also in spiritual conversations and events that show God’s love shining through the world’s darkness.

That love of God, active in the world, helps sustain his joy. When asked about the source of joy for his priesthood, Father Callan quickly answered that it is not a what but a Who—Jesus. “His love, His faithfulness each day is my joy,” said Father Callan. He added that the ways Jesus is working in his life are too many to count and have left him with a deep sense of gratitude.

Father Callan strives to follow Bl. Solanus Casey’s advice to “thank God ahead of time.” Why? Gratitude is important when developing humility and an obedience to God’s plan. “This depth of gratitude paves the road to joy and its fruit,” he said. A deep sense of gratitude in his vocation leads him to simple joys and a deep faith.

The widely talked about “Hairmageddon” spring fundraiser is one example of this openness to God’s plan. Sponsored by PHILIA, OLF’s young adult ministry, it highlights the group’s activities for other churches in the parish Family. Hoping to form bonds of “brotherly love,” the group comes together in service, prayer, and fellowship through various Family events.

“Matt Wagner, OLF’s Director of Music and Liturgy, and some friends and I were throwing out ideas about how to raise funds for the new PHILIA young adult

ministry,” Father Callan recalled. Both Wagner and Father Callan have easily recognizable hair, so Wagner suggested parishioners bid on a haircut style.

“It was more than just a ‘hair-brained’ idea,” Father Callan joked. When Father Eric Bowman, the pastor, supported the idea, Father Callan and Wagner grew out their hair for a year then chose three hairstyles the winner could choose from.

“At the time, I did not know that the Knights of Columbus Troy had started a pool to … place a large bid,” said Father Callan. “[They won] and selected a mullet for me.” Father Callan sported his cut well into the Easter season! Wagner ended up with a “bowl cut” from his top bidder.

As a light-hearted event to spread joy and fraternity in the Family of Parishes, it reflects God’s playfulness and the delight we find in living out Jesus’ teachings. It’s a joy that Jesus extends to all Christians, throughout the archdiocese and the world.

This joy is not the same as happiness. “If it were,” Father Callan said, “we could not have joy when we are suffering.” Joy is something that is deeper than happiness and is unshakable when it is rooted in Christ. “When Joy willingly lowered Himself to suffer and die on the cross for our sake, He revealed that joy is stronger than pain.”

We are all called to share in that youthful joy. The sacraments and the gifts of the Holy Spirit help to strengthen and inspire us. “This is the depth of His love and delight in us,” Father Callan exclaimed. “This wealth of joy is meant for you!” 1

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Remembering a Gem

St. John the Baptist, Maria Stein

On May 29, residents of Maria Stein watched flames tear through their town’s centerpiece. We are encouraged to hear that many of its treasures were salvaged, able to inspire the faithful for years to come. One of the jewels in the region’s crown known as the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches, St. John the Baptist Church is the oldest Catholic church in Mercer County. As we pray for the community and offer our help, we reflect on the history and beauty of this unique place.

Around the mid-1830s, the twenty-five German Catholic families who settled in the area founded a parish. The priest stationed at Stallowstown (now Minster) celebrated the first Mass in 1836, and the first log church was finished the next year. By the mid to late 1840s, the German-speaking Missionaries of the Precious Blood took charge of the parish.

Construction of a larger and more permanent church building began in 1849, and it was consecrated in the fall of 1850.

As the community grew and the church became too small,

the parish voted in 1887 to build a new worship space. Contractors for many of the local parishes, the DeCurtians family carried out the plans drawn up by nationallyrenowned church architect Adolphus Druiding and built the new church, which was dedicated in the fall of 1891 and cost around $40,000.

The church’s nave rises 50 feet high. Its ten Corinthian columns, fashioned with “imposter blocks” on top to give the impression of more height, are unusual in the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches.

The 1913 altars with eight-sided gold domes were carved for an eastern look, unlike the gothic altars common in German Catholic Churches of this period. The central figure of the high altar was St. John the Baptist, the church’s namesake, and he was flanked by St. Ann and St. Aloysius Gonzaga, with Mary and Joseph in the side altars.

Rich wood frames and glass windows above the sacristy doors helped separate the screened side rooms above the sacristy,

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from which the semi-cloistered Sisters attended Mass and sang with the male choir, who were in the loft.

Stained-glass windows in the church’s nave portray scenes from the Bible and saints’ lives. Created in Cincinnati, they predate those found in the sanctuary, and many are laced with the German language common when this church was built.

Created by artist Theodore von Freskoirt, the paintings in the sanctuary contain three figures: Sts. John the Evangelist, Peter, and Paul. Round murals depict Sts. Gregory and Augustine (two of the first four doctors of the church), and Precious Blood Father Paulinus Trost created the three framed, canvas pieces in the back of the church, featuring Sts. Francis of Assisi, Francis Xavier, and Dominic Guzman.

Major improvements were made during the 1930’s. In 1935, a new pipe organ was installed, as well as the Stations of the Cross (wooden frames were added in 2011 to harken back to the original). The sanctuary’s stained-glass windows that were blown out during a storm were replaced with ones created in St. Louis that depict the Crucifixion and Resurrection. In 1936-7, Herman Diedam (a German immigrant who settled in Kentland, IN) repainted St. John Church, and much of his stencil work has been retained by the parish over successive restorations. The church began using electricity in 1939.

In 1940, much of the decorative stonework and masonry was removed from the building; retaining the warm red brick that was quintessential of the Cross-Tipped Churches and simplifying the exterior.

By 1973, the pastor and a parishioner committee led a major renovation. A Detroit company wanted to remove and paint over many furnishings that predecessors of the parish had worked hard for, but the committee successfully pushed to save St. John’s beautiful interior.

In 2011, the parish celebrated 175 years, received many gifts, and completed many projects. A decade later, the people of St. John united to repaint the church. More recently, the stainedglass windows were fixed with new storm windows.

St. John’s nearly 190-year history is a testament to the community’s faith and is as precious and beautiful as the church so severely damaged. It is also evidence of the parish community’s strength. Their past generosity and teamwork brought them through difficult times and witnessed to the goodness of God and hope as they move forward. 1

Celebrating Years of Life 20

da VI d C oole Y

For 20 years now, the annual Cross the Bridge for Life has taken place on the first weekend in June, including this year, Sunday, June 1, on Riverboat Row in Newport, Kentucky. Every year, it has brought hundreds of people from both sides of the Ohio River to enjoy a family festival and walk across the Purple People Bridge as they celebrate the beautiful gift of human life at all its stages, regardless of age or ability.

This year’s festival included food and drinks, face painting, balloon twisting, and live music by the Lee Roessler Band. Chris Adams from radio station Star 93.3 emceed a brief program; which included the American Heritage Girls reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of the National Anthem, remarks by Adam Schad of Cincinnati Right to Life and Sidewalk Advocates for Life, and remarks from both Cincinnati Archbishop Robert G. Casey and Covington Bishop John C. Iffert.

“It's a good reminder for us as we walk the bridge—as we walk through life—God is accompanying us every step of the way,” Archbishop Casey said during his address to attendees.

“We pray, today, that we can embody the love and mercy of Christ in this world; that in our daily labors, we may give witness to Christ alive and present with us and, through that Divine Presence, inspire a transformation in the world around us.”

The archbishop explained that the love we exercise can awaken our world to the holiness of God's presence and the sacredness of life.

“We know that all too often life is seen as a burden and not a blessing. It's seen as a cheap commodity as opposed to a priceless treasure. So how can we give ourselves over in service to our brothers and sisters and be witnesses to Christ and to the gift of life?”

In his closing, Archbishop Casey stressed, “In our lives we must continue to look for opportunities in which we can build bridges with one another and find ways of connecting and dialoguing with one another.”

“And so, we pray that as we walk the bridge today, it may remind us that we walk with Christ every day, and that as we walk with Christ, we proclaim His love and mercy to those around us, and that we can transform this world through our words and our actions. … May God bless us on a journey ahead.”

The walk began in earnest following the archbishop’s blessing, with walkers donned in their 20th anniversary purple shirts. They were led across the Purple People Bridge to Ohio and back by bagpipers from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an American Heritage Girls color guard, the Knights of Columbus, Archbishop Casey, and Bishop Iffert.

Cross the Bridge for Life was founded in 2005 by directors of two pregnancy centers—Pregnancy Center West in Cincinnati and Pregnancy Center of Northern Kentucky (later known as Carenet) in Florence, Kentucky. Today the event is organized by more than 25 area pro-life organizations that serve mothers, children, and families. More information about the event and the coalition of sponsors can be found at www.CrossTheBridgeForLife.org.

The Redemption of the Body

CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY | Andrew J. Sodergren, M.T.S., Psy.D.

Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body.”

As I have previously discussed, Pope St. John Paul II structured his meditations on the human person in Theology of the Body as a triptych—a threefold vision of “original man,” “historical man,” and “eschatological man.” Viewing the human person through the lens of these three dimensions helps us attain an “integral vision of man” (TOB 23:3). Before going on to the final part of TOB, let us reflect with the saintly pope on the “redemption of the body,” a key concept he uses to complete his triptych.

The term “redemption of the body” comes from a fascinating passage in the eighth chapter of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans in which he links the fate of the entire cosmos with the fate of the human body. Because of the sin of our first parents, all of creation experiences suffering and struggles to attain the glory for which it was created. Indeed, “The whole visible creation, the whole cosmos, carries the effects of man’s sin” (TOB 86:1). St. Paul captures this reality by saying that through sin “creation was subjected to futility” (Rom. 8:20a), yet longs to be set free, restored, and glorified. St. Paul uses the poignant imagery of childbirth to capture this urgent longing: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning with labor pains together until now” (Rom. 8:22).

What exactly is the new reality the whole cosmos is longing to see? St. Paul gives the answer: “Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19). The apostle refers here to human nature being perfected by the power of God’s grace in the resurrection of the body. He is also reflecting on how man is the culmination of visible creation. We uniquely unite within ourselves the visible, material dimension of creation and the spiritual, personal dimension. In addition, all material creation is entrusted to humanity to govern, nurture, and perfect (Gen. 1:28). Thus, the fate of the cosmos is intimately tied to the fate of

man who stands as its head and exemplar. The fathers of the Second Vatican Council wrote of this connection:

“Though made of body and soul, man is one. Through his bodily composition he gathers to himself the elements of the material world; thus they reach their crown through him, and through him raise their voice in free praise of the Creator. For this reason man is not allowed to despise his bodily life, rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and honorable since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day” (Gaudium et Spes, no. 14).

Because of the intimate link between man and the cosmos, creation cannot be healed and glorified until humanity is. This will occur in the resurrection of the body and the new creation. This is the end which we all long for—whether knowingly or not—and with us, the entire cosmos. Only then will the work of Jesus’ redemption be complete, even down to the last details of our bodies and all aspects of creation. All will be made new and perfected with the glory of the sons of God.

In view of that end to which we are being led by the work of the Holy Spirit, St. Paul tells us the sufferings of this life are a mere trifle. He said, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” when “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God … and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved” (Rom. 8:18,21,23-24a).

With this understanding of “redemption of the body” in mind, next time, we will explore further how Pope St. John Paul II used this concept to conclude his reflections on the human person. 1

B eauty of A Place

e I leen C onnell Y, osu

rench artist Augustin Frison-Roche said that “Everything beautiful comes from and speaks of God.”

Father Jan Schmidt, rector for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, agrees. And while the structure’s art and architecture offer an aweinspiring worship space, he wants the faithful to know that its gardens are also a place of great beauty, further representing the “importance of beauty in our faith; a way to see God and experience His presence. It’s a place of peace.”

When he arrived at St. Peter in Chains prior to his appointment as rector in 2017, Father Schmidt found the gardens filled with dead trees and unkempt grass. “There was a disheveled look to the place, and it wasn’t very welcoming,” he recalled.

As an avid gardener, he made its transformation his mission, courtesy of generous donors and discounts from local landscaping companies. He completed most of the physical labor himself with assistance from cathedral maintenance staff and parish volunteers.

Often found tending the grounds and the courtyard garden in the evenings and after Saturday morning Mass, Father Schmidt said, “I’m there weeding, picking off spent blooms, thinking about the next thing to be done.”

He selects plants and flowers with intention, most of them recalling the names of holy figures in the Church and some even referring to architectural features of St. Peter in Chains. One such is the perennial Acanthus mollis (bear’s breeches), whose beautiful leaves were the design pattern on

C at H edral B as I l IC a

Corinthian columns like those found at St. Peter in Chains.

“They speak to the heavens and eternal life,” Father Schmidt noted.

The gardens also host a variety of roses, including Joseph’s Coat (white), Our Lady of Guadalupe (pink blend), and Angel Face (lavender). Marigolds, their name derived from Mary's gold in honor of the Virgin Mary, were chosen both for their brilliant color and to honor the Blessed Mother. Dogwood trees represent Christ’s sacrifice and the redemption He provided for humanity; Christian legend holds that its wood was used to craft the cross upon which He was crucified, so that the dogwood's features now reflect the Crucifixion.

Hostas are the largest non-tree species featured in the garden, said Father Schmidt, and the garden’s varieties include Stained Glass, known for its bright golden-yellow leaves, dark green margins, and veining; and Praying Hands, with glossy leaves folded together as if in prayer.

“We have quite a variety for a garden in an urban setting,” he noted.

The courtyard garden, with its fountain and benches, provides serenity amid the city’s hustle and bustle and is popular with people working downtown, who enjoy a quiet moment during the day. Father Schmidt hopes that a mosaic of St. Joseph and the child Jesus, matching the cathedral basilica’s interior mosaic on the sanctuary’s rear wall, will be installed on the courtyard’s wall, where it would be easily seen from the street. The peaceful area might then be named “The St. Joseph” or “Holy Family” Courtyard, he said.

Visitors can enjoy the cathedral basilica gardens anytime and the courtyard during business hours. Public tours of St. Peter in Chains that focus on its history and architecture are offered monthly on the second Sunday after 10 a.m. Mass, and private weekday tours can be arranged by emailing office@cathedralaoc.org. Visitors may also request tours of the gardens, Father Schmidt said.

“There is beauty and peace here—attributes of the God in whom we believe—and a sense of His presence,” Father Schmidt said. “That’s been my experience, and I invite others to share it.” 1

Quiet Joy

DIVINE SEEING | Emma Cassani

In a visually saturated world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and become desensitized to beauty. Visio Divina, Latin for “divine seeing,” encourages us to slow down and engage in visual contemplation, using art as a profound tool for connecting with the Divine.

A Guide to Visio Divina

Begin by making the sign of the cross and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide your contemplation. Spend a moment meditating on The Holy Family with a Little

Bird, ca. 1650, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, located in the Prado Museum, Madrid. Then, read Matthew 18:1-5.

Background

Murillo grew up in Seville, Spain, as the youngest of 14 siblings. Orphaned at a young age, his older sister raised him. In 1645, Murillo married and eventually became the father of nine children. Surrounded by family throughout his life, he was known for his warm, kindhearted nature and admiration for home life—qualities that shine through much of his work.

As an adult, he lived a fairly comfortable and successful life. His career flourished with steady commissions, and his reputation grew as both an accomplished painter and a delightful person.

During the mid- to late-17th century, the Spanish Baroque style began to evolve. Artists shifted away from grand, dramatic subjects and adopted a more sentimental approach—one that emphasized family, tenderness, and the quiet mysticism found in everyday life. Murillo mastered this trend. His religious scenes, often grounded in the familiar rhythms of family life, reflected a holiness that was gentle, accessible, and deeply human.

Enter In

Taking a break from his carpentry work, Joseph sits down to enjoy a moment with his family. Small and curious, Jesus leans against His earthly father while playfully clutching a little bird and engaging with a dog at His feet. Joseph, with a quiet smile and watchful eyes, keeps his arms near Jesus’ sides—ready to catch Him if He stumbles. The dog whines and begs to play with the bird. You can almost hear the soft sound of baby giggles.

Beside father and Son, Mary watches lovingly as she spins yarn. A basket of clothing or fabric rests at her feet. She pauses from her housework for a moment, softly smiling at Jesus and Joseph. Her gaze is calm and reflective—perhaps, full of gratitude.

Murillo’s painting is quite charming, isn’t it? It’s not often we see the Holy Family participating in such an ordinary, domestic scene—amongst housework, play, and quiet smiles. With the use of naturalism, contemporary clothing, humble surroundings, and the absence of haloes, Murillo grounds the Holy Family in the familiar, making them approachable and human.

What I find most interesting about this scene is seeing little Jesus playing with His pets. But why a bird and a dog? Since the Ancient Greeks, dogs in art have symbolized loyalty, fidelity, and the home—an ideal protector and companion. Birds have carried spiritual significance across cultures. In Ancient Egypt, Ba—a human-headed bird—represented the soul, often depicted hovering above a mummy to symbolize its journey to the afterlife.

Murillo depicts this moment of play and normalcy to remind

us Jesus was also a child.

In Judeo-Christian art, small birds—particularly robins and goldfinches—came to symbolize Christ’s Passion. According to legend, a small bird plucked a thorn from Christ’s crown, causing blood to shoot out. This story gave rise to a belief about why robins and goldfinches bear their red markings. As The Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge notes, “A very general reading of the goldfinch might, therefore, remind the viewer that his soul is ‘in the hands of God.’”

Reflection

At first glance, this painting of the Holy Family seems quiet and ordinary. Murillo depicts this moment of play and normalcy to remind us that Jesus was also a child.

Eternally divine, God assumed a human nature through the Incarnation, becoming fully God and fully man in the personhood of Jesus Christ. In doing so, He entered not just our world, but human experience as we know it. As theologian Frank Sheed writes in To Know Christ Jesus:

“Like the rest of us, He was born a baby, grew into a small boy, a big boy, a youth, a man. Human bodies … [and] human souls have laws … and [He] was subject to them. He had five senses, and they really worked. The outer world came through to His brain as He saw it ... His human mind took hold of what the senses had brought to the brain

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and acted upon it, reacted to it, [and] went through all the processes of human thinking upon it” (72).

Jesus did not use His divinity to create an easy life for Himself, as Sheed exclaims, “He did not take shortcuts!” (72). He entered the world through the pain of childbirth, screaming and gasping for air, experiencing hunger, and needing to be breastfed. Though He was God, Jesus had to depend on His parents for nourishment, for guidance, to learn how to talk and walk, and to grow in understanding—not only as a child, but throughout His life.

In turn, Mary and Joseph certainly experienced a wholly unique form of parenthood. They were entrusted with raising not just any child, but a child who was God. There was no precedent for this—they couldn’t turn to other parents for advice on how to raise the Messiah. Mary and Joseph had to gradually learn “bit by bit—from the things that happened, like everyone else—who and what the Redeemer was” (73-74).

This dependency—Jesus relying on His parents, and His parents relying on God—is what Jesus points to when He says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt. 18:3). In light of this, we are called to cultivate the same childlike dependency on God.

As the Jerome Biblical Commentary explains, becoming like a child is not only a great virtue, it is necessary for entry into the Kingdom. This means recognizing that we cannot do everything on our own—that we are, after all, only human. But that is not a flaw; it is an invitation.

There is much we can learn from children. Like a child, Jesus wants us to approach life not with self-reliance but with utter dependence on God; not with ignorance but with innocence; not with apathy but with wonder. And when we begin to see and depend like a child, we open ourselves to a kind of quiet joy, like the one captured in Murillo’s painting.

Joy is distinct from happiness. While happiness is a fleeting emotion dependent on circumstance, joy arises from an encounter with what is true, good, and beautiful. It lingers. It deepens. It has the ability to blossom into something greater—something that forms us, rather than simply delights us. In fact, joy may not always feel delightful because it’s more than a passing emotion.

Murillo paints joy here, but it isn’t loud. It doesn’t demand attention. It simply just is. And there is beauty in that— beauty in the simplicity, the mundane, and even the quiet, small moments. 1

For further exploration

• Brown, R. E., Fitzmyer, J. A., & Murphy, R. E. (Eds.). (1968). The Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice-Hall.

• Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban. (2019). Museodelprado.es; Museo del Prado. https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/ artist/murillo-bartolome-esteban/314440b0-386b-4b11-81f1-d84809e7704e

• Sheed, F.J., (1992). To Know Christ Jesus. Ignatius Press.

• The Goldfinch. (n.d.). The Fitzwilliam Museum. https://fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-our-collection/highlights/context/ sign-and-symbols/the-goldfinch

Keeping Our Humanity in the Midst of the AI Revolution

CATHOLIC AT HOME | Katie Sciba

“They’re projecting that AI assistants will be available to consumers within the next ten years. Looks like John and Jane Doe will have personal robots at home.” My brother Brian punctuated this statement with his brow raised in excited curiosity, then took a sip of his coffee.

“Personal robots,” I echoed slowly, mulling over the concept with hesitation. Unable to put my finger on why, my welling interior response was refusal. Not ready to decide one way or the other, I asked, “To do what?”

“Whatever you need!” he said. “Mow the lawn, cook dinner, do your taxes. Work.”

Artificial intelligence (AI) is certainly getting attention these days. ChatGPT, Claude, and every similar platform have made a loud entrance on the world stage. Now, it’s in our pockets. Do you need a meal plan based on grocery sales and dietary restrictions? Submit the command and a chatbot spits out a menu. Do you need a little clarity on Church teaching? Apps like Truthly and Magisterium AI are Catholic, offering a more accessible catechesis to every user.

The possibilities seem endless! As a soul, a spouse, and a parent, I’m watching AI’s presence grow, and I’m looking to the Lord and the Church for guidance.

My line of thinking admittedly veers traditional, even unplugged. I’d rather my kids build forts in real life than on Minecraft. If I could check an opt out box to rid my life of digital distraction, I would. The reality that AI’s advancement is increasing every day scared me at first. I’m already trying to decrease the technology that my family accesses and that has access to my family; but I suspect AI will slip as easily into the culture as smart phones; so, the decision is to adjust our sails and keep our souls.

Now, I could enlist ChatGPT to write a Catholic commentary on AI, but that’d be cheating; and that is precisely the point I’d like to make.

The Lord infused humanity with His own characteristics, like

connection, creativity, and the ability to work. Like any other tool, AI is not good or bad in and of itself but can be used either way. Tools should be used to support our humanity rather than take away from it or replace it.

What concerns me about artificial “intelligence” is that it’s already stepping in where only a person belongs—someone made in the Image and Likeness of God—and society is gearing up for it to do even more. Search for a print of the Sacred Heart and you’ll find as many AI-created images as those produced by people. Users are even forming artificial relationships with chatbots that were programmed to take the place of a friend, parent, or romantic partner. In both cases, what is being produced isn’t real, but as the name indicates: “artificial”.

Human relationships and craftsmanship are deeply good, beautiful, and authentic. An honest connection with another person is a buoy in life that makes trials less consuming and blessings more uplifting. A job well done compels us to marvel not just at the finished product, but at the diligence and skill of the soul behind it. Connection and work let us imitate our own Creator and participate in our divinely designed nature. Pope St. John Paul II said:

“Work is a good thing for man[…]because through work man not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes ‘more a human being’” (Laborem Exercens).

Bearing this in mind, it is paramount that we draw a hard line to safeguard what is rightly human. As this thing develops, we need to return to this standard over and over: is a given use of AI supporting me as a person, or am I using it to do something inherently human? Relationships, work, and creativity are challenging, but we are made to rise to the occasion.

A couple weekends ago, I spent an entire Saturday hard at work in my yard. I mowed, worked on my garden, and straightened up the garage. At the end of the day, my husband made his signature burgers for the family. We were satisfied and grateful. 1

Children on Faith

Young Students Share Their Thoughts—Remind us of the Importance of a Childlike Faith

With the Young at Heart theme this month, The Catholic Telegraph team thought it fitting and fun to interview a panel of very young Catholics. So, I met with a group of seven secondgrade students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Anderson after their all-school Mass to ask them a few questions about their faith. While their answers were often simplistic, you can find profound wisdom in their words. I was struck by their deep faith and joy.

My first question was, “Why is it important to pray?”

Hannah: It calms your mind.

Charlie: It’s good to spend time with Jesus.

Gabby: I pray with my grandma almost every night.

da VI d C oole Y

As they were excited to tell me about having recently received their first Holy Communion, I asked why it was important to them.

Hannah: When you receive the Eucharist, you get closer to Jesus, and you say, “Thank you Jesus for letting me receive your body.” Now, I feel closer to God.

Gabby: We now have Jesus in our heart. You can feel more Christ-like and holy, and you can do the right thing.

At that point, I realized I needed to ask an evenmore basic question: “Who is Jesus?”

Nora: He’s the Son of God.

Troy: The Lord. He helped people learn more about God.

Charlie: He died so that we wouldn’t have sin and death. He healed the sick and suffering.

Louis: He healed our wounds.

Penny: He’s the Messiah and He forgives us when we sin.

Gabby: He’s the Holy One and helps us make good decisions.

Hannah: He brought the dead into life, and He is the King of the world!

I then asked, “What does Jesus ask all of us to do?”

Hannah: He asks us to pray and help others get closer to God.

Gabby: He also wants us to be a good leader.

My next question was:

“Why is it important to have faith, to believe in Jesus?”

Louis: To help us not sin.

Penny: It helps us because [Jesus] is not on earth and if we didn’t have faith we wouldn’t believe in Him.

Gabby: We should have faith so that we can believe in Jesus and help people to do the right thing, teach other people about Jesus, and help other people.

Charlie: So that we can make right decisions and stand up for other people.

Now, I turned to their “faith in action” and asked, “Can you think of a time when you told somebody about Jesus?”

Penny: One time I told a Bible story to one of my cousins. … It was the Last Supper.

Gabby: When my brother was a baby, I taught him about Jesus and how he died on the Cross.

Louis: I have an Action Bible and I read it to my little brother.

Troy: I told one of my cousins a Bible story; I think it was Daniel in the Lions’ Den.

Nora: That’s my favorite Bible story—I like lions.

Troy: Daniel prayed so the lions didn’t eat him.

Penny: He had so much faith that God saved him.

I then asked, “What

advice would you give to

someone

who

is having a difficult time in their life right now; if they are sad or worried about

something?”

Gabby: Just believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you’ll get things right and you’ll eventually have a good time.

Penny: Pray to God and He’ll help you.

Hannah: I’d probably say a prayer for those who are sick because they might be suffering in body. Whenever I hear a siren, I say a prayer for the people in trouble.

Louis: I prayed for my brother because he fell on the driveway.

Hannah: I think it’s important to have faith because it helps you do things when things are really hard, and it helps you not to give up.

Finally, I asked the question so many youth ask their parents, “Why is it important for us to go to Mass every Sunday?”

Gabby: When you receive the Body of Christ He goes into your heart, and He stays there for the rest of the day and for as long as you want Him to.

Nora: It helps you to grow closer to God.

Hannah: God really helps you to stay happy and to help other people get closer to God. He wants you to be happy and to treat others just how you want to be treated.

It’s amazing how much these students understand at only eight years old. Yet, I know that as time goes on life gets more complicated, and the answers don’t always seem so simple. However, we adults have the tendency to make things more complicated than they really are, and it doesn’t take much for our pride to get in the way. It’s important to remind ourselves often of the fundamental tenets of our faith. We must remember that we are all beloved children of God and we need to take care of each other. 1

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Background

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Turin, Italy, on April 6, 1901. He was fully engaged in the life of the Church. He worshipped regularly, served the poor, and advocated for religious liberty. He saw many parallels between Catholic life and his favorite pastime—mountain-climbing.

Man of the Beatitudes

The Catholic Church holds up Pier Giorgio Frassati as an excellent role model for young people and athletes. Pope St. John Paul II affectionately referred to him as the “Man of the Beatitudes” for his exemplary work. He died of polio on July 4, 1925, at the age of 24, while in charitable service to the people who were sick and dying in his community.

Canonization

Pier Giorgio Frassati was beatified on May 20, 1990, and the Church will canonize him a saint on August 3, 2025, during the Jubilee of Young People (Young Adults). He is the patron of students, Catholic youth, mountain climbers, skiers and lay Dominicans.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me the courage to strive for the highest goals, to flee every temptation to be mediocre. Enable me to aspire to greatness, as Pier Giorgio did, and to open my heart with joy to Your call to holiness. Free me from the fear of failure. I want to be firmly and forever united to You, Lord. Grant me the graces I ask You through Pier Giorgio’s intercession, by the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Beatitudes Courage Dominicans Greatness Holiness Skiing Students Turin Worship

House L ord of the

da Y ton

Our Lady of the Rosary

GAIL FINKE

Origins

The original church was built in 1888 for a German-speaking congregation at a cost of $18,000. The first Mass was offered on Christmas day by Father John B. Frohmiller. Our Lady of the Rosary School opened the following year with just two classrooms. The wooden Stations of the

Cross and statuary were purchased in 1896 and are still used in the church today.

An 1899 addition expanded the church seating by a third and enlarged the school to eight classrooms. The first Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in 1890.

Through the Years

1903

Brothers of Mary arrive to manage education for boys; they leave in 1958 to teach in high schools. St. Adalbert Parish, created for the territory’s Polish-speaking families, was originally part of OLR.

1911

Holy Cross church, created for the territory’s Lithuanian Catholics, was originally part of OLR.

1913

Our Lady of the Rosary is the only parish in North Dayton higher than the devastating 1913 flood. So many people shelter in the church and rectory that Archbishop Moeller sends $6,000 for food and other aid.

1914

Architect W.L. Jaeckle designs the new church and directs its construction in a Romanesque Revival style. One

By the Numbers

$6.20 | The first recorded donation for the original 1888 church, from a boy who contributed all his savings.

exterior feature is a bell tower inspired by the campanile of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. Another is a flat, red brick facade dominated by a rose window over a portico. The portico features six columns and seven arched entrances that cover three sets of recessed double doors.

1918

New church building opens with a Pennsylvania church’s altar replacing the one lost at sea. Its interior features painted barrel vaults, a mural depicting Our Lady of the Rosary in the apse, two banks of stained glass windows, faux marble pillars, and ornate carved wood and marble.

1928

Current high altar unveiled, featuring a 33-foot baldacchino, cream marble steps with an inlaid predella of gray and yellow geometric design, the letters IHS (for Jesus’ name), the Greek

letters alpha and omega (a symbol of God’s endless majesty), and the relics of saints.

1930

Christmas Day fire damages the organ brought from the original church, but a Baroque-style organ from the Wangerin Organ Co. in Milwaukee is installed in 1931, with a fire shield that partially blocks the rose window.

1948

Queen of Martyrs founded for the Northridge area, originally OLR territory.

1957

St. Christopher Parish created from three small parishes originally in OLR territory.

1960

St. Peter founded in Huber Heights, originally part of OLR territory.

1 Perpetual Adoration Chapel, created from the baptistry in 2019.

Quotes

“What most people who are used to ‘big-box’ styles of churches notice right away is the altar—how grand it is— and the expanse and highness of the building. One person entered, stopped, and said, ‘Whoa, this is way close to God here!’” —long-time parishioner Rick Jobe

3 Relics of saints were sealed in the high altar by (then) Msgr. Henry Moeller at its 1928 consecration.

“When the high altar was lost, a church in Pennsylvania that was remodeling heard about it and offered their altar. It was a plain, white Carrera marble, in a craftsman style, so local workers and craftsmen worked to decorate it to match the rest.” —long-time parishioner Rick Jobe

Love in Action

Living our Eucharistic Call in 2025 and Beyond

From 2022-2025, our country has faithfully participated in a Eucharistic Revival: “The joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the Church in the United States to the divine invitation to be united once again around the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist” (eucharisticrevival.org). This journey reached its summit in 2024, with both a Eucharistic pilgrimage (that came right through the Archdiocese of Cincinnati!) and a Eucharistic Congress that brought tens of thousands of Catholics to Indianapolis, to celebrate and strengthen our commitment to the most Blessed Sacrament.

We then entered the Eucharistic Year of Mission, a time to explore how the Eucharist compels us to go out into the world. We remember that “Jesus in the Eucharist is the answer to every restless longing of the human heart,” and we seek to “(share) the gift of our Eucharistic Lord with those on the margins” (eucharisticrevival.org/yearofmission). The number of ways our families of parishes and the broader Catholic community share our gifts here in the archdiocese is too large to count, but—since December—we have highlighted a few of the beautiful examples we found.

In The Catholic Telegraph’s December issue, we looked at the Food For All ministry that seeks to meet the dietary needs of our most impoverished families. “By responding to the needs of the hungry and vulnerable, [we] embody Christ’s love, creating a ripple effect of hope in their communities.”

In January, we highlighted how the faith of Moeller student Max Milbourn compels him to help people who are in

poverty and to inspire his classmates to join him. “Seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they help their community and the joy on the receiving end of the help shows me how much of Jesus’ love is in the world.”

In February, we learned about St. Columban parishioners Chris and Chuck Schell, who took their commitment of caring for God’s creation to the next level: they transformed acres of their lawn into native prairie that supports pollinators, migratory birds, and butterflies. “Just like in the Body of Christ, when one part hurts, the whole body suffers. Our earth is groaning and begging us to care.”

In March, we celebrated over 20 years of solidarity between St. John the Baptist Church in Harrison and the parishes of Santa Cruz and Our Lady of Guadalupe in El Salvador. “What we have all gained by this special twinning relationship cannot be fully appreciated in words,” said Deacon Don Meyer. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the Eucharist was—and continues to be—critical to the relationship. “The unity of this Eucharistic relationship continues.”

In the April issue, we shifted gears a bit to better understand Project Rachel, a confidential Catholic ministry offering hope and healing to those affected by abortion. More than just a support group, Project Rachel is a reflection of God’s mercy, revealing His presence in every conversation. As Natalie, a leader, said, “We all fall. [However], through the grace of God and through Him in the Eucharist, we are able

to live a life of gratitude, bringing the love of God to those around us.”

In May, we were reminded of God’s infinite love—no matter what. Families with members who have disabilities often face unique challenges, but their place in the Church is just as certain as anyone else’s. Nanista, who volunteers, offers this wisdom: “Though we may not ever know why God made us this way, there is a reason. You are not broken or a mistake. God has great things in store for you.”

Finally, in June, we tackled the difficult issue of immigration. Church teaching demands that we stand with the poor and vulnerable, especially the widow, orphan, and stranger. When we stand with those who traveled here from foreign lands in search of a better life for themselves and their families, we stand with the broken Christ and receive His love.

As we come to the close of both the Eucharistic Year of Mission and the overall Eucharistic Revival, we are called to look forward and determine how we can continue this work. Because, while the official Revival may be over, our efforts to better and more fully receive the Eucharist and share God’s love and grace in the world are never finished.

We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged (Pope St. John Paul II, Mane Nobiscum Domine [Stay with us Lord], 2004, no. 28).

As individuals and parishioners, we must always look for ways to carry out this call. What ministries in your Family of Parishes are living out this Eucharistic call? How are you supporting them, and how can you get even more involved? What are the needs in your community, and what is your Family of Parishes doing to meet them? Whether rural or urban, north or south, near or far from a university, populated by native Ohioans or newly-arrived neighbors, or filled with lower-income or middle-class families, every area of the archdiocese has its own needs, and our Families are compelled to respond to the needs. How is your Family of Parishes welcoming people of

Our efforts to share the Eucharist’s love in the world are never finished.

different races and abilities? How is it caring for God’s creation and standing with moms in need?

To answer these questions and others, we recommend that you connect with the archdiocesan staff who support Families of Parishes that seek to put love into action. You can access resources to catalogue your Family’s Love in Action ministries or host a retreat to bring Love in Action folks together. Deaneries can host a Becoming Communities of Salt & Light program to bring together geographically proximate families and explore possibilities for idea sharing and partnership. Even more simply, Families can contact the entities supporting Love in Action—including the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the archdiocesan offices of African American Pastoral Ministries, Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio, Catholic Social Action, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, (persons with) Disabilities Ministries, Mission & Pontifical Mission Societies, Prison Ministries, and Respect Life Ministries—and access their resources and support.

The Beacons of Light process offers, in so many ways, a chance for our Catholic community to revitalize and reinvigorate our commitment to Christ. Through Love in Action, our Families of Parishes can celebrate and grow our dedication to living out Christ’s love in the world, seeking always to become Eucharistic missionary disciples, being Christ to and seeing Christ in our sisters and brothers.

Want to get your Family of Parishes engaged? Contact Andrew Musgrave, Director of Catholic Social Action, amusgrave@catholicaoc.org . 1

Leo XIV—Our Holy Father, Yet Still Young at Heart

written by David Cooley

From the moment he walked out on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square on May 8, people all over the world scrambled to learn more about Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the man who had just become Pope Leo XIV. And in the hours and days following those first moments of jubilation, those who knew him best—his brothers—began to share personal anecdotes and fun facts that have helped both Catholics and the world at large get to know the new Holy Father a little better.

Born Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Robert Prevost was raised in the South Chicago suburb of Dolton, the youngest of three sons born to Mildred (née Martínez) and Louis Prevost. His older brother John, who still lives in Chicago, and his eldest brother, Louis, who resides in Florida, recall that their little brother always had a unique personality and seemed destined for the priesthood even when he was very little.

“He wanted to play priest, so he put a tablecloth over our mom’s ironing board, and we had to go to Mass,” John told news reporters. “Some people play school, some people play army, he played priest. We knew right then and there that this is not a joke. ... The woman down the street said he would be the first American pope.”

The pope’s brother said he even handed out candy wafers for “communion.”

“From the time he was five or six years old, he knew this was his fate—not that he would be pope, but that he would be a priest,” John told Good Morning America. “He had that from a very young age, and he never faltered.”

In a separate news interview, Louis said, “We used to tease him all the time, ‘You’re going to be the pope one day.’ We knew there was something special about him.”

Pope Leo graduated from Villanova University in 1977 with a degree in mathematics, then decided to become a priest. He joined the Order of St. Augustine in September of that year, taking his solemn vows in 1981. After a spell doing missionary work in Peru, he returned to the U.S. and was elected to oversee

the Augustinian Province of Chicago. From 2001 to 2013, he served as Prior General of the Augustinians, the head of the order worldwide. Today, he speaks seven languages—English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Latin, and German.

John said that if their parents were still alive, they would feel “extreme joy” and “extreme pride” about their son, but would also be concerned because “it’s a heavy weight on his shoulders.”

While Pope Leo’s heavy burden is to lead the 1.4 billionmember Catholic Church, his speech and demeanor reveal his determination to remain humble and young at heart. The world was fascinated to learn that the Holy Father has interests and hobbies like everyone else.

A huge fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, Pope Leo is an amateur tennis player, likes to play the web-based word games Wordle and Words with Friends with his family, is a keen horseman, rode in the mountains of Peru as a missionary, supports the football club AS Roma, and loves deep-dish pizza.

The Holy Father explained that he chose the name “Leo XIV” in part due to his concern for modern culture and the lack of understanding for what it means to be human. He encourages all to put their faith and trust in God. And when it comes to modern technologies, he emphasizes the importance of human beings over tools.

“I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII, in his historic encyclical Rerum Novarum, addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” he said. “In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”

Let us all pray for our new Holy Father as he leads the Catholic Church into a new era, filled with challenges, certainly, but also filled with possibility and wonder. 1