Archives for March 2020

March 27, 2020 by Peter Garcia

Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
[email protected]

Release Date: March 27, 2020

His Holiness, Pope Francis, Sends Condolences

Pope Francis sent condolences to Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr and to all of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, upon learning of the death of Archbishop Emeritus Daniel E. Pilarczyk. Please see the attached letter from the Apolostolic Nunciature, United States of America.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 44th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with more than 450,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 40,000 students. The 19-county territory includes 211 parishes and 111 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

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March 25, 2020 by Peter Garcia

Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
[email protected]

Release Date: March 25, 2020

Mass of Christian Burial for Archbishop Pilarczyk

The Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop Emeritus of Cincinnati from 1982-2009, died Sunday March 22, 2020. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, March 27, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral in Cincinnati. The Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati, will be the celebrant. Due to the current pandemic, the Mass will be private, however the clergy and faithful of the archdiocese are encouraged to join in pray for Archbishop Pilarczyk by joining in the Mass that will be live-streamed to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati website, www.catholiccincinnati.org. A memorial Mass open to the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese will be held at a later date.

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March 23, 2020 by Peter Garcia

Effective March 2, 2020

Reverend Clement Dickie, OP, temporary Parochial Administrator, St. Gertrude, Cincinnati.

Effective July 1, 2020

Reverend Frank Amberger to Pastor of St. Mary, Arnheim, St. Michael, Ripley, and St. George, Georgetown.
Reverend Christopher Armstrong to Spiritual Director and member of the Faculty at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.
Reverend Michael Cordier to Pastor of St. Joseph, Springfield, St. Raphael, Springfield, and St. Charles Borromeo, South Charleston.
Reverend Christopher Geiger to the Formation Team and Director of Field Education and Pastoral Interns at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.
Reverend Jarred Kohn to Pastor of Holy Angels, Sidney.
Reverend Ethan Moore to Pastor of St. Monica-St. George, Cincinnati.
Reverend Paul Ruwe to Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, Kettering.
Reverend James Schutte to Pastor of St. Boniface, Northside (Cincinnati), while continuing as Pastor of St. Leo (Cincinnati).

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March 23, 2020 by [email protected]

Emeritus Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk died on March 22, 2020 at Archbishop Leibold Home for the Aged (a.k.a. Little Sisters of the Poor.). He was born August 12, 1934 in Dayton, Ohio. His studies included five years at St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati, three years of philosophy and four years of theology at the Pontifical Urban College “de Propaganda Fide” receiving his Licentiate in Philosophy and Theology. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 20, 1959, at the Pontifical Urban College “de Propaganda Fide” in Rome by Cardinal Gregorio Agagianain. After his ordination, he continued as a graduate student in theology for one year earning his Doctorate, while also serving as the first prefect of the College. Effective August 24, 1961, Father Pilarczyk was appointed Assistant Chancellor and assistant at St. Louis Church in Cincinnati. On October 20, 1961, Father was appointed to teach at St. Gregory Seminary for the 1960-1961 scholastic year while continuing in residence at St. Louis Church and in the other offices at the parish and Chancery. On October 23, 1962, he was appointed Administrator of St. Michael Parish in Ripley, Ohio, taking up residence there, but continuing with his other assignments. In June 1963, he was advised to take whatever courses were helpful and available in preparation for his appointment on August 20, 1963, as a member of the Faculty of St. Gregory Seminary and as Assistant Pastor at St. Andrew Church in Milford, with residence at the Seminary.

Father Pilarczyk also served as Rector of St. Gregory Seminary (1968-1974), Synodal Judge for the Archdiocesan Tribunal (1971-1982), and Vicar for Education (1974-1978). In 1969, Father Pilarczyk received his Ph.D. in “Classics” from the University of Cincinnati. On November 12, 1974, Pope Paul VI appointed Father Pilarczyk to Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati and Titular Bishop of Hodelm. On December 20, 1974 he was ordained as Bishop at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin as Consecrator and Bishops Nicholas Elko and James Malone as Co-consecrators. On January 2, 1975, Bishop Pilarczyk was appointed Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and on April 24, 1978 he was appointed Director of Educational Services for the Archdiocese. Bishop Pilarczyk served in both of these capacities until 1982. On August 23, 1982, he was elected Administrator of the Archdiocese by the College of Consultors. Bishop Pilarczyk was named Archbishop of Cincinnati in Rome on October 30, 1982 and it was announced in the Archdiocese on November 2, 1982. He was installed as Archbishop of Cincinnati on December 20, 1982 by the Most Reverend Pio Laghi, Apostolic Delegate in the United States. In addition to the previous appointments, Archbishop Pilarczyk also served on numerous committees for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) from 1975 – 2009, Member & Chairman for the International Commission on English in the and Member and Chairman of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative (1996-2011). He served on the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Health Association, Pontifical College Josephinum and Catholic University of America and was Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Athenaeum of Ohio. Archbishop Pilarczyk retired on December 21, 2009, serving the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for 50 years as a Priest, 25 years as a Bishop and 17 years as an Archbishop – faithful and humble Servant!

Burial Service: Reverend Breaker’s body was cremated. Per his wishes, a graveside service will be held at St. Joseph Cemetery, Cincinnati, later this summer.
Associates of the Marian Pact are asked to offer, as soon as possible, one Mass for the repose of the soul of Father Breaker, and when convenient, to provide for the celebration of two other Masses.

Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, March 27, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at Cathedral of Saint Peter in Chains, Cincinnati. Celebrant: Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr. The clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese are encouraged to join in prayer for Archbishop Pilarczyk by following the Mass via live streaming from the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Chains.

In light of current restrictions, and in lieu of their presence at the Mass of Christian Burial, priests of the Archdiocese are encouraged to offer Mass for the repose of Archbishop Pilarczyk’s soul, using the orations of the Mass for the Dead: IV. Various Prayers for the Dead, 2. For a Bishop, A. For a Diocesan Bishop. The Office of the Dead may also be prayed for him.

A memorial Mass with the presence of the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese will be celebrated at a later date.

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March 22, 2020 by Peter Garcia

Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
[email protected]

Release Date: March 22, 2020

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk dead at age 85

Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop Emeritus of Cincinnati and a nationally prominent churchman, educator and author of popular books about Catholic themes, died today at 9:50 a.m. at the age of 85.

“Among his brother bishops, Archbishop Pilarczyk was recognized as one of the outstanding churchmen of his time,” said his successor, the Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati. “They elected him not only president of what was then the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, but also chair of every significant committee of the bishops’ conference.

“His accomplishments on the local level in his tenure as Archbishop of Cincinnati were equally outstanding. He unselfishly devoted his entire priesthood to this archdiocese, including 27 years as its archbishop. I have known and admired Archbishop Pilarczyk for more than 30 years. I shall miss his friendship, his graciousness, and his wise counsel.”

Archbishop Pilarczyk was born in Dayton, Ohio, on August 12, 1934. After studies at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, he was ordained a priest on Dec. 20, 1959. His ordination as bishop in 1974 and installation as archbishop in 1982 also were on Dec. 20. His resignation as Archbishop of Cincinnati was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on Dec. 21, 2009, the day after the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. At the time he was the country’s longest-tenured archbishop and the longest serving active bishop. In retirement he continued to serve generously in administering the sacraments.

The archbishop’s distinguished service to the American church included terms as vice president (1986- 1989) and president (1989-1992) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He also chaired many committees of the conference, including those on education, liturgy, and doctrine.

“A theologian and classicist viewed by many as the U.S. hierarchy’s smartest bulb, there’s seemingly not a national post Pilarczyk hasn’t held,” commentator Rocco Palmo wrote on his Catholic blog “Whispers in the Loggia” in December 2007. “Atop the list: board-chair of the Catholic University of America, chair of ICEL (International Committee on English in the Liturgy), chair of the bishops’ committees on Doctrine, Liturgy and Priorities and Plans – and and, of course, vice-president and president of the episcopal conference.” Palmo later (September 2008) wrote that he was “regarded by many of his confreres as the leading intellect among the U.S. bishops.”

Archbishop Pilarczyk wrote more than a dozen popular books and many pamphlets and articles. His bestselling book was Twelve Tough Issues: What the Church Teaches – and Why, subsequently revised as Twelve Tough Issues – And More. His most recent were When God Speaks and Live Letters. As he approached the end of his ministry as archbishop, he launched the “Grateful Believers” initiative to heighten awareness of God’s blessings and the proper response in stewardship. He wrote a score of articles for The Catholic Telegraph and invited dozens of others to share their own stories as grateful believers. In retirement, he wrote and recorded a daily 90-second homily on the Gospel reading of the day, “Sharing the Word,” which was heard on the Internet and broadcast over more than 100 radio stations. In 2011, he was honored by the Salesian Guild as Catholic Communicator of the Year.

Other major achievements of Archbishop Pilarczyk include:

• At a time when many dioceses chose or were forced to close seminaries, Archbishop Pilarczyk presided over a seminary that improved academically and physically. In addition to training future priests in its Mount St. Mary’s division, the Athenaeum of Ohio is also a training center for lay ministry. Its Lay Pastoral Ministry Program was one of the first in the country (1975).

• Archbishop Pilarczyk ordained more than 100 priests and three bishops. He conferred confirmation on more than 74,000 people. • In a proactive response to the declining number of priests available, Archbishop Pilarczyk created the “Futures Project.” In addition to developing new strategies to increase vocations, the project also created 100 pastoral regions that will provide a structure for the archdiocese to operate the current parishes with as few as 100 pastors.

• He was a strong supporter of Catholic radio in the archdiocese, making a substantial contribution from the Archdiocese toward the purchase of Sacred Heart Catholic Radio 740 AM and frequently appearing on the air. The station began with a broadcast blessing from Archbishop Pilarczyk on Jan. 1, 2001. He also encouraged Radio Maria.

• While demographics led to the closing and merging of schools and parishes in the Archdiocese, as throughout the country, Archbishop Pilarczyk had the joy of dedicating 37 new churches or chapels and rededicating 25 in his years as archbishop. Although only 44th in size among dioceses around the country, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has the sixth largest network of Catholic schools.

In addition to a doctorate in sacred theology from Pontifical Urban University (1961), Archbishop Pilarczyk held an M.A. in classics from Xavier University in Cincinnati (1965) and a Ph.D. in classics from the University of Cincinnati (1969). Every major college and university in Cincinnati awarded him an honorary doctorate, including Hebrew Union College / Jewish Institute of Religion (1997). The University of Cincinnati’s College of Arts and Science also named him a Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2001.

He had a strong interest in education. From 1963 to 1974 he was on the faculty of the former St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati, the last six years as Rector. While auxiliary bishop of Cincinnati from 1974 to 1982, he was Director of Educational Services for the Archdiocese.

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March 17, 2020 by Peter Garcia

March 17, 2020

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We find ourselves in a time of confusion, fear, and tension. The range of thoughts and concerns which weigh upon each of us is vast, knowing that the pattern of our lives has quickly become very different than it was mere days ago. In the midst of all of this uncertainty, the Catholic bishops in the State of Ohio, in consultation with the governor and public health officials, have made the very painful decision to suspend the celebration of all public Masses throughout Ohio, at least through Holy Week and Easter. This is a step that I wish we did not feel compelled to take. I realize it is yet another source of suffering in an already trying time. However, given the grave health risks we are currently facing, especially with regard to public gatherings, I believe it is a necessary step in the interest of the common good that will help to curb the spread of this virus.

This is the challenging situation in which we find ourselves, yet we are not alone. As the Church, we are united as members of the Body of Christ; we are united first of all to Jesus and, then, through Him to one another. Only Jesus can bring us peace at this time. He tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (John 14: 27). The peace that Jesus gives us flows from the Cross, that place where the Son offers Himself entirely to the Father for our salvation. We are able to worship God by sharing in that mystery of the Son’s perfect self-offering, and the fullest way that we are able to do that is through the gift of the Mass. For that reason, it is with heavy hearts that we bear these current restrictions.

The Mass, though, will continue to be celebrated in our archdiocese. I call on our priests to privately offer the Sacrifice of the Mass for the good of the people of their parishes, for the whole archdiocese, and for all our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are suffering from this illness, for those who are afraid, and for those who are stricken by anxiety and social tensions. This is a time to beg Christ to fill us with the fire of His love so that we may be the instruments of the charity of His Sacred Heart. The people around us need to be loved. These limitations may make us feel like we are far from Christ, but He has promised to remain with us always. He is here with us as we carry our crosses, and He is asking us to love, even when we find ourselves in the midst of personal, family, and workplace struggles and uncertainties.

I want our churches to be accessible, and I ask my brother priests to do all that is possible to keep the doors of their churches open for some time each day so that we can stop in, offer a prayer to the Lord, and be consoled by His Presence among us in a time of trial. This is a time for families to pray together, to join in supportive communion with our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are suffering so much, and to invite God into every aspect of our daily lives – especially the parts that are most painful for us right now – so that while so much else seems to be taken away, we discover anew His presence among us. For my own part, I am increasing my personal prayer on behalf of each of you. Let us unite ourselves, together as one family of God, to the suffering of Christ.

God gave us the Church because we cannot journey back to Him by ourselves. We need each other so much right now! I pray that all of us will be faithful to the call to holiness that we received at our baptism. Christ is with us in this trial, and He wants to be present to those in need through us. Let us band together as Christians. Let us be witnesses to the love of God which conquers all things. Let us offer a world in need the peace that only Christ can give – the peace He has entrusted to each of us!

You are in my prayers daily. Please pray for me.

Your father in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr
Archbishop of Cincinnati

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