Archives for January 2022

January 24, 2022 by Fr. Earl Fernandes

In this series, we have attempted to ground our understanding of the Beacons of Light initiative in the understanding of the Church as the Family of God. As the Family of God, we journey together in a synodal way, imitating the walking together of the Trinity. This “walking together” requires walking also with Christ, to whom we united ourselves in the Eucharist, and whom the Church must radiate to the world. . The whole Church is guided also by the Holy Spirit, who calls us together and who leads along our journey. It was the Spirit who overshadowed Mary at the conception of Jesus and who descended upon the Apostles when they were at prayer with Mary at Pentecost.

Trusting in the power of Christ and His Spirit and taking confidence in the Virgin Mary, whose children we have become, the People of God in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati prepare for the journey that lies ahead. In speaking of the Church as a family that journeys together, we can speak of synodality in the Church and of the Church.

Synodality in the Church refers to the divine life in which members of the Church share in the synodality of the Trinity; this sharing happens in a variety of ways, most prominently through the liturgy and sacraments, in which the whole People of God journey toward the heavenly Jerusalem, with members of the Church exercising their diverse charisms and ministries. Ecclesial synodality takes on flesh in institutions (diocesan synods, parish finance councils, pastoral councils, etc.), especially when those structures are animated by the Risen Lord and attentive to what the Spirit says.

These “institutions” will be extremely important in Beacons of Light as “Families of Parishes” develop pastoral plans. Difficult decisions will need to be made about how to work together, about finances, schools, and facilities. The focus cannot be about clinging to the past or holding on to power; rather, the focus must be on the mission of evangelization and discovering what the Risen Lord and the Spirit have prepared.

Synodality in the Church is also related to koinonia, which refers to the new relationship that disciples have with God and one another. The communion of the Church is revealed as an initiative of the Trinity rather than a result of the will of people who associate for reasons of convenience, common interests, or business.

Koinonia is an unconditional gift from God who desires that all share in the life of His Son and share solidarity with one another; it is also a spiritual work involving sharing in the suffering and consolation of others (Rom 12:13; 2 Cor 1:5-7; Phil 3:10; 4:14) and performing concrete works of charity (cf. Rom 15:26; 2 Cor 8:4; 9:13; Gal 2:9; Phil 1:5; Phil 6). Koinonia refers to a spiritual union and to a visibly operating concordance of hearts and minds (Acts 2:42), beginning with baptism through which one is incorporated into the life of Christ and the Church, forming a societas.

Journeying together as a family is one of the most visible and meaningful forms of ecclesial communion, involving many modes of participation in the Church. If communion is a sharing in the faith and mission of the Church, this journeying is the sign and fulfillment of communion through which communion appears in all its complex dimensions: divine and human; invisible and visible; animated by the Spirit and organized by humans.

Of course, there will be some resistance from those unwilling to change or fearful of change. Patience will be necessary. Each person and each parish within a family must ask: Am I a bridge to unity within the parish or am I a barrier? Are we truly searching for the way forward or serving as obstructionists? How are we becoming an evangelizing community?

In addition to synodality in the Church, we can also speak of synodality of the Church. This refers to the Church which is like a “sacrament or sign and instrument both of a very close-knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race” and which “desires now to unfold more fully to the faithful of the Church and to the whole world its own inner nature and universal mission.” (Lumen Gentium, 1) It describes the journey of the Church with all of humanity in history.

This way of being is properly understood not as an expression of power but as a representatio ecclesiae, whose authority comes from Christ for the service of humanity. What type of face do we as a Church want to show forth? Can we be a Samaritan Church? Precisely because the Archdiocese of Cincinnati offers so many services through schools, hospitals, Catholic Charities and the like to so many non-Catholics, we must be conscious of our responsibility toward those in the wider community whom we serve. A focus on service rather than power can help us discern the way forward in promoting the common good and bringing the joy of the Gospel to those around us.

January 20, 2022 by Fr. Earl Fernandes

Living a synodal life begins with the Holy Trinity. In this article, I want to explore more deeply the roots of this “journeying together” as the Family of God, beginning with Christ and His Eucharistic Presence, then turning to the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.

Remaining Connected to Christ

Synodality is a way of living the faith in a permanent manner at every level in the life of the Church and is rooted in the Paschal Mystery beginning with baptism, through which individuals share in the communion of the Trinity. Baptism involves the human response to the call to live in union with Christ through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 1:9). This communion purifies the person from sin, making him or her a new creation, an adopted child of God and member of the Church, opening the door to the other sacraments, including the Eucharist.

It is the Church which makes the Eucharist, just as the Eucharist makes the Church. In virtue of the Eucharist, the People of God as the Body of Christ journey together with diverse members (1 Cor. 10:17) under the headship of Christ. Christ, the Good Shepherd, leads the flock on its journey. He not only leads, but He also feeds the flock. In the reception of Holy Communion, communion with God is deepened vertically and horizontally. God’s own agape is received bodily, so that His saving work may continue in and through the Church. Conscious of the gift, the Church goes forth to draw all of humanity together in unity. A parish or Family of Parishes must remain intimately connected to Christ in the Eucharist, prioritizing Sunday Mass and access to the Eucharist.

Pouring Out The Holy Spirit

At the baptism of Christ, the voice of the Father was heard and the Holy Spirit descended over Him like a dove. This same Spirit, which was poured out on the apostles at Pentecost, has been poured into our hearts in baptism. The Holy Spirit introduces order (1 Cor. 12:1-20) amid the diversity of members and charisms in the Body of Christ so that members work together for the good of the whole Church (1 Cor. 12:14-31). Each member is given some manifestation of the Spirit in view of the good of the body. The gifts of the Spirit are gathered in the Church, where members serve and listen to one another reciprocally. The Church understands herself as a collective “we” in prayer, liturgy and discernment.

Mary, a Model For The Church

The Holy Spirit, who is at the core of this ecclesial “walking together,” also overshadowed Mary, Mother of the Church and the model of discipleship, who lived this journey in a privileged way. Although the Spirit was operating from the dawn of creation, in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4) a qualitative leap was made in salvation history. By the Holy Spirit, Mary conceived the Word of God, who, in turn, was given as a gift to humanity. Mary and the Spirit “journey together” from the Annunciation through Pentecost.

If, in the economy of salvation, the Holy Spirit represents the condition of possibility for the self-communication of God in Jesus on the part of the Divine, then Mary, with her fiat, represents the condition of possibility of this communication on the part of humanity. Through her attentive listening and openness to God, she fulfilled her mission in bringing Christ to the world. She demonstrates the characteristics of living this journey. She journeyed with and in the Trinity, willingly receiving the love of the Father, bearing the Son within her womb, and becoming a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Mother of God is a model for all disciples and an icon of synodal life, reminding us of the universal call to listen attentively to God with an openness to the Holy Spirit.

Mary and the Holy Spirit will help guide us along the path of discernment. Therefore, let us entrust ourselves to them, concluding with a prayer to Christ from the Swiss mystic Adrienne von Speyr:

“Dear Lord, grant that we contemplate and affirm you and your Church, and carry out what our mission demands, in an ever-new spirit, in the spirit of your Mother’s consent. Grant also that we pray for this Spirit. We know you yourself are where you send your Spirit. The Spirit brought you to your Mother: the Spirit enabled her to carry you; and because in her you found again your own Spirit, you formed your Church. Since you have called us into this Church, make from each one of us a place where the Spirit of your Church blows, where the will of your Father is done together with you and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

January 20, 2022 by Fr. Earl Fernandes

In the first two articles of this series, we explored the foundations for the Beacons of Light initiative being undertaken in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, first describing the Church as the Family of God and then offering characteristics of an evangelizing community. Each “Family of Parishes”, formed through the process, is called to make known the joy of the Gospel. The experience of being a “family of parishes” will be new and will bring challenges and blessings. Here, I would like to describe Beacons of Light as a journey and to show how this journey is rooted in our belief in the Triune God.

Growing up, almost every one of us took a family trip or journey – with hopes for renewal, filled with many joys, along with a few mishaps. As the Archdiocese of Cincinnati journeys into the future, we do so together. The Greek word synodos means “to be on the journey together” as in a caravan or religious pilgrimage (Lk 2:41-44).

We are a “pilgrim Church,” journeying toward the heavenly Jerusalem. Significantly, in Lumen Gentium (LG 9-17), the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, the Second Vatican Council treated the “People of God” before treating the hierarchy. If a pyramidal view of the Church, with the bishops and priests on top and the laity on the bottom, had dominated previously, now all the baptized, with their distinctive roles, could understand their vocations as a service to the Church.

Synodality is a way of living the faith in a permanent way at every level: in the parish, the family, and at the peripheries. All Church members, not just the clergy or experts, are to be engaged in this way of living. Synodality describes the journeying together in history of the People of God toward the New and Eternal Jerusalem.

Pope Francis calls us to be a synodal church, a church that walks together. He spoke of this in 2015, stating that it is “precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium.” (Address during the Ceremony Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, October 17, 2015) Echoing Pope Benedict XVI that synodality was a “constitutive element of the Church,” he described it as “nothing other than the ‘journeying together’ of God’s flock along the paths of history towards the encounter with Christ the Lord.”

A synodal church is one that listens and “which realizes that listening is more than simply hearing.” This involves listening not only to each other, but also to the Spirit to know what “he says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7) Listening affirms each person’s dignity and expresses respect for the voices, legitimate desires, problems and sufferings of the People of God.

The process of listening begins with the People of God, who, in virtue of their baptism, share in the prophetic office of Christ. Priests and bishops, attentive to the voice of the flock, listen to God to act rightly and to give credible witness to the apostolic faith. The process converges to a point of unity in faith, facilitating an encounter with the Lord in Truth.

But what would be the theological foundations for understanding the Church as a Family of God that journeys together? That is, if parishes will be grouped together into “Families of Parishes” in order to discern a future together that best serves evangelization, on what theological basis would this be done?

We begin almost every prayer with the sign of the cross, invoking the Trinity. While next month, we will delve deeper into the theological foundations of Beacons of Light, our belief in the Trinity is a good starting point. There is a clear Trinitarian imprint on the understanding of the Church in the documents of Vatican II, which describes the Church, as “a people made one with the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” (LG, nn. 2-4) One speaks of a “Trinitarian synodality” ad intra, referring to the dynamic relationship of the Persons of the Trinity as a communion of love, and a “Trinitarian synodality” ad extra, in which the persons of the Godhead “journey together” toward all of creation, the Church, and humanity in history. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the model for all forms of synodal living, and, therefore, of a model of living as the Church.

The Scriptures allude to this in the Divine “We” in the story of creation (Gen 1:26), in the visit of the three guests to Abraham (Gen 18:1-5), and in the journey of God toward His people through the covenants of the Old Testament, culminating in the Messiah, who offers salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike. The New Testament, especially the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38), recounts the Incarnation as a Trinitarian action – a journeying together: the Father sends the Spirit to overshadow the Virgin so that the Eternal Word of the Father might become incarnate. In the Trinity, there is communion and reciprocity among the Persons and an outpouring of love toward humanity.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit journey together in harmony. The Triune God journeys together toward all of humanity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit journey with us as we discern the way forward for our Archdiocese. In turn, we as “Families of Parishes” must journey together, open to what the Spirit says and guided by the living Word (cf. Ps 119:105).

January 20, 2022 by Fr. Earl Fernandes

El camino que le espera a la Arquidiócesis de Cincinnati con el proceso Faros de Luz no será fácil. Requerirá discernimiento tanto a nivel individual como comunitario. En la Alegría del Evangelio (Evangelii Gaudium), el Papa Francisco invita a todas las iglesias locales a entrar en un proceso decidido de discernimiento, purificación y reforma para que el impulso misionero de la Iglesia sea más intenso, generoso y fecundo, y agrega que es importante “no caminar solos, contar siempre con los hermanos y especialmente con la guía de los obispos, en un sabio y realista discernimiento pastoral” (EG, 30; 33).

Tres palabras que nos ayudan a comprender el discernimiento son: reconocer; interpretar; y elegir.

Reconocer. Los individuos y las Familias de Parroquias deben poseer un sentido de autoconciencia para ayudar a reconocer, nombrar y enfrentar situaciones y dificultades en la vida. Muchos hoy en d a pueden tener una buena educación en general, pero son analfabetos en lo que respecta a la afectividad. Por tanto, existe una gran necesidad de formar personas y comunidades que valoren honestamente la propia identidad y reconozcan los movimientos interiores del Espíritu, especialmente los que traen alegría y los que perduran.

Interpretar. Los individuos y las Familias de Parroquias no solo deben reconocer los desafíos, sino también aprender a interpretar las experiencias, especialmente a la luz de la fe. A medida que los individuos y las comunidades intentan comprender el sentido de sus experiencias y cómo evaluarlas, la jerarquía de verdades de la fe católica ayuda en el proceso de discernimiento.

El Papa Francisco, en Evangelii Gaudium, nos llama a todos a discernir: “Cada cristiano y cada comunidad discernirá cuál es el camino que el Señor le pide, pero todos somos invitados a aceptar este llamado: salir de la propia comodidad y atreverse a llegar a todas las periferias que necesitan la luz del Evangelio” (EG, 20).

El proceso de discernimiento y deliberación es fundamental. Las personas y las parroquias deben usar tanto la fe como la razón para sopesar los pros y los contras respecto a propuestas y decisiones. Los laicos están llamados a cumplir con las responsabilidades de su bautismo trabajando por la santificación del mundo y comprometiéndose en la misión evangelizadora de la Iglesia, ofreciendo conocimientos de sus experiencias profesionales, personales y espirituales.

Los religiosos y religiosas están en una posición única para iluminar las dimensiones trascendentes y escatológicas en algunos temas. Como colaboradores del obispo y los sacerdotes, especialmente los párrocos, los religiosos y religiosas pueden ofrecer su sabiduría teológica, espiritual y pastoral, aplicando su experiencia de pastorear y acompañar al rebaño y permanecer como Cristo en medio de ellos.

Elegir. El discernimiento exige poder elegir. Conscientes de su deber de escuchar al rebaño, los pastores deberían tener el “olor de las ovejas”. El arzobispo carga consigo la responsabilidad personal y específica a nivel local de ser testigo de la verdad y preservar tanto la unidad como la integridad de la fe y de su rebaño. En última instancia, el arzobispo tiene la responsabilidad final en cuanto a decisiones canónicas; sin embargo, sus decisiones fluyen y se dan, solo después del consenso y de su propio discernimiento en oración.

Por ejemplo, en el proceso Faros de Luz, agrupar las Familias de Parroquias requirieron la recopilación de ideas y datos tanto de hombres y mujeres laicos, párrocos, consejos pastorales y el personal, para luego colaborar en posibles agrupaciones. Se solicitó información adicional de los decanos, el Consejo Presbiteral y los encabezados de los distintos departamentos arquidiocesanos, junto con los sacerdotes y los directores de escuelas. Después de un período de comentarios públicos de tres semanas, surgió un consenso para darse las agrupaciones finales al que el arzobispo consintió. Posteriormente, cada Familia de Parroquias propondrá su propio plan pastoral y lo presentará al arzobispo para su consentimiento.

Este consentimiento, este elegir, nunca es una afirmación de poder, sino que sigue siendo un servicio a la Iglesia en el nombre del Señor Jesús. Fundamentalmente, el discernimiento es de naturaleza comunitaria que expresa la corresponsabilidad que tienen los creyentes; exige que sus miembros tengan una conciencia eclesial que conduce a la comunión. La palabra clave es “corresponsabilidad”.

En 2009, el Papa Benedicto XVI comentó:

Es necesario mejorar el enfoque pastoral, para que, respetando las vocaciones y roles de los consagrados y laicos, se promueva gradualmente la corresponsabilidad de todos los miembros del Pueblo de Dios. Esto exige un cambio de mentalidad, particularmente en lo que respecta a los laicos, pasando de considerarlos “colaboradores” del clero a reconocerlos com verdaderamente “corresponsables” de la existencia y acción de la Iglesia, favoreciendo la consolidación de un laicado maduro y comprometido. (Benedicto XVI, “Discurso de la conferencia pastoral de la diócesis de Roma sobre el tema: ‘pertenencia eclesial y corresponsabilidad pastoral”, 26 de mayo de 2009)

Hay que tomar decisiones y elegir cosas que probablemente no serán fáciles. Se anticipa que todos los involucrados experimenten algo de dolor, pero si es un proceso compartido, nuestra iglesia local estará en mejor posición de llevar a cabo la misión de evangelización y nuestras parroquias serán verdaderamente Faros de Luz.

January 20, 2022 by Fr. Earl Fernandes

The road that lies ahead for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati with Beacons of Light will not be an easy one. It will require discernment, both at an individual and communal level. In the Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis invited every particular church to enter into a resolute process of discernment, purification and reform so that the missionary impulse of the Church might be more focused, generous, and fruitful, adding that the important thing is “to not walk alone, but to rely on each other as brothers and sisters, and especially under the leadership of the bishops, in a wise and realistic pastoral discernment.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 30; 33)

To recognize. Three phrases that help us understand discernment are: to recognize; to interpret; and to choose. Individuals and Families of Parishes must be able to confront situations and difficulties in life; they need to be able to recognize and name these difficulties. At the same time, they also must possess a sense of self-awareness. Many today are well-educated in the sciences and have a refined background, but are illiterate when it comes to affectivity. Hence, there is a serious need to form people and communities in recognizing the interior movements of the Spirit and to have an honest assessment of one’s own identity. There must be a recognition of those movements of the Spirit which bring joy and which last, and those that do not.

To interpret. Individuals and Families of Parishes must not only recognize challenges, but also learn to interpret experiences, especially in light of faith. As individuals and communities attempt to understand the meaning of that which they are experiencing and how to evaluate experiences, the hierarchy of truths of the Catholic Faith can assist in the discernment process.

Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium (n. 20), calls all of us to discern: “Each Christian and every community must discern the path that the Lord points out, but all of us are asked to obey his call to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in need of the light of the Gospel.”

The process of discernment and deliberation is critical. People and parishes will need to weigh the pros and cons, using faith and reason, when making proposals or decisions. Laity, across the spectrum, are called to fulfill the responsibilities of their baptism, to work for the sanctification of the world, and to take part in the evangelizing mission of the Church, offering insights from their professional, personal and spiritual experiences.

Religious men and women, are uniquely positioned to illuminate the transcendent and eschatological dimensions of some of the issues that arise. As co-workers of the bishop, priests, and especially pastors, offer their theological, spiritual and pastoral insights, possessing the experience of shepherding and accompanying the flock, standing as Christ in their midst.

To choose. Discernment demands being able to choose. Mindful of their duty to listen to the flock, pastors must have the “smell of the sheep.” Locally, the Archbishop ultimately has a personal and specific responsibility to witness to the truth and to preserve the unity and integrity of the faith and the flock. After careful discernment, flowing from the unanimity of the consent emanating from the deliberations, he will have to make decisions, but his choices will come only after input from the people and clergy of the Archdiocese and after prayerful discernment.

For example, in the Beacons of Light process, the grouping of parishes into “families of Parishes” demanded gathering insights and data from lay men and women, through their pastors, pastoral councils, and staff, and working together to look at possible groupings. Input was sought from the Deans, Presbyteral Council, and heads of Archdiocesan Departments. Priests and School Principals were invited to offer their insights. Finally, after a three-week period of public comment, the Archbishop decided to finalize the groupings. Later in the process, each Family of Parishes will propose a pastoral plan, and the Archbishop will have to decide whether to approve that plan.

This consent – this choosing – is never an assertion of power but remains a service to the Church in the name of the Lord Jesus. Ultimately, discernment is of a communitarian nature and an expression of the co-responsibility that believers have; it demands that its members have an ecclesial conscience leading to communion. The keyword is “co-responsibility.”

In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said:

It is necessary to improve pastoral structures in such a way that the co-responsibility of all the members of the People of God in their entirety is gradually promoted, with respect for vocations and for the respective roles of the consecrated and of lay people. This demands a change in mindset, particularly concerning lay people. They must no longer be viewed as “collaborators” of the clergy but truly be recognized as “coresponsible”, for the Church’s being and action, thereby fostering the consolidation of a mature and committed laity. (Benedict XVI, “Discorso all’apertura del convegno pastorale della diocesi di Roma sul tema: ‘appartenenza ecclesiale e corresponsibilit pastorale,’” May 26, 2009)

Difficult decisions and choices must be made. No one cannot expect to experience some pain in the process, but, if the process is a shared process, then, in the end, it is hoped that our local church will be in a better position to carry out the mission of evangelization and that our parishes will truly be Beacons of Light.

January 1, 2022 by Jennifer Schack

Catholic schools have a well-deserved reputation for providing a high-quality, holistic education and producing successful, well-rounded young scholars. The most important thing about Catholic schools, however, is that they are Catholic. Our mission is not to just graduate scholars, but to form disciples who desire to know, love and serve Jesus in His Church.

Partnering with parents, our schools actively engage in radiating the love of Christ and instilling the Catholic faith as they prepare students for both this life and the eternal life to come. That is what we celebrate during Catholic Schools Week, which this year is observed the week of Jan. 30.

Our Catholic schools exemplify the Catholic Schools Week themes of “Faith. Excellence. Service.” Note that faith comes first, as it does in all aspects of the Catholic school experience. Catholic identity goes well beyond religion classes and crucifixes on the walls – although those are vital aspects of it. Catholic identity is found in curriculum, culture and campus ministry. As the mission statement of our Catholic Schools Office says, “Our schools are Christ-centered communities dedicated to the faith formation, academic excellence and individual growth of our students, all rooted in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.”

The very nature of authentic Catholic education is the search for goodness, beauty and truth and the cultivation of wisdom and virtue under the guidance of the Church. The various arts and sciences are pathways for growing closer to God as students learn the endless wonders of His creation. A passion for learning is thus a passion for Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

“Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children,” as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says (CCC 2223). In that sense, the home is the first school of faith. Catholic schools exist to help parents in this crucial role. And in our local Church, the archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office exists to help schools by providing them with leadership, service, oversight and support.

My annual question and answer sessions with Catholic high school students from throughout the archdiocese during Catholic Schools Week confirms that our young people care deeply about their faith and witnessing to the world in which they live. Their sense of Catholic identity is formed in the hallways, in the cafeterias, on the playing fields and in the classrooms. It is on display as students engage in community service, mission trips, pilgrimages and the annual March for Life in Washington.

To ensure Catholic identity is strengthened in the midst of our increasingly secular culture, Joshua Agnew has been recently hired for the new position of Deputy Superintendent for Catholic Identity. He will lead a team charged with creating a compelling vision and holistic plan for pursuing the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church in the 88 elementary and 23 secondary schools of the archdiocese.

Catholic schools come in many varieties – elementary and high schools; urban, suburban and rural schools; schools owned by parishes, the archdiocese, private boards and religious orders. Most, however, are parish schools. You may be wondering about the impact of Beacons of Light on our Catholic schools as our Families of Parishes go into effect on July 1. For parish schools, that is something that will be worked out over time within each Family of Parishes. Any future changes will only occur with a great deal of thought, input and planning.

Catholic education that forms body, mind and spirit is a great treasure made possible in our local Church by the sacrifices of every generation of Catholics since 1825 when the first parish school opened in the archdiocese. That is truly something to celebrate.