Colin Rahill

December 12, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Reverend Paul A. Bader died on Saturday, December 7, 2024, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born on August 2, 1934, in Cincinnati, and baptized at Holy Family Church, Cincinnati. He did his preparatory studies at St. Gregory Seminary and studied theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West. He was ordained on May 27, 1961, by Archbishop Karl J. Alter at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Cincinnati.

Father Bader received his first assignment on June 16, 1961, as assistant pastor of St. Columban Parish, Loveland. On September 4, 1968, he was appointed assistant pastor at St. Antoninus Parish, Cincinnati. On June 9, 1970, he was appointed assistant chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. On June 20, 1973, he was appointed assistant pastor at St. Ann Parish, Hamilton. On July 24, 1973, he was appointed chaplain of the St. Vincent de Paul Council in Hamilton. Father Bader was appointed pastor of St. Ann Parish, Hamilton on November 15, 1977. He was appointed Dean of the Hamilton Deanery on July 1, 1983, and remained Dean until February 1986. On June 23, 1986, Father Bader was appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenhills (Cincinnati). He was appointed pastor of St. William Parish, Cincinnati on July 15, 1998, and re-appointed as pastor of St. William Parish on July 16, 2004. Father Bader retired from active ministry on July 1, 2005.

Reception of the Body: Friday, December 13, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 17 Farragut Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45218; (513-825-8626.) Celebrant and Homilist: Very Reverend Jan K. Schmidt. Visitation: will continue until the Mass of Christian Burial begins.

Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, December 13, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Celebrant and Homilist: Reverend Alexander C. McCullough.

Burial: Friday, December 13, 2024, following the Mass of Christian Burial, at Saint Joseph New Cemetery, 4500 Foley Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238. Celebrant: Deacon Matthew Skinner.

Associates of the Marian Pact are asked to offer, as soon as possible, one Mass for the repose of the soul of Father Bader, and when convenient, to provide for the celebration of two other Masses.

May God welcome Father Bader, His servant and priest, into the glory of heaven. May he rest in peace.

December 4, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Deacon Thomas Miller, a deacon incardinated in the Diocese of Wilmington and granted faculties in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, died on November 26, 2024 at the age of 78 after a long period of declining health.

Deacon Tom was ordained by for the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware on November 18, 2000. After serving as a deacon in Delaware and Pennsylvania, he and his wife Sallie moved to Dayton in 2016 to be near their daughter and her family. Deacon Tom was granted faculties for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr in March, 2017 and served faithfully at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Kettering until 2021 when the effects of Alzheimer’s led to his requesting senior status. Deacon Tom served in Delaware and Pennsylvania for sixteen years and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for four years.

Deacon Tom’s wife, Sallie, died in February of this year. They were married for 52 years. He leaves his children, Kelly (Thomas), Gregg (Danielle), and Jeffrey, as well as his grandchildren, Andrew, Emily, and Daniel.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 4500 Ackerman Blvd, Kettering, OH 45429. There will be a visitation for about an hour prior to the beginning of the Mass. Father Dan Meyer will be presiding.

You may read the full obituary on the Tobias Funeral Home website here.

Please keep the repose of the soul of Deacon Thomas Miller in your prayers, as well as peace and consolation for his entire family.

December 1, 2024 by Colin Rahill

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On the evening of Tuesday, December 24, Pope Francis will preside over the celebration of Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Square to officially open the Holy Jubilee Year of 2025, the theme of which is Pilgrims of Hope. The Holy Father begins his solemn Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 quoting from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans: “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5). With these words, the pope emphasizes the importance of hope as an integral part of Christian life. He writes, “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring” (Spes non confundit, 1).

Hope is the virtue, given to us by God at our baptism, which sustains us in this world as we progress towards the fullness of life in eternity. It is fitting to set aside the coming year as a time when we not only thank God for the gift of hope but, through an increase of prayer and devotion, ask Him to strengthen that virtue in our hearts. Only then can we offer the hope of fullness of life with God in Heaven to a world deeply in need of healing and grace.

The tradition of the jubilee celebration traces its roots to the ancient Israelites. In the Book of Leviticus, God instructed His people that every 50 years they were to celebrate a jubilee. It was a year in which property was restored to its hereditary owners, slaves were freed, and the land was left to rest without any formal farming of crops. These measures were included in the Law as a means of maintaining equilibrium among the peoples, such that no one would become too rich or too poor. All would be reminded that they are entirely dependent on God for everything.

Now, millennia later, we still need to be reminded that we are dependent on God in all things, that He alone is the source of our hope. This is especially important for us to consider given that we live in a culture which places the importance of self above all else. Before us is a year set aside, in a particular way, to prayerfully contemplate all that we have received from God. The Jubilee Year is a time of thanksgiving. It is also a time in which we can implore God’s mercy, reflecting on those occasions when we have placed ourselves above God and neighbor.

Seeking forgiveness and growing in repentance, then, are special fruits we should cultivate during the Jubilee Year. Of great importance in this regard is the Jubilee Indulgence. An indulgence is a special grant of divine mercy, through the ministry of the Church, which removes the temporal punishment due to our sins. There are many ways that this spiritual gift can be obtained during the Jubilee Year. The normal conditions for receiving an indulgence apply (being truly repentant and unattached to sin, receiving Holy Communion and the sacrament of penance, and praying for the Holy Father’s intentions). In addition to those pious practices, a particular act of devotion, such as a pilgrimage, is to be done.

Here in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, three locations will be established as Jubilee Pilgrimage Sites: the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains, the Shrine of the Holy Relics at Maria Stein, and Emmanuel Catholic Church, Dayton. A pilgrimage visit to any of these sites can apply to the reception of the Jubilee Indulgence. Please join me in praying that many of the faithful will take advantage of this opportunity. And may we all pray together, as Pilgrims of Hope, for openness to receiving the graces God is prepared to pour out upon us during this Holy Year 2025.

November 18, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Deacon Timothy J. Harris, a deacon of the Archdiocese, died on November 8, 2024 at the age of 81. Deacon Tim was ordained by Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on September 26, 1998. He served the Archdiocese as a permanent deacon for twenty-six years.

Upon his ordination, Deacon Tim was assigned to St. Peter Parish, Huber Heights. He remained assigned to the parish throughout his twenty-six years of ministry. He was also closely associated with the Maria-Joseph Living Care Center in Dayton for many years.

Deacon Tim leaves his wife, Kathryn, to whom he was married for 60 years. He also leaves two daughters, Veronica and Sarah (Jason), 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, November 22, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, 6161 Chambersburg Rd, Huber Heights, OH, 45424. Visitation will be one hour prior in the church foyer.

Arrangements are being handled by Morton & Whetstone Funeral Home, Vandalia.

Please keep the repose of the soul of Deacon Timothy Harris in your prayers, as well as peace and consolation for his entire family.

November 14, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Reverend Patrick P. Duffy died on Sunday, November 10, 2024, in Fairfield, Ohio. He was born on March 17, 1941, in Worcester, Massachusetts, and baptized at St. Peter Church, Worcester. He studied Philosophy at St. Joseph College in Indiana and Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Cincinnati. He was ordained on May 25, 1974, by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Cincinnati.

Father Duffy received his first assignment on June 19, 1974, as associate of St. Teresa Parish, Springfield, and to serve part-time at Catholic Charities in the Springfield office. On December 15, 1975, he was appointed associate director at Catholic Charities, Springfield. On July 1, 1976, he ceased as director and was appointed as advisor to Springfield Catholic Charities, continuing as associate at St. Teresa Parish. On April 14, 1977, Father Duffy was appointed chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dayton, and remained as chaplain until September 1980. On January 29, 1981, he was appointed pastor of St. John Neumann Parish, Cincinnati. On February 14, 1989, he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish, Delhi, and re-appointed as pastor for another six year term, commencing on February 15, 1995. On July 8, 1998, Father Duffy was appointed resident associate at Our Lord, Christ the King Parish, Cincinnati, and also appointed chaplain at The Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. Father Duffy was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, McCartyville on July 6, 1999. He was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Cincinnati for a period of six years, effective July 1, 2003. On February 22, 2006, he was appointed chaplain of Mercy Franciscan at Schroder in Hamilton. Father Duffy retired from active ministry on June 30, 2012.

Reception at the Church: Friday, November 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St. John Neumann Church, 12191 Mill Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45240; (513-742-0953.) Celebrant and Homilist: Reverend Peter T. St. George. Visitation: continuing until Mass at 11:00 a.m.

Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, November 15, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Neumann Church. Celebrant: Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr. Homilist: Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer

May God welcome Father Duffy, His servant and priest, into the glory of heaven. May he rest in peace.

November 1, 2024 by Colin Rahill

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In our archdiocesan “Prayer for Vocations,” we acknowledge that God has created each of us for some definite purpose. At the same time, we ask Him to bless the Church with women and men who faithfully live out their respective vocations with holiness, whether they be single, married, religious or clerics. In a unique way, the various forms of consecrated life which have developed and evolved over the centuries form a beautiful mosaic and are a great gift to the Church.

While we likely are most familiar with Sisters serving in education or healthcare, there are many other ways in which the Holy Spirit has inspired both women and men to consecrate themselves entirely to God’s service. Pope St. John Paul II described the many different forms of consecrated life in the Church as “a plant with many branches which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church’s life” (Vita Consecrata, 5).

This rich diversity was born out of the experience of early Church members who chose to separate themselves from human society in order to dedicate themselves solely to God. To this day, the Holy Spirit continues to inspire women and men to join monastic communities or to live as hermits or members of other contemplative religious institutes. Still others are called to more actively engage with the world and strive to bring the Gospel into all the dimensions of human life as members of religious orders or even as individuals, such as consecrated virgins or members of secular institutes. In societies of apostolic life, groups of men or women come together to work toward a shared apostolic or missionary goal.

Whatever form it takes, consecrated life is marked by adherence to the three evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience – “the characteristic features of Jesus” (VC, 1). As with every vocation, the call to consecrated life is an initiative of God the Father. In this case, though, “in response to this call and the interior attraction which accompanies it, those who are called entrust themselves to the love of God who wishes them to be exclusively at his service, and they consecrate themselves totally to him and to his plan of salvation” (VC, 17). Such total commitment to God reveals, even in this world, something of the mystery of divine perfection and love which we all hope to experience fully in heaven.

The commitment of consecrating oneself to God is deeply personal, yet it holds the potential to benefit the entire Body of Christ. Men and women who faithfully live out their consecration receive daily the graces they need for their own sanctification. In doing so, they also make tangible in the Church the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to their respective charisms.

We are blessed in this archdiocese to have hundreds of women and men living out their consecration in a multitude of ways. May our Lord sustain them in the commitments they have made so that they may be witnesses to all of us of God’s infinite love.

October 29, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Deacon Frederick J. Haas, Jr., a deacon of the Archdiocese, died on October 27, 2024 at the age of 81. Deacon Fred was ordained by Archbishop Joseph Bernardin for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on September 26, 1976, the very first permanent ordination cohort in the Archdiocese. He served the Archdiocese as a permanent deacon for forty-eight years.

Upon his ordination, Deacon Fred was assigned to St. Catherine of Sienna Parish, Westwood. In 1979, he was reassigned to St. Ignatius Parish, Cincinnati. In 1999, he was assigned to St. Leo Parish, Cincinnati, and St. Bonaventure Parish, Cincinnati, in 2000. In 2006, he was assigned to St. Thomas More Parish in Withamsville, where he served most recently.

Deacon Fred leaves his wife, Linda, to whom he was married for 56 years. He also leaves three of their four children and their spouses, and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by their son Matthew Haas.

Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 800 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45245.

Arrangements are being handled by E.C. Nurre Funeral Home, 177 W. Main Street Amelia, OH 45102. You may read the full obituary on the funeral home’s website here.

Please keep the repose of the soul of Deacon Fred Haas, Jr. in your prayers, as well as peace and consolation for his entire family.

October 1, 2024 by Colin Rahill

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Many themes emerge throughout the month of October in the life of the Church. It is Respect Life Month, so we pause to pray more intentionally in thanksgiving to God for the great gift of life and that this gift may always be safeguarded and respected from the first moment of conception until natural death. We also celebrate World Mission Day on the third Sunday of October. This is an opportunity to learn about the continued work of missionaries to spread the Gospel to every corner of the world. Finally, the Church devotes this month to Mary under the title of “Our Lady of the Rosary.” This feast day memorializes the prayers of Christians throughout Europe as they sought Mary’s intercession to protect them from invading forces in the late 16^th century. At first, these might seem like disparate themes; however, reflection on the life and example of the Blessed Mother can reveal their underlying unity.

Growing up, Mary was formed in her faith through the teaching and practice of her parents. Saints Joachim and Anne instilled in Mary a great love for God and respect for the traditions of their religion. From a young age, Mary dedicated herself to God’s service, knowing that her very life was itself a means to give glory to God. She learned that this was true of every other person as well. That is why when Gabriel asked Mary to be the mother of Jesus, she didn’t fully understand, but she fully trusted that God would be with her through any circumstance, no matter how challenging. Mary firmly believed that the life of the child she was asked to bring into this world would result in great good. From the beginning there were challenges, yet she remained close to God, sought to do His will and, with Joseph at her side, raised Jesus, sharing with Him the same values and faith that her parents had shared with her.

When Jesus began His public ministry, Mary witnessed the ways in which He cared for others, especially the poor and the outcasts. Surely He learned care, compassion and openness from His mother. As Jesus’ Divine understanding grew and He embraced the saving will of His Father, His desire for all people to be redeemed and have eternal life also increased. Jesus knew the love with which each person is created, and He spent Himself so that all might know that love and accept it fully. His disciples continued that work of spreading the faith in a God who is Love, and Mary was first among the disciples. She surely encouraged them in the beginning days of the Church, and she continues to intercede for missionaries throughout the world as they seek to bring the saving love of God to all people.

Finally, Mary is a woman of deep prayer. She constantly turned things over in her heart before God. In doing so, she discovered more and more how God works in the world and how He calls us to share in that work. In heaven, Mary continues to be a woman who prays; she intercedes with her Son on behalf of all her children. Having such a powerful intercessor is certainly something for which we ought to be grateful.

May we spend this month, then, close to Mary, learning from her the profound value of every human life, striving to bring others to know the Love of God, and praying for all those in any kind of need.

September 25, 2024 by Colin Rahill

Reverend James J. Manning died on Sunday, September 22, 2024 in Dayton, Ohio. He was born on February 19, 1948, in Dayton, and baptized at Holy Trinity Church, Dayton. He did his preparatory studies at St. Gregory Seminary and studied Philosophy and Theology at Mount St. Mary Seminary of the West, Cincinnati. He was ordained on May 31, 1975, by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Cincinnati.

Father Manning received his first assignment on June 20, 1975, as associate at St. Bernard Parish, Taylor Creek, and to teach at La Salle High School, Cincinnati. On November 20, 1978, he was appointed associate at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, Bridgetown, and to continue teaching at La Salle High School. On July 18, 1983, he was appointed resident associate at St. James Parish, White Oak, and to continue at La Salle High School. On July 5, 1988, he was appointed associate of St. Henry Parish, Dayton. Father Manning was appointed pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish, Kettering on July 8, 1991. He was appointed a member of the College of Consultors in February 1992, and in November 1995 he was appointed to another five-year term. He was reappointed pastor of St. Albert the Great for a six-year term, commencing on July 9, 1997. He was appointed President of Alter High School, Dayton in October 2005 through spring 2006. On July 1, 2006, he was appointed parochial vicar of St. Henry Parish, Dayton while continuing as President of Archbishop Alter High School. On January 26, 2007, he was appointed temporary parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish, Franklin while continuing as President of Archbishop Alter High School. Father Manning was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish, Franklin on July 1, 2007 for a period of six years, while continuing as President of Archbishop Alter High School. He was appointed to another six-year term as pastor of St. Mary, Franklin while continuing as President of Archbishop Alter High School, commencing on July 1, 2013. Father Manning retired from Alter High School in July 2016. He was appointed pastor of St. Augustine Parish, Waynesville on July 1, 2017 for a period of six years while continuing as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Springboro (formerly known as St. Mary Parish, Franklin) and appointed to another six-year term as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish on July 1, 2019, while continuing as pastor of St. Augustine Parish. On July 1, 2022, Father Manning was appointed parochial vicar of the NE9 Family of Parishes which includes Our Lady of Good Hope, Miamisburg, St. Henry, Dayton and St. Mary of the Assumption, Springboro.

Reception of the Body: Friday, September 27, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 9579 Yankee Road, Springboro, Ohio 45066; (937-557-1711.) Celebrant and Homilist: Reverend Brian W. Phelps. Visitation: following Reception of the Body until 8:00 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial: Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Springboro. Celebrant: Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr. Homilist: Reverend Martin E. Fox.

Burial: Saturday, September 28, 2024, following the Mass of Christian Burial, at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 1625 Calvary Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45409. (937-293-1221) Celebrant: Reverend Brian W. Phelps.

Associates of the Marian Pact are asked to offer, as soon as possible, one Mass for the repose of the soul of Father Manning, and when convenient, to provide for the celebration of two other Masses.

May God welcome Father Manning, His servant and priest, into the glory of heaven. May he rest in peace.

Colin Rahill

Colin Rahill

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