WATCH MASSREPORT MISCONDUCT
EN ES
Search
Close this search box.

Colin Rahill

Colin Rahill

by

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.

by

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.

by

Download PDF Version – English | Download PDF Version – Spanish

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.

by

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.

by

Download PDF Version – English | Download PDF Version – Spanish

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 16th 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.

by

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.

by

Effective July 1, 2024

  • Reverend Thien Toan Nguyen, CRM, appointed Chaplain/Moderator of the Catholic Vietnamese Community of Dayton and to assist with hospital ministry.
  • Reverend Chau Pham SVD, renewed as Chaplain/Moderator of the Catholic Vietnamese Community of Our Lady of Lavang Parish, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Miguel Torres, MCCJ, appointed Parochial Vicar of S-12 Family of Parishes which includes Holy Family, St. Boniface, St. Joseph, St. Leo the Great and St. Therese Little Flower, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Samuel Yacob Langena, MCCJ, appointed Parochial Vicar of S-12 Family of Parishes which includes Holy Family, St. Boniface, St. Joseph, St. Leo the Great and St. Therese Little Flower.

 

Effective July 3, 2024

  • Reverend Thomas Bolte appointed temporary parochial administrator of SW-8 Family of Parishes which includes St. Ignatius Loyola, Monfort Heights.

 

Effective July 30, 2024

  • Reverend Jeff Kemper appointed temporary parochial administrator of C-5 Family of Parishes which includes St. Susanna, Mason.

 

Effective October 1, 2024

  • Reverend Matthew Lee appointed Parochial Vicar SE-2 Family of Parishes which includes St. Benignus, Greenfield, St. Mary, Hillsboro, Holy Trinity, West Union and St. Mary Queen of Heaven, Peebles.

 

Effective October 12, 2024

  • Reverend Andrew J. Umberg, appointed Pastor of SW-8 Family of Parishes which includes St. Ignatius Loyola, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Ronald C. Haft appointed temporary parochial administrator of S-7 Family of Parishes which includes St. Bartholomew, Cincinnati, Assumption, Mt. Healthy, St. Vivian, Cincinnati, St. Clare, Cincinnati, Mother of Christ, Cincinnati and St. Bernard, Spring Grove Village.
  • Reverend Henry Hoffmann appointed Parochial Vicar of S-7 Family of Parishes which includes St. Bartholomew, Cincinnati, Assumption, Mt. Healthy, St. Vivian, Cincinnati, St. Clare, Cincinnati, Mother of Christ, Cincinnati and St. Bernard, Spring Grove Village.

 

Effective October 14, 2024

  • Reverend Michael A. Willig, appointed Director of Vocations Office for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Barry Stechschulte appointed Parochial Vicar of NW-1 Family of Parishes which includes Holy Trinity, Coldwater, Mary Help of Christians, Ft. Recovery, St. Anthony, St. Anthony, St. Joseph, St. Joseph, St. Mary, Philothea, St. Paul, Sharpsburg and St. Peter, St. Peter.
  • Reverend Ethan Hoying appointed Parochial Vicar of NW-4 Holy Face of Jesus Parish which includes Immaculate Conception, Botkins, St. John, Fryburg, St. Joseph, Wapakoneta, and St. Lawrence, Rhine.

 

Effective November 1, 2024

  • Reverend Bernard J. Weldishofer, appointed Pastor of C-5 Family of Parishes which includes St. Susanna, Mason.
  • Reverend Gregory J. Konerman, appointed temporary parochial administrator of SE-1 Family of Parishes which includes St. Augustine, Waynesville, and St. Columbkille, Wilmington.

 

Convocation 2024 Information

The Priests’ Convocation is Thursday, October 3, 2024, at a new location:  St. Francis of Assisi, 6245 Wilmington Pike, Centerville, Ohio. The day begins at 10:00 am – 2:30 pm.  Assistance needed.

 

Catholic Engaged Encounter

Catholic Engaged Encounter (marriage prep. course) is searching for priests to assist in their marriage prep weekends.  The marriage preparation weekends are held 5 – 6 times a year at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, Bergamo, or St. Antoninus Church.

by

W H A T | 20th Annual Blue Mass Celebration

W H E N | Sunday, September 29, 2024 – Blessing 10:45 A.M. followed by Mass at 11 A.M.

W H E R E | Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains: 325 W. 8th St., Cincinnati OH

Release Date:  Sept. 16, 2023

A Blessing and Mass for those who Protect the Community

Reverend Steve Angi, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Police Chaplain, will celebrate a Mass to honor those who protect our community each day. An outdoor blessing of first response vehicles will take place outside the Cathedral Basilica along 8th and Plum Street beginning at 10:45 A.M. This will be followed by Mass at 11 A.M.. Both Greater Cincinnati Police and Public Safety Personnel are expected to be in attendance. People of all faiths are invited to join in prayer for the men and women who work tirelessly to ensure safe communities. Refreshment and fellowship will follow Mass.

 

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 45th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with nearly 440,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 40,000 students.  The 19-county territory includes 199 canonical parishes organized into 57 Families of Parishes, and 108 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

 
 
Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
 
Event Contact
Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains
Office | 513.421.5354

 

by

Download PDF Version – English | Download PDF Version – Spanish

God created the heavens and the earth, establishing an ordered universe from what had been chaos. Among all that exists – the land and sea, the trees and flowers, the birds, fish and animals – man and woman stand out as those creatures created in God’s own image and likeness. He has gifted us with intellect and free will and has given us dominion over all creation. Moreover, from the beginning, God entrusted human beings with the task of cultivating and caring for His handiwork. We, then, are stewards of the whole of creation, and we each share in the responsibility to ensure that the goodness which God saw at the beginning continues to radiate testimony to His glory.

From Leo XIII’s promulgation of Rerum Novarum in 1891 to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, the popes have consistently reminded Christians and all people of good will of this responsibility. However, we are successful only to the degree that we consistently remember that we too are creatures, not the Creator. Since the Fall, our tendency is to determine for ourselves what is best for us, often to the detriment of our neighbors and the world around us.

Pope Benedict XVI reflected on this reality in his 2010 message for the World Day of Peace, saying, “The harmony between the Creator, mankind and the created world, as described by Sacred Scripture, was disrupted by the sin of Adam and Eve, by man and woman, who wanted to take the place of God and refused to acknowledge that they were his creatures. As a result, the work of ‘exercising dominion’ over the earth, ‘tilling it and keeping it’, was also disrupted, and conflict arose within and between mankind and the rest of creation (cf. Gen. 3:17-19). Human beings let themselves be mastered by selfishness; they misunderstood the meaning of God’s command and exploited creation out of a desire to exercise absolute domination over it” (n. 6). How sadly evident is the destruction caused by this attitude of domination in our world today!

As Christians we have a great opportunity to foster a proper understanding of humanity’s dominion over creation. We are not lords over the world in which we live, but rather its servants. God asks us to watch over, protect and nurture creation, not as an end in itself, but as the means by which life is sustained and flourishes.

Pope Francis reminds us, “This responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world, for ‘he commanded and they were created; and he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds and he set a law which cannot pass away’ (Ps. 148:5b-6)” (Laudato Si’, n. 68). Therefore, we must strive to the best of our ability to observe, safeguard and promote awareness of the natural order which God has woven throughout creation.

As God created, He paused and looked at what He had done, recognizing that it was very good. It was good because God had put order into the chaos. It was very good because God made man and woman in His own image and likeness. The order with which God endowed creation unravels with human sin but is restored by divine grace. Care for creation, then, begins with care for our own souls, always seeking to live according to the purpose for which God has made us.

100 East Eighth StreetCincinnati, OH 45202 USA(513) 421-3131

Instagram Facebook-f Youtube