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Jennifer Schack

Jennifer Schack

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Release Date:  Oct. 30, 2023

Numerous accounts of theft and vandalism have been reported to police at Catholic schools, churches and cemeteries across the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Dozens of Catholic properties have been displaying yard signs and large display signs opposing Issue 1 on the November ballot.  Many of these locations have reported instances of theft of the signs and, in some instances, vandalism of their property.

Incarnation Catholic Church in Centerville was vandalized on Oct. 18 when the front door window of the church was spray painted to cover the sign posted on the interior of the window.  At St. Bartholomew Church in Cincinnati between Oct. 29 and the morning of Oct. 30, vandals removed between six and eight Vote No yard signs from the church property and replaced them with Vote Yes signs. The Vote Yes signs were quickly removed and replaced with new Vote No signs. In early October at St. Monica-St. George Church in Clifton, a large Vote No sign that was secured to the ground was pulled up and thrown in a nearby trash dumpster. It was found and placed back on the property. This sign was then recently stolen. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati has also had several yard signs stolen and display signs on a fence vandalized. At. St. Mary Church in Oxford, a large 8’x8’ display sign on the property was cut in half while a 4’x4’ sign was vandalized. In addition, yard signs at St. Mary Church are being stolen multiple times a week.

More than a dozen other church properties, Catholic high schools and cemeteries have reported theft of Vote No yard signs.

To learn more about why the Archdiocese of Cincinnati opposes Issue 1 please visit www.WhereDoesItSayThat.com and www.catholicaoc.org/VoteNO. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati there are more than 30 pro-life centers that assist pregnant women and families in need of assistance. More information about archdiocesan resources for women can be found on the For Life page of our website.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 51st largest Catholic diocese in the country, with around 435,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with nearly 40,000 students.  The 19-county territory includes 206 canonical parishes organized into 57 Families of Parishes, and 109 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

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Jennifer Schack

Director of Media Relations

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Office | 513.263.6618

Cell | 859.512.5626

[email protected]

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In the Gospel according to St. John, Jesus emphasizes that He came so we might have fullness of life (cf. Jn. 10:10). Most significantly through His Paschal Mystery, but also through every aspect of His life, Jesus worked for our good so that we might have life in abundance, both in this world and for all eternity. It is important to remember that Jesus did this not for humanity as a collective whole, but rather for each one of us as unique, irreplaceable individuals. Each person is perfectly loved by God and, therefore, each human life is precious and immensely valuable. It is for this reason that the Catholic Church constantly upholds the sanctity and dignity of all people at every stage of life, without exception.

On November 7, 2023, Ohioans will have the opportunity to demonstrate how our state views the sacredness of life and the dignity of women. On November’s ballot will be Issue 1, a proposed amendment (deceptively named “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety”) to the Ohio Constitution that would enshrine the “right” to take the lives of innocent children in the womb while harming women and families in the process. (Please see page XX for details.)

Some may assert that the Catholic Church should not be involved in politics. However, the defense of life and care for women compels our participation in this critical moral issue. As Catholics, we cannot remain silent on Issue 1. The Church must not sit on the sidelines when confronted with such a clear threat to human life and dignity and the primacy of the family. We must reject this extraordinary and dangerous attempt to radically reshape Ohio through a constitutional amendment that does nothing to aid women, strengthen the family or promote life.

But our responsibility to uphold and promote the value, beauty and dignity of every human life is by no means limited to the November vote. God invites each of us to work with Him to lovingly support those in need and to build up a culture of life in our society. This is a work that takes many forms. Generous women and men volunteer countless hours at pregnancy support centers, assisting women in need with material resources and personal accompaniment, both during pregnancy and after their child is born. Prayer groups give public witness to the value of life. Networks of physicians, counselors and other healthcare staff ensure quality care for both mothers and preborn children. Services are available to assist expectant mothers with housing, employment and education. Others help match parents and children through adoption and provide assistance and support to mothers who make this difficult choice.

We know that care for expectant mothers and their children touches on the beginning stages of life, but God calls us to foster a culture of life extending across the whole timeline of human experience. We nurture and educate children so they can have the opportunities necessary for fruitful and fulfilling lives. Young people must be encouraged to not only grow in their faith, but to also learn to defend and share that faith in its richness and beauty. Immigrants and refugees need to feel the embrace of being welcomed into our communities. We reach out and visit the sick and those in prison so they too know they are loved.

Helping others to know and experience God’s love is at the core of creating a culture of life. Let us collaborate with the Lord so every person may have the peace (Jn. 14:27), joy (Jn. 15:11) and fullness of life (Jn. 10:10) which only God can provide.

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After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and sent the Holy Spirit upon them that they might continue His work of preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Through baptism we are incorporated into this mystery. Made partakers in His death and resurrection, we are commissioned to contribute to the Church’s mission. Each of us does so in a unique way, putting our individual gifts and talents at the service of Christ and His Gospel. Carrying out the work of the Church is our shared responsibility. Whether you are a cleric, consecrated religious, or lay man or woman, you have an important role to fulfill in the Church’s mission of bringing all people to know, love and follow the Lord.

The Second Vatican Council taught that the Church’s mission is essentially concerned with salvation, but “also includes the renewal of the whole temporal order” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 5). Throughout history, human society has been damaged by many evils. It is for the Christian to share in the Spirit’s work of renewing the face of the earth (cf. Ps. 104:30). Such sanctification of the world is accomplished primarily through the ministry of the Word and the sacraments, which strengthen us to bring Christ’s presence and virtues into the world.

In addition to the many particular functions the laity may fulfill in the Church, whether at the parish or elsewhere in the diocese, they play an indispensable role in the renewal of the temporal order precisely because they are immersed in it. Through their work and relationships, lay men and women have the opportunity to bring the presence of Christ into every aspect of the civic arena, especially in the home and workplace.

Christian husbands and wives share and strengthen their faith with each other and their children. The role of parents in establishing the faith’s foundations in their children through example and practice is irreplaceable. They also help their children to discern and follow their vocation in life (cf. AA, 11).

Young people, as the Council taught, are “impelled by a zest for life and a ready eagerness to assume their own responsibility, and they yearn to play their part in social and cultural life. If this zeal is imbued with the spirit of Christ and is inspired by obedience and love for the Church, it can be expected to be very fruitful. They should become the first to carry on the apostolate directly to other young persons, concentrating their apostolic efforts within their own circle, according to the needs of the social environment in which they live” (AA, 12).

By their presence and witness, the laity can infuse a Christian spirit into society in a way that clerics or religious alone simply cannot. They are present to help their brothers and sisters wherever they work, study, reside and spend their leisure time. Their lives are to be conformed to their faith so that they become the light of the world. Generosity, charity, mutual concern, honesty and all the other virtues of the Heart of Christ should permeate all they do so their neighbors may be led to what is true and good, and ultimately to Christ Himself (cf. AA, 13).

Christ’s work of redeeming humanity and restoring the world to the goodness which it had in the beginning will not be accomplished without each of us responding to God’s call to do our part. Everything we do is an opportunity to build the Kingdom. Therefore, strengthened by His grace, let us bring Christ’s presence to a world in need!

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We have all heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child”—and for good reason. Over the millennia, members of a given community have assisted each other in the formation and development of their youth to ensure that each learns the skills necessary to contribute to the common good. As we prepare to usher in another academic year, it is fitting for us to reflect on education as the Church understands it.

A good source for such reflections is the set of principles laid out in the Code of Canon Law. Some might think Church law is mere legalism; in fact, it is “juridic theology”—applying the foundational realities of our faith to all aspects of Church life and, in the process, delineating the rights and obligations of Church members with respect to our various roles and states of life. The third main section of the Code is devoted to the teaching function of the Church, and we find there, among other things, the basic premise that education, while being primarily the responsibility of parents, is a collaborative work.

The opening words to this section state, “Parents and those who take their place are bound by the obligation and possess the right of educating their offspring” (canon 793). With these words the Church beautifully recognizes the role parents are entrusted to fulfill in raising their children. This flows directly from one of the ends of marriage: the procreation and education of children. Parents participate in the Creator’s work of bringing life into this world, and they also share in His work of bringing that life to its perfection in eternity. Parents are free to choose the means of educating their children and are equally free to select the institutions which can assist them in fulfilling this responsibility.

Education is a collaborative work because it aims for “complete formation of the human person that looks to his or her final end as well as to the common good of societies” (canon 795). Whether parents choose to send their children to a school—Catholic, public or private—or to homeschool, they rely on the assistance of others to help mold their sons and daughters into disciples of Jesus Christ equipped to live out the Gospel in whatever field of work they eventually pursue.

The Church’s pastors are chief among those who assist parents in this responsibility. In their parishes, pastors are to arrange all that is necessary for the education and formation of young people (cf. canon 794). In many cases, with the assistance of a principal, they oversee the operations of a school. Pastors typically also provide additional parish-based opportunities for faith instruction.

Teachers and catechists exercise an incredible ministry for the benefit of young people. These individuals, aware of the commission they accept to form their students into faithful Christian disciples, are called to be “outstanding in correct doctrine, the witness of a Christian life, and teaching skill” (canon 804).

Thus, parents are not alone in raising and educating their children; the entire Christian community has a part to play in this process. Pastors, principals and teachers directly assist parents in fulfilling their responsibility to educate their children. The rest of the Christian faithful are called to fortify the work of schools, teachers and parents through prayer and financial support of the institutions the Church has established to carry out this task (cf. canon 800). Therefore, let us begin this academic year more deeply aware of the call we each have to empower the teaching function of the Church and so spread the Gospel from generation to generation.

 

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Through wisdom and love, God has created all that is. The prophet Isaiah reflected on the mystery of creation asking, “Who has measured with his palm the waters, marked off the heavens with a span, held in his fingers the dust of the earth, weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” (Is. 40:12). In His providential love, God continually guides and shapes creation such that the magnificence of His majesty is revealed to us. We experience this whenever we take in sweeping vistas, examine the wonders of the microscopic world, or simply reflect on the beauty of everyday life.

Summertime travel is an opportunity to explore new places and revisit favorite destinations. Seeing God’s handiwork in the natural world helps us to marvel at the order with which He created, transforming chaos into a home for us that is very good (cf. Genesis 1). The beauty of nature itself speaks to God’s glory and majesty. Additionally, when we travel and attend Mass at a different parish, we witness how Catholics live out their faith in another community. It is an experience of the universality of the Catholic Church.

Vacations aren’t the only things for which we travel, though. Deep in our faith’s tradition is the spiritual value of making pilgrimage to holy sites. For centuries, Catholics have traveled to places made holy by events which took place there or by the people whose lives brought God’s presence in a special way to that town or village. Pilgrimages are also made to implore God’s grace for a particular intention or to seek a more profound conversion of heart.

Fortunately, one is not limited to traveling to Europe or the Holy Land to make a pilgrimage. We are blessed to have the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics right here in our archdiocese, and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation is located in Carey, OH, in the southern part of the Diocese of Toledo. Both are sacred places where one can experience the love and power of God in a unique way. It is likely that there are churches or places significant to our Catholic faith near a destination to which you might be headed this summer. Taking the time to visit such sites could serve to deepen one’s understanding and appreciation of the history and meaning of our faith.

Before ascending into heaven, our Lord instructed the Apostles to go and “make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). Since then, Christians have spread the Good News of salvation throughout the world, and we are able to view the natural world through the lens of the Gospel. Many places still bear witness to the lived faith of those in times past, as well as to the continued efforts of Christians to follow the Lord’s command to bring the Gospel to all peoples.

Wherever our summer travel may take us, it is an opportunity to know God more fully and encounter Him in every corner of His magnificent creation. Let’s be sure not to miss it!

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Release Date:   June 29, 2023

Closure of St. Joseph Catholic School in Cincinnati

St. Joseph Catholic School, operated by St. Joseph Parish in the West End of Cincinnati, will be closing for the 2023-2024 school year.

The pastor, parish council and parish finance committee of St. Joseph Parish – in consultation with the Catholic Schools Office of the archdiocese – recommended the closure of St. Joseph Catholic School for the upcoming school year. In accordance with archdiocesan procedures, the recommendation for closure was submitted and accepted by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.

In the spring of 2023, a facility concern involving the roof and tuckpointing of St. Joseph Catholic School was brought to the attention of school leadership. A professional engineering firm was hired to conduct a Facility Conditions Assessment in May of 2023. St. Joseph Catholic School is operating in a building that is 125 years old. The assessment included inspection of the architectural, electrical, technology, mechanical and plumbing systems in use, as well as site conditions.

The Assessment concluded that most of the school building’s mechanical systems are at the end of their functional life and therefore must be repaired, upgraded, or replaced. Additionally, the roof is in need of total replacement, along with a large amount of tuckpointing, in order to make the building watertight. $2.5 million in renovations must be completed to bring the school building up to minimum standards.

“It is with great sadness that St. Joseph Catholic School is closing for the upcoming school year,” said Ms. Susan Gibbons, Superintendent of Catholic Schools. “St. Joseph has been a rich and beautiful example of Catholic ministry during its long history. The Catholic Schools Office remains committed to supporting the students, families, staff and community of St. Joseph Catholic School.”

St. Joseph Catholic School is one of the oldest Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The parish was established in 1846 and the school opened the following year in 1847.

Fr. Rodolpho Coaquira-Hilaje M.C.C.J., pastor of St. Joseph Parish, has informed the staff, parish and school families of the upcoming closure.  “The decision to close St. Joseph Catholic School for the 2023-2024 school year is heartbreaking, but the decision became necessary for the safety and well-being of the students and staff. St. Joseph Parish will continue to explore future options.”

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 51st largest Catholic diocese in the country, with around 435,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with nearly 40,000 students.  The 19-county territory includes 208 canonical parishes organized into 57 Families of Parishes, and 110 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

Jennifer Schack

Director of Media Relations

Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Office | 513.263.6618

Cell | 859.512.5626

[email protected]

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Effective July 1, 2023

  • Reverend Patrick H. Blenman, Parochial Vicar of NE 3 Family of Parishes which includes, Mary, Help of Christians, Fairborn, Sacred Heart, New Carlisle, St. Brigid, Xenia, St. Luke, Beavercreek and St. Paul, Yellow Springs.
  • Reverend Isaiah M. Callan, Parochial Vicar of NW6 Family of Parishes which includes St. Boniface, Piqua, St. Mary, Piqua, St. Patrick, Troy, St. Teresa of the infant Jesus, Covington, and Transfiguration, West Milton.
  • Reverend Alex T. Dugas, Parochial Vicar of S9 Family of Parishes which includes St. Anthony, Madisonville, St. Cecilia, Cincinnati, St. Margaret-St. John, Cincinnati and St. Mary, Hyde Park.
  • Reverend Stephen J. Hughes, Parochial Vicar of SE4 Family of Parishes which includes St. Margaret of York, Loveland and St. Columban, Loveland.
  • Reverend Jonathan M. Jergens, Parochial Vicar of C5 Family of Parishes which includes St. Susanna, Mason.
  • Reverend Jeffrey A. Stephens, Parochial Vicar of S10 Family of Parishes which includes Annunciation, Cincinnati, Holy Name, Cincinnati and St. Monica-St. George, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend David Duy Tran, Parochial Vicar of SW8 Family of Parishes which includes St. Ignatius Loyola, Monfort Heights.
  • Reverend Christian Cone-Lombarte, Parochial Vicar of S4 Family of Parishes which includes: Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenhills, Our Lady of the Valley, Reading, St. James of the Valley, Wyoming, and St. Matthias the Apostle, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Christopher Komoroski, Parochial Vicar of S8 Family of Parishes which includes Holy Cross-Immaculata, Cincinnati, Our Lord Christ the King, Cincinnati, St. Rose, Cincinnati, and St. Stephen, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Matthew Lee, Parochial Vicar of NE3 Family of Parishes which includes Mary Help of Christians, Fairborn, Sacred Heart, New Carlisle, St. Augustine, Jamestown, St. Brigid, Xenia, St. Luke, Beavercreek, and St. Paul, Yellow Springs.
  • Reverend K. Scott Morgan, Parochial Vicar of S1 Family of Parishes which includes St. Gabriel, Glendale, St. John the Evangelist, West Chester, and St. Michael, Sharonville.
  • Reverend Elias Mwesigye, Parochial Vicar of SW6 Family of Parishes which includes St. John Neumann, Cincinnati, St. John the Baptist, Dry Ridge, and Corpus Christi, New Burlington.
  • Reverend Joseph Orlowski, FSSP, Parochial Vicar of NE11 Family of Parishes which includes Holy Family, Dayton.
  • Reverend Jeffrey Stegbauer, Parochial Vicar of SW4 Family of Parishes which includes Resurrection of Our Lord, Cincinnati, St. Lawrence, Cincinnati, St. Teresa of Avila, Cincinnati, and St. William, Cincinnati.
  • Reverend Jedidiah Tritle, Parochial Vicar of C1 Family of Parishes which includes St. John the Evangelist, New Paris, St. Mary, Camden, St. Mary, Oxford and Visitation, Eaton.
  • Reverend Ronald Williams, Chaplain of Nursing Home Ministries.

Effective August 1, 2023

  • Reverend Damian Torres-Botello, SJ, Parochial Vicar of S15 Family of Parishes which includes St. Robert Bellarmine, Cincinnati, and St. Francis Xavier, Cincinnati.

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Deacon David Klingshirn, a Deacon of the Archdiocese, died on June 10, 2023 at the age of 84. Deacon David was ordained by Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on April 24, 2004. He was assigned to St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, upon his ordination, and served there until July, 2018.

Arrangements for the Mass of Christian Burial have not yet been finalized by the family. The Mass is expected to be held in August.

Please keep the repose of the soul of Deacon David in your prayers.

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June 11, 2023

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today’s feast marks the beginning of the parish phase and second year of the National Eucharistic Revival. At the same time, we near the end of the first year of Beacons of Light, our archdiocesan planning process. These two initiatives are bound together: our pastoral planning efforts are directed toward building vibrant Eucharistic communities in which we recall all that Christ has done for us and respond as He commands – to eat and drink of His Body and Blood and thus have eternal life.

Eucharist is the first principle of Beacons of Light: “The Mass is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. Accordingly, the Eucharist is the essential moment for building up and strengthening the parish community, along with the sacraments and other celebrations of the paschal mystery – the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Beacons of Light is a process of pastoral planning to best arrange our many resources – human, financial, physical – to pursue the God-given mission of sharing the Gospel throughout our archdiocese. I am grateful to everyone who has come together as a Family of Parishes and begun to discern how the Spirit of God is working among us. Beacons of Light will only be successful under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and only if our parishes are communities of faith truly centered on our Eucharistic Lord.

In this phase of the Eucharistic Revival, my brother bishops and I are encouraging the Church in the United States to greater Eucharistic devotion, especially through more life-giving, beautiful, and transformative celebrations of the Eucharist every Sunday. All those who lead the Church at prayer – priests, deacons, and lay liturgical ministers – are called to prepare for and celebrate the liturgy with fidelity to the text and rubrics given by the Church. Our liturgical leaders must also create measures of true hospitality, and ensure excellent preaching and sacred music, so that all may more fully encounter Jesus’ true and abiding presence each time we come to Mass.

On this Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we invoke, “Grant your Church, O Lord, we pray, the gifts of unity and peace, whose signs are to be seen in mystery in the offerings we here present.” We ask our Lord in a special way that our celebrations of the Eucharist truly foster unity, not only in our Families of Parishes, but across our entire archdiocese. This unity – not uniformity – is a cornerstone to building up the Catholic Church in these nineteen counties of western and southwestern Ohio.

As we move into the summer months, I invite you and your family to join me in praying for the success of both Beacons of Light and the National Eucharistic Revival. Thank you for your prayerful support of your pastor and parish leaders. May the Spirit of God continue to lead us to deeper participation in the Eucharist and to bear the fruits of that mystery to a world desperately in need of God’s love.

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr

Archbishop of Cincinnati

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

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