March 25, 2016
In This Issue
MESSENGER
Serving the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky since 1926
Special Section:
Ordination
pages 12–13
2
Palm Sunday begins Holy Week
2
Chrism Mass
3
Act of Mercy
‘33 days to Morning Glory’
3
Official assignments
7
Retreat program overview
Part 3 of 6
7
Project Rachel testimony
8
From grief to hope
Memorial Mass for the Loss of a
Child
9
Diocesan Academic Showcase
10 St. Joseph Parish, Crescent
Springs
Celebrates 100 years
17 EdChoice Kentucky
Scholarship Tax Credit
19 Obituary
Divine Providence Sister Agnes
Clare Kramer
He is risen, Alleluia!
In celebration of Holy Week and Easter the
Curia will be closed March 22–29. There will
not be a Messenger, April 1 (no fooling!). The
Messenger will resume publication April 8.
Bishop’s Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
People and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Saint of the Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Shopper’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Cooley photo
Easter 2016
My dear Friends in Christ,
Discouraged and disheartened, disillusioned and dejected, the Apostles were at their lowest.
Jesus of Nazareth, who they had come to believe was the Savior, had been put to death.
Beaten and bruised he was led away to Golgotha, there to suffer the ignominious death on
the cross. Their future was bleak; all that they had hoped for was gone.
But then something remarkable happened. The women who had accompanied Jesus while he preached and who
had gone to the tomb to prepare the body for burial came running to the Apostles with a fantastic story. So
fantastic did it seem that the Apostles did not believe them. Jesus, they told them, had been raised from the
dead! The Apostles found the story too bizarre to believe. But later Jesus himself appeared to the Twelve and
rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. (Mark 16:14) And then they believed. Jesus gave them this
commission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)
Yes, my friends, the truth is that Jesus Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. He lives! And by his
Resurrection he has conquered once and for all sin and death. He has been victorious over the grave. His victory
can be ours. That joy that filled the hearts of his disciples once they realized that he had indeed been raised from
the dead can be ours. It IS ours if we but believe. We can say with St. Paul, “Where O death is your victory? Where
O death is your sting?” (Cor 15:55)
My dear friends, let us all rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Let joy fill our lives and
our hearts. Let us give thanks to our almighty God especially in this Year of Mercy for his love and his mercy
toward us. Let us give thanks to his Son, Jesus, who willingly died so that we might live. We are an Easter people
and Alleluia is our song!
Be assured always of my prayers for you and for those you love. Please, pray for me.
Yours devotedly in the Lord,
Most Reverend Roger J. Foys, D.D.
Bishop of Covington
Divine Mercy services
held at the cathedral
Laura Keener
Editor
“It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes
to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which
from now on throughout the Church will be called ‘Divine Mercy
Sunday.’ In the various readings, the liturgy seems to indicate the path
(Continued on page 6)
Divine Mercy Sunday
Bishop Roger Foys will preside at Divine Mercy
Services, April 3, at the Cathedral Basilica of the
Assumption, Covington. Exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament and Confessions, noon – 3 p.m.
Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, 3 p.m.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, to process
through the Holy Door and to avail themselves of God’s
great mercy during this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
2 March 25, 2016
Messenger
Palm Sunday
Holy Week
liturgies began March 20 with the celebration of Palm Sunday
at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington.
Bishop Roger Foys presided and encouraged the faithful to
participate and get the most out of Holy Week.
“On this Palm Sunday, we take stock in our own lives and
look at who we identify with in this Passion narrative,” he
said.
In his homily, Bishop Foys spent some time reflecting on the
role some of the main players played in the Passion narrative.
“Although today’s Gospel sounds like a tragedy,” he said, “it
is no such thing.
“It is a story of love and mercy. No matter who you identify
with, take comfort in the love of God, and in his mercy and
his forgiveness. Repent so that Jesus’ passion, death, agony
and suffering will not have been in vain,” said Bishop Foys.
“The Resurrection brings with it new life — eternal life — a
life that will never end. Follow in the footsteps of Jesus — the
footsteps by which our salvation was won; so then, on Easter
Sunday morning, we can truly celebrate and say, ‘The Lord is
Risen. He is Risen indeed. Alleluia.’”
Chrism Mass
(above) The Knights of St. John and the Knights of
Columbus form an honor guard for Bishop Roger
Foys, the priests and deacons of the Diocese of
Covington during the procession of the Chrism Mass.
(above right) Bishop Foys prepares the sacred chrism
for consecration.
(right) Deacon Ross Kelsch presents the oil of the sick
to Bishop Foys.
Cooley and Keener photos
As a sign of unity all the priests of the diocese
gather with their bishop at the annual Chrism
Mass and renew their ordination promises.
“This Chrism Mass is certainly one of the most significant
celebrations we have here at the Mother Church, the Cathedral
Basilica, because it brings together people from all across the
diocese,” said Bishop Foys in his homily, March 22, at the annual celebration of the Chrism Mass.
“People are to be present from every parish in the diocese.
The Chrism Mass brings the lay faithful, it brings our consecrated men and women religious, our deacons, and our priests
all together in a show of unity. It is a very important celebration as it shows the unity of the Church and most especially
the unity of the bishop and his priests who form one presbyterate, who are ordained for service to the local Church and to
care for the people entrusted to them.
“This celebration also serves a very practical purpose for it
is at this service that the bishop blesses the oil of the catechumens and the oil of the sick and consecrates the sacred chrism
for use here at the Cathedral Church and at all our parishes
and institutions.
“These oils are also a sign of our unity because you will
take the blessed oils and sacred chrism from here to your local
parish or institution. It shows the unity, the bond that we all
have — God’s people, consecrated religious women and men,
deacons, priests and bishop.
“Tonight we also celebrate the institution of the priesthood.
All the priests of the diocese gather with their bishop and
renew the promises that they made at ordination. So at every
Chrism Mass throughout the world priests will renew their
promises in front of the people they serve. And the bishop will
pray, pray that God’s people and his priests will pray for him,
so that he might be a good shepherd, a good father, a good
brother to his priests, a good friend to all he serves. We ask you
to pray for us.
“Your presence here tonight is a sign of unity and also a
sign and a witness of the depth of your faith — the loyalty you
have to the Lord, to his Word and to his Church.”
(above) Representatives from all 51 parishes and missions of
the diocese, consecrated religious men and women gather at
the Cathedral for the Chrism Mass.
March 25, 2016 3
Messenger
The Messenger wants to know … what are you
doing for the Jubilee Year of Mercy? Send information to
Messenger@covdio.org with the subject: Acts of Mercy or
call David Cooley, assistant editor, (859) 392-1592.
Official assignments
Effective Friday, March 11, 2016:
Madonna Gieske
To: Diocesan Young Adult Advisory Board
Term: Three years
‘Hearts afire’ for acts of mercy
A group of 65 parishioners at St. Thomas Parish, Ft.
Thomas, made a six-week retreat using Father Michael
Gaitley’s book and DVDs entitled “33 Days to Morning
Glory.” The retreat is designed to inspire Catholics to live
the complete Catholic life of faith, charity and sacraments.
Jubileeof Mercy
December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016
The retreat aims to “set all hearts afire” with the love of
God and neighbor, and to instigate the practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. These parishioners
expressed that the retreat was a wonderful way to spend
Lent and to celebrate the Holy Year of Mercy.
Divine Mercy Sunday
Bishop Roger Foys will preside at Divine Mercy Services,
April 3, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions, noon – 3 p.m.
Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, 3 p.m.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend, to process through
the Holy Door and to avail themselves of God’s great mercy during
this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
Confession times
In addition to the regularly
scheduled confession times,
during the Year of Mercy
each parish will offer confessions one evening every
month from 6–8 p.m.
1st Monday
Holy Spirit Parish, Newport
St. John Parish, Wilder
St. Matthew Parish, Kenton
St. Patrick Parish, Taylor Mill
St. Thomas Parish,
Ft. Thomas
2nd Monday
All Saints Parish, Walton
Our Savior Parish,
Covington
St. Therese Parish,
Southgate
1st Tuesday
Cathedral, Covington
St. Agnes Parish, Ft. Wright
St. Joseph Parish, Warsaw
St. Rose Parish, Mays Lick
St. Timothy Parish, Union
2nd Tuesday
St. William Parish,
Williamstown
3rd Tuesday
Blessed Sacrament Parish,
Ft. Mitchell
Divine Mercy Parish,
Bellevue
St. Catherine Parish,
Ft. Thomas
St. Edward Parish,
Cynthiana
4th Tuesday
St. Joseph Parish, Crescent
Springs
St. Mary Parish, Alexandria
1st Wednesday
St. Bernard Parish, Dayton
St. Henry Parish, Elsmere
St. Patrick Parish, Maysville
St. Philip Parish, Melbourne
2nd Wednesday
St. Augustine Parish,
Augusta
Sts. Boniface and James
Parish, Ludlow
3rd Wednesday
Holy Cross Parish, Latonia
Mary, Queen of Heaven
Parish, Erlanger
St. Francis Xavier Parish,
Falmouth
4th Wednesday
St. Anthony Parish,
Taylor Mill
1st Thursday
Mother of God Parish,
Covington
St. Benedict Parish,
Covington
St. Charles Parish,
Flemingsburg
St. Pius X Parish, Edgewood
4th Thursday
St. James Parish, Brooksville
2nd Thursday
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Parish, Burlington
4th Friday
St. Joseph Parish,
Camp Springs
St. Paul Parish, Florence
St. Augustine Parish,
Covington
St. Cecilia Parish,
Independence
1st Friday
St. John Parish, Carrollton
3rd Friday
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish,
California
March 26
Easter vigil, baptism, confirmation
and reception into full
Communion with the Church,
blessing of the fire, Mass,
Cathedral Basilica, 8:30 p.m.
March 27
Easter Sunday, Mass, Cathedral
Basilica, 10 a.m.
April 3
Divine Mercy Sunday, Mass,
Cathedral Basilica, 10 a.m.
3rd Thursday
St. Barbara Parish, Erlanger
St. John Parish, Covington
St. Joseph Parish,
Cold Spring
Deacon Lawrence L. Kleisinger
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three years
Continues other duties
Mary Kay Laird
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three years
Steve Popham
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three years
Susan Stewart
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three year
By order of
the Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D.
Bishop of the Diocese of Covington
Jamie N. Schroeder,
Chancellor
Reporting Misconduct
in the Diocese of Covington
Anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct by a cleric, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Covington is
asked to contact Ms. Margaret Schack, diocesan victims
assistance coordinator (859) 392-1515. Professional assistance and pastoral support will be provided in confidentiality and with respect.
A copy of the “Diocesan Policies and Procedures for
Addressing Sexual Misconduct” is available by contacting
the Chancery, (859) 392-1510 or visiting www.covdio.org
and going to “Sexual Misconduct Policy.”
April 5
Individual meeting, 9:15 a.m.
April 8
Individual meeting, 10 a.m.
Confirmation, St. Matthew
Church, Kenton, 7 p.m.
Blessing of Madonna Manor,
Villa Hills, 4 p.m.
April 10
Mass, Cathedral Basilica, 10 a.m.
Vespers and benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral
Basilica, 3 p.m.
April 6
Extraordinary ministers of Holy
Communion and lectors training,
St. Pius X Church, Edgewood,
7 p.m.
April 4
Individual meetings, 10 a.m.,
11 a.m.
April 7
Episcopal Council meeting,
9:30 a.m.
Confirmation, All Saints Church,
Walton, 7 p.m.
Confirmation, St. Patrick Church,
Taylor Mill, 7 p.m.
Exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament and confessions,
Cathedral Basilica, noon–3 p.m.
Tina Klare
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three years
3rd Saturday
Holy Redeemer Parish,
Vanceburg
Bishop’s
Schedule
March 25
Good Friday, liturgical service,
reading of the Passion,
veneration of the Cross, holy
Communion, Cathedral Basilica of
the Assumption, Covington,
3 p.m.
Sheila Gray
To: Diocesan Youth Advisory Board
Term: Three years
Vespers and servers’ awards,
Cathedral Basilica, 3 p.m.
Informando sobre conducta inapropiada
en la Diocesis de Covington
Cualquier persona que haya experimentado conducta sexual inapropiada por parte de un clérigo, empleado o voluntario de la Diócesis de Covington está invitada a ponerse en contacto con Ms. Margaret Schack , coordindora
diocesana para dar asistencia a las víctimas. Teléfono (859)
392-1515. Asistencia profesional y apoyo moral serán ofrecidos de una manera confidencial y con respeto.
Una copia de “Normas y Procedimientos sobre Conducta
Sexual Inapropiada” está disponible poniéndose en contacto con la Cancillería, Teléfono (859) 392-1510, o visitando www.covdio.org y marcando “Sexual Misconduct
Policy.”
4 March 25, 2016
Messenger
COMMENTARY
The power of fear
Fear is the heartbeat of the powerless. So writes Cor
de Jonghe. That’s true. We can deal with most everything,
except fear.
The late Belgium spiritual writer, Bieke
Vandekerkehove, in a very fine book, “The Taste of
Silence,” shared very honestly about the demons that
beset her as she faced a terminal illness at age 19. She
IN EXILE
singled out three particular
demons that tormented her
as she faced the prospect of
death —sadness, anger and
fear — and she suggested
that we can more easily
cope with the first two, sadness and anger, than we
can with the third, fear.
Here’s her thought:
Sadness can be handled
through tears, through
Father Ron Rolheiser
grieving. Sadness fills us
like a water glass, but a
glass can be emptied. Tears can drain sadness of its bite.
We have all, no doubt, experienced the release, the catharsis, that can come through tears. Tears can soften the
heart and take away the bitterness of sadness, even while
its heaviness remains. Sadness, no matter how heavy, has
a release valve. So too does anger. Anger can be expressed
and its very expression helps release it so that it flows out
of us. No doubt we have also experienced this. The caution, of course, is that in expressing anger and giving it
release we need to be careful not to hurt others, which is
the ever-present danger when dealing with anger. With
anger we have many outlets: We can shout in rage, beat
drum, punch a bag, use profanity, physically exercise
until we’re exhausted, smash some furniture, utter murderous threats and rage away at countless things. This
isn’t necessarily rational and some of these things aren’t
necessarily moral, but they offer some release. We have
means to cope with anger.
Fear, on the other hand, has no such release valves.
Most often, there’s nothing we can do to lighten or release
it. Fear paralyses us, and this paralysis is the very thing
that robs us of the strength we would need to combat it.
We can beat a drum, rage in profanity or cry tears, but
fear remains. Moreover, unlike anger, fear cannot be
taken out on someone else, even though we sometimes try,
by scapegoating. But, in the end, it doesn’t work. The
object of our fear doesn’t go away simply because we
wish it away. Fear can only be suffered. We have to live
with it until it recedes on its own. Sometimes, as the Book
of Lamentations suggests, all we can do is to put our
mouth to the dust and wait. With fear, sometimes all we
can do is endure.
What’s the lesson in this?
In her memoirs, the Russian poet, Anna Akhmatova,
recounts an encounter she once had with another woman
as the two of them waited outside a Russian prison. Both
of their husbands had been imprisoned by Stalin and
both of them were there to bring letters and packages to
their husbands, as were a number of other women. But
the scene was like something out of the existential literature of the absurd. The situation was bizarre. First of all,
the women were unsure of whether their husbands were
even still alive and were equally uncertain as to whether
the letters and packages they were delivering would ever
be given to their loved ones by the guards. Moreover, the
guards would, without reason, make them wait for hours
in the snow and cold before they would collect their letters and packages, and sometimes they wouldn’t meet the
women at all. Still, every week, despite the absurdity of
it, the women would come, wait in the snow, accept this
unfairness, do their vigil and try to get letters and packages to their loved ones in prison. One morning, as they
were waiting, seemingly with no end in sight, one of the
women recognized Akhmatova and said to her: “Well,
you’re a poet. Can you tell me what’s happening here?”
Akhmatova looked at the woman and replied: “Yes, I
can!” And then something like a smile passed between
them.
Why the smile? Just to be able to name something, no
matter how absurd or unfair, no matter our powerlessness to change it, is to be somehow free of it, above it,
transcendent in some way. To name something correctly
is to partly free ourselves of its dominance. That’s why
totalitarian regimes fear artists, writers, religious critics,
journalists and prophets. They name things. That’s ultimately the function of prophecy. Prophets don’t foretell
the future; they properly name the present. Richard Rohr
is fond of saying: Not everything can be fixed or cured,
but it should be named properly. James Hillman has his
own way of casting this. He suggests that a symptom suffers most when it doesn’t know where it belongs.
This can be helpful in dealing with fear in our lives.
Fear can render us impotent. But, naming that properly,
recognizing where that symptom belongs and how powerless it leaves us can help us to live with it, without sadness and anger.
Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, and
award-winning author, is President of the Oblate School of
Theology in San Antonio, Texas.
What does technology communicate about who I am?
Recently, a popular fast food chain announced that free
ice cream would be given to anyone who could complete a
particular challenge while eating in the restaurant. The task
that must be completed is to finish dining without looking at
one’s cell phone.
Technology has become an omnipresent reality that we
either joyfully embrace or begrudgingly admit is a necessity
for existence in the modern
age. We rarely, if ever, quesA SPARK OF
tion how technology might
GOODNESS
be shaping our view of the
human person. Certainly,
whether or not social media
or computers or television
exist, we are made in God’s
image and likeness and are
called to love. Yet, at times, it
seems that technology
obscures our vision of who
we are.
There is a vision of the
human person given through
technology and another that
Emily Macke
was given by St. John Paul II
in his Theology of the Body. Both say something about one’s
experience of oneself (identity), experience with others and
experience with the world at large.
Regarding one’s identity, St. John Paul II often reminded
us that we are unique, unrepeatable persons with incredible,
inherent dignity. We are created by God, loved into existence
by a Trinity who is love.
Yet, technology tends to send the message that I am
reduced to what I can accomplish. The results-based “faster,
VOL. 86
MESSENGER
NO. 12
Official newspaper of the Diocese of Covington
1125 Madison Ave. • Covington, Ky. 41011-3115
Telephone: (859) 392-1500 E-mail: messenger@covdio.org
www.covdio.org
cheaper, easier” mantra of technology can impact the way I
view myself. Am I as fast as a Google search? How much
measurable data have I collected? How many contacts/followers/friends/likes do I have?
Another aspect of identity involves the body. For St. John
Paul II (and for the life of the Church) every human person
is an embodied spirit — a unity of body and soul. The technological world, however, sees the body and place as irrelevant. We can shop without opening the store’s door, perform
surgery without a doctor in the room, have a conversation
on Skype with a faraway friend or relative — all of which
presume that my body does not need to be in a particular
place at a particular time.
In the experience of others, we see that St. John Paul II
highlighted how the human person is intrinsically related to
others. We may choose how to engage with others, but by the
very fact that we were created, we are always in relation.
The technological world, however, often leaves us existing
in an illusion of isolation. We try to be connected to others
through digital devices, and yet how often have we seen
friends or families sitting together at a restaurant, so
wrapped in cyberspace that the people sitting across or next
to them become forgotten? Does technology tend to enhance
or detract from authentic relationships?
Along these lines, are we truly present to unique, unrepeatable persons or are we distracted? Do we value people
enough to place them above our smartphones and Facebook
feeds? Do we “pause” people when we hear a ding of the
phone or want to know the latest sports scores? If we feel
awkward around others, do we instinctively reach for our
phones in order to avoid eye contact or conversation?
Within our relationships with others, there is always a
risk. We can meet this risk with vulnerability — an open-
ness to another and to encountering God in another. But
technology often encourages us to control or dominate situations in order to avoid rejection. This is most evident in dating relationships — breaking up over text, “swiping” on
Tinder to move on to another potential “match,” spending
time online instead of in real life. Still, our desire to control
relationships to avoid getting hurt occurs in more than just
romantic relationships. Friends, co-workers, classmates,
family members can all be treated at times as if by remote
control.
How do we learn to truly be ourselves, to truly be a person, when we erect walls and smoke and mirrors at every
corner, to meet people on our own terms without the fear of
rejection or of being seen as less than perfect?
In his new encyclical, “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis had a
lot to say about technology. He challenges us to think in new
ways about the ubiquitous glowing screens that surround
us: “We have to accept that technological products are not
neutral, for they create a framework which ends up conditioning lifestyles and shaping social possibilities along the
lines dictated by the interests of certain powerful groups.
Decisions which may seem purely instrumental are in reality decisions about the kind of society we want to build.”
(#107)
Whether or not we receive free ice cream for 20 minutes
of screen-free dining, it is important that we take some time
to think about how technology shapes the way we think and
act. And before we react to the sound of a new text message
or e-mail, we can ask whether or not technology is making
us more or less human.
Emily Macke serves as Theology of the Body Curriculum
Director at Ruah Woods, Cincinnati. She is editor and contributing writer at www.timeforthefamily.com.
(UPS-403-650) Published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington, Ky.; 44 issues a year
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Bishop Roger J. Foys................................................................................ Publisher
Rev. Ronald M. Ketteler ..............................................................Episcopal Liaison
Laura Keener ................................................................. Editor, General Manager
David Cooley ..................................................................................Assistant Editor
Monica Yeamans........................................................................Editorial Assistant
Michael Ifcic.................................................................Advertising Sales Manager
Laura Gillespie .......................................................................Production Designer
March 25, 2016 5
Messenger
COMMENTARY
Seeing is believing
The readings for Easter Sunday are: Acts 10:34,
37-43; Colossians 3:1-4 or I Corinthians 5:6-8; and
John 20:1-9.
“They killed him finally, hanging him on a tree, only
to have God raise him up on the third day and grant that
he be seen, not by all, but only by such witnesses as had
been chosen beforehand by God …” (First reading)
In a very real sense, we celebrate the Resurrection
every Sunday throughout the year. And yet, today is special. Today is the day above all other days on which we
are drawn into the awesome reality of what God has
done and still does for us.
While we celebrate the
EIGHTH DAY
historical occasion of our
Lord’s resurrection, we
must realize that we are
not just celebrating a past
event as if it were something that happened then
and is now done with.
Today, we do not merely reminisce about that
day, centuries ago, when
Jesus was raised. “This is
the day the Lord has
made” and we must
“rejoice in it.” (Today’s
Father Daniel Vogelpohl
psalm) There is something that happens today to you and me. It is something
caused directly by our risen Lord through the action of
the Holy Spirit. And if we look to the Scriptures of
today’s Mass, we can see what it is.
Today’s Gospel account, which describes for us the
events of the first Easter morning, presents us with a
good mirror of our own journey of faith. We see Mary
Magdalene, Simon Peter and John (the one Jesus loves).
They had all committed themselves to the Lord during
his earthly mission. They were his friends and believed
in him and in what he taught. And yet, as is quite evident
in the scene today’s Gospel presents, they did not yet
understand about the Resurrection. They did not comprehend the whole message proclaimed by Christ.
Mary Magdalene was the first to come to the tomb
that morning. She sees the stone rolled back; and what
does she do? (She is sure that the body isn’t there. But the
thought of the Resurrection doesn’t even cross her
mind.) She runs off to Peter and claims, “Someone’s
taken the body.” Peter and John, quite perplexed by this
development, decide to investigate. First John, then Peter
arrives at the tomb. And we read: “…The disciple who
arrived first went in. He saw and believed.” He stared
into the emptiness of the tomb and received the fullness
of faith.
We too are like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John. Just
as they had already been committed to the Lord long
before the events of Easter, so too we come to this Easter
Day already committed to the Lord by virtue of our baptism. And yet, just as those who arrive first at the tomb
did not understand what had taken place, so too we
arrive at this liturgy realizing that there is so much
about God’s saving mystery that we do not understand.
We read that John “saw and believed,” and we’re
tempted to dismiss the whole scene as irrelevant to us
because we’re not like John, standing before the tomb
with all the physical evidence of the Resurrection about
us. But is that really true?
In today’s reading from Acts, we find that “God raised
him up on the third day and granted that he be seen not
by all, but only by such witnesses as had been chosen
beforehand by God — by us who ate and drank with him
after he rose from the dead.” Of course, that is exactly
what we propose to do today. At his invitation, we
approach his table to eat and drink with him. And
because we do this, we know that God will grant that he
be seen by us — by us who eat and drink with him after
he rose. In this way, we see and believe.
Father Daniel Vogelpohl is pastor of Blessed Sacrament
Parish, Ft. Mitchell.
A father’s tribute
Somewhere along the way, with permission, I decided to
share parts of a beautiful, inspiring and hope-filled father’s
tribute. It was written several weeks ago by Scott White, on
intermittent leave from the military to be with amazing
Grace, his loving, courageous daughter. Grace died at age 7
after being diagnosed at age 6 with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic
Pontine Glioma), the same
malady that took Mount St.
ALONG THE WAY
Joseph’s beloved Lauren
Hill:
“Victory can present
itself in many forms
throughout one’s life. From
the first basketball game
won as a child to “sealing
the deal” at the office, we
are all competitive in
nature and want to ‘win’ at
every endeavor we undertake. This is a vital characteristic of our human existence, yet all of these ‘wins’
Ray Smith
only satisfy our perceived
need for immediate gratification and oftentimes only quench
our thirst for a limited amount of time. The ultimate win,
the only one that truly matters beyond the here and now, is
that of earning your place in the kingdom of heaven. It is
what we all should strive for throughout our lives; therefore,
earning this victory should guide our daily thoughts and
actions.
“Sitting in front of my computer tonight I am honored to
announce that Grace has done just that. At 1921 on 12FEB16
(7:21 p.m.) Grace won her earthly battle and earned her place
in heaven. She went peacefully, painlessly and quickly, while
at home and surrounded by friends. Grace enjoyed life fully
up until the final hours of her young earthly life. And for
this, I am thankful to God and humbled beyond belief by
Grace’s strength, perseverance and bravery.
“Definitely a ‘proud papa moment.’
“Although death has become synonymous with the end of
one’s life, I challenge you all to look at it much differently. It
is the final ‘win,’ and marks a transition to the next phase of
one’s life. Grace’s death is not the end, but instead, it is simply the beginning of her next adventure … an adventure
that we all can have the opportunity to experience for ourselves … God is good!”
At this point in Scott’s heartfelt tribute, he relates how
Grace maintained her liveliness, joy and golden heart and he
praises wife Amy’s strength, constant nurturing and unwavering commitment to “our family.” Scott then takes us to
the Georgia Aquarium, the site of Grace’s final earthly
adventure. He recalls her falling in love with it all summer
and her swimming with whale sharks for the first time and
petting penguins this last time. He also thanks their friends
at the aquarium for enabling her to “party like a rock star
one last time, especially Susan there by writing that she is
truly a blessing to so many.”
Scott then gives thanks to the “Tumor Team” at
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, which was absolutely committed to Grace throughout her fight.
He added praise for the effectiveness of the outside-thebox Eastern medical techniques and acupuncture treatments from Total Wellness of North Carolina.
Scott’s tribute concludes … “On this special Valentine’s
weekend, take that extra second to hold tight those that you
love. Cherish every second that God blesses you with … take
nothing for granted. Be thankful for all that we are blessed
with and never forget who has blessed us with this remarkable journey that we call life. It’s your journey, take the bull
by the horns; find the good in every hardship … own it! God
is good 100 percent of the time. He never promised an easy
life, but he is committed to being with you every step of the
way.”
“De Oppresso Liber. Nous Defions. Never Quit…Never
Surrender, and With A Spirit That Will Not Die!” – Scott
“Oh, to swim with whale sharks and to pet the penguins
… and to understand, more than ever before, the true meaning of Easter.” – Ray
Ray Smith is a commissioned Lay Pastoral Minister for the
Diocese of Covington.
Reconciliation brings Easter joy
Although Easter is a time of great joy for many, it can
also be a painful season. Imagine a woman who has had an
abortion watching children frolic through the grass at an
Easter egg hunt. She may silently ache for the child she’ll
never carry in her arms. Her focus is on the tomb, not on
Jesus’ victory over sin and death and the joy of the
Resurrection. Those who
mourn the loss of their chilGUEST
dren to abortion may feel
they are not worthy of God’s
love. How can the Church
help suffering mothers, as
well as fathers, move from
silent suffering into healing,
peace and even Easter joy?
Many healing journeys
begin with the sacrament of
reconciliation. Through
what the Vatican’s
Congregation for the Clergy
calls the “sacrament of
Mary McClusky
Divine Mercy,” we have a
two-sided, real encounter
with Jesus, present through his priest. We receive mercy,
pardon and grace to strengthen us. If you know someone
hesitant to approach the sacrament because of a past abortion, assure them that Jesus, who never tires of forgiving, is
eagerly awaiting them.
When you encounter those who avoid returning to the
Church because they fear judgment, it may be helpful to
remind them of all whom Jesus forgave and healed. The
woman caught in adultery. The good thief on the cross next
to him at the Crucifixion. The woman of many sins who
washed Jesus’ feet with her tears. St. Paul had been dedicated to the killing and persecution of the early Christians
until Jesus appeared to him. Even St. Peter, our first pope,
denied Jesus three times after knowing that he was the
Christ. Pope Francis has written: “It might seem shocking
but I derive comfort from Peter: he betrayed Jesus and even
so he was chosen.” (“The Name of God is Mercy,” 41–42)
Remember that Jesus said: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who have no need of repentance.” (Luke 15:7)
How can we, as faithful members of the Church, be
bridges to God’s mercy and, as Pope Francis says, make our
parishes “islands of mercy in a sea of indifference”? How
can we live out the spiritual and corporal works of mercy? If
someone confides in you about a previous abortion, listen to
his or her story with compassion and patience. Comfort the
sorrowful, pray for the living and the dead, and bury the
dead. We may not be able to physically bury the child who
was aborted, but he or she can be commemorated at memorial shrines and sites dedicated to unborn children. Local
Catholic cemeteries often have memorials dedicated to
unborn children.
Our celebration of life given to us by Christ’s victory over
sin and death continues long beyond the Easter season
through the sacraments. Sometimes called a “mini-Easter,”
every Sunday’s Mass is a celebration of life together in
Christ. Through baptism, we share in the power of Christ’s
victory over sin and death. May God’s grace help each of us
become channels of healing mercy, so all who suffer from
abortion find peace in Jesus, the Church he founded, and the
joy of the Resurrection.
Locate the nearest diocesan Project Rachel Ministry by
visiting the “Find Help” map at www.hopeafterabortion.com
or www.esperanzaposaborto.com. And please pray that
many will receive the gift of God’s infinite mercy.
Mary McClusky is assistant director for Project Rachel
Ministry Development at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities,
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
6 March 25, 2016
Messenger
Divine Mercy services
on mercy. It will be necessary to accompany these celebrations
with the profession of faith and with prayer for me and for the
intentions that I bear in my heart for the good of the Church
and of the entire world.”
“We want as many as possible to gain the indulgence of the
Holy Year,” said Bishop Foys.
Bishop Foys said that the Holy Year of Mercy is proving to
be “remarkable.” Confession times in parish churches have
been extended for the entire year and the recent 24 Hours for
the Lord celebrated at all parishes in the diocese have drawn
more and more people to experience God’s mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. With 24 Hours for the Lord, churches
remained open and a priest was available in the confessional
from noon Friday until noon Saturday.
(Continued from page 1)
of mercy which, while re-establishing the relationship of each
person with God, also creates new relations of fraternal solidarity among human beings. Christ has taught us that ‘man
not only receives and experiences the mercy of God, but is also
called ‘to practice mercy’ towards others: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matt 5:7).’” St. John Paul II
homily, Mass of Canonization of Sister Mary Faustina
Kowalska, 2000
This year in the Diocese of Covington Bishop Roger Foys
will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday services, April 3, at the
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. Individual
parishes have been advised to defer Divine Mercy services to
the Mother Church so that all of the priests, religious and lay
faithful may celebrate as one with Bishop Foys. Exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament and confessions will be from noon–3
p.m., with vespers and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at
3 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
“It’s the Year of Mercy so we are asking the people to gather
as members of the diocese and giving them opportunity to go
to confession,” said Bishop Foys about his decision to have one
diocesan-wide Divine Mercy service.
Having the celebration at the Cathedral will give people the
opportunity to pass through the Holy Door and receive the
indulgence granted by Pope Francis.
In his letter about the jubilee year indulgence Pope Francis
wrote, “I wish that the Jubilee Indulgence may reach each one
as a genuine experience of God’s mercy, which comes to meet
each person in the face of the Father who welcomes and forgives, forgetting completely the sin committed. To experience
and obtain the Indulgence, the faithful are called to make a
brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door … as a sign of the deep
desire for true conversion … It is important that this moment
be linked, first and foremost, to the sacrament of reconciliation
and to the celebration of the holy Eucharist with a reflection
‘This celebration of Divine Mercy is one more
way of … presenting people with the truth about
how loving and forgiving the merciful God is.’
— Bishop Foys
“Many of our churches had adoration for those 24 hours
and priests tell me there were people praying before the
Blessed Sacrament the entire time. Priests tell me that they had
solid lines of people coming to confession and that the confessions were very special,” said Bishop Foys. “What that says to
me is that we priests have to be more available for this sacrament. The idea of, ‘let’s have confessions 15 minutes before
Mass on the weekend,’ has to be rethought. If we make the
sacrament available and we preach the mercy of God, God’s
people will respond. So I think this is a wake up call for all of
us priests to be more available on a regular basis to God’s people for the sacrament of confession. This celebration of Divine
Mercy is one more way of highlighting that and presenting
people with the truth about how loving and forgiving the merciful God is.”
Cooley photo
March 25, 2016 7
Messenger
An overview of the retreat program in the Diocese of Covington
Msgr. William Cleves
Messenger Contributor
Part 3 of 6
The Messenger has been reporting on a new high school
retreat program — a formation curriculum — which is being
implemented beginning in the 2016–2017 school year. A series of
six articles will be published detailing each retreat. This, the
third, focuses on the freshman year retreat.
Before our birth, we are faced with no questions. Nobody
asked us whether we wished to be human. Nobody asked us
whether we wished to be male or female. We were not asked
what skin color we preferred, or what language we wished to
speak as our native tongue. No one asked us on which continent we wished to be born, or how big a family we wanted. In
a “Peanuts” episode, Linus told Charlie Brown about his newborn baby brother. Linus remarked that he looked so helpless,
and that he thought it unfair that babies should be thrown
into our world without having been given notice. Charlie
Brown asked Linus, “What do you want, a chance to warm up
first?” Linus was expressing sentiments voiced by the
German philosopher Martin Heidegger in his concept of
thrown-ness, namely that we find ourselves in the world, surrounded by facts and circumstances that we did not choose.
Our human nature is God’s gift to us; it offers us a rather
wide range of noble vocations from which to choose. Thus,
our nature has a double dimension: 1) the human nature that
I share with every other human being on the planet, and 2) the
personal choices I make from the range of options that
human nature provides me. This means that we are obligated
to teach our children about human nature, and help them
choose wisely a vocation to live.
All human beings, without exception, face the same fundamental question — the question of the meaning of life. This
question is on a level by itself. It is not on the same level as
questions about what salad dressing we prefer, or what kind
of car we wish to buy. This question cannot be avoided — even
the attempt to run away from it gives the answer that this
question is important. The answer to this question demands
commitment from us. If I decide that the meaning of life is to
be found in ABC, I must embrace ABC, or else I am proclaiming to the world that I have found the answer but am committing myself to nonsense. The answer to this question is not
evident, so we must choose and subsequently justify our
choice. As the philosopher Blaise Pascal said, “To those who
believe, no proof is necessary; to those who do not believe, no
proof is possible.”
The question of the meaning of life has traditionally been
raised in four areas:
— The relation of humanity to death.
— The relation of humans to other humans.
— The relation of humanity to the world.
— The relation of humanity to history.
The above reflections mean that our children must discover what their talents and abilities, their likes and dislikes, are.
They must choose a path of life worthy of the human nature
that God gives to us, and must be faithful to that vocation. The
Freshman Retreat will allow students to reflect on their abilities and talents, their obligations to others and help them to
begin thinking about their calling in life.
In the Catholic tradition, there are four dimensions to formation: 1) human, 2) intellectual, 3) pastoral and 4) spiritual.
Human formation is the most fundamental, in that it provides
the fundamentum (foundation) for the other dimensions. The
Freshman Retreat focuses on human formation, providing
the foundation for further growth in the sophomore, junior
and senior years.
Msgr. William Cleves is pastor, Holy Spirit Parish,
Newport, Ky.
Project Rachel — a
safe place to heal
Bishop meets with students
Debbie Moore’s fourth-grade class at St. Paul School, Florence, visited Bishop Roger Foys, March 18, at the Cathedral
Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. Bishop Foys took the class on a tour of the cathedral and the students walked
through the Jubilee of Mercy Holy Door. The class has adopted Bishop Foys and prays for him every day.
covdio.org
For many years I have felt a deep pain in my heart,
never realizing it was because of an abortion I had more
than 30 years ago. It was before I had even met my now
husband and became a mother of five children.
One day, I was behind a car with a bumper sticker that
read, “Abortion stops a beating heart.” Upon reading that
I knew then where all of
my pain was coming
from. I sat in my car and
wept.
After speaking to a
very kind and brave
priest I learned that God
had incredible love and
forgiveness for me. He
told me about Project
Rachel and also told me
that it was a very confidential, safe place for
me to heal. I went through Project Rachel and it was a
great gift. I have found so much peace in recognizing what
I had done and asking for forgiveness. What a beautiful
ministry Project Rachel is, and I am so very thankful for
the incredible peace I have found.
Contact Project Rachel if you have an abortion experience in your past. Come to know God’s mercy and find
healing and peace in your life. Call today (859) 392-1547 or
e-mail projectrachel@covdio.org.
This anonymous, first-hand Project Rachel experience
has been provided by the diocesan Pro-Life Office.
8 March 25, 2016
Messenger
Diocesan Memorial Mass for the Loss of a Child turns grief to hope
David Cooley
Assistant Editor
Piccola photos
(above) Father
Nicholas Rottman,
pastor, Immaculate
Heart of Mary
Parish, Burlington,
celebrated,
March16, the
diocesan Memorial
Mass for the Loss of
a Child, organized
by the diocesan
Pro-Life Office.
Participants were
invited to register their child’s name in a Book of
Remembrance and to light a vigil candle.
The Memorial Mass for the Loss of a Child was held, March 16, at
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Burlington. Father Nicholas
Rottman, pastor, was the celebrant. Faithful suffering from the loss of
a child at any age — from conception to adulthood — gathered together to support and pray for one another and to pray for and celebrate
the life of their children. Parents wrote their child’s name in the Book
of Remembrance and lit a candle, which they placed in front of the
altar under a representation of
the Pieta, a statue
depicting
Mary
holding
Jesus after he
had been taken
down from the
cross.
In his homily,
Father Rottman
said that hope
was the theme of
the selected readings.
“‘Hope,’ says St. Paul, ‘does not disappoint,’” he said.
“I think that is the theme of this Mass — hope; the hopefulness of being here as we support one another, as we
mourn with one another the loss of our children and celebrate the memory of their lives.
“Our readings today bring out three good reasons for
our hope. Hope for salvation, the salvation of our children, that is the foundation of our hope; hope in God’s
plans for our children’s lives; and hope for God’s plan for
our lives as well,” said Father Rottman.
The first reading was taken from the Book of
Lamentation (3:22-26), which Father Rottman said is a
book of sorrow.
“You know the sorrow of losing a child — the great
pain of loss, of separation, of the loneliness that comes
from that. In this life it will never truly go away. Yet, we
read from that book, today, about the hope that our faith
gives us. We read, ‘It is good to hope in silence for the Lord’s saving
help.’ It is, indeed, his saving help given to us in Jesus Christ — that
is the reason for our hope. We know that Jesus Christ has conquered
death; it does not have the final word.”
Father Rottman said that Christ is the hope of salvation for all — no matter what the circumstances.
“Christ provides the opportunity for our children to be in heaven,
to be at peace, to be at rest, and that can make it easier for us to go on,”
he said.
Father Rottman explained that hope is not simply a hope in salvation but a hope for all lives to have a purpose.
“We often grieve greatly over the lost opportunities, the lost potential of children when they die,” Father Rottman said. “We feel that so
much more could have been accomplished in their life and yet, in our
second reading (Eph. 3:14-19), St. Paul speaks of a God ‘who is able to
accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine.’ So, again, we are
called to hope and trust in God.”
Father Rottman said the life of someone in heaven is much richer
and fuller than life on earth and that they still have a role to play. As
an example he spoke about St. Therese, the Little Flower, who said
that she would spend her time in heaven doing good on earth.
He said that often times when little children die people will say
they are now “angels in heaven.”
“We don’t mean they stop being human beings and become angels;
but if you remember ‘angel’ means a ‘messenger’ — one who is sent
by God — and how right it is to believe that our children who have
reached heaven, like all the saints, still have a role to play here on
earth, they are still called to do good. They can accomplish much
more in heaven than we can accomplish here on earth. And so we
rejoice,” said Father Rottman.
“Finally, in today’s Gospel (Matt 11:25-30), Jesus says, ‘Come to me,
all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. …
My yoke is easy and my burden light.’ We see the hope we should have
in Jesus Christ; not only the hope for our children but the hope he
presents to us. He heals us and gives us strength to walk the daily
walk and carry our daily cross — he carries it with us. God’s love is
stronger than our crosses.”
Father Rottman said that the Eucharist itself is a great sign of
hope, a humble sign where Christ hides himself under veil of bread
and wine. It is a foreshadowing and a faint participation, he said, in
the great heavenly wedding banquet where all will see Christ face to
face.
“So, as we receive this sign of hope, we pray for our children, we
pray that if they are not yet fully at peace that they may be purified
from all their sins and come into the blessed joy of heaven. And we
ask that they pray for us. We pray that they intercede before God that
we may be reunited with them someday,” he said.
“Most of all, we pray for the intercession of our Blessed Mother,
who, as the Pieta statue reminds us, held in her arms her own dead
son, who died for the salvation of the world. She has become our
mother too. By her prayers, may we find ourselves open to the hope
that God holds out to us in Christ Jesus.”
March 25, 2016 9
Messenger
Diocesan Academic Showcase March15,2016
The Diocesan Academic Showcase, formerly known as
the Diocesan Academic Competition, was held March 15 at
St. Henry Elementary School, Elsmere. Seventh– and
eighth–grade students from diocesan elementary and junior high schools competed in the areas of religion, math,
social studies, science, oratory, storytelling and art. Lynn
Mowery, principal, Mary, Queen of Heaven School,
Erlanger, and Dorothy O’Leary, principal, St. Therese
School, Southgate, co-chaired the event. Michael Clines,
superintendent of schools, distributed the awards.
“You’re here because of your desire to compete and to
take a risk,” Mr. Clines said. “When you put yourself out
there, there is no place to hide, so you give it your all. I have
no doubt that in a few years I will be at your high school
graduation listening to all of the college scholarships you
have earned. Some of that success starts right here at this
academic showcase.”
The top finishers in the Academic Showcase are:
Small Schools
Art — Drawing
1st: Evelyn Cook, Prince of Peace School, Covington
2nd: Grace McClurg, St. Augustine School, Covington
3rd: Alexia Davis, Holy Cross Elementary, Latonia
Art — Mixed Media
1st: Allison Bartlett, Prince of Peace School, Covington
2nd: Elizabeth Martin, St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill
3rd: Thomas Daugherty, St. Joseph Academy, Walton
Art — Painting
1st: Mary Faller, Prince of Peace School, Covington
2nd: Samantha Munyon, St. Augustine School, Covington
3rd: Ryan Cain, St. Joseph Academy, Walton
Mathematics
1st: Will Johnson, St. Philip School, Melbourne
2nd: Sean Boyer , Prince of Peace School, Covington
3rd: Hannah Phirman, Sts. Peter and Paul School, California
4th: Luke Dreas, St. Cecilia School, Independence
5th: Gracie Martin, St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill
6th: Logan Holmes, Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger
Oratory
1st: Grace McClurg, St. Augustine School, Covington
2nd: Nick Beck, St. Catherine of Siena School, Ft. Thomas
3rd: Grace Coomer, Holy Trinity School, Newport
Oratory
1st: Elizabeth Martin, St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill
2nd: Piper Mackey, Holy Cross Elementary, Latonia
3rd: Jessica Gruber, Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger
Science
1st: Bella Rodino , Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger
2nd: Christian Wartenburg , Holy Cross Elementary, Latonia
3rd: Sean Boyer , Prince of Peace School, Covington
4th: Christina Weller, St. Augustine School, Covington
5th: Kaitlyn Apgar, Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger
6th: Grace Martin, St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill
Social Studies
1st: Taylor Zimmerman, Prince of Peace School, Covington
2nd: Annie McClurg, St. Augustine School, Covington
3rd: Mario Garcia-Manon, Holy Family School, Covington
4th: Kara Krumpelman, St. Cecilia School, Indpendence
5th: Grace DiCesare, Prince of Peace School, Covington
6th: Jacob Frisk, St. Thomas School, Ft. Thomas
Storytelling
1st: Sophie Hammond, Holy Trinity School, Newport
2nd: Emma Davis, St. Cecilia School, Independence
3rd: Lilly Boden, St. Catherine of Siena School, Ft. Thomas
Storytelling
1st: Haley Govan, St. Philip School, Melbourne
2nd: Parker Mirus, Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger
3rd: Emily Warren, St. Augustine School, Covington
Large Schools
Art — Drawing
1st: Autumn Kellerman, Immaculate Heart of Mary School,
Burlington
Keener photos
(top left) Dorothy O’Leary, principal, St. Therese School, Southgate, and co-chair for the Diocesan Academic Showcase,
welcomes students and parents, March 15, to the awards presentation at St. Henry Elementary School, Elsmere.
(above center and right) Michael Clines, superintendent of schools, distributed the awards.
2nd: Grace Kessen, St. Joseph School, Cold Spring
3rd: Madelyn Gordon, St. Pius X School, Edgewood
Art — Mixed Media
1st: Alyssa Monson, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
2nd: Jessica Gurren, St. Henry School, Elsmere
3rd: Emma Jennings, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
Art — Painting
1st: Chloe Collins, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
2nd: Alyson Miller, St. Mary School, Alexandria
3rd: Madison Wittrock, St. Joseph School, Cold Spring
Mathematics
1st: Matthew Allison, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
2nd: Christopher Fitz, St. Pius X School, Edgewood
3rd: Laura Neltner, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
4th: Will Clark, St. Pius X School, Edgewood
5th: Sean Ryan, St. Henry School, Elsmere
6th: T. J. Mueller, Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Burlington
Oratory
1st: Sarah Johnson, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell
2nd: Amber Konerman, St. Henry School, Elsmere
3rd: Katie Evans, Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Burlington
Oratory
1st: Maria Broering, St. Therese School, Southgate
2nd: Ceceilagh Pitstick, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
3rd: Hannah Wirth, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
Science
1st: Sam France, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell
2nd: Samantha Bailey, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell
3rd: Trey Gronotte, St. Pius X School, Edgewood
4th: Ashley Schlake and Reese Hoppius, St. Henry School,
Elsmere
5th: Luke Eisner, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
6th: Will Bright, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
Social Studies
1st: Chloe Collins, St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright
2nd: Joseph Kiely, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell
3rd: Pete Williams, St. Joseph School, Cold Spring
4th: Colin Pritchett, St. Henry School, Elsmere
5th: Maria Broering, St. Therese School, Southgate
6th: Niko Papakirk, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
Storytelling
1st: Lexi Rezelj, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs
2nd: Molly Kleier, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell
3rd: Logan Vaillancourt, St. Henry School, Elsmere
Storytelling
1st: Jonah Krebs, St. Therese School, Southgate
2nd: Olivia Barclay, St. Paul School, Florence
3rd: Abby Cook, St. Joseph School, Cold Spring
10 March 25, 2016
Messenger
St.Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs, celebrates centennial
Laura Keener
Editor
On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, March 19, Bishop
Roger Foys celebrated Mass at St. Joseph Parish, Crescent
Springs, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the
parish. Father Philip De Vous, pastor, concelebrated, along
with Father Edward Brodnick, former pastor; Father Jo
Joy, parochial vicar; Father Ronald Ketteler; Msgr. Eugene
Morris; Father Daniel Noll, parish son; Father Robert
Reinke; and Father Daniel Vogelpohl. Deacon James
Brockmeier and
Deacon Hudson
Henry assisted.
“Happy feast
day and happy
anniversary,” said
Bishop Foys in his
homily. “Today we
not only celebrate
the 100th anniversary of this parish
church and this
parish community but also we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the
patron of this church. A patronal feast is always a special
time in the life of the parish community, a time when we
ask for prayers and intercessions from the Lord.
“We began tonight reading the Passion of our Lord
Savior, Jesus Christ. For 100 years people have been gathering under the patronage of St. Joseph in this parish to
listen to that message. A lot has happened in the past 100
years. The world has changed, the Church has changed,
the way we live has changed, knowledge — medical breakthroughs and science — have changed, but through all
those changes in the past 100 years one thing that has not
(Continued on page 16)
Bishop Roger Foys celebrated Mass, March 19, opening
the 100th anniversary celebrations of St. Joseph Parish,
Crescent Springs.
(above right) The Breetz family brought the gifts to
Bishop Foys.
(right) Clergy joining in the celebration were (from left)
Father Edward Brodnick, Father Daniel Vogelpohl, Father
Daniel Noll, Father Robert Reinke and Deacon Thomas
Picchioni.
Keener photos
March 25, 2016 11
Messenger
Save The Dates!
(above) At the altar during
the consecration for the
opening Mass are: (from left)
Deacon Hudson Henry,
Bishop Foys, Father De Vous,
Father Daniel Schomaker,
Father Ronald Ketteler,
Deacon James Brockmeier,
Father Jo Pacheriyil Joy,
Msgr. Eugene Morris,
Father Edward Brodnick,
Father Daniel Vogelpohl,
Father Daniel Noll and
Father Robert Reinke.
(left) In his homily Bishop
Foys said, “In the last 100
years people in this parish
have come and gone,
pastors have come and gone,
bishops have come and gone
and the one thing that
remains firm is faith.”
Upcoming events celebrating the
100th anniversary of St. Joseph Parish,
Crescent Springs.
June 12, 2:00 p.m
Old fashioned family picnic — church
grounds
Sept. 11, 12:30 p.m.
Cultural fest — Noll Hall
Fall 2016
Centennial Church Bus Tour
Nov. 18, 10 a.m.–Nov. 20, 6 p.m.
Forty Hours Devotion — Church
(top) Father Philip De Vous, pastor,
concelebrated the opening Mass with
Bishop Foys.
Nov. 20, 6 p.m.
Forty Hours Devotion closing —
Church
Parish servers at the Mass (in no
particular order) are: Rachael Case,
Spencer Eiting, Chris Macke, Patrick
Stebbins, Blake Stouffer, Miranda
Stouffer and Tommy Wenning.
Nov. 20, 7 p.m.
Centennial Closing Reception —
Noll Hall
Ahistory of St.Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs
Tom Ward
Messenger Contributor
The town of Crescent Springs was conveniently located on
the Cincinnati Southern Railroad. In the early 20th century
many people still traveled by rail as their primary mode of
transportation between cities. The small town had reason to
believe that it would witness substantial growth during the
coming decades; it likewise made sense for the Catholic citizens of Crescent Springs to think that they could support
their own parish.
In 1909 some Catholics of the area formed a committee to
plan for a church. Mr. J. A. Seissinger was chosen to represent
them before Bishop Camillus P. Maes. The bishop was sympathetic, but required a petition that would prove the interest of
the local Catholic population in supporting a parish in
Crescent Springs. The committee met Feb. 28, 1909, after
which they sent a petition to Bishop Maes with signatures of
24 people. He then acceded to their request. A site on a hill was
chosen and in 1916 the Diocese of Covington purchased it.
Father Herman Busse was a diocesan priest whom Bishop
Ferdinand Brossart appointed to replace the Benedictine
Father Theodore Schmidt as chaplain of St. Walburg
Monastery, home of the Sisters of Saint Benedict. At the same
time Father Busse was given the care of the congregation that
gathered in Crescent Springs. It became his responsibility to
undertake the organization of what would become St. Joseph
Parish.
On May 28, 1916, Bishop Brossart officiated at the cornerstone-laying ceremony, an event that proceeded with great
fanfare. The Knights of St. John, the Catholic Order of
Foresters, and other groups participated in a parade that
escorted the bishop from the railway station to the site
acquired for the church.
A small brick church that could seat 250 parishioners was
soon erected on the spot at the cost of around $7,000. Bishop
Brossart returned to Crescent Springs, Sept. 3, 1916, to dedicate the new St. Joseph Church. The inside of the structure
would soon be graced by an oil painting of St. Joseph by wellknown local artist Johann Schmitt; the painting remains a
prized possession of the
parish.
As the first pastor, Father
Busse remained in office
until forced to resign in
September 1929 because of
health issues. During his
tenure St. Joseph Parish also
constructed a school in 1917
and added a rectory to the campus in 1921. In light of Father
Busse’s long-standing relationship with the Benedictine
Sisters, it was appropriate that they were to staff the new
school. He died in July the year following his retirement.
His successor as pastor, Father John Bankemper, oversaw
construction of a new two-classroom school in 1930. This
school was used until Father George Stier began work on a
larger brick school in 1951, which Bishop William T. Mulloy
dedicated Nov. 23, 1952.
The City of Crescent Springs continued to grow, and the
number of St. Joseph parishioners kept pace until a new
church was necessary. Ground was broken Sept. 8, 1958. Work
then began on a design by architect Charles Hildreth, with
Father Stier himself as general contractor. Many furnishings
from the old church were placed in the new and parishioners
provided much of the labor. The T-shaped structure featured
marble in the sanctuary and locally constructed stained glass
windows, most of which were paid for by donations from
parishioners. The total cost to the parish came to over
$250,000.
The new St. Joseph Church was opened in May 1960. Msgr.
Herbert Hillenmeyer, administrator for the diocese following
the death of Bishop Mulloy, gave permission to Father Stier
for a private blessing of the facility on May 14, shortly before
Bishop
Richard
H.
Ackerman was installed
as Bishop of Covington.
Nearly two years later
Bishop
Ackerman
presided at the formal
dedication on May 6,
1962. For this solemn
occasion, Father Leo
Streck, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, offered the homily in which he stated that the church “expresses the faith of
the people who built it.” Over the next several years additional classrooms were added to the school.
A big change came in 1995 during the pastorate of Father
Raymond Hartman when both the church and school were
expanded and renovated. According to the plan by architect
Robert Hayes, a wall was removed in the church to allow for
an addition that increased the seating capacity by 100, and the
sanctuary was remodeled. A three-year fund-raising campaign secured the necessary $2.2 million. Msgr. Donald
Hellman, administrator of the diocese after Bishop William
A. Hughes retired, dedicated the church on Sept. 2.
With the completion of the expansion, St. Joseph Parish
was ready to move forward into the 21st century and is prepared for continued growth as it celebrates its centennial.
Tom Ward is the archivist for the Diocese of Covington, Ky.
100
th
anniversary
12 March 25, 2016
March 25, 2016 13
DIACONATE ORDINATION
BishopFoysordains seminarians
totheOrderofDeacon
I
n a solemn ceremony Bishop Roger Foys ordained three seminarians to the Order of Deacon, March 19, the feast of St.
Joseph, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington.
The three seminarians are Britton Hennessey, Ross Kelsch and
Joseph Shelton. For these three men ordination to the diaconate
is a transitional step before ordination to the priesthood in 2017.
“We are celebrating two important events today in the life of
the Church,” said Bishop Foys. “It is the solemnity of St. Joseph,
husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus, and we are celebrating the ordination to the diaconate of three of our candidates for
the priesthood.”
Bishop Foys said that no priest, deacon or servant of the Lord
could ask for a better example, a better witness, a better model
than St. Joseph.
“He is known to us as a just man and a humble man — a man
of great faith,” he said.
“These three men, who will be ordained to the diaconate today,
on their journey to the priesthood, have been chosen by God and
affirmed by the Church. Like Joseph, they have accepted the
Lord’s call. They didn’t run from it, they didn’t look for something better or something more lucrative to do with their lives.”
Bishop Foys said, like St. Joseph, these three men are called to
be faithful, humble and obedient.
“The Lord sees in them, and the Church affirms in them, their
faith — faith in the God who loves us. They are called, through
their ordination, to strengthen that faith in the Lord, in his word
and in his Church,” he said.
“They are called to be humble and to always look out for the
good of others — to put others’ needs before their own, always.
“And they are called to be obedient. Today they will put their
hand in mine and promise respect and obedience to me and to my
successors, for life. That is not an easy thing to do, to give one’s
will to the hands of another, to go where they are sent and do
what they are called to do by another. We have to die to ourselves
so that we can live for Christ.”
Bishop Foys reminded the candidates that they were there
that day to stand before their bishop, their brother deacons, the
presbyterate, and their families and friends to accept the Lord’s
call.
“You will make promises this day, promises to pray with and
for God’s people, promises to be examples that others can follow,
promises of respect and obedience. If you put yourself at the
service of the Lord and the people you have been called to serve
and if you can accept whatever comes your way with joy and
peace in your heart, I promise you that you will have a fulfilling
life, like no other. It might not always be an easy life; sometimes
you might be asked to do things you’d rather not do, sometimes
you might disagree and that’s alright; as long as in the end you
are faithful to the promises you have made this day.”
Bishop Foys reminded the congregation of their obligation to
pray for these men.
“Pray that the Lord will strengthen them and guide them and
give them the courage they need to embrace fully this wonderful
life to which they have been called,” he said.
(above) Litany of Supplication — As the candidates lay prostrate before the altar, all present plead for God’s grace
for the candidates.
(left) Calling of Candidates — The candidates are called by the Church to serve God’s people (from left) Britton
Hennessey, Ross Kelsch and Joseph Shelton. Each answers by affirming his presence, readiness and willingness.
(left middle) Sign of Peace — By the fraternal kiss the deacons present welcome the newly ordained to a common
ministry in their order.
(above top) Investiture — The newly ordained are invested with the stole, the
sign of the deacon’s office, and the dalmatic, the outer garment that symbolizes
humble service.
(above) Imposition of Hands — Through the imposition of hands by
Bishop Foys and the prayer of ordination, the gift of the Holy Spirit is
conferred on the candidates. “Send forth upon them, Lord, we pray,
the Holy Spirit, that they may be strengthened by the gift of your
sevenfold grace for the faithful carrying out of the work of the ministry.”
(left) Handing on the Book of the Gospels — It is the duty of the deacon
to proclaim the Gospel and preach its meaning by word and example.
Cooley and Keener photos
“Receive the Gospel of Christ,
whose herald you have become.
Ordination of a Deacon
(middle left) Newly ordained Deacon Ross Kelsch serves at the altar, assisting
Bishop Foys.
(middle right) Promise of the Elect — The candidates express their resolve to carry
out this office in accord with the mind of Christ and the Church under the
direction of the bishop.
(above) Formation Directors — (from left) Father Gregory Bach, diocesan
vocation promoter; Benedictine Father Boniface Hicks, assistant spiritual director,
St. Vincent Seminary; and Benedictine Father Edward Mazich, rector, St. Vincent
Seminary.
(left) Bishop Foys, the newly ordained deacons and the seminarians of
the Diocese of Covington.
(from left) Samuel Rodgers, Deacon Thomas Picchioni, Deacon David
Ludwig, Michael Grady, Deacon James Schaeper, Deacon Joseph Shelton,
Joseph Finke, Deacon Eric Andriot, Bishop Foys, Conor Kunath, Deacon
Jason Bertke, David Finke, Deacon Ross Kelsch, Deacon Benton Clift,
Joseph Rielage, Deacon Britton Hennessey, Alex Godbey, Jordan Hainsey
and Alex Deters.
14 March 25, 2016
Messenger
PEOPLE AND EVENTS
Saint
of the Week Simon of Cyrene
F e a s t d a y : G o o d F r i d a y, M a r c h 2 5
Newsworthy
Happy birthday to Deacon Charles Melville, St.
Barbara Parish, Erlanger, April 6; Father William
Hinds, retired, April 7; Father Mario Tizziani, pastor,
St. Cecilia Parish, Independence, April 8; and Father
John Cahill, retired, April 11.
The Notre Dame Academy Future Business Leaders of
America (FBLA) team competed at the Region 4 FBLA
Conference. The following students placed in the top
three of their respective events and will be moving on
to the FBLA State Conference, Louisville, in April: Tess
Witt and Rachel Franzen (seniors) – 1st place, Social
Media Campaign; Annie Lee (junior) – 1st place,
Business Calculations; Erika Nageleisen (sophomore) –
2nd place, Introduction to Business Procedures; Abbie
Macke (senior) – 2nd place, Personal Finance; Megan
Heeb (freshman) – 2nd place, Public Speaking; Lauren
Lawler and Claire Benson (juniors) – 3rd place,
Entrepreneurship.
The weekly TV Mass from the Cathedral Basilica of the
Assumption will be broadcast on Sunday, 5–6 p.m. on station
Me TV WLWT, on channels: over the air 5-2; Time Warner
Cable 188 in Kentucky and Cincinnati Bell 23 or 291.
Have something to list in “People and Events”? The deadline
for event notices is nine days prior to the desired publication
date. E-mail messenger@covdio.org no later than the
Wednesday before the week you would like the information to
appear.
Looking to grow deeper in faith? A Life in the Spirit Seminar
could be what you are looking for. Sessions held at St. Pius X
Parish, Edgewood, 7–8:45 p.m., on Tuesdays beginning March
■
A farmer from modern-day Libya passing by as Christ carried the cross
■
Seeing Christ was exhausted, the soldiers compelled Simon to help carry the cross
■
There is a tradition he had a profound conversion and two of his sons became missionaries
“Bear one another’s burdens.”
To learn more, visit www.saintsoftheweek.com
29 and lasting seven weeks. Call 991-3860 to register. Visit
www.CharismaticNKY.com. Presented by the Mustard Seed
Community, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Diocese of
Covington.
Are you interested in starting a health ministry in your faith
community, learning more about integrating spirituality into
your practice or attaining the skills to deliver whole-person
care? GSH/ St. Elizabeth Healthcare Health Ministries
Program will present “Foundations in Faith Community
Nursing,” March 31, at Life Learning Center, Covington, 8:15
a.m.–4:15 p.m. Appropriate for all members of a health ministry team including nurses, allied health professionals, clergy
and congregational staff.
Respect for Life Mass will be offered by Father Ryan Stenger
at St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring, April 2, 8:30 a.m.
Immediately following the Mass,
4,000 crosses will be erected on
the church and school grounds.
Notre Dame Academy’s
Uganda Panda Club, 5K
walk/run on NDA’s campus in
Park Hills, April 3, 8:30 a.m. benefiting Unified for Uganda, an
organization that financially and
emotionally supports the educational journey of destitute children in northern Uganda. $15
per person (children 3 and under
are free). Register online at
www.ndapdandas.org or on-site
at the walk/run beginning at 7:30
a.m.
Book study
Fifth-grade students at St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright, collaborated in small
groups during a recent novel study.
Cincinnati Catholic Alumni
Club, volunteer opportunity,
April 5, 6–7:30 p.m. at St. George
Food Pantry, Clifton. Call (513)
574-8573.
St. Henry District High School’s
first-ever Crusader volleyball
–St. Paul letter to Galatians 6:2
spring clinic for girls currently in grades three, four and five,
Tuesdays, April 5–May 10, 6–7:30 p.m., at the St. Henry Athletic
Complex. Call 525-0255, registrations due March 30.
St. Henry District High School’s own “Fashion Cru,” a club
devoted to helping students learn about fashion design, merchandising and marketing, will hold its second annual Vendor
Fair, April 7, 5:30–8 p.m., in Millay Hall at the SHDHS campus.
Additional interested vendors can inquire about a free space to
jfeinauer@shdhs.org.
The Joy of Mercy, a presentation on God’s great mercy, given
by Msgr. William Cleves at Our Savior Parish, Covington,
April 8, 6:30 p.m.
Holy Cross High School, mulch sale, three colors for $4.25 per
bag, including free delivery. Delivery begins April 8. Order
online at www.hcmulch.com, call 291-8588 or contact any Holy
Cross High School student.
St. Mary’s Ladies’ Society, rummage and bake sale, April 9,
8 a.m.–1 p.m., at St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring.
Cincinnati Catholic Alumni Club, dinner at Andy’s
Mediterranean Grill, Cincinnati, April 10, 5:30 p.m. Call Larry
(513) 520-1323.
Father Jo Joy will celebrate Mass followed by an inner healing prayer service, April 11, 7 p.m., at St. Joseph Parish,
Crescent Springs. All are welcome. Services take place on the
second Monday of every month except January and August.
Bishop Brossart High School class of 2016 presents “Once
Upon a Mattress,” April 15, 16 and 17 in the Munninghoff
Family Performing Arts Center. Performances are Friday and
Saturday, 8 p.m., and Sunday, 3 p.m. Opening night social, April
15, 6:30 p.m. Call 635-2108, ext.1021 or e-mail smt@bishopbrossart.org for tickets.
The junior class at Holy Cross District High School will
sponsor bingo, April 15, in the high school cafeteria. Doors
open at 6:30 p.m. Jitneys are at 7 p.m. and regular bingo at 8
p.m. $5 tickets may be bought from any junior student or by emailing lisa.baumann@hchscov.. This activity that helps fund
the class trip to Washington, D.C.
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Yes, buying a home today makes sense. Interest rates are still low, there’s tax benefits
and the city offers the Covington Homebuyer Assistance Program in the amount of
$5000 for those that qualify. Brick ranch with 2 large bedrooms, master walk-in closet,
decorative doorways, lower level walkout, garage access to the home and a flat level
fenced yard on a double lot. Newer roof, hot water heater, air conditioner, heating
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With every home I sell, a contribution is made to the
Children’s Miracle Network “helping local kids”.
Please call Marie Wieder of RE/MAX
Affiliates at (859) 801-9762
MARIE WIEDER, ABR, SFR, e-PRO
Parishioner St. Joseph, Crescent Springs
March 25, 2016 15
Messenger
PEOPLE AND EVENTS
A 20-year tradition
For the past 20 years during Lent, the students of St. Joseph School, Cold
Spring, have brought in the “fixins” for a delicious meal for the guests of
Parish Kitchen. On March 5, nine eighth-grade students, two moms and two
teachers went to Parish Kitchen. They brought all the food that had been collected and cooked a great spaghetti lunch for the guests. Money donated by the
third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students went to purchase some of the meat as
well as milk, lettuce and other veggies for the salad. They served 151 guests. A
check for $106.75 will also be sent to Parish Kitchen to purchase milk in the
future.
Cincinnati Catholic Alumni Club, dinner and movie, April 16,
5 p.m., call (513) 574-0050 for details.
Celebrating Christ in the Psalms, a weekend retreat for
women, at St. Walburg Monastery, Villa Hills, April 22–24.
Reflections in lectio style will explore God’s voice calling all to
a deeper union in Christ. Retreatants are invited to join the
monastic choir for Liturgy of the Hours. Lodging will be at the
monastery’s Guest House. Contact Benedictine Sister Dorothy
Schuette, dorothysosb@gmail.com or Benedictine Sister
Rosemary McCormack, ssrose86g@gmail.com.
Sts. Peter and Paul Boosters’ Golf Outing, Northern
Kentucky Golf Club, May 21, 1 p.m.; tee time, 2 p.m.
Tournament will be played in scramble with four-person
teams. If you do not enter a team list, you will be placed with
other golfers. Call 635-8128 or e-mail jverst@fuse.net.
St. Henry District High School annual volleyball summer
camp, June 6–9, for girls in grades K–8. Call 525-0255, registrations due May 20.
Bishop Brossart High School, summer drama camp for students in grades K–8, in the Munninghoff Family Performing
Arts Center. The camp will run June 20–24, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; auditions: June 15 and June 16. The show performance will be
June 25, 7 p.m. E-mail rtieman@sthenryel.com.
“Cloudy with a Chance of Salvation,” a one-day retreat for
middle school students (grades 6-8), July 9, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at
Ruah Woods, Cincinnati. Retreat is an introduction to major
themes found in St. John Paul II’s “Man and Woman He
Created Them: A Theology of the Body.” Register at ruahwoods.org by July 1. E-mail cfleming@ruahwoods.org or call
(513) 407-8672.
LANDSCAPING DESIGN,
INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE
Tree Trimming and Removal
Stump Removal — Drainage & Grading
Seeding & Sodding — Retaining Walls
Walks & Patios — Decks
We like ‘pi’
The seventh-grade class at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Burlington, had fun finding
creative ways to celebrate “Pi Day.” In addition to making pi ornaments, and bringing in many pi
pies and other desserts, they also made the pi symbol themselves. They are shown here with their
teacher, Cecelia Kunstek.
Foster/adoptive
parents needed. For
information call the
Diocesan Catholic
Children’s Home, 3312040.
Foreclosure/delinquency
counseling at Catholic
Charities. There are
many options for homeowners. Groups and individual sessions available.
Call 581-8974.
Mary Rose Mission,
Florence, is serving food
to those in need on
Sundays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays 4–6 p.m.
Volunteers needed, 11
a.m.–3:15 p.m. and 3:15–7
p.m. Contact volunteer
@maryrose mission.org.
Service learning
Kindergarten students at St. Henry School, Elsmere, worked with a local
quilting group during “Q” week to make a baby quilt for this year’s service
learning project.
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FISHING EQUIPMENT. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS LISTED ABOVE PLEASE CALL
US AT 859-816-7910 AS WE ARE PAYING FAIR MARKET PRICES!!!
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16 March 25, 2016
Messenger
St. Joseph, Crescent Springs
(Continued from page 10)
changed is our faith.
“The history of this parish tells us that because of its
proximity to the railroad line Bishop Maes founded the
parish here so that Catholic families could build a community around it. The parish came first, then the community
was built around the parish — interesting and significant.
It was faith that built that community. It was faith that
called the community together and formed those people
and this parish community.
“In the last 100 years people in this parish have come
and gone, pastors have come and gone, bishops have come
and gone, yet the one thing that remains firm is faith.
“So for 100 years people have gathered here to sing
God’s praises, to sing with one voice, to sing one song.
Sometimes that faith is tested, but their faith was stronger
than anything that happened outside of them, because
their faith was from the inside out. And it is that faith, that
belief that comes from God loving us and caring for us,
that gives us cause to celebrate a century of this parish
community.
“It wasn’t always easy. The history of this parish shows
there were good times and bad times, there was plenty and
there was want, there were joys and there were sorrows,
but through it all, the people of the parish of St. Joseph, led
by your spiritual leaders — your pastors, your shepherds
— through it all, the faith has remained strong.
“From the first days since the parish community was
founded the parishioners desired to establish a school,
staffed by the Benedictine sisters. They established a
school to transmit and to pass on the most precious thing
the Lord has given us next to life — our faith.
“So today we celebrate and I congratulate your pastor,
Father Philip De Vous, for his leadership and his shepherding of this parish, caring for this flock, that has been
entrusted to his care. Congratulations to all you parishioners of St. Joseph Parish for carrying on the faith that
Family owned & operated at
same location since 1945!
founded this place, working not only for the present but
also for the future, so that 100 years from now people will
pray for us and people will be grateful for what we have
done. May the Lord that has begun this good work in you,
and has carried it on for 100 years, bring it to completion.”
In a telephone interview Father De Vous thanked the
Centennial Committee — Bill and Diane Davis, Steve and
Marianne Fieger, Barb Fritz, Lynn McPhillips and Rafael
Torres — for their work in preparing for the centennial celebration, which included a dinner following Mass. “Those
are the people who are making things happen,” said
Father De Vous. “We have been working over a year now
and these are the agents that get things off the ground.”
In talking about the challenges that St. Joseph Parish
faces as it begins its second century of living out the faith
in Crescent Springs, Ky., Father De Vous identified what he
calls “the atheism of busyness” as the primary pastoral
challenge facing the parish today.
“Because parishioners are engaged in so many activities — civically and religiously and with their children —
the challenge is to penetrate that busyness that tends to
block out the call of faith and the priority of Christ. Every
parish faces that in a way, of course. It’s a very real challenge and is one that people share when they come to our
ministries. They say, ‘I never stopped being Catholic’ or ‘I
never wanted to stop practicing my faith, I just got busy.’ So
it is something I have heard people testify. This is a real
challenge for highly educated, suburban communities to
be constantly finding new ways to introduce the priority of
Christ into lives that are busy, in the modern sense.”
“Looking back over the long history of the parish we
have had challenges from the Ku Klux Klan and we had
challenges from the Depression and the World War and the
challenges of the roaring 1960s and all the changes that
came from there and so this is the challenge we are called
to meet of our day. I believe God gave us the graces to meet
the challenges of the last 100 years and I am confident he
will give us the graces to meet the challenges of the next
100 years.”
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Father De Vous said that he is most impressed and
proud of the way that parishioners at St. Joseph Parish
respond in charity to the needs of the poor and needy —
locally and internationally — and also to the spiritual
develop of parishioners.
“We have been very, very successful with our men’s and
women’s Christ Renews His Parish (CHRP) program. The
fact is the community is still largely and completely a suburban community and there is an isolation that can go on
in suburban communities. That program (CHRP), in addition to introducing people to Christ and reengaging them
in the content and substance of their faith, also puts them
into deep connection with each other, which sometimes
doesn’t happen given the dynamics of suburban communities. So that program meets a real need for our parish in a
specific way; it has been a real blessing to our parish.
“Another thing we do exceedingly well is that given the
relative overall affluence of the neighborhoods in which
we are situated it could be very easy to forget about the
poor and the needy. But our parish is very conscious of the
poor and the needy. Our parish Christian outreach program is involved with a variety of organizations that are
working on the ground with the poor and the needy in our
community. Our parish gives money but also time, talent
and personnel to those various needs across the community. Our Holy Name Society is very, very involved personally
with the Franciscan Daughters of Mary, Covington.
“Our parish has also been devoted to a variety of projects in Haiti; parishioners have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to various missions and works in Haiti as
well as sending a few dozen parishioners down there over
the years. Both are real living connections for us and I am
proud of St. Joseph Parish for their works of charity, when
it would be easy to not see those things given our neighborhood and how we tend to operate our lives in straight
lines.”
For a history of St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs, see
page 11.
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March 25, 2016 17
Messenger
Pope condemns ‘blind violence,’ offers
prayers after Brussels attacks
Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
Cooley photo
Scholarship Tax Credit education
EdChoice Kentucky presented, March 21, at Bishop
Howard Memorial Auditorium, Covington, a luncheon
event called “Educational Opportunity for All,” which
explained the importance of Scholarship Tax Credits
for students in Kentucky and how citizens can help.
The presentation was given by Andrew Vandiver,
parishioner at St. Barbara Parish, Erlanger, and associate director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky —
the organization that represents the state’s four Roman
Catholic dioceses in public policy matters. Scholarship
Tax Credits allow individuals or businesses to receive a
dollar-for-dollar tax credit from state taxes when they
contribute to qualified non-profit organizations providing tuition assistance for low- and middle-income students attending non-public schools. According to Mr.
Vandiver, this issue will greatly benefit student outcomes, state competition and investment in education.
To learn more sign up for the newsletter at
www.edchoiceky.com.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, condemning the “blind
violence” of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, offered his
prayers to the victims, the injured, their families and all those
offering assistance in the aftermath of the bombings.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent
the pope’s condolences March 22 to Archbishop Jozef De
Kesel of Mechelen-Brussels.
“The Holy Father again condemns the blind violence
which causes so much suffering, and he implores from God
the gift of peace,” the message said.
The pope “entrusts to God’s mercy those who died and, in
prayer, he shares the pain of their loved ones,” the message
said. “He expresses his deepest sympathy to the injured and
their families, as well as for all those providing assistance,
“asking the Lord to give them comfort and consolation amid
this ordeal.”
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman,
told reporters the attacks in Brussels would not lead to any
changes in Pope Francis’ Holy Week and Easter schedule.
Already for the Year of Mercy, especially after the November
terrorist attacks in Paris, the Italian police presence at the
Vatican has been increased.
Three nearly simultaneous attacks — two at the Brussels
airport and one on the Brussels area of Maalbeek, near where
much of the European Union is based — left at least 31 dead
and dozens more injured. At least one of the airport attacks
was attributed to a suicide bomber.
The Associated Press reported that a spokesman for the
Brussels Metro said 20 people were killed and more than 100
injured in an explosion on a train, and Belgian media reported at least 11 dead in two explosions at the airport, with many
others injured. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
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After the attacks, Belgium raised its terror alert to the
highest level.
Belgium’s Catholic bishops said they shared “the anguish
of thousands of passengers and their families, aviation professionals and aid teams called to the breach once more.”
The bishops said airport chaplains were “at the daily service of all,” and would “offer the necessary spiritual service,”
adding that it counted on the whole country to “live through
these days with great civic responsibility.”
Brussels Auxiliary Bishop Jean Kockerols told the
Church’s Cathobel news agency he was shocked by the savagery of the “completely absurd attacks.”
“We must support the efforts of the public authorities
we’ve elected and mandated to serve the common good and
maintain law and order,” Bishop Kockerols said.
“It’s a great mystery that this has all happened on the
threshold of Holy Week, the most sacred time for Christians,
when we are about to mark Good Friday and Easter. In the
face of such madness, we should adopt the courageous attitude of Mary, who remained at the foot of the cross in
silence.”
Father Charles De Clercq, a Brussels priest, told Cathobel
he had been in the first car of the bombed Metro train, which
had been “plunged into darkness and filled with smoke” after
the explosion.
“Smashed windows fell on my knees — there was light,
smoke and shouts. The driver arrived after two minutes with
a lamp and made the passengers leave via an emergency window,” the priest said.
“On the floor, passengers were curled up, obviously in
pain, who could have been crushed by those in flight. I knew
there’d been two explosions in the morning at Zaventem (airport), so I knew there was a real possibility this was also an
attack.”
18 March 25, 2016
Messenger
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Overgrown shrubs, bushes, weeds & trees.
Any yard work help you may need, just ask.
Free quotes – Low rates – Senior discounts
Call Dave Vollman (859) 803-6741
The Diocese of Covington’s Catholic Charities is seeking
candidates for Assistant Floor Manager of our Parish
Kitchen ministry. This individual sets the tone for the dining
room: ensuring that meals are served efficiently and courteously; maintaining the highest state of cleanliness in the
dining area; and utilizing volunteers effectively. The
Assistant Manager greets guests as they enter, and facilitates
the flow of patrons and management of tables. This position
is full-time, generally five days M-F from 7:00 am-2:00 pm but
some evening or weekend coverage will be necessary.
Candidates should be familiar with the cultural aspects of
poverty, homelessness, addiction and mental health issues
and with the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding the
preferential option for the poor. A bachelor’s degree in a
human services-related field is preferred. A more detailed
description of this job opportunity can be viewed at
www.catholiccharities.org. Interested individuals should
submit a resume, including at least three references, along
with a cover letter and salary history by e-mail or fax to
Stephen Koplyay, SPHR skoplyay@covdio.org, 859/392-1589.
EOE
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Basic computer skills with customer service and
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Wanted to Buy:
Tools, camping, hunting and fishing supplies/clothing. Including
hand tools, guns, knives, fishing poles, tackle boxes, camouflage,
Gortex and carhartt products.
Call Norb at (859) 912-0340 or e-mail him at
goesslinn@hotmail.com
Larry’s Tree Service
(859) 635-8528 or 240-4563
Reasonable Rates — Free Estimates
Senior Citizen Discounts Available
LOVE TO CLEAN?
MaidPro is looking for
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Work days are M-F. Driver’s license and vehicle
required (travel reimbursement). Background
checks done on all hires. Great work environment.
Competitive hourly rate, plus tips! Apply in person,
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Lane, Florence, KY. For more info, go online to
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Painting / Carpet Cleaning
Interior & exterior painting, carpet cleaning (free Scotchgard).
In business since 1988. Members of St. Timothy Parish.
Moore’s Carpet Cleaning — Union, Ky. — 384-6297
PRINCIPAL
St. Augustine Elementary School in Covington, Ky. is seeking
candidates interested in the ministry of School Principal.
The Catholic schools of the Diocese of Covington are
committed to offering children a quality education founded
on Gospel values while promoting academic excellence and
creative thinking in a safe and nurturing environment. St.
Augustine is a member of the Diocese’s Alliance for Catholic
Urban Education consortium which, since 1997, has been
working with the urban community to ensure that children
within inner-city areas continue to have access to a Catholic
education. Urban schools are a vital mission of the Diocese
and they provide an exemplary Christ-centered moral and
academic education to students. Candidates for Principal
must be practicing Roman Catholics in good standing, who
are eligible for Kentucky certification. Interested individuals
should email, fax, or mail a letter of interest, a comprehensive resume or C-V, a recently prepared baptismal certificate,
transcripts of academic preparation, and a list of at least
five references to: Stephen Koplyay, SPHR,
1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011-3115,
FAX 859/392-1589, or skoplyay@covdio.org.
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March 25, 2016 19
Messenger
Obituary
ST. CHARLES VILLAGE- COTTAGES
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St. Charles cottages offer active adults a senior living option with
all the benefits of your own home without any of the worries.
Our open floor plans provide attractive living accommodations
designed for independence and privacy with the availability
of a nearby helping hand from our caring team, if needed.
Call Margie Volpenhein for more information or to schedule a
tour @ (859)331-3224, ext. 1440 or visit our website
www.stcharlescommunity.org.
HANDYMAN AVAILABLE
Looking for small to medium jobs.
Free estimates.
Call Steve for work to be done
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Burial plots in St Mary’s,Alexandria,Ky
We have two sets of two plots for sale. Both sets of plots are
within 25 ft of each other. Normal price is $1500.00 per set.
We are the private owner and selling for $1000.00 per set, or
$2000.00 for all 4 plots. For info please call (859) 620-1173.
CATHOLIC EDUCATORS
The Catholic homeschool community of Northern
Kentucky is currently searching for two Virtus
compliant, passionate educators in the subject areas of
history and science. Classes will be offered for 7th and
8th grade homeschooled students beginning in the fall
of 2016. Classes optimally will be held twice a week at
a location in Boone County. If you are interested in
teaching please contact Jill Felix at jill.felix@twc.com.
NOVENA
SACRED HEART PRAYER. Dear Heart of Jesus — In the
past I have asked for favors. This time I ask you for this very
special one (mention favor). Take it, dear Jesus, and place it
within your own heart where your Father sees it, then in your
merciful eyes it will become your favor, not mine. Amen. Say
this prayer for three days, promise publication and favor will
be granted. Never known to fail. C.W.
Divine Providence Sister Agnes Clare Kramer died peacefully, March 7, at Holy Family Home, Melbourne. She was a
professed member of the Congregation of Divine Providence
for 66 years.
She was born in Melbourne, Ky., in 1932 to Frank and Rose
Kramer, parishioners of St.
Philip Parish. She made her
first profession of vows in 1950
and professed her final vows in
1955.
Sister Agnes Clare began
her ministry as an elementary
teacher and soon moved into
positions of leadership as principal, as a Covington Diocesan
Education Supervisor, director
of spiritual development and
ministry for the sisters, and
director of religious education
at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish,
Cincinnati, and St. Patrick
Parish, Memphis, Tenn.
Sister Agnes Clare
In 1990 she began a misKramer, C.D.P.
sionary apostolate in Sunyani,
Ghana, where she served for 10 years. Sister Agnes Clare’s
last nine years of ministry were as pastoral associate in
Ascension Parish, Kettering. She retired to Holy Family
Home in 2010.
She will be missed by her religious community, the Sisters
of Divine Providence, and especially by her sister, Divine
Providence Sister Rose Magdalen Kramer; her niece, Divine
Providence Sister Kay Kramer; her brother, Bernard, and
many nieces and nephews. Her siblings Wilfred, Raymond,
Anthony, Frank, Victor, Ambrose, Mildred and Rose Mary
preceded her in death.
Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 9 in
Sacred Heart Chapel, Melbourne, with burial in the convent
cemetery following Mass. Memorials are suggested to the
Congregation of Divine Providence, 5300 St. Anne Drive,
Melbourne, KY 41059.
The Difference Is Love
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NOVENA
SACRED HEART PRAYER. Dear Heart of Jesus — In the
past I have asked for favors. This time I ask you for this very
special one (mention favor). Take it, dear Jesus, and place it
within your own heart where your Father sees it, then in your
merciful eyes it will become your favor, not mine. Amen. Say
this prayer for three days, promise publication and favor will
be granted. Never known to fail. N.S.K
Call Mike at the Messenger
for information on
placing your ad in
the Classified Advertisements
(859) 392-1500
Visit Carmel Manor’s web site at www.carmelmanor.com
For admissions information contact Sister Alice Webster, O. Carm.
20 March 25, 2016
Messenger
Closed doors, hearts cause suffering to innocent migrants, pope says
“In these cases one may ask, ‘Where is God? How is it that
so much suffering can come upon men, women and innocent
VATICAN CITY — Like the people of Israel in exile,
children?’” he said at his general audience March 16.
migrants forced from their homeland due to war and persecuContinuing a series of talks dedicated to the Year of Mercy,
tion are often left to suffer because of closed hearts and doors,
the pope focused on two chapters from the Book of Jeremiah
Pope Francis said.
(30 and 31), in which the prophet heralds the return of the
exiled people of Israel to their homeland. The experience of exile left their faith “shaken” and seeing their
country in ruins made it difficult “to believe in the
Lord’s goodness,” the pope said.
“We, too, can live at times a sort of exile, when loneliness, suffering and death can make us think we have
been abandoned by God,” the pope said. “How many of
our brothers and sisters are living in this time a real and
dramatic situation of exile far from their homeland,
with the rubble of their homes still in their eyes, with
fear in their hearts and often, unfortunately, pain for the
loss of loved ones.”
Newspapers and TV programs in Europe have been
saturated with images of countless refugees stranded
after several countries closed off the so-called Balkan
route that allows migration from Turkey through
CNS photo/Paul Haring
Greece to Northern Europe.
Pope Francis greets the crowd during his general audience in
St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 16.
Junno Arocho Esteves
Catholic News Service
“Today’s migrants who suffer out in the open, without food
and cannot enter — they do not feel welcomed,” the pope said.
“I really like to see countries and governments who open their
hearts and open their doors.”
In the face of suffering, Pope Francis said, Jeremiah’s
prophecy of the Israelite’s return to their homeland is an
affirmation that “God is not absent” and a reminder that good
ultimately triumphs over evil.
“The Lord is faithful; he does not abandon us in desolation.
God loves us with a never-ending love that even sin cannot
stop. And thanks to him, the hearts of men and women are
filled with joy and consolation,” he said.
The joy experienced by the people of Israel upon their
return home, he added, is the same joy God wants to give
Christians through his forgiveness and is a sign of the consolation given to those who truly convert.
Pope Francis noted that Jeremiah’s prophecy was fulfilled
by Jesus and the Church will commemorate this in the coming celebration of his resurrection.
“The true and radical return from exile and the comforting light after the darkness of the crisis of faith is fulfilled in
Easter, in the full and definitive experience of the love of God,
a merciful love that gives joy, peace and eternal life,” he said.
Protecting God’s Children for Adults
For all employees and volunteers of
the Diocese of Covington who in any
way provide a safe environment for
children:
www.virtus.org and click on
“registration.”
Step 3: After registering your
account, go to your Toolbox Tab in
Step 1: Complete the volunteer
the green column and double click
application and acceptance forms at on Selection.com Background Check
your parish or school after reviewing to process your background. The
the Diocesan Policies and Procedures results go directly to the Diocese Safe
for Addressing Sexual Misconduct
Environment and a copy will be
with your supervisor.
mailed to the address you provided.
If an individual stays in compliance
Step 2: Register at
with VIRTUS this background check
www.virtus.org. To register, visit
will be valid until you ask to be
marked inactive.
Step 4: Choose and attend a class.
Parents and other interested persons
are most welcome. No children,
please.
■ St. Agnes Undercroft, Ft. Wright
(Murphy Hall)
Thursday, April 14, 6–9:30 p.m.
Attention parents and
volunteers: Every parish, school and
institution has a VIRTUS contact person. Introduce yourself to the school
or institution administrator so that
you can be added to the certified
volunteer list for school functions or
sport programs. Sign up for a VIRTUS
account www.virtus.org and follow
the instructions to register and
attend training.
Bulletins will begin only after you
have completed your live training
and been processed. You will receive
e-mail notices that read
system@pub.virtus.org unless your
computer program blocks them.
will need to contact their primary
location to get their Training Tab
back and account unsuspended.
Access your bulletins (12 per year).
If you cannot access your account at
all, contact your parish or institution
administrator where you work or
volunteer for assistance.
Bulletin:
■ March bulletin: posted March 6;
due March 31.
If you are having difficulties with
Bulletins need to be read every
the program, call Marylu Steffen at
month before the deadline posted. If
(859) 392-1500 or e-mail
not read an individual’s account will
msteffen@covdio.org.
go into suspension. The individual
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March 25, 2016 21
Messenger
ENTERTAINMENT
“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (Summit) Third
time’s not a charm with this ponderous adaptation of the
final book of the futuristic trilogy by Veronica Roth, the
sequel to “The Divergent Series: Insurgent,” directed by
Robert Schwentke.
Having
brought
down the wicked facMovie
tion system that
divided families in
Capsule
post-apocalyptic
Chicago, our heroine
and her mentorlover venture beyond the city wall to discover who is really
behind the city’s troubles. There in a gleaming city a charismatic leader oversees the Windy City experiment gone
wrong, but his true intentions are unclear. While the film is
not nearly as violent as its predecessor, it does contain several
scenes which may be too strong for younger viewers. Intense
violence and action, brief rear female nudity, and some crude
language. CNS: A-III; MPAA: PG-13.
“Miracles From Heaven” (Columbia) Remarkable factbased story of a 10-year-old Texas girl who develops a rare,
painful and incurable disease that prevents her body from
digesting food. Though her parents are both churchgoers, persistent Mom — after struggling to obtain a correct diagnosis
and access to the care of a kindly specialist — loses her faith
in the face of her daughter’s current torment and impending
death. Yet a startling, almost inexplicable, turnaround awaits
her. While it’s clearly designed for believers, and sometimes
feels padded, director Patricia Riggen’s squeaky clean drama
minimizes neither its protagonist’s crisis of doubt nor the
larger mystery of innocent suffering. Mature themes, potentially upsetting incidents and medical procedures. CNS: A-II;
MPAA: PG.
“The Perfect Match” (Lionsgate) This so-called romantic
comedy follows the sexual escapades of a womanizing
Southern California talent agent and photographer who puts
his one-night stands on hold after falling for a mysterious
stranger. The triumph of true love would please his concerned therapist sister. But the example provided by his committed friends, whether married or engaged, is not encouraging. As directed by Bille Woodruff, the film teeters on the
pornographic and is completely at odds with the Scriptural
understanding of sexuality. Misguided values, including a
frivolous attitude toward promiscuity, semi-graphic nonmarital sexual activity with partial nudity, frequent banter, several uses of profanity, pervasive rough language. CNS: O;
MPAA: R.
“10 Cloverfield Lane” (Paramount) Audacious, witty,
intelligent and skillfully made, this bracing combination of
suspense and science fiction from director Dan Trachtenberg
is also refreshingly free of vulgarity. Held captive in an underground bunker by a paranoid and possibly murderous survivalist who insists he saved her from an apocalyptic event in
the wider world, a lone traveler must decide between the
claustrophobic evil currently confronting her and the
unidentified dangers that may be lurking outside. Probably
acceptable for mature teens. Some bloody physical violence,
including a shooting death, an intense atmosphere, a single
use of rough language. CNS: A-III; MPAA: PG-13.
For full reviews of each of these films — go to catholicnews.com and click on “Extras,” then choose “Movies.”
Catholic News Service (CNS) classifications are:
• A-I — general patronage;
• A-II — adults and adolescents;
• A-III — adults;
• L — limited adult audience (films whose problematic
content many adults would find troubling);
• O — morally offensive.
Vatican to undertake ecological
initiatives during Easter season
Junno Arocho Esteves
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — During Holy Week and in the
Easter season, the Vatican will take part in several initiatives highlighting the importance of ecology and the care
for creation.
The Governorate of Vatican City State announced
March 18 that the thousands of floral arrangements for
the Easter morning Mass and the pope’s solemn blessing
“urbi et orbi” (to the city and to the world), will be repurposed after the celebrations.
Thousands of bushes, flowering trees, tulips and other
flowering bulbs, which are a gift of growers in the
Netherlands, will be replanted in the Vatican gardens.
The plants also will be distributed to various pontifical
colleges and institutions “so that they may bloom in the
coming years,” the governorate said.
Charles van der Voot, who has designed the Vatican
Easter floral arrangements for the past 15 years, will
arrange the flowers for the last time in 2016, the Vatican
said. He will be succeeded by another Dutch florist, Paul
Deckers, who has assisted van der Voot.
Heeding the pope’s call to care for the environment, the
governorate also announced the inauguration of an “ecological island,” a recycling center for the separate disposal of waste and compost.
The cupola of St. Peter’s Basilica and Bernini’s famed
colonnade went dark March 19 for one hour in an effort to
promote climate change awareness.
The Vatican joined countries around the world in turning off non-essential lights for “Earth Hour 2016,” an
event promoted by the World Wildlife Fund International.
The initiative, according to the fund’s website, is meant as
“a symbol of their commitment to the planet.”
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859-431-2241
www.connleybrothersfuneralhome.com
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22 March 25, 2016
Messenger
Restorers feel history in work on mosaics above Jesus’ burial site
Judith Sudilovsky
Catholic News Service
JERUSALEM — It’s quiet and dark in the cavernous gallery
above Jesus’ burial place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Raed Khalil and his small team of trained restorers have
been patiently and methodically cleaning off centuries of soot
and dirt from 39 ancient mosaics and two carved marble
pieces, some of which may date back to the Byzantine period.
All but one of the restorers are Muslim.
The framed mosaics hang from the thick stone walls of the
Franciscan gallery, and some include both tiny stone and glass
pieces. Some of the mosaics are missing big chunks; all have
been brought to the church from different places, at different
times. The true history of the works will not be known until
they are fully researched, a process that will take about two
years.
This is the second restoration project at the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher the team has taken part in this year; workers
have just completed restoring the colorful 1926 mosaics in the
small Franciscan chapel at the 11th station, next to the spot
where tradition holds the crucifixion of Jesus took place. They
began that work in 2001.
“Before, people would come visit here but did not care
about our work. I did not feel a reaction. But now they see the
results, and I feel a reaction to what we are doing. The guides
with pilgrims start talking about it and are so happy to see it,”
Khalil said of the completed project.
The current project is being done in collaboration with the
Association pro Terra Sancta and the Mosaic Center of
Jericho.
“This is a very interesting job to work with our history,”
said Dana Hamdan, a Muslim from Jerusalem who was been
studying and working with the Mosaic Center for four years, as
she meticulously washed off a layer of dirt from a piece of
marble hanging on the wall. “Before I started here I didn’t
know anything about the Christian religion, but now I have
more information. Before I did not feel any connection to any
of this, but now I do. These are historical places, and we are
protecting them.”
“I am very happy I can secure a holy place,” added Anas
Abutir, 23, also from Jerusalem.
Khalil said he appreciates the opportunity to work in such
an important place of another faith.
“This is history. We must save it,” said Khalil. “This is
important. Putting aside all the politics, the heritage remains.
There are layers of history here. Before the Muslims there
were Christians here, before the Christians there were Jews,
before the Jews there were Canaanites. There were all these
people living here in this place. Some people left, but the land
remains, the culture remains. History is history. You can’t
make a part disappear and say I am the only heritage.”
Khalil was among the first students of a three-year restoration course at the Mosaic Center of Jericho. The center, funded
by an Italian nongovernmental organization in cooperation
with the Palestinian Department of Antiquities, opened in
2000 under the scientific supervision of Franciscan Father
Michele Piccirillo of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum.
One of the goals was to instill young Palestinians with pride
and strengthen their identity with their national heritage.
“I started to understand our identity as Palestinians,” said
Khalil. “I started to think in a different way. Whether it is
Muslim or Christian, it is all Palestinian. I don’t think in terms
of Muslim, Christian or Jewish. It is all cultural heritage.”
The students have worked on the restoration of mosaics in
ancient synagogues in Jericho, West Bank, with the same care,
he said.
Having received his master’s degree in mosaic restoration
at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, Khalil said he has had the
privilege of being also able to work in restoration projects in
Jericho and in the Syrian cities of Sweida and Aleppo. He said
it has been very painful to watch not only the human loss in
Syria but also the destruction of all the country’s national heritage in the form of its antiquities. Many of the projects he
worked on have been destroyed by the Islamic State group, he
said, shaking his head.
“They have destroyed the culture of Arab countries,” he
said. “It is terrible. It destroys your mind to think of all what
the people of Syria have lost.”
But while in Syria there is continuing strife and bloodshed,
here, in the silence of the gallery, he and his team have been
witness to the preparations for Easter and the celebration of
the resurrection of Jesus. Clergy and pilgrims of various
Christian faiths come to venerate the traditional site of Jesus’
burial. It has made the restorers feel a part of the celebration,
he said.
“Everybody is cleaning, everything smells nice. I feel like I
am a part of this. I am cleaning. I am preparing. This is the
first time I have seen these preparations. To sit here in this
place, to look down and see all this, is beautiful,” said Khalil.
March 25, 2016 23
Messenger
NEWS BRIEFS
National/World
Kerry says Islamic State is committing
genocide against minorities
VATICAN CITY — Several changes were announced for U.S. members of the Vatican diplomatic corps March 19, including news that
U.S. Msgr. Paul Russell, current head of the Vatican nunciature in
Taiwan, was named an archbishop and nuncio to Turkey and
Turkmenistan. While the Vatican continues to have full diplomatic
relations with Taiwan, it has not sent an ambassador to Taiwan in
more than 30 years. The embassy is headed by a charge d’affaires,
which is the position Archbishop-designate Russell held. Also March
19, Pope Francis personally ordained to the episcopacy Archbishop
Peter B. Wells, a priest of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the
new nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia. He also
appointed U.S. Archbishop Michael W. Banach, 53, to be nuncio to
Senegal and apostolic delegate in Mauritania. The native of
Worcester, Massachusetts, had been nuncio to Papua New Guinea and
the Solomon Islands since 2013.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that
atrocities carried out by the Islamic State group against Yezidis,
Christians and other minorities were genocide, the first U.S. declaration of genocide since Sudanese actions in Darfur in 2004. Kerry said
he was not judge and jury, but the Islamic State had self-defined itself
as genocidal because of its actions against Yezidis, Christians, Shiite
Muslims and other minorities. A 66-member coalition is “working
intensively to stop the spread of Daesh,” Kerry said, using the Arabic
acronym for Islamic State. He said the world must “marginalize and
defeat violence extremists, once and for all,” so they were not replaced
by another extremist group with a different acronym. “We must recognize and hold the perpetrators accountable,” Kerry said in a March
17 statement that included a litany of atrocities such as rape and murder. He said Christians often were given the choice of converting to
Islam or death, which was a choice between two types of death. Kerry
said military action to defeat Islamic State was important, but so were
other actions. He said the coalition against the Islamic State was
working to strangle the group’s finances and to ensure that people
who fled would someday be able to return.
Christians concerned with Israeli
restrictions for Holy Week, Easter
Iowa institute to research treatments,
cures for rare genetic diseases
JERUSALEM — Israeli restrictions on reaching the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher for Holy Week and Easter are part of the current
Israeli government’s policy of making Jerusalem an exclusively
Jewish city, said Yusef Daher, secretary-general of the Jerusalem
Interchurch Center. Describing the network of Israeli police barriers
that disrupt the flow and number of people able to reach the church
for Good Friday services and the Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony at the
Easter Vigil, Daher acknowledged that although the single entrance
and exit to the church cause a potential hazard in case of a fire, there
had been no problem in more than a century. “This (restrictions) did
not happen 10 years ago,” he said. The Holy Fire ceremony involves
the sharing of fire which, according to tradition, is brought forth
miraculously from the tomb of Jesus by the Greek Orthodox and
Armenian patriarchs. The first flames are passed from person to person by torches to bundles of candles. Eventually fire from the ceremony is sent to the various parishes of the Holy Land.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Millions of Americans are affected by more
than 7,000 rare diseases. With that in mind, the John Paul II Medical
Research Institute in Iowa City is launching a new rare genetic disease program to find treatments and cures for a variety of rare diseases. Jay Kamath, the institute’s CEO, said the organization has
always had an interest in expanding research into the area of rare disease and felt it was time to do more now. “As the name implies, rare
diseases do not affect the same number of people as a chronic condition such as diabetes, but it’s also kind of a misnomer in the sense
that while there are less than 200,000 individuals who suffer from a
(particular) rare disease, there are more than 30 million Americans
who have some form of a rare disease,” he said. Most are children,
Kamath stressed, and 30 percent of them will die before age 5. About
98 percent of rare diseases, he added, have no effective treatments.
“We decided we needed to do more to address this particular area so
that hopefully we can improve drugs in the pipeline or look at new
drugs that will assist these individuals,” he told The Catholic Globe,
Changes announced for three Vatican
diplomats from U.S.
newspaper of the Diocese of Sioux City.
Catholic aid official: Boko Haram
disrupts Church life in Cameroon
OXFORD, England — A Catholic aid official warned that Church
life faces “grave disruption” from Boko Haram in Cameroon after a
local bishop confirmed the Nigeria-based group had caused a “psychosis of fear. This movement opposes all Western values and is also
hostile to Muslims who won’t accept the reign of Shariah law,” said
Rafael D’Aqui, head of the Africa section at Aid to the Church in
Need. “They’re now trying to draw world attention with cross-border
attacks, and since foreign priests and nuns are a key prize, the missionaries on whom the local Church depends have had to leave.”
D’Aqui told Catholic News Service March 16 that Boko Haram had
infiltrated Cameroon’s northern Yagoua and Maroua-Mokolo dioceses
after suffering military setbacks in neighboring Nigeria, despite
“huge efforts” by the Cameroonian armed forces. He added that Boko
Haram marauders were still regularly taking control of whole villages, abducting child hostages to be brainwashed and used in “random suicide attacks.”
As Syria war drags on, Vatican
official notes sense of helplessness
VATICAN CITY — Five years after the war in Syria began, there is
a “feeling of helplessness in front of an endless human tragedy,” a
Vatican official told the U.N. Human Rights Council. A “continuation
of the conflict and its procession of refugees, disrespect of human
rights and international humanitarian law” add to the despair, said
Msgr. Richard Gyhra, charge d’affaires at the Vatican’s observer mission to U.N. agencies in Geneva. “Crimes against humanity are frequent and unpunished; intentional attacks against the civilian population are daily,” he told the Human Rights Council March 15. The
Syrian peace talks, which resumed in Geneva March 14, “should push
all people of goodwill not to give up in the search to minimize this
human, humanitarian and political tragedy, and, above all, to continue to work toward a peaceful and negotiated solution that takes into
account the best interests of Syria and all components of the Syrian
nation,” the monsignor said. Since the war in Syria started in March
2011, “more than one-quarter million Syrians have been killed and
nearly half of all Syrians have been forced from their homes,” the
U.N. News Center reported March 15.