October 9, 2020 In This Issue ESSENGER M Serving the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky since 1926

Thatcher photos The exterior of the new Cancer Center Special Pages at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Edgewood. The Eucharist: The Source and Summit page 9 – 12

2 Cultivating love for the rosary

Coronavirus update

Trick or treat advisory

3 Permanent deacons renew promises Bishop Roger Foys prays a blessing over the new St. Elizabeth Cancer Center at the dedication Official Assignment Sept. 27.

Obituary Wanda Rottgers

15 VIRTUS updates

Schools now offering free lunch to all students

Statement of Ownership

16 Obituary Sister Elizabeth Kelemen, CDP

Obituary (left to right) Kathy Jennings, senior vice president patient care, cancer care, Dr. Doug Flora, MD, executive director, Cancer Center, Debbie Simpson, Sister Marianna Rumpke, SND St. Elizabeth Board of Trustees chair, Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth president and CEO, Bishop Roger Foys and Father Dan Schomaker, vicar general. New cancer center dedicated at St. Elizabeth Edgewood Bishop’s Schedule ...... 3 Allegra Thatcher the programs in it, has a soul. It’s a soul tied to the mission and vision Commentary ...... 4 Assistant Editor of our institution, which goes back 155 years. When this building People and Events ...... 6 It’s a week for new beginnings and an advent of hope at St. opens Oct. 1, the amount of lives who will be impacted by the people, Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood. The new Cancer Center was dedi- programs and medicine that will fill these halls, is positively over- Did You Know ...... 6 cated Sept. 29 by Bishop Roger Foys after the ribbon cutting ceremo- whelming.” Classifieds ...... 14 ny, and opened to its first patient Oct. 1. Bishop Foys, who brought a first-class relic of St. Elizabeth, VIRTUS ...... 15 Mr. Garren Colvin, president and CEO, said, “This building, and (Continued on page 17) Shopper’s Guide ...... 16 News Briefs ...... 19 Pope signs new encyclical in Assisi Missed an edition? Current and back Cindy Wooden issues of the Messenger are available Catholic News Service online at covdio.org/messenger. VATICAN CITY — Bringing the Vatican official in charge of translations with him, Pope Francis signed his new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship,” at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi, source of the document’s title and inspira- tion. After celebrating Mass at St. Francis’ tomb Oct. 3, the eve of the saint’s feast day, the pope called up Msgr. Paolo Braida and explained to the small congregation that the monsignor is in charge of “translations and the speeches of the pope” in the Vatican Secretariat of State. “He watches over everything and that’s why I wanted him to be here today,” the pope said. He also brought with him the Spanish CNS photo/Vatican Media official who oversaw the accuracy of the various translations and Pope Francis signs his new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity the official who translated the text from Spanish into Portuguese. and Social Friendship” after celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Pope Francis set the text on the altar under the tomb of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy, Oct. 3, 2020. Francis and signed it. although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned The encyclical was scheduled to be released to the public Oct. 4 just you have revealed them to the childlike.” after midday. Because of measures designed to contain the coronavirus pandem- Pope Francis arrived late for the Mass in the crypt of the Basilica of ic, the Mass was described as “private.” Only about two dozen people St. Francis after making a brief stop in Assisi at the Basilica of St. were in the small crypt chapel; they sat socially distanced, one person Clare, which houses the tomb of the close follower of St. Francis and in each pew, and wore masks. founder of the Poor Clares. Several Franciscan sisters were present, as were the ministers gen- The pope did not give a homily during the Mass, simply praying eral of the main Franciscan orders of men: Father Michael Perry, min- silently for several minutes after the reading of the Gospel. The text ister general of the Franciscans; Father Roberto Genuin, minister gen- was that prescribed for the feast of St. Francis, Matthew 11:25-30, which eral of the Capuchins; and Father Amando Trujillo Cano, minister gen- begins, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for eral of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. 2 October 9, 2020 Messenger

Holiday advisory for schools during COVID-19 Messenger staff report houses, hayrides, costume parties or traveling to fall festivals. As the diocese continues in-person instruction at its 39 Instead, the KPH encourages low-risk activities like carving Coronavirus Report schools, COVID-19 cases are developing at a slow but steady and decorating pumpkins, watching movies together as a (as of Monday, Oct. 5) rate. Based on the details of Catholic school cases in the dio- family, having a scavenger hunt around the house for cese, students are not contracting the illness at school. Halloween treats or dressing up for a drive-by Halloween cos- Positive Cases Instead, exposures are mostly from small family gatherings. tume contest. Active positive cases: 5 In many cases it is a parent or a college-aged sibling who has KPH also encourages parents to focus on keeping Recovered positive cases: 28 tested positive for COVID-19. Halloween fun and safe for children by avoiding adult activi- “I can’t stress enough how important decisions on seem- ties that further increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Total ever positive cases: 33 ingly limited travel and small gatherings outside of school “These are difficult choices parents are being asked to have on individual students and the school community,” said make, that include sacrificing many fun experiences we all Currently Self-quarantined Laura Keener, diocesan COVID coordinator. “A single positive want our children to enjoy, but we have to weigh the benefits Contacts: 5 case in the classroom can put dozens of students in quaran- against the risks. Is it worth my child transitioning to at- Close Contacts: 171 tine. The student of a parent who has tested positive will need home instruction for nearly a month to go trick-or-treating? Is to transition to at-home instruction for 24 days. When choos- attending or hosting a party worth 12 or more of my child’s ing to travel or to participate in social gatherings — even classmates missing out on in-person instruction for two Returned to class after quarantine/ small family gatherings — we are asking parents to seriously weeks? Especially since viewing on social media the many self-quarantine: consider whether or not the activity is absolutely essential. If drive-by birthday celebrations over the summer, our parents From Sept. 29– Oct. 5: it is, remember to wear a mask and practice safe social dis- have already demonstrated that they can find safer, alterna- 65 students tancing.” tive ways to celebrate that in some cases become new tradi- Total ever: 416 students As the holidays approach, it is important to adhere to guid- tions after the pandemic,” said Mrs. Keener. “We are trusting ance offered by Kentucky Public Health and the Center for our parents to make in-person instruction and the health of Schools currently with quarantines and Disease Control on how best to celebrate in ways that are safe. our school communities a priority every day, especially dur- self-quarantines: (20 of 39 schools) For Halloween, KPH is encouraging parents to avoid high- ing the upcoming holidays.” risk activities like door-to-door trick-or-treating, haunted Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria Covington Catholic High School, Covington Covington Latin School, Covington Holy Cross District High School, Covington Holy Family School, Covington Trick or treat the safe way: Holy Trinity School, Bellevue If trick-or-treating is permitted in your community, please — Drive-by costume or car decorating contest with judges Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Burlington trick or treat the safe way. who are social distancing. Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger — Maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet from anyone Avoid higher-risk activities: not within your household. Notre Dame Academy, Covington — Traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating. — Always wear a face covering. — Trunk or treat events with large groups in parking lots. St. Henry District High School, Erlanger — Halloween masks DO NOT count as a face covering. — Costume parties. St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright — Clean hands before and after touching the wrapped — Haunted houses. St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill candy. — Hayrides or tractor rides. St. Cecilia School, Independence — Trick or treat in family groups and don’t congregate — Traveling to fall festivals in neighboring towns. in large groups. St. Joseph School, Cold Spring — Any event with large crowds. — Trick or treat in your own neighborhood. Do not travel St. Mary School, Alexandria to other neighborhoods. Reminder: St. Patrick School, Maysville — Use hand sanitizer often, especially after contacting fre- — Stay home if you are sick. quently-touched surfaces and before eating anything. — If your child is at greater risk of complications from St. Paul School, Florence COVID-19, use extra caution and avoid moderate and Consider safer alternatives: St. Pius X School, Edgewood high-risk activities. — Carve or decorate pumpkins for display. St. Timothy School, Union — Consider the people in your household who may be at — Decorate your home or living space. risk of greater complications from COVID-19. Villa Madonna Academy, Villa Hills — Have a virtual Halloween costume contest. — Focus on keeping Halloween fun and safe for children (Schools without students in quarantine or — Watch Halloween movies with the people you live with. by avoiding adult activities that further increase the risk self-quarantine do not need to report.) — Have a scavenger hunt for Halloween treats in and of COVID-19 transmission. around your home. Information provided by Kentucky Public Health.

teach grades one and The first and Cultivating a love for the rosary two how to pray it. Meg second grade Piatt, principal, spends students at In the Church, October is celebrated as the month of time every Tuesday morning teaching them Mary, Queen of the rosary. The feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is cel- about Mary and the rosary, and reading from the Heaven School, ebrated on Oct. 7. It is widely believed that in the 13th book, “On a Mission to Love: Rosary Meditations Erlanger, have Century, St. Dominic had a vision of Mary in which she for Children and Families” by Debbie Staresinic. been meeting presented the rosary to him. The book teaches the rosary in a story format, in the church According to the United States Conference of Catholic and Mrs. Piatt said the children have made great with the prin- Bishops website “The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It progress so far. “They’re doing a nice job … cipal, Meg begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the they’ve been working on the prayers and we talk Piatt, weekly great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, about Mary, I answer questions about her each to learn to which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The week,” she said. pray the first part of the Hail Mary is the angel’s words announcing This week, for the first time, the children each rosary. This Christ’s birth and Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary.” get their own rosary with which to pray. week the When praying the rosary, each day of the week focuses “They’re doing a great job as far as responding students prac- on one of four sets of mysteries — Joyful, Sorrowful, and being able to recite back to me some of ticed handling Glorious and Luminous. These mysteries of the rosary fol- things we’ve talked about: our dedication to Jesus with low the events of Christ’s life. Mary, why we’re dedicated, what kinds of things care, just as Mary, Queen of Heaven School, Erlanger is celebrating they can ask Mary to bring to Jesus on our his Mother October as the month of the rosary by a special focus to behalf,” said Mrs. Piatt. Mary did. Messenger October 9, 2020 3

Permanent deacons renew promises to serve local Church Thatcher photos Allegra Thatcher Assistant Editor The permanent deacons of the Diocese of Covington gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption Oct. 2 evening to renew their promises to serve the Church faithfully. Bishop Roger Foys led Solemn Vespers and the rededication. Deacon Jerry Franzen, deacon of the Cathedral Basilica, preached about prayer and how it’s not simply petition. He intro- duced the prayer method PAL: pray, ask and listen. He said the most common prayers in the Church — the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Collect at Mass — follow this formula of praise and then intercession. “When we think of prayer in general, we often think only of prayers of petition … A stand-alone prayer of praise, or the praise part of the prayer, is important as (above) Deacons gathered, many with their wives, and renewed their vows well. The Glory Be is a good example of a at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. stand-alone prayer of praise.” He also elab- orated on the importance of following up (right) Deacon Jerry Franzen, homilist, incenses Bishop Roger Foys at the these prayers with listening. Permanent Deacon Rededication Oct. 2. The deacons then renewed their prom- for all that you do and all that you are — your witness and ises to assist the priestly Order, proclaim the Word of God, your example to God’s people and also to us priests. … Our maintain a prayerful life including the Liturgy of the diocese is blessed with you and the fact that you’ve Official assignment Hours and act in obedience to the bishop. answered the call to this vocation.” In his closing remarks Bishop Foys said, “I’m grateful For a related story, see “Did you know” on page 6. Effective Sept. 22, 2020

Kendra McGuire Wanda Rottgers — a legacy of faith, love and To: Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Covington strong conviction “The greatest joy that my From: Associate Superintendent dad got was making my mom of Schools Allegra Thatcher happy, and the greatest joy Assistant Editor that my mom got was mak- Wanda J. Rottgers (née McVean), mother of ing my dad happy,” he said. By order of Father Robert Rottgers, passed away Sept. 23 at “My brother and I never had the Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D. 89 years old at Cold Spring Transitional Care to worry about them, and Bishop of the Diocese of Covington Center. A devoted wife, mother and faith-filled that was a great gift. Their woman, she served her family and community relationship was awesome.” with a strong and true Christian spirit. On their 25th wedding After growing up Methodist, Mrs. Rottgers Jamie N. Schroeder, anniversary, the couple offi- Chancellor spent most of her life in the Episcopalian cially brought their mar- Church and converted to Catholicism late in riage into communion with life at St. Philip Parish, Melbourne. She and the Catholic Church. her late husband, Robert, lived in Ft. Thomas Mrs. Rottgers served her and eventually moved to Wilder. He was Episcopalian community as Catholic and didn’t live to see her convert, but a member of the Altar they raised their children in a household of Society and a volunteer with Bishop’s faith. the youth group. Schedule “She loved Jesus, she was a hard worker, “When my dad passed and she stood up for the right thing,” said away, Mom and I became Father Rottgers, pastor at St. Philip Parish. even closer. Moms are moms “She was strong in her faith and beliefs, not to Oct. 9 Oct. 14 but she and I were great Thomas More University be swayed. … She was one of those mothers COVID-19 briefing, 9:30 a.m. Wanda J. Rottgers friends,” said Father Board of Trustees’ retreat, where I never heard ‘wait til your dad gets Rottgers. Oct. 10 9 a.m.–4 p.m. home,’ because she took care of business right then.” Mrs. Rottgers is survived by her sons, Father Rottgers Mary Rose Mission blessing, Mrs. Rottgers enjoyed spending time outside camping, Covington, 11:30 a.m. Oct. 15 and Rev. Steven R. (Mary) Rottgers and grandchildren, Dr. COVID-19 briefing, 9:30 a.m. fishing and hunting with her husband and two sons. She Alex Rottgers, Peter Rottgers, Molly Rottgers and Richard Mass, Cathedral Basilica of was always a part of the action, whether playing softball Cooper, as well as six great-grandchildren. the Assumption, Covington, Episcopal Council meeting, with the children or taking a job at the school cafeteria so A funeral ceremony was held Sept. 27. Memorials sug- 4:30 p.m. 11 a.m. she could be home with the boys after school and in the gested to St. Philip Church, Melbourne, or St. Andrews Oct. 11 Holy Hour for Victims of Sexual evenings. She managed the cafeteria at Johnson Episcopal Church, Ft. Thomas. Dobbling, Muehlenkamp- Installation of pastor, Father Abuse, sanctification of priests, Elementary School, Ft. Thomas for 17 years and loved the Erschell Funeral Homes are serving the family. Jacob Straub, St. Matthew end to the Pandemic, children there. Parish, Kenton, 9 a.m. Cathedral Basilica, 3 p.m. Oct. 12 Confirmation, Mary Queen of COVID-19 briefing, 9:30 a.m. Heaven Parish, at Cathedral Basilica, 7 p.m. Individual meeting, 1 p.m. Celebrate safely and Oct. 16 Confirmation, St. Cecilia Parish, COVID-19 briefing, 9:30 a.m. simultaneously with Cathedral Mass Independence, 7 p.m. Oct. 17 You are invited participate in the annual Oct. 13 Mass, Cathedral Basilica, COVID-19 briefing, 9:30 a.m. Diocese of Covington Pro-Life Mass 4:30 p.m. Diocesan Finance Council October 13, 2020 7 p.m. Oct. 18 meeting, 1:30 p.m. Mass, Cathedral Basilica, at your home parish Diocesan Pro-Life Mass, 10 a.m. to kick off Respect Life month Cathedral Basilica, 7 p.m. 4 October 9, 2020 Messenger

Public moral values and ‘Faithful Citizenship’ More than a decade ago, Father J. Bryan Hehir published that contravenes fundamental principles of biblical religion. teaching, Pope St. John Paul II had spoken of a "crisis of “Can the Church Convincingly Engage American Culture?” In “Looking for ‘Persons’ in the Law,” Mary Ann Glendon truth" caused by collapsing the transcendent order of values (“Church,” 2004) explor- contended that in “Planned Parenthood v. Casey” (1992) a into the subjectivism of absolute freedom. (VS, n. 33) ing the role of the plurality of Supreme Court justices proposed “a vision of Again, in “Evangelium Vitae,” the late Holy Father sum- Church in the socio-polit- the self as invented and reinvented through the exercise of moned Catholics to renew “a culture of life within Christian ical order. the individual’s will, limited by nothing but subjective pref- communities themselves.” He criticized believers who sepa- In the light of “The erences.” rate “their Christian faith from its ethical requirements con- Pastoral Constitution on cerning life, and thus fall into moral subjectivism and cer- the Church in the tain objectionable ways of acting.” (EV, n. 95) Modern World” ‘The threat of abortion In “Reverence for Life: Conscience and Faithful (“Gaudium et Spes”) of remains our preeminent priority Citizenship,” their January 2008 pastoral letter on life issues, the Second Vatican the Catholic bishops of Kentucky restated the consistent Council, the presence of because it directly attacks life itself, position taken by the national conference of Catholic bish- the Church in the world ops: “On the question of abortion and politics, our can be viewed as a because it takes place ‘Resolution on Abortion’ of November 1989 challenged “dialectical relation- Catholics to carry out the implications of their beliefs: ‘No ship.” within the sanctuary of the family, Catholic can responsibly take a ‘pro-choice’ stand when the A dialectical relation- ‘choice’ in question involves the taking of an innocent ship “consists of shared and because of the number of lives destroyed. human life.’” Msgr. Ronald Ketteler objectives and common At the same time, we cannot dismiss or ignore The current legal climate of abortion on demand, that ground, yet it will always “sanctions an intolerable moral evil, calls for a response.” entail some conflict and opposition to the world.” A dialecti- other serious threats to human life The pastoral letter stresses the moral duties incumbent on cal framework can engage the Church in two distinct styles Catholics: “A moral evil that negates a public good demands of dialogue — prophecy and pedagogy. and dignity such as racism, the exercise of a moral responsibility to limit and eliminate In Father Hehir’s considered judgment, the teaching style that evil … The good of human life is such an important of the Church is “a mix of prophecy and pedagogy.” the environmental crisis, public good that it warrants protection by law.” Since prophecy tends “to be strong on conclusions” and Since moral relativism disguises a false tolerance, calls for conversion without compromise, Father Hehir poverty and the death penalty.’ “Conscience and Faithful Citizenship” asserts: “No Catholic observed that “distinctions, qualifications and contending — Introductory Letter, “Forming Consciences for Faithful voter or politician can hide behind the evasion — opinions are not the prophet’s stock in trade.” Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the ‘Personally I oppose abortion, but I cannot impose my reli- By contrast, a pedagogical style aims at “a process of con- Catholic Bishops of the United States” (2020). gious beliefs (or my morality) on others.’ It is a moral contra- version that occurs over time, often at an incremental pace.” diction. Living the faith in the context of democratic plural- A pedagogical approach takes place within a context of ism cannot justify such self-deception.” “arguments and motivation, carefully cultivated to persuade Professor Glendon criticized “Planned Parenthood v. The flawed assumptions that mark this sort of moral the audience.” “The stuff of pedagogy” involves the “weigh- Casey” as shifting “the ground for abortion rights from pri- rationalization were cogently unmasked in “Living the ing and sifting of evidence, testing premises, examining the vacy to liberty.” In her opinion, the Court held that a require- Gospel of Life,” a 1998 statement of the U.S. Conference of logic and coherence of the case being made …” ment for a woman to notify a spouse of an abortion decision Catholic Bishops: “First, regarding abortion, the point when Generally speaking, both the complexity of public policy represented a violation of a woman’s liberty. She concludes: human life begins is not a religious belief but a scientific issues and the need for persuasion in reaching a highly edu- “In holding so, they announced a theory that endows human fact — a fact on which there is clear agreement even among cated Church community would create a presumption for a personhood with the freedom ‘to define one’s own concept of leading abortion advocates. Second, the sanctity of human methodology of pedagogy as better suited for effective existence, of the meaning of the universe, and the mystery life is not merely Catholic doctrine but part of humanity’s engagement with social issues. of human life.’ That freedom, they said, ‘lies at the heart of global ethical heritage. Finally, democracy is not served by Thus, Father Hehir, a well-known priest-expert in social liberty’ because ‘beliefs in these matters could not define the silence … Real pluralism depends on people of conviction ethics and public policy, noted: “The Catholic Church in attributes of personhood were they formed under the com- struggling vigorously to advance their beliefs by every ethi- principle, and particularly in this country, has developed its pulsion of the State.’” cal and legal means at their disposal.” (LGL, n. 24) social teaching and social policy from the conviction that Professor Glendon judged that “(t)he Court majority’s In a word, moral opposition to abortion is not a matter of large sections of that teaching could be shared beyond the current notion of freedom is thus quite different from under- sectarian belief “but a basic moral conviction about life and community of faith.” Such a “natural law strategy” is “not standings of freedom that stress the dignity of the person as society.” merely traditional; it remains valuable particularly in a soci- actualized through relations with others and through the The Catholic bishops of Kentucky stated: “With our fel- ety as religiously diverse as ours.” development of one’s ability to exercise freedom wisely and low bishops, we remind political leaders, especially those Overall, such an approach can perform a public service well.” publicly identified as Catholic, of ‘their duty to exercise gen- in a pluralistic society by searching for and discovering a In a similar manner, George Weigel in his “Soul of the uine moral leadership in society.’ Moral leadership is not common ground in regard to conflicting viewpoints. World” (1996) interpreted “Casey’s” judicial formulation of dictated by opinion polls but is exercised ‘by educating them- Nevertheless, Father Hehir also recognized that an eccle- freedom as a liberty "to pursue one's own personal gratifica- selves and their constituents to the humanity of the unborn sial witness of “standing against” the culture rather than a tions, self-defined, as long as no one else (or at least no one in child.’” (LGL, n. 29) dialogic style of “sharing with” may be dictated by the lack whom the state has a 'compelling interest') gets hurt.” Thus, Inaction on the part of Catholic politicians and voters in of common principles to address some selected major issues. democracy that is founded on moral relativism simply defending human life in the political sphere cannot be con- For several decades — even though the dialogic strategy becomes "an ensemble of procedures, largely legal, by which doned: "If there are alternate strategies, no one can be of “shared perspectives” remained viable in much of the we regulate the pursuit of personal satisfactions." exempt from the logical step to translate moral opposition social justice agenda — a cultural shift has been narrowing Weigel argued that “Casey” declared that "republican into effective strategies. If there is a lack of public consen- the common ground for sustaining dialogue on bioethical virtue, understood as a broad communal consensus on the sus to effect full legal protection, no one can be excused from and sexual issues. Father Hehir held that in the areas of moral coordinates in our common life, is no part of the working toward creating a consensus as a first step.” bioethical and sexual questions “Catholicism finds itself in a inner constitution, the moral architecture, of 'freedom' in Section 26 of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ defensive position, seeking to contain a discussion, as well as America." “Conscience and Faithful Citizenship” (2020) quotes Pope St. political and legal positions, that run directly counter to As Pope St. John Paul II pointed out in “Evangelium John Paul II’s 1988 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on established Catholic principles and conclusions.” Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life,” 1995), ethical relativism strikes the vocation and mission of the laity. His papal exhortation, With regard to the abortion issue, the “Planned at the roots of reverence for human dignity and the inalien- “Christifideles Laici,” (n. 38) states: “Above all, the common Parenthood v. Casey” (1992) decision of the U.S. Supreme able right to life due all men and women. In undermining a outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights … is Court might serve as an example of that developing conflict universal objective moral order, relativism (or subjectivism) false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fun- in principle. The so-called “mystery clause” of that decision reduces moral values to mere creations of a given moral damental right and the condition for all other personal reads: “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own agent. In the long run, the consequent separation of rights rights, is not defended with maximum determination.” concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and the from duties erodes limitations and moral boundaries dictat- Msgr. Ronald Ketteler is director of ecumenism, episcopal mystery of human life.” ed by objective ethical criteria. (EV, n. 70) liaison to the Messenger and professor of theology at Thomas Taken literally at face value, that passage represents a In “Veritatis Splendor” (“The Splendor of Truth,” 1993), More University. radical reinterpretation of the concept of liberty, a position an earlier encyclical on the foundations of Catholic moral Messenger October 9, 2020 5 COMMENTARY Coaching is a ministry Have you ever had the feeling that you absolutely with my young family. I later accepted a job as a school it’s the practice and game planning. Maybe it’s my own know what God has called you to do because you are so principal. Another 10 years had passed and I wondered if personal ambition since I was cut from my high school overwhelmingly passionate about it? I am one of the God would ever call me back to coaching high school bas- team as a senior. All of it is motivation to me. lucky ones who have. ketball. As I have gotten older and, I think, wiser, I have also This past June, I accept- But he did. He called back. Much like God called Noah realized the platform with which a coach stands. As a ed a position as an assis- to build the ark, prophets like Samuel, Jeremiah and young coach, I knew I had the platform to positively tant high school basketball Amos to proclaim his will, and like Jesus called the apos- impact the lives of those I coached. And I think I did. But coach at Covington tles to their lives of discipleship —God called me back to I wasn’t perfect. I lacked the wisdom. Wisdom has Catholic High School. But coach high school basketball. informed me that I should have handled certain situa- it’s not the first time I have Now it’s not like I haven’t gotten to coach in these last tions differently. But I am not talking about calling a dif- coached high school basket- 10 years. I have coached my sixth-grade son and his bud- ferent play or changing defenses. I am talking about how I ball. dies throughout their grade school experience. I have could have formed some relationships better. At one point in my begun coaching my second-grade daughter. I have trained Coaching is a ministry. The word “ministry” comes young professional life, I hundreds of coaches through the Play Like A Champion from the Latin word “ministerium,” which means “to thought I would always be Today “Coaching for Character” program. And I have serve.” It’s a service to those we coach. It’s the work of a a high school basketball loved all of it. But there is something unique about coach- vocation. coach. I began when I was ing high school basketball. I have found Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden Rich Hoyt 23 years old and accepted I’m not really sure that I can pinpoint one thing that State Warriors, a fascinating basketball coach case study my first head coaching job makes it unique and special. Maybe it’s the excitement of because he seems to live out his coaching as a vocation. when I was 28. Ten years into my high school coaching a community coming out on a Friday night. Maybe it’s In three of his first four seasons with the Warriors, he led career, life happened. I decided to spend some more time the journey of trying to win a state championship. Maybe (Continued on page 14) Many are called, but The toxic waste of Roe v. Wade Great Britain’s parliamentary democracy has no con- regulate medical practice.

few are chosen stitutional text, but rather a “constitution” composed of In an attempt to buttress Roe, a three-judge plurality The readings for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time centuries of legal traditions and precedents. So when in 1992’s Casey v. Planned Parenthood cheapened the “lib- — Cycle A are: Isaiah 25:6–10a; Philippian’s 4:12–14, 19– British courts make grave mistakes, those mistakes can erty” to which the Founders pledged their “lives, fortunes 20 and Matthew 22:1–4 or 22:1–10. be fixed, more or less readily, by Parliament. The and sacred honor,” reducing it to a sheer personal willful- I had a homily that I prepared to use one weekend. The American situation is quite ness that turns “I Did It My Way” into the unofficial homily was about asking others to come back to church. To different. Given a written national anthem. And thanks to Roe, Supreme Court seek out those friends or family members who may have constitution and the princi- nomination hearings have become exercises in character fallen away from coming to ple of judicial review, grave assassination with no holds barred. Mass and to extend an invi- mistakes by the Supreme While political scientists may wonder why the defense tation to them. I was also Court are exceptionally of Roe’s abortion license has become so fevered, compara- trying to drum up some toxic and hard to remedy, tive religious studies may provide an answer: for those new business by asking as three wrongly-decided who worship the totem of the imperial autonomous Self people to invite those they cases illustrate. (the false god of “Me, Myself and I”), the abortion license knew who may have In 1857, the Court has become sacramental — an outward sign of the inner expressed an interest in the declared in Dred Scott v. reality of women’s autonomy; an outward sign, for men, Catholic faith. Sanford that the of their acquiescence to forms of feminism that promote I thought it was a pretty Constitution recognized no freedom-as-autonomy. good homily. The homily rights inherent in black Unquestioning faith in that which is unworthy of produced no results. A win- people the white majority faith darkens the mind, so that otherwise intelligent peo- ter storm began on was bound to acknowledge ple are blinded to the reality of things. This was true of Saturday afternoon and George Weigel — and thereby accelerated primitive religions, and sadly enough, similar phenome- very few people showed up the process of national dis- na are at work today. For other than a debilitating myopia for the afternoon Mass. It Father Gregory Bach solution leading to the Civil War, in which over 700,000 caused by the credulous belief that abortion-on-demand snowed like crazy that Americans killed each other. Plessy v. Ferguson, which is a “civil right,” why would so many black political lead- night. Sunday morning at the early Mass no one showed up. upheld the constitutionality of racially segregated public ers support a practice that, thanks to Planned The organist, the cantor and I stayed in church waiting facilities in 1896, kept Jim Crow alive, delayed the full Parenthood’s inner-city “reproductive health” clinics, has for the last Mass to begin. No one was there. We said our legal implementation of the 13th and 14th amendments, caused the mass slaughter of unborn black children, goodbyes and began walking out of church when the doors and poisoned the Democratic Party for generations by thereby making African Americans the second-largest opened and a father with his two children walked in. They giving inordinate weight within party counsels to segre- minority group in the United States? went to their normal pew. It was a small crowd, the father gationists, who cowed even Franklin D. Roosevelt. It took Today’s Supreme Court agitations involve many and his children, the organist and cantor. Mass went on as a half century of civil rights struggle and the 1964 Civil issues, including the oversized role of the judiciary in usual, except for the homily. In the midst of the snow and Rights Act to begin repairing the damage Plessy had our constitutional order. Those issues deserve a serious, the ice and the blowing wind five people came to Mass that done. thoughtful, public airing. For many of those bending morning. I ended up not preaching about the importance of Then there was Roe v. Wade and its companion case, every effort to defeat Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomina- coming to Mass. Those five people already knew the homily. Doe v. Bolton — the 1973 Supreme Court decisions that tion to the Court, however, the meta-issue will be the Invitations are sent to many to come to church but so few invented a constitutional right to abortion throughout a defense of an abortion license they not only support, but people respond. It’s frustrating. Many of you have reached pregnancy. Denounced by Justice Byron White in his dis- revere. And that ultramundane reverence explains why out to neighbors or friends and asked them to come to sent as “an exercise in raw judicial power,” Roe’s effects their efforts will be so vicious. False gods often under- church and you know all too well the disappointment, how on American political culture have been as toxic as Dred write human cruelty. few respond. Scott and Plessy. A Supreme Court that hollows out or even reverses Maybe that is why we find this parable so familiar. We Defending Roe’s abortion license has become a prime Roe v. Wade will not settle the American abortion debate; are told that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and the chief imperative for the national Democratic Party. And it will return the issue to the states, where there will be priests in a parable. He said, the kingdom of heaven may be because of that, far too many Catholic politicians, includ- mixed results for the cause of life. But a post-Roe compared to a king who was giving a wedding banquet for ing the Democratic presidential candidates in 2004 and America will have expelled a rotting bone from the his son. The reception that was given was immense. You’ve 2020, have put a canine fealty to a shabby judicial diktat national throat. And that America will then have the all been to wedding receptions and you know how they can above the truth of science (the product of human concep- opportunity to demonstrate, state by state, whether we get out of hand. Imagine one thrown by a king for his son. tion is a unique human being) and the moral truth we are a people capable of morally serious democratic delib- Invitations are sent to all the friends of the family but they can know by reason (in a just society, innocent human life eration. all turn down the invitation — they are too busy to attend. is protected in law). Roe has also jeopardized religious George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public At times we can get caught up in the busyness of life. We freedom and the rights of conscience, corrupted the med- Policy Center in Washington, D.C. may feel like we are pulled in different directions. We are ical professions, and eroded the authority of the states to surrounded by the noise of this world and it can be difficult to hear the voice of God. In the midst of a hectic life God is inviting us, he is calling us to a deeper relationship. Our task is to pull ourselves away, quiet ourselves and listen to the call, for “many are called, but few are chosen.” Father Gregory Bach is pastor St. Henry Parish, Elsmere, Ky. 6 October 9, 2020 Messenger

Did you know? children, he is typically at least 45 years old and most often 50 plus so that the children are old enough to allow their father to work in ministry without feeling unloved or aban- The details of the diaconate doned. He typically has a secular profession The permanent deacons of the Diocese of Covington are but the number of deacons employed by the rededicating themselves to the service of Christ and the Church is continually increasing. Church Oct. 2 at the Cathedral Basilica. How did the order of deacons originate, what role do they fill and what prom- What promises do deacons make at their ises do they make? The Messenger reached out to Deacon ordination? Paul Yancey, assistant to the director, Permanent Deacon From the Diaconal Ordination Rite: Formation Office. An unmarried diaconal candidate takes the vow of celibacy: “In the presence of God What are the origins of the diaconate in the early and his Church, are you resolved, as a sign of Church? your interior dedication to Christ, to remain The origins are found in Scripture in Acts 6:1-6: “At that celibate for the sake of the kingdom and in time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the lifelong service to God and mankind?” Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution (of All Deacon candidates make the food). So the Twelve called together the community of the At the most recent ordination to the permanent diaconate, the four newly ordained following promises: disciples and said, ‘It is not right for us to neglect the word deacons wear the traditional dalmatic, which differs in style from the priest’s “Do you resolve to be consecrated for the of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you chasuble. The four deacons were ordained May 4, 2019 at the Cathedral Basilica of Church’s ministry by the laying on of my seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, the Assumption, Covington. hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit?” “Do you resolve to discharge the office of whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall number of charities while focusing on the poor, the infirm deacon with humble charity in order to assist the priestly devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ and the marginalized. Order and to benefit the Christian people?” The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so The Church has added the Ministry of the Word “Do you resolve to hold fast to the mystery of faith with they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy (preaching and teaching) to Ministry at the Altar and a clear conscience, as the Apostle urges, and to proclaim Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas Ministry of Charity to form the three-fold ministry of this faith in word and deed according to the Gospel and the and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They pre- service that permanent deacons are ordained into today. Church’s tradition?” sented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid “Are you resolved to maintain and deepen a spirit of hands on them.” These were the first seven deacons. What is the difference between the transitional and prayer appropriate to your way of life and, in keeping with permanent diaconate? what is required of you, to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy How are those purposes still served today? The transitional diaconate is conferred on a seminari- of the Hours for the Church and for the whole world?” We still serve at the table in our Ministry at the Altar an in his last year before being ordained into the priest- “Do you resolve to conform your way of life always to which includes assisting at Mass, celebrating Benediction, hood. His charter is the same as permanent deacons. The the example of Christ, of whose body and blood you are Communion services, funerals, baptisms, weddings and permanent diaconate is just that — permanent. A man ministers at the altar?” more. ordained into the permanent diaconate is usually married “Do you promise respect and obedience to me (your We still serve widows and orphans within our Ministry and, except in rare instances following the death of his bishop) and my successors?” of Charity, but that has been greatly expanded into a vast wife, will never become a priest. Because he has a wife and

Fun at the STREAM lab (left) Due to the kindness of an anonymous donor who made a substantial contribu- tion to Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell, the media center has been transformed into a STREAM lab. Because of this generous gift, STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math) is now a regularly scheduled class for all Blessed Sacrament students, grades K-8.

Penny for a popsicle St. Augustine School, Covington, recently held a ‘popsicle day’ to raise money for Hurricane Laura Relief. One young first Future gardeners grade student (unbeknownst to Eight years after receiving a startup grant from the Campbell County her mother) brought in 12 Conservation District to establish their Outdoor Learning Center, pennies — one for each of her St. Joseph School, Camp Springs, is still giving children a good classmates. She wanted to make experience at the center. These three-year-olds developed green thumbs sure everyone in her class could Sept. 25 while sowing lettuce. participate in the collection. Art of the crucifixion An enlightening project After studying the artwork “Mond Third graders at St. Henry Catholic Crucifixion” by Raphael, students in Mrs. Moving? Wrong address? Call the circulation desk, (859) 392-1570 School, Elsmere, researched inventors Hughes’s third grade class at St. Agnes and then presented what they learned School, Ft. Wright, drew their own version on a light bulb. of the crucifixion. Messenger October 9, 2020 7

Post-pandemic world must not return to selfish ‘normality,’ pope says Junno Arocho Esteves grams helping the wealthy eventually will benefit the rest one. But, he said, in reality “the glass begins to fill up and Catholic News Service of the population. when it is almost full, the glass grows and grows and grows VATICAN CITY — In the aftermath of the coronavirus “We certainly cannot expect that the economic model and never trickles down. Never! Be careful,” the pope pandemic, the world must aspire to be better and not that is the basis of an unfair and unsustainable develop- warned. return to its previous “sickened” normality of injustice, ment will solve our problems. It did not and it will not, Pope Francis called on all men and women to build a inequality and environmental degradation, Pope Francis said. “The normality we are called to is that of the king- dom of God, where ‘the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is pro- claimed to the poor,’” the pope said Sept. 30 during his weekly general audience. And it is a situation where “no one acts the fool by looking the other way. This is what we must do to change,” he said at the audience, which was held in the San Damaso courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. Continuing his series of talks on “healing the world,” the pope said Christ came to heal both the physical and “social” ailments that plague the world and gave the “necessary gifts to love and heal as he did, in order to take care of everyone without distinc- tion of race, language or nation.” Applying those gifts today, he added, will “renew society and not return it to the so-called ‘normality,’ which is a sickened normality.” “In the normality of the kingdom of God,” the pope said, “bread comes to everyone and there is enough; social organization is based on contributing, sharing and distributing, not in possessing, exclud- ing and accumulating.” The COVID-19 pandemic, the pope continued, exposed the world’s “physical, social and spiritual vulnerabilities” and “laid bare the great inequality that reigns in the world: the inequality of opportuni- ty, of goods, of access to health care, technology, edu- cation.” CNS photo/Paul Haring There are “millions, millions of children who can- Pope Francis greets Father Augusto Zampini, adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, not go to school (today) and the list goes on,” he said. during his general audience in the San Damaso courtyard at the Vatican Sept. 30, 2020. “These injustices are not natural nor inevitable. They are the work of humankind, they come from a model of even if some false prophets continue to promise ‘the trick- society founded on solidarity where “the last are taken growth detached from the deepest values.” le-down effect,’ which never comes,” he said. into consideration like the first are.” The pope denounced today’s “great human and socioe- Departing from his prepared remarks, the pope said the “A society where diversity is respected is much more conomic viruses,” including “trickle-down” economics, theory holds that when the “glass” held by the wealthy is resistant to any type of virus,” the pope said. the theory that tax breaks and other government pro- full, it will overflow, spreading economic benefits to every-

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Klausener remembered as first Catholic victim of Nazi regime in 1934 Anli Serfontein tion!’” Father Coppenrath’s statement said. 2019 to the German Technical Museum in Berlin, where it will Catholic News Service The priest accompanied Klausener’s wife to the ministry. go on display in 2021. BERLIN — Early 20th century-era Catholic leader Erich They encountered two SS guards in front of Klausener’s Streets, squares and schools are named for Klausener Klausener holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Berlin’s Catholics. An official in the German government, Klausener was killed in 1934 by Nazi SS officers days after defending the for- mer Weimar Republic against Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist movement. Long after Klausener’s death June 30, 1934, Catholics gath- ered twice annually at his grave in the cemetery at his parish to pray the Stations of the Cross and recall the life of one of their own who dared to question the Nazi regime. In 2009, Klausener’s nephew, Tilman Punder, said at a memorial in the Berlin Archdiocese that his uncle was the first Catholic victim of Hitler’s repressive government. “As a representative of a solid democracy, Klausener had defended the Weimar state against the Hitler movement. On June 30, old scores were to be settled and at the same time the activities of this dangerous Catholic leader were to be brought to an end. Calling the masses together was to remain the monopoly of the National Socialists,” Punder said. Klausener was the highest ranking lay Catholic in the German capital. In 1929, he became the first head of Catholic Action, a lay organization founded by Pope Pius XI to encour- age Catholic participation in German society. His death in his Ministry of Transport office came less than a week after delivering a speech to 60,000 enthusiastic Catholics. A popular political leader, Klausener addressed the gather- ing known as Kirchentag for the third consecutive year in 1934. He ended his speech at the Hoppegarten racetrack near CNS photo/courtesy Archive of the German Youth Movement Catholic leader Erich Klausener is pictured in a 1934 photo. An official in the German government, Klausener was killed Berlin by opposing the exclusion of ideological opponents to in 1934 by Nazi SS officers days after defending the former Weimar Republic against Hitler’s National Socialist movement. the National Socialists from public life and the government’s ban on Catholic worker associations. office, who refused her request to see her husband’s body. throughout Germany. In 2014, a commemorative plaque was A lawyer, Klausener was a top civil servant for years, That Saturday is known as the Night of the Long Knives, erected in front of St. Matthew Church. A another was responsible for the police. By all accounts a conservative which saw Hitler rid the Nazi ranks of opposition, including installed in front of his Berlin flat. His bust is displayed on the Catholic, Klausener in 1931 tried to get Hitler declared an those holding wide popularity and known to publicly chal- square in Hoppegarten, where he delivered his last speech. undesirable person so he could be deported to Austria. When lenge the Nazis. In 1999, the German Catholic Church accepted Klausener Hitler rose to power in 1932, Klausener was moved to an A few days after his death, Klausener was buried during a as a witness of faith into the German martyrology of the 20th insignificant job in the Ministry of Transport in retribution. secret ceremony. Today, a prominent plaque marks his grave. century. Klausener also was a board member of the St. Matthew After starting a collection for a tombstone, Father The Holy See and the Third Reich signed the Parish in Berlin. As the summer school holidays were about Coppenrath was questioned three times by the secret police. Reichskonkordat, a treaty that attempted to guarantee the to start in 1934, his parish priest, Father Albert Coppenrath, The Nazis confiscated the funds already collected. In 1938, the rights of Catholics in Germany July 20, 1933. However, histo- asked him to procure an unused railroad wagon to serve as a priest was charged with a “crime,” but the case later was dis- rians agree that the Kirchentag gatherings were seen as a shelter for a newly acquired Catholic youth recreation center missed. threat by the Nazis, who wanted the churches to return to a in a forest south of the city. The charges did not stop Father Coppenrath from keeping state of “churchification” under which worshippers would In a written statement later, Father Coppenrath, who died Klausener’s memory alive twice a year: on the anniversary of not be involved in society. in 1960, recalled, “On Saturday, June 30, around noon, his death and at the yearly All Souls procession the Sunday In recent decades, several Catholic theologians and laypeo- Klausener informed me by telephone that the railway car after Nov. 2 in the parish cemetery, where large numbers of ple have called for beatification for Klausener, citing his would be on site on July 3. I was delighted and thanked him Catholics prayed the Stations of the Cross. defense of Catholics participation in public life as the reason for his efforts.” Eventually, in 1943, the priest was banished from Berlin. for his death. Ninety minutes later, the priest wrote, he learned He only returned after the war. However, sociologist Ekkerhard Klausa, who works with Klausener was dead. He said that a transport ministry official The circumstances surrounding Klausener’s death the German Resistance Memorial Center in Berlin, concluded called “and asked me to inform Mrs. Klausener that her hus- became known during the Nuremberg Trials, which revealed that while Klausener died because of his commitment to band had just died in an accident.” that Hermann Goering, one of the most powerful Nazi lead- Christianity, he should not be considered a martyr. Klausa The official said suicide was the cause of death. ers, ordered that he be killed. has explained that Klausener resolutely championed the “I protested vigorously against ‘suicide’ and, since I had Klausener’s last act of kindness, the railway car, for 85 interests of the Catholic Church, but that he had not actively the sudden realization that this was a political matter, I added, years provided shelter for children before it was moved in fought the regime. angrily: ‘Nobody who knew Klausener will believe this decep- accepting same-sex couples as foster parents. Supreme Court’s new term is busy on many levels The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Carol Zimmermann suspended the in-person requirement during the pandemic Pennsylvania Catholic Conference and a few Catholic News Service for women who want to receive the abortion-inducing drug, Catholic Charities agencies joined more than 30 other reli- WASHINGTON — Although the Supreme Court began its mifepristone. gious groups, states and a group of Congress members filed new term Oct. 5, it is hardly business as usual since the court And the court also has gained some notice for what it isn’t amicus briefs urging the court to protect the faith-based foster only has eight members on the bench and it is continuing to taking up. care program under its First Amendment religious exercise hear oral arguments by teleconference due to heath concerns. On the first day of its new term, the justices declined to rights. The nation’s high court moves right into action though with take a case from Kim Davis, the former Kentucky clerk who Six days after the foster parent case, the court will hear two high profile cases in November: a religious freedom excep- refused to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples. The oral arguments challenging the nation’s health care law in a tion to anti-discrimination laws and a review, for the third time, court’s decision lets the lower court ruling stand, allowing a case brought by 18 Republican state attorneys general and of the Affordable Care Act, the nation’s health care law. lawsuit filed against her to proceed. supported by the Trump administration. The court also could be called upon to decide election dis- Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, This case goes back to the court’s 2012 decision that upheld putes if the presidential race is close. agreed with the court’s decision but also showed displeasure the law’s individual coverage requirement under Congress’ And hovering over all of its current work is the ongoing saying: “Davis may have been one of the first victims of this taxing power and the 2017 tax law that zeroed out that tax Senate preparation to move forward with President Donald court’s cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell deci- penalty. Without that tax in place the state leaders claim the Trump’s nomination of federal appeals court Judge Amy sion, but she will not be the last.” Obergefell was the court’s ACA’s coverage requirement is unconstitutional. Coney Barrett to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who 2015 decision that struck down state bans on same-sex mar- The Catholic Church has had a complicated relationship died Sept. 18. riage. with the health care law. Catholic hospitals have long empha- Cases not on the docket this term also have the court’s Back to the court’s fall schedule, on Nov. 4, it will hear oral sized the poor and vulnerable must have access to health care, attention. For example, the court has been asked by the arguments in Fulton v. Philadelphia, a religious freedom case but Church leaders have objected to the law’s contraceptive Trump administration and several states to issue an emer- that centers on a Catholic social services agency that had mandate, requiring that employee health insurance plans gency stay of a federal district court ruling this summer that been excluded from Philadelphia’s foster care program for not provide contraceptive coverage. ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ — The new manna In the first installment of “The Eucharist: The Source and Summit” we focused on the doctrine of Jesus’ Real Presence and on prefigurements of the Eucharist in the Old Testament. In this second installment we now turn to the New Testament and will focus on the scriptural scenes and passages that pave the way for the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Early in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus teaches his disciples to pray the “Our Father.” (Mt 6:9-15) It’s interesting that, in the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus invites us to pray for food: “give us this day our daily bread.” This seems the most “human” or “practical” of all seven petitions in the prayer. Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to “not be anxious about your life or what you shall eat” (Mt 6:25), yet he invites us to pray for what is necessary each day. Is it possible that Jesus is referring to a “daily bread” that is both physical and spiritual? The fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ teaching against anxiety acknowledge our earthly needs but they also call us to turn our cares and worries over to God. We rest in God’s providence and we are called to have faith — an attitude of trust in the presence of God and openness to his will. It is not a blind trust, but an assent to what has been revealed to us. So, while there is clearly a straightforward, earthly sense to this petition, there are deeper and higher dimensions as well. The earthly sense is that we need sustenance to survive, and we should trust that God will take care of us. As St. Cyprian (d. 258 AD) observes: anyone who asks for bread each day is poor. In other words, the prayer presupposes the poverty of the disciples — those who have renounced the world, who seek no security other than God and pray for the fulfillment of his kingdom. The deeper dimension is found in the context of the Exodus, when the People of God, wandering in the desert, were fed by God himself with “manna from heaven.” Jesus referred back to that story when he said, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4; Deut 8:3). In this context, “our daily bread” is the Eucharist, the new manna from heaven.

In the fifth chapter of his book, “Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the The Nativity of Jesus Christ, portrayed in the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption during Transfiguration” (Ignatius Press, 2007), Pope Benedict XVI points out that the Fathers of the Christmas season every year. the Church were practically unanimous in understanding the fourth petition of the Our Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which translates from Hebrew as “House of Bread.” The city Father as a Eucharistic petition. “[I]n this sense the Our Father figures into the Mass liturgy of Bethlehem was the first place to harbor he who was to be the Bread of Life for the whole as a Eucharistic table-prayer (i.e. ‘grace’).” (“Jesus of Nazareth,” pg. 154) In other words, world. the Our Father is our prayer before the meal at our Lord’s Table. When Jesus feeds 5,000 people by miraculously multiplying bread we are reminded, again, of the miracle of manna in the desert. In the ancient Jewish tradition it was believed that manna was originally from the Garden of Eden but, after the fall of man, was taken away The Eucharist: and stored in heaven. Therefore, manna was a perfect food unaffected by sin, and only appeared when God sent a mediator to deliver his people from slavery. It was also believed that the Messiah who was to come would be a new Moses and would bring with him a The Source and Summit new manna. In the Bread of Life discourse (Jn 6:35-59), Jesus repeatedly refers to “manna 10 Born in Bethlehem — from heaven,” using it to explain to his disciples how they would be able to eat his flesh and drink his blood. It seems just that the new manna provided by the Messiah would be the ‘House of Bread’ even more miraculous than the ancient manna provided in the wilderness. Jesus said: “I Father Nicholas Rottman am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (Jn 6:51) The feeding of the five thou- When Jesus was in danger of losing many disciples because of this hard teaching he said, sand and the Eucharist “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my Father Ryan Stenger blood abides in me, and I in him.” (Jn 6:55) New Testament scholars widely agree that Jesus is speaking here about the Eucharistic 11 The Bread of Life discourse — food and drink that he will give the disciples at the Last Supper. If we consider Jesus’ words have you come to believe? in the Bread of Life discourse from an ancient Jewish perspective then the Eucharist could Father Michael Comer never be just a symbol, it must be supernatural bread from heaven. The Eucharist is a gift of himself that Jesus left behind for all time for the people of the New Testament — us. He 12 In the sacrament of the left us himself in his sacrifice offered under the appearance of bread and wine. It is a mani- Eucharist, why bread and wine? festation of his boundless love. It is a uniquely intense fulfillment of the promise: Father Daniel Schomaker “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20) In the Gospels, when Jesus speaks of bread or uses bread to perform a miracle there is Study Questions always a transcendent message that mankind’s true food is the Logos, the eternal Word. In the Blessed Sacrament the Eternal Word becomes true manna for us, a taste of heaven that we can experience this very day. Being in communion with God, we are sharing in the life of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. The Eucharist, our daily bread, is spiritual food for our soul, giving us graces for our journey back to God. THE MESSENGER • OCTOBER 9, 2020 — David Cooley, Co-director and Office Manager, Office of Catechesis and Evangelization 10 October 9, 2020 Messenger

at Christmas, is his coming as man at the Incarnation. The Born in Bethlehem — the ‘House of Bread’ second, which we look forward to with a mixture of antic- Father Nicholas Rottman life. Bethlehem is truly both the House of Bread from ipation and fear, is his coming to judge the living and the Okay, I’ll admit it, “O little town of the House of Bread” Heaven and the House of the meat of Christ’s body. Indeed, dead at the end of the world. In between these two com- does not have quite the same ring to it as “O little town of this is why it is so important that we celebrate Christmas ings, said St. Bernard, is a third coming. That is Jesus’ Bethlehem.” But, although not helpful for singing, it may (Christ-Mass) by attending holy Mass and receiving the mysterious and sacramental coming to us in the most holy be very helpful for our faith to know that “Bethlehem” Body of Christ in holy Communion. Eucharist. By our worthy reception, may we ourselves means exactly that. The name is old Hebrew and comes As we prepare for that celebration through the Advent become a new Bethlehem — a house of the Bread of Life from bêth (house) and lehem (bread). As Christians, we season, let us remember that Christ can come to us every and a house of the meat of Christ’s body in the most holy recognize immediately the significance. Bethlehem, the day — every day can be Christmas —because of the holy Eucharist. “House of Bread,” was the place where Jesus Christ Eucharist. St. Bernard of Clairvaux said that there are Father Nicholas Rottman is a priest in the Diocese of entered the world on that first Christmas morning. How three comings of Jesus Christ (see Sermo 5, In Adventu Covington, currently on sabbatical. does Jesus describe himself later on in his public min- Domini, 1-3). The first, which we are preparing to celebrate istry? “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (Jn. 6:35). In this pas- sage, Jesus emphasizes that he is the nourish- ment, the food that we as believers need to strengthen us as we make our pilgrimage through this land of exile. But what sort of nourishment is this? Is it just a purely spiritu- al nourishment? No. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Hebrew was not the spoken language of the Jewish people, but rather Arabic. Interesting, the Arabic equivalent of bêth lehem is bêt lahm, which means “house of meat.” You just can’t make this stuff up! Jesus promises that he will feed us not just by some spiritual power or grace but also with his own flesh and blood: “My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. […] This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (Jn 6:55–56, 58) In the holy Eucharist, Jesus provides food for the world — the food of his body, blood, soul and divinity. And God symbolically pre- figured all of this through the name of the town where he was born. Christ, born in the House of Bread, has become our food for the journey of life. This Christmas, we should have a new appreciating of the Nativity Scene thanks to the meaning of “Bethlehem.” There in a manger — a container for holding food and feeding hungry animals — lays the Bread of Life who will sacrifice his flesh to give us new

the Bread of Life about which he would go on The feeding of the five thousand and the Eucharist to teach them, the Eucharist — the place Father Ryan Stenger erates us from slavery to sin. And so, with these details, St. where heaven and earth meet, the unbloody The only one of the miracles of Jesus that is included John is showing that the miracle that Christ performed in re-presentation of the sacrifice of the Cross, the Lord’s in all four of the Gospel accounts is his feeding of the feeding this massive crowd was not simply a matter of pro- sacred Body offered up and his precious Blood poured out. crowd of five thousand with miraculously multiplied viding ordinary food, but that it was symbolic of some- It’s easy to imagine that enormous crowd of five thou- bread and fish. Obviously this event greatly affected the thing much more, that the bread he gave them prefigured (Continued on page 11) first Christians and was influential in forming their understanding of the Lord’s identity and mission. In the Gospel according to John, the miracle of the feed- ing of the five thousand is reported at the beginning of the sixth chapter and is followed by the Lord’s famous Bread of Life discourse, in which Christ explains to the crowd his teaching on the Eucharist, thus drawing a strong connec- tion between the miraculous feeding of the crowd and the sacrament of his Body and Blood that he would institute at the Last Supper. The evangelist also emphasizes this con- nection in his description of the time and place of the mir- acle. St. John writes, “Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples” (John 6:3). So often throughout the Bible the mountaintop is where God and man come together most profoundly. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, the prophet Elijah spoke to God in the silent whisper on Mt. Horeb, Christ himself was transfigured in glory on Mt. Tabor, and cruci- fied on Calvary. According to the ancient imagination, the mountain was the place where heaven and earth meet, the symbol of God reaching down to us as we reach up to him. And St. John also writes, “The Jewish feast of Passover was near” (John 6:4). It was on Passover that the sacrificial lambs were put to death in remembrance of God’s libera- Parishioners at Immaculate Heart of tion of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Of course, Mary Parish, Burlington, participate Christ would die on the Cross at Passover time, as the true in Mass. Lamb of God whose sacrifice saves us from death and lib- Messenger October 9, 2020 11

only this teaching but also him. The Bread of Life discourse — have you come to believe? He loved them. He had come in order to redeem them, and to be Father Michael Comer always,” they respond. “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink Jesus then begins to explain to them that he himself is the food that would satisfy them, and make them into the his blood, you will not have life within you.” Jesus spoke the Bread from Heaven. He is the only one who can satisfy children of God. It must have broken his heart. Couldn’t he these words to a group of his disciples — those who had the deepest hungers of the human heart. Only he can give have tried a little harder to hold on to them, and not let already begun to follow him, and who had at least the them eternal life. If they eat this bread they will never be them leave? Couldn’t he have softened his teaching just a beginnings of faith in him. But these words shocked them hungry again. They will never thirst again. They are little bit, so that it would have been less shocking and to the core. The very idea of eating the flesh and drinking shocked, because they have never heard this kind of talk upsetting to them? But he didn’t. He let them walk away. If the blood of Jesus was totally repulsive to them. In fact, from a rabbi before. Each of them taught about God and they could not accept this teaching, they could not be his they were, as Jews, forbidden to have any contact with how God would satisfy their deepest longings. But Jesus is disciples. This was that important. blood at all. It made them ritually unclean. And so, they saying that he himself will fulfill their deepest longings. We then see Jesus look with sadness to the Twelve. His turned away from him. We are told that they returned to This is scandalous at best, and blatant heresy at worst. words are filled with hurt and disappointment and fear. their former ways of life. They abandoned him, and Who does he think he is? Who, indeed! “Are you going to leave me, too?” My guess is that the refused to have any more to do with him. This was just too much. We read this account in the sixth chapter of the Gospel In this Messenger file photo, priests of John — what is called the Bread of Life discourse. It is from the Diocese of Covington pray a dialogue between Jesus and his followers, who have expe- before the Blessed Sacrament during rienced the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and the August Holy Hour for Victims of fishes, and want him to continue to provide for their phys- Abuse and Sanctification of Priests. ical sustenance. Jesus explains that they have missed the point. God wishes to feed them with bread from heaven that will give them eternal life. “Give us this bread

(Continued from page 10) sand following the Lord across the Sea of Galilee and up the mountain. They surely must have been hungry and weary and maybe even lost and confused. How many times throughout their lives had they sought for a way to satisfy their hunger, for a place to find rest, for a source of guidance and direction, but been left unfulfilled in the end? But now they have come to Christ. And after they have been fed by him, St. John tells us that they “had their fill” and still there were twelve baskets of bread left over (John 6:12). That crowd stands for all of mankind, because we all have a profound spiritual hunger, a longing for more than what the world can give. Our hearts reach out towards the infinite, the transcendent, the divine, because God has made us for himself. Only in him are we able to have our fill, so to speak. And it is in the Eucharist that he gives himself to us as food to sustain us on our journey towards him, as the only food that is able to satisfy that most fundamental longing of our hearts. If it were merely a symbol, it would not be enough, but the Lord gives himself to us truly in the Eucharist — his Body and Blood, his soul and divinity. And he gives himself to us not simply in a momentary way during the liturgy, but he remains with us always in the Tabernacle. His presence abides in our midst; he lives within his Church, so that we always have access to him, Apostles were just as shocked and confused by this teach- so that we’re always able to find our sustenance in com- At this point in the discourse, Jesus changes the ing as were those in the crowd. They too were repulsed and munion with him. metaphors. He no longer speaks of bread from heaven, but repelled by the idea of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his The Second Vatican Council taught that the Eucharist of his own flesh and blood. “The bread that I will give is my blood. They were shaken to the core. And yet Peter is the source and summit of the whole Christian life flesh for the life of the world.” This is even more shocking. responds, for all of them, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You (Lumen Gentium, n. 11). It is in the Eucharist that God “How can he give us his flesh to eat? What can this possibly have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe that lives among us — from him do our lives come and to him mean?” And now Jesus becomes even more shocking in you are the Holy One of God.” In other words, “We don’t are our lives directed. He must indeed be the source and his statements. get this either. It makes no sense to us. But we know and summit of our lives, as a Church, as a diocese, as parishes, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink believe in you, and so we are staying. We trust you.” as families, as individuals. But sometimes we lose sight of his blood, you will have no life in you.” Now he is not only Some studies state that on any given Sunday, only about that. It seems so common to hear the Church spoken of as talking about eating his flesh, but drinking his blood. How 20 percent of those who identify as Catholic attend Mass. a sort of social service agency, which exists to run hospi- repulsive! How disgusting! How offensive! Jesus keeps And only about half attend with any regularity at all. tals, and schools, and soup kitchens, but then for it to be pushing the issue, not softening his words in any way. In There are many reasons for this, but I believe that one of forgotten that her primary purpose, the reason for all of fact, he doubles down, beginning to use a new word for the main reasons is that in their heart, many Catholics do her activity, is the worship of God. A parish, for example, “eat”, which is typically used to refer to a dog gnawing on not believe what Jesus tells us in this Bread of Life dis- can do all sorts of great things, but if it doesn’t draw its a bone. “My flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. course. “I am the Bread that has come down from heaven. people closer to Christ in the Eucharist, then it has com- Whoever eats my flesh (whoever gnaws on my flesh like a … I am the Bread of Life. … Your ancestors ate the manna pletely failed in its mission. And it is the same way in our dog gnawing on a bone) and drinks my blood remains in in the desert, yet they died. If you eat this bread, you will individual lives. We can become so consumed with activity me, and I in him.” live forever. … This bread is my flesh, which I will give for and busy-ness, even good and important and necessary It is at this moment that the line had been crossed. the life of the world. … Unless you eat the flesh of the Son things, that we lose sight of God living in our midst, that Jesus had gone too far. It is one thing to say that God will of Man, and drink his blood, you will not have life within we sometimes even tell ourselves that we don’t have time provide for his children. It is something else for Jesus to you. … My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. … to spend with him and worship him. Sometimes we look identify himself with God and tell them that he would pro- Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me for our sustenance and satisfaction in other places; some- vide for them. If Jesus had said that God had sent him to and I in him.” times we direct our lives to other ends. provide for his people that would have been somewhat If we truly believe the words of Jesus and what he is But the Lord’s miraculous feeding of the five thousand acceptable. But when Jesus essentially made himself promising to those who eat his flesh and drink his blood, reminds us that only he can truly feed us, only he can sat- equal to God that was too much. And when he said that we how could we possibly absent ourselves from the Mass? isfy the restlessness of our hearts. May we never look for must eat his body and drink his blood, that was really too Let us pray for a rediscovery, by the Catholic people, of our happiness apart from him who lives with us always in much. But now, he has become even more graphic, even the remarkable gift of the Eucharist, the Bread from the Eucharist, so that we might live at all times with him more literal, telling us that we must actually gnaw or chew Heaven, and the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ himself. as the source and summit of all that we do. on his flesh and drink his blood — this is a bridge too far. Father Michael Comer is the pastor of Mother of God Father Ryan Stenger, J.C.L., is pastor, St. Joseph Parish, I am certain that Jesus must have felt a great sadness as Parish, Covington. Camp Springs; and judge, Diocesan Tribunal Office. he watched these followers of his turn away, and reject not

12 October 9, 2020 Messenger

the Eucharist? 1. Jesus said to; 2. In the sacrament of the Eucharist, why bread and wine? Bread points us to the continual Father Daniel Schomaker an offering of wine — often referred to as the “cup of bless- sustenance we receive from the The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the ing.” At the conclusion of the Jewish Passover meal, this Lord when we cooperate with his grace; 3. Wine points us Christian life. The other sacraments, and indeed all eccle- “cup” “adds to the festive joy of wine an eschatological to the joy of the Gospel and of our eschatological end, siastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound dimension: the messianic expectation of the rebuilding of heaven; 4. Human beings are a compilation of body and up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in Jerusalem.” (CCC 1334) We also see, in Jesus’ very first soul; both need to be fed — bread sustains the body; wine the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good public miracle — the Wedding Feast at Cana — the cen- sustains the soul. of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” (CCC trality of wine, where he transforms water into wine, but Father Daniel Schomaker is vicar general; pastor, St. 1324) The Church’s teaching in memoriam tells us that not just any wine, the very best wine. And this miracle Augustine Parish, Covington; moderator of the Curia; and contained in the “sacred species” and veiled in the objects takes place at a joyful celebration. assistant director of seminarians in the Diocese of of bread and wine, is in fact Jesus Christ! His very body, So, why do we use bread and wine for the celebration of Covington. blood, soul and divinity! But why when we celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist do we use bread and wine? The simplest explanation is that we are adher- ing to the command of the Lord when at the Last Supper “He took bread and gave it to his disciples…” and “He took the cup filled with wine … ‘Do this in memory of me.’” Ultimately as believers this should be enough, but since God has given us a mind let’s delve a little deeper. After being cast out of the Garden of Eden because of disobedience, God tells man that it is “bread you shall eat, by the sweat of your brow.” (cf. Gen. 3:19) Humanity also offers back to God the “first-fruits” of the field — as seen in the offering of Abel and later in the offering of bread and wine by the priest-king Melchizedek. Prior to their journey into the desert as they fled Egypt, the Israelites ate “unleavened bread”; and when wandering in the desert, it was the manna or “bread from heaven” that God gave to sustain them. The gift of bread to eat (which we pray for every time we offer the Lord’s Prayer) is a sign of “the pledge of God’s faithfulness to his promises.” (CCC 1334) Or another way to say this is that in the midst of the trials of life and on our pilgrimage towards the “promised land” (Heaven) and in our thanksgiving to God for any and all blessings, it is bread that What does the Eucharist mean to you? always sustains us physically and reminds us What people are saying around the Diocese. of God’s closeness. In this Messenger file photo, students bring the bread and wine Mother Margaret Mary Fields, The gift of wine or “the fruit of the vine” forward which will become the Body and Blood of the Lord during Congregation of the Passion of also finds its way into the revelation of salva- Ash Wednesday Mass 2019 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Jesus Christ tion history. Just as there was an offering of Assumption. bread in the Old Testament, so too was there “Our life is surrounded by Eucharistic sacrifice and Eucharistic adoration. Our life is built around the Eucharist … (at the monastery) we have Eucharistic adoration every day, we expose the Blessed Sacrament every day at 4-5:30 p.m. in the pub- Prayer for after receiving Holy Communion: lic chapel. We should all be look- ing forward to going back to Mass because seeing Mass on Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Anima Christi, sanctifica me. television is good, but at the same time, you’re not getting the full benefit of the Mass. The Eucharist is so important Body of Christ, save me. Corpus Christi, salva me. in all our lives.” Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Sanguis Christi, inebria me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Aqua lateris Christi, lava me. Study Questions Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Passio Christi, conforta me. O Good Jesus, hear me. O bone Iesu, exaudi me. How can we relate the Christmas story to the Within Thy wounds, hide me. Intra tua vulnera absconde me. Eucharist? Separated from Thee let me never be. Ne permittas me separari a te. Name two miracles, besides From the malignant enemy, defend me. Ab hoste maligno defende me. the Eucharist, that Jesus At the hour of death, call me. In hora mortis meae voca me. performed with bread or wine. To come to Thee, bid me, Et iube me venire ad te, That I may praise Thee in the company Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te Where in the Bible do we find the Bread of Life Of Thy Saints, for all eternity. in saecula saeculorum. discourse? Why are these passages so unique? Amen. Amen. Throughout the entire Bible, what do bread and wine symbolize?

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Coaching is a ministry Erhmann talks about the idea of a transformational basketball is going to be tied to serving others — to the (Continued from page 5) coach versus a transactional coach. A transactional coach relationships I help foster and the life messages I am able uses players to meet their own personal needs while the to impart. The reality is that I may be around these boys the team to the NBA Championship. transformational coach uses their platform to impart life- as much as their parents are, at least during the season. I What I find unique about Kerr are the four core values changing messages. better be ready to serve. that are part of the Warriors’ culture under his leader- I think that’s why God called me back to coach high Why do I coach? I coach to use the game of basketball ship — joy, mindfulness, competition and compassion. school basketball. He wanted me to use this gift — this to connect and inspire others while bringing them closer Compassion? Compassion for men who are multi-million- vocation — to impact lives. to who God created them to be. aires? Yes, Kerr understands how difficult their jobs can Jesus calls us to use our gifts: “Each of you should use Rich Hoyt is an assistant professor at the University of be and the sacrifices they make to contribute to the whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faith- Cincinnati, a parishioner at St. Agnes Parish, Ft. Wright, team’s success. Kerr’s core values provide an opportunity ful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter and a longtime youth and high school coach. He is the lead for a coach to reflect and answer the first question any 4:10) trainer for the Play Like A Champion Today program in coach should be able to answer: Why do I coach? Yes, I want to win games and championships as much the Diocese of Covington. Former NFL player and current coach educator Joe as anyone. But my joy in returning to coach high school

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington, KY (www.covdio.org) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Assistant Superintendent of Catholic Schools. The Assistant Superintendent is responsible for collecting and aggregating statistical data for each school i.e. test scores, student information, faculty and staff information, tuition and fees, attendance, calendar, etc. The Assistant Superintendent helps with the educational adminis- tration of the Alliance for Catholic Urban Education (ACUE) schools, and facilitates government programs/funding, curriculum and assessment, professional development, and school communication. Overall, the position encounters a wide diversity of work situations and involves a high degree of complexity with responsibility for advising and decision making in many areas. Candidates must be practicing Roman Catholics in good standing, able and willing to give witness to the Catholic faith at all times, with a Master’s degree in Education/ Administration and previous experience in school administrative leadership. Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest along with a comprehensive resume or C-V, recent Baptismal certificate indicating sacramental preparation, and a list of at least five professional references to Stephen Koplyay, SPHR: [email protected], FAX 859/392-1589, or mail to 1125 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011-3115. EOE

NOVENA OVENA N NOVENA TO SAINT ANTHONY FOR A SICK CHILD. St. NOVENA TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Oh, most beautiful Anthony, your love for the Infant Jesus inspired Him to reward flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, you by seeing and holding Him in your arms. Help us to see Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist and love Jesus in all the poor and suffering children in the me in my necessity. Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me world, particularly (name child) whom is afflicted with (name here you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen condition). Intercede for (name the child) asking our compas- of Heaven and Earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom sionate Lord Jesus to heal him/her so that he/she may grow to of my heart to succor me in my necessity (make your request). love the Lord and His servant, St. Anthony. Guard this life that There are none that can withstand your power. Oh Mary, Pray God has created. Let your gentle hand, like that of a skilled for us who have recourse to Thee, (three times). Holy Mary, I physician, rest lovingly upon this afflicted child that he/she place this prayer in your hands. (three times). M.B. may be immediately restored to health. Amen. E.A.C.

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Protecting God’s Children for Adults Virtual Safe Environment Trainings Schools are now offer- For all employees and copy if you request it during You will receive 12 bulletins How to access Virtual volunteers of the Diocese of the registration process. You per year. You will receive training ing complementary Covington who in any way will sign up for a virtual e-mail notices at - Go to www.virtus.org provide a safe environment VIRTUS class during the [email protected] unless - Enter id and password lunch to all students for children. registration. your computer program - Click on Live Training on Messenger Staff Report Step 1: Contact Step 3: Join the virtual blocks them. left column All schools in the Diocese of Covington who participate parish/school institution VIRTUS session. The day - Click on pre-register for an in the National School Lunch Program will begin partici- leader to review the Policies before the session, you will Bulletin: upcoming session pating in an expanded program offered by the U.S.D.A. and Procedures and fill out receive an e-mail with 4 n Oct. bulletin: posted - Choose your training This program has been offered as a way to provide relief the Application and documents attached to print. Sunday, Oct. 4; due to families during the pandemic and ensure all students Acceptance Forms. On the day of the session Tuesday, Nov. 3. Note: If your Training Tab have access to meals. you will receive an invitation Schools will begin participation in this program begin- Step 2: Go to is missing or you cannot www.virtus.org and click to join the session. access your account, ning Monday, Oct. 5 and will continue through Dec. 31 or Virtual Training: on Registration. Follow the No children, please. contact your parish, school or until federal funds have been depleted. During this time, n Tuesday, Oct. 20, prompts to create an account Step 4: Your account institution. students will receive complementary meals. There is noth- and to request a background becomes active when your 12:30–4 p.m. ing for school families to do to qualify for or enroll in the For other difficulties, complementary meal program — all students are welcome check. Selection.com is a background check, VIRTUS contact Marylu Steffen and encouraged to participate. This means, all students secure site; the background session and Acceptance Form at (859) 392-1500 or may choose a hot school lunch or grab-n-go meal at no cost check is posted on your are posted on your account. [email protected]. to the family. account and you receive a Schools can also choose to offer a morning snack or a grab-n-go breakfast as an additional option for families. This will be served at 8 a.m. As part of the pro- gram, schools will also offer these com- plementary meals to children who are not enrolled in a Catholic school. This means families with younger children may pre- order meals and pick them up at the desig- nated time and loca- tion. Children up to 18 years of age are eligi- ble for the free meal. More information on the procedures for this option will be available on the school website. “We hope this pro- gram will be helpful to families during these challenging times,” said Jackie Kaiser, director, School Lunch Program for the Diocese of Covington. For more informa- tion visit your school website or contact the school office or cafete- ria manager.

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They turned no one away. Congregation of Divine her for many years. Notre Dame Sister In 1973, Sister returned home to Providence Sister She enjoyed good Marianna Rumpke was Northern Kentucky and ministered Elizabeth Kelemen (for- conversation and born Aug. 15, 1933, to as principal and administrator in sev- merly Sister Mary fun with friends Herman and Mary Rumpke eral local schools. She worked many Agneta) died peacefully and sisters and in Cincinnati, Ohio, the of those years as principal at St. at Holy Family Home especially enjoyed sixth of seven children. She John’s elementary school, Covington Sept. 24, 2020. She was a opportunities to described her large family (now known as Prince of Peace professed member of the visit or have meals as loving and faith-filled. Montessori). After over 57 years of Congregation of Divine together in local Mary Ann, her given name, teaching and working with children, Providence for 74 years. restaurants. attended St. Charles School, sister retired to Lourdes Hall, but her Born in Cumberland, She will be Carthage, Ohio, and then ministry did not stop after teaching. Kentucky in 1927 to missed by her reli- graduated from Our Lady At St. Joseph Heights, she shared her Andrew and Anna gious community, of Angels High School, St. gift of needle work and sewing. Sister Kelemen, she made her the Sisters of Bernard, Ohio, in 1951. Marianna created beautiful stuffed first profession of vows Divine Providence, Shortly, after graduating, animals and dolls for the annual in 1946 and professed her her brother Elmer she entered the Sisters of Fourth of July Festival. It was rare to final vows in 1951. and her many Notre Dame, where she see her without a needle in hand. If Sister Elizabeth nieces and nephews made her profession of she was not creating, she was partici- Sister Elizabeth Kelemen, began her ministry of who visited with her vows on Aug. 25, 1954. Sister Marianna Rumpke, pating in a friendly Scrabble game or C.D.P. teaching in 1946 at St. regularly. Her sis- Sister Marianna (for- S.N.D. puzzle with other sisters and staff Vincent de Paul School, Newport and ters, Anna and Sister Teresa Ann, merly Sister Mary Herman Joseph) started her members. She will be greatly missed. taught in several other elementary CDP and her brothers Andrew, John, ministry teaching elementary school in the dio- Sister Marianna Rumpke went home to God schools in Kentucky and Maryland Anthony, Joe, Dennis and Louis pre- ceses of Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Sept. 25, 2020. Sister is preceded in death by her until 1977 when she went to St. John ceded her in death. Ohio. She received her BS in Elementary parents, her brothers Albert, Edward, School, Dry Ridge, Ohio. Her long A private Mass of Christian Burial Education at Our Lady of Cincinnati College, Raymond, Herman, and her sister, Virginia tenure there in the classroom conclud- was celebrated in Immaculate and a few years later earned a Master of Ollinger. She is survived by her dear sister, ed in 2001. She continued serving St. Conception Chapel, Holy Family Education Reading Specialist from Eastern Dorothy Compton, as well as many beloved John’s by helping to raise funds for the Home, Melbourne on Wednesday, Kentucky University. nieces and nephews. school until 2008 when she retired to September 30 at 9 a.m. with her burial Sister was then missioned for seven years to Due to the current health-care restrictions Holy Family Home in Melbourne. in the convent cemetery following Holy Trinity Parish and School in Harlan, on gatherings, a private Catholic Mass took There she served in a variety of ways Mass. A public celebration of her life Kentucky, as a teacher and tutor. Sister place at St. Joseph Heights chapel, followed by until she moved to the Health Care will take place at a future date. Marianna and the other sisters there started an burial in the convent cemetery. A celebration of Center in 2018. Memorials to the Congregation of outreach for the entire Harlan community. It Sister Marianna’s life will be held for family and She was a well-liked classroom Divine Providence, 5300 Saint Anne included a front-porch pantry for distributing friends at a later date. Memorials are suggested teacher, whose students kept up with Drive, Melbourne, KY 41059. food, diapers, clothing, and money for medicine. to the Sisters of Notre Dame, Covington, Ky.

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‘Hold your heads high,’ West Virginia bishop tells first responders, military Colleen Rowan of our Savior. Catholic News Service “God uses these archangels to serve FOLLANSBEE, W.Va. — West Virginia’s Catholic bish- his people, to serve his creation,” Bishop op had a message Sept. 29 for members of police and fire Brennan said. “And those who serve in departments, Emergency Medical Services personnel and and among the police and fire depart- those serving in the U.S. military: “Hold your heads high. ments, first responders and in the mili- You have noble professions.” tary imitate, among human beings, what Bishop Mark E. Brennan, who heads the statewide these archangels do.” Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, made the remarks dur- “All of these folks are agents of com- ing a Blue Mass he said at St. Anthony Church in fort and providers of security in our Follansbee. The Mass draws its name from the traditional communities, and it is right to honor uniform colors associated with these professions. them for what they do,” the bishop said. The congregation included local dignitaries, as well as “Sometimes they have to risk their the family members and community members who sup- health and their lives to do their jobs.” port these men and women who risk their lives in public Bishop Brennan also called to mind service. the many police and firefighters who Bishop Brennan began his homily noting that Jewish have been killed doing their jobs. and Christian traditions have honored the angels and seen “We also hear of the bad apples,” the them as a true ministry of God toward mankind. bishop said. “It is true there are some Most notably, he pointed to the Archangels Michael, bad apples. ... And bad apples have to be CNS photo/courtesy Diocese of Portland Raphael and Gabriel: Michael is the defender of God’s peo- dealt with.” He warned that there can be Members of a multijurisdictional honor guard attend a Blue Mass at the ple; Raphael’s angelic mission on earth was to heal; and a culture of silence and circling the wag- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Maine, Sept. 20, 2020. Gabriel was the messenger of divine comfort, most partic- ons mentality, which can prevent The principal celebrant was Bishop Robert P. Deeley. ularly when he reveals to Mary that she will be the mother progress and reform that are needed. “The bad apples, my friends, are not the whole story. They simply aren’t,” Bishop Brennan said. “In my experi- interviewing for navigator positions, patients set the bar. ence over many years most police and fire, medical, first New cancer center One of the major advantages of this facility, said Dr. responders, and those serving in the military are dedicated (Continued from page 1) Flora, is its capacity for multidisciplinary care. “All of the to serving others. And they try to do it faithfully.” Bishop Brennan said he believes the majority of people patroness of the hospital, blessed the space and led those providers that a patient would need to see can combat that recognize this. “If you ask people in poor neighborhoods gathered in prayer. cancer under one roof … You can see three or four doctors in some of our great cities, do they want the police to be “Let us ask for God’s blessing on all the sick who are in a half day in the same clinic, that’s unique. Sometimes defunded? Do you know what they say? No. They want patients, and on those who devote themselves to caring for these things take three or four weeks and different offices to police protection.” them,” he prayed. “We ask a divine blessing on this center, get through the queue of medical oncology and surgeons At this Mass, the bishop said the community honors dedicated to the care of those in need. … Grant that, com- and radiation doctors. Now we’re all going to see you on a those who dedicate their lives and their energies to the peo- forted in their illness, the patients will quickly regain their Tuesday morning, within an hour and a half of each other ple, to keeping all safe and responding when problems health and joyfully thank you for the favors they have … I think that relieves some of the burdens off the patients occur. received.” themselves and also makes us expect a little bit more of our- “I encourage you, who are in these wonderful public Bishop Foys expressed his gratitude for the new center selves as caretakers to make sure that the process is built service professions, hold your heads high. As there are and all the good work it will do. “One of the primary things around the patients themselves, rather than around the doc- angels that serve and continue to serve God so you do by that Jesus did in his life, beside teaching, was healing the tors, which has been the traditional way.” serving your fellow human beings,” the bishop said. sick … this facility continues the work of the Lord Jesus,” Another asset is the attitude around the center of “You have noble professions,” he continued. “Never let he said. “I’m so pleased to be here.” addressing the whole person — body, mind and spirit. anyone take that away from you. Honor God, trust him, As part of the dedication, Jospeh Bozzelli, staff chap- “We’ve got places for prayer and quiet reflection, for mas- and pray as we heard in the psalm, When I called, you lain, read from Scripture and led those present in a respon- sages or acupuncture, in addition to cutting edge clinical answered me. You built up strength within me.” sory psalm and prayers of the faithful. trials … This is worthy for our patients, they deserve access Debbie Simpson, Board of Trustees chair, also addressed to clinical trials,” said Dr. Flora. those gathered. “I’m extremely proud to know that this cen- “What we’re going to do ter is being built for the benefit of our community and here is challenge the rest of through the support of the community,” she said. “The the community to keep up, structure signifies the unity of people throughout our and if you want to provide region, who have come together to change cancer outcome the same level of care that for our region. … Together we will change the cancer narra- we’re going to afford our tive for our family, our friends and our community.” patients, you’d better be The idea was conceived about three years ago after a ready to do screening detec- Community Needs Assessment, according to Dr. Doug tion, precision medicine, Flora, MD, executive director. The St. Elizabeth staff sur- cooking classes, all of these veyed educators, politicians and local community leaders softer touches I think will on what they thought the most pressing needs were for distance us from the field healthcare in the region. The results showed it was cancer and maybe make the other care, cardiac care and mental health and addiction. Two centers realize that it’s other centers, dedicated to cardiovascular care and mental about the whole person and health care, were completed since then. not just the cancer,” he said. “This was the final cog in the wheel for us,” said Dr. The center opens for its Flora. first chemotherapy infu- Kentucky is currently first in the country for cancer- sion on Oct. 1, and the fol- related diagnoses and deaths, first for lung cancer deaths lowing Monday the medical and first for colon cancer. St. Elizabeth’s solution is the oncologist practice moves region’s first world-class cancer center, featuring screening in. Mr. Colvin said overall, and prevention, precision medicine and genomic health, it’s taken 700,000 people clinical research and the most advanced technology in the hours, employing 2100 field. Ground was broken in 2018, and the center has contin- employees during a pan- ued in construction since then, leading up to fall 2020 and demic. “When the world the grand opening. slowed down, this building The center, Dr. Flora said, is a promise. “I feel like we kept going. We were able to have had thousands of meetings, planning and scheduling do it safely, on time, and for and schematics … now we’re actually inviting patients into this community.” our home. To finally have these guests who are able to take “Today is a momentous advantage of the gifts of this building means a lot to me.” day for the fight against As a former cancer patient himself, Dr. Flora said he cancer in Northern made sure the new center was built around the patients and Kentucky,” said Mr. Colvin their convenience. 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transparency and accountability, Pope Francis named Cardinal cials repeatedly have said that the agreement with China deals only National/World Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and with the appointment of bishops, a question essential for the unity Life to lead a commission that determines which economic activi- and survival of the Catholic Church in the country. ties remain confidential. The pope also named Archbishop Filippo Iannone, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Russia’s Catholic Church warns CRS report says poverty, not religious as secretary of the newly formed “Commission for Reserved conflict, causes Sahel violence Matters,” the Vatican announced Oct. 5. The pope named several against proposed curbs on clergy members to the committee, including Bishop Fernando Vergez WARSAW, Poland — Catholic Church officials in Russia criti- CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The rise in violence in West Alzaga, secretary general of Vatican City State; Bishop Nunzio cized planned religious law changes that will require all clergy Africa’s Sahel region is a result of unequal access to wealth rather Galantino, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of who studied abroad to retrain in a Russian college. “Like other than clashes of religious beliefs, a new report from Catholic Relief the Holy See, which handles the Vatican’s investment portfolio and confessions, we find it absurd to talk of recertifying priests who Services said. “While the crisis may be painted by some as reli- real estate holdings; and Jesuit Father Juan Antonio Guerrero are already in service and of having to send our archbishop back gious or ethnic in nature, it’s actually a result of perceived Alves, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy. The commission to seminary for a course in Russian history and spirituality,” said inequality and a growing discontent with government,” CRS said was a part of the new transparency laws enacted by the pope in Father Kirill Gorbunov, vicar general of the Moscow Archdiocese. in a Sept. 30 press statement. “The daily atrocities we’re seeing June covering contracts for the purchase of goods, property and “Of course, Catholic priests coming here from Poland, Italy or reflect an extremely complex reality that is rooted in despair,” said services for both the Roman Curia and Vatican City State offices, Spain need some kind of acculturation, and we don’t always have Patrick Williams, CRS program manager for the Sahel Peace and was part of further centralizing control over the Vatican’s the opportunity to provide this. But this shouldn’t be regulated by Initiative. “We’re talking about communities where the number of finances. The goal of the new laws was also to save money by the state,” Father Gorbunov told Catholic News Service Oct. 1. unemployed people far exceeds the number of those able to earn a establishing central purchasing offices at the Governorate for Church officials’ concerns stem from draft amendments to meaningful living,” he said. The initiative is a multicountry Vatican City State and at the administration of the patrimony of Russia’s 1997 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Catholic response to the crisis that focuses on Mali, Burkina Faso the Holy See for offices of the Roman Curia. Associations, which would bar “clergy who receive religious edu- and Niger, which are at the epicenter of the violence, but also cation abroad” from ministering unless they obtain “recertifica- includes neighboring Ivory Coast and Ghana. Although Catholics Bishops offer good wishes, prayers for tion within a Russian religious organization” and “receive addi- comprise a small percentage of the total population in Sahel, the tional professional education.” Church is respected by the population “regardless of their faith Trumps, all suffering from COVID-19 and is seen as a neutral, objective and nonpolitical actor across WASHINGTON — Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, the region,” said the CRS report, titled “Steps Towards Peace.” Cardinal hopes Barrett will not face president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he was

praying for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania ‘grilling’ on her faith by senators Trump administration drops refugee Trump, adding, “May God grant them full healing and may he NEW YORK — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York cap to historic low keep their family safe and healthy.” “Let us keep praying for all recalled how the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who are suffering because of the novel coronavirus, especially the “was not afraid to say that the values of her Jewish faith animated WASHINGTON — The steep slope, appearing almost as a verti- sick and dying and their families, and all those who have lost how she lived and how she judged. Nobody found that controver- cal line, is a stunning mark by the Trump administration on what loved ones,” he said in a statement late Oct. 4. “May God give them sial,” he said Sept. 30 during the show “Conversation with was once a refugee program recognized around the world as a hope and comfort, and may he bring an end to this pandemic.” In a Cardinal Dolan” on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel. But the model to welcome the tyrannized and persecuted masses. Late tweet just before 1 a.m. Oct. 2, the president announced he and the deep Catholic faith of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Sept. 30, the administration announced it would bring the refugee first lady had tested positive for COVID-19. Late Oct. 2, President Donald Trump’s nominee to fill the court vacancy left by cap — the maximum number of displaced people the country Trump was flown by helicopter to Walter Reed National Military Ginsburg’s death Sept. 18, has come under scrutiny and much crit- decides to resettle in a federal fiscal year — to a historic low: Medical Center just outside Washington in Bethesda, Maryland, icism, he said. “What I admired in the accolades to Ruth Bader 15,000. The average during presidencies of both Republicans and for a few days out of “an abundance of caution,” the White House Ginsburg (after her death), there were a lot of articles about her Democrats had been around 95,000. But the announcement on the said, adding the 74-year-old president was experiencing “mild deep Jewish faith,” he said. Cardinal Dolan also noted one recent new cap doesn’t mean the bad news for refugees, or organizations symptoms.” Early Oct. 5, his doctors said it was possible he would article told of how Ginsburg “always said she faced three biases: a that help them, ended there. “It’s not official, the president still be discharged to return to the White House later that day. woman, a mother and a Jew. Well, it seems like Judge Barrett is has to sign it,” so no refugees can enter the country until that hap- facing woman, mother and Catholic (bias).” Trump officially nom- pens, said Ashley Feasley, director of policy for Migration and Pope Benedict had approved the inated Barrett, 48, a wife, a mother of seven children and also a Refugee Services at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. law professor at the University of Notre Dame, in the Rose Garden Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the Vatican-China agreement at the White House Sept. 26. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Auxiliary VATICAN CITY — The Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville of Washington said Oct. 2 the low Vatican-China agreement on number was “heartbreaking,” given “the global need and the the appointment of bishops capacity and wealth of the United States.” was a pastoral, not political

agreement, that also had been Pandemic stimulus bill excludes approved by Pope Benedict Catholic school students, their families XVI, the Vatican Secretary of State said. Every pope, from St. WASHINGTON — The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ education Paul VI to Pope Francis, has committee said Oct. 1 “it is unconscionable” the HEROES Act tried to resolve what Pope stimulus bill proposed in the House is excluding Catholic school Benedict described as a diffi- students and their families. The bill includes $225 billion for edu- cult situation “of misunder- cation, including $182 billion for K-12 schools, but “provides no standings and incomprehen- equitable services for students in nonpublic schools and main- sion” that did not benefit tains language that prohibits any funds from being used to pro- “either the Chinese authorities vide financial assistance to nonpublic school children,” said a nor the Catholic Church in news release about the measure from the U.S. Conference of China,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin Catholic Bishops. “This has the effect of excluding virtually any said, according to Vatican aid to students, families and teachers in nonpublic schools,” the News Oct. 3. Pope Benedict release stated. In his statement, Bishop Michael C. Barber of himself, the cardinal said, Oakland, California, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on approved “the draft agreement Catholic Education, noted the COVID-19 pandemic “has affected on the appointment of bishops all Americans, including those whose children are enrolled in in China,” which was signed in Catholic and nonpublic schools. It is unconscionable that this lat- 2018 by the Holy See and est aid proposal would exclude these American children and the Chinese officials and is due for schools they attend from emergency aid that would ease the finan- renewal at the end of October. cial burdens they have borne as a result of the pandemic,” he said. The cardinal was speaking at a conference in Milan, marking Cardinal Farrell to lead commission the 150th anniversary of the presence of missionaries of the determining confidential contracts Pontifical Institute for Foreign VATICAN CITY — Continuing his efforts to ensure financial Missions in China. Vatican offi-