LINDA CHOUTEAU RETIREMENT Linda Chouteau, Administrative Assistant to the Archbishop, has retired. Her last day was Thursday, January 24. With deep gratitude, we thank Linda for her 48 years of dedicated service. We will miss her and wish her a long and enjoyable retirement. Until we identify a replacement for Linda, Lisa Weber, Canonical Administrative Assistant, and Gayle Scotti, Human Resources Administrative Assistant, will share administrative responsibility for the Archbishop’s Office. Lisa’s phone extension is 2842; Gayle’s is 2801. Emails for the Archbishop should be sent to [email protected]. Lisa and Gayle will monitor this email box daily. ACTION REQUIRED FOR PRIESTS Section V. G. of the Priests’ Personnel Policies of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati reads: By law a priest must participate in the federal Social Security Program unless he notifies the Social Security Administration that he chooses to opt out of the program for reasons of conscience. This decision is considered to be irrevocable by the federal government. He must also notify the Priests’ Personnel Office in writing of this fact and indicate that he has made adequate provision for a similar type of pension supplement and other Social benefits, e.g., Medicare and/or Medicaid. If you have any questions, please contact Bishop Joe Binzer at 513.263.6601. THE LIGHT IS ON FOR YOU Tuesday, March 19, 7:00-9:00 p.m. We will be promoting this Lenten evening of Reconciliation throughout the Archdiocese via The Catholic Telegraph, direct mail to registered parishioners, and digital outreach. Look for the posters and brochures that we will be sending to each parish. Additional resources will be available at the ODWS website starting Monday, Feb. 11. WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 2018 Several parishes have yet to return their 2018 World Mission Sunday collection to the Mission Office. Please check with your business manager. Also, please send in the parishioner envelope for World Mission Sunday. Thank you. DONATION CONFUSION FOR MCP OR WORLD MISSION SUNDAY When you mail in donations for either the Missionary Cooperation Plan (MCP) or World Mission Sunday (WMS), please indicate WHICH YEAR those funds were collected and for February 2019 Clergy Communications 1 WHICH PURPOSE: MCP or WMS. Send them to: Mission Office, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 100 E. 8th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202. Contact Melonise Knight at 513.421.3131x2631 or [email protected] with any questions. TRIENNIAL COLLECTION FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MILITARY SERVICES, USA On November 9-10, 2019, we will take up the collection to aid the work of the Archdiocese for Military Services, USA. This special collection began in 2013 at the request of the Most Reverend Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for Military Services and it happens only once every three years. Our Sunday Visitor provides the materials for this collection; however, each (Arch)Diocese maintains the database of the materials that each parish receives. If you need to change and/or are unsure of the quantity of materials you received, please contact Lisa Weber in the Chancery Office at [email protected]. As with other special collections, the money should be forwarded to the Finance Office indicating that it is for the military. OPTIONAL WINTER/SPRING RETREAT The Winter/Spring Retreat for Priests is scheduled for March 25-29, 2019 at the Spiritual Center of Maria Stein. Reverend Robert Robeson is the retreat director. A flier will be mailed in late January or early February. For more information, please contact Sarah Frohmiller at [email protected] or 513.421.3131x2651. Thank you. COLLEGE LIVE-IN Priests, youth ministers and DREs are encouraged to invite high school Juniors and Seniors who are discerning the call to the priesthood to the Spring College Live-in experience at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH. Information and registration are available here. For questions or to talk to Fr. Schmitmeyer click here. EXPLORE YOUR CALL The Office for Consecrated Life and the Vocation Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are hosting a dinner at St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lebanon on April 10 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for young women curious about a religious vocation. We encourage all pastors, youth ministers and DREs to share this wonderful opportunity with the women of your parish and to personally invite them to come. More details and a registration page will be posted soon to cincinnativocations.org. USCCB LISTENING SESSION ON RACISM The USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism is sponsoring sessions around the U.S. to hear the testimonies of people impacted by the grave sin of racism so that we might better promulgate Open Wide Our Hearts, the recent pastoral letter against racism. Our Archdiocese is hosting one of these sessions on Friday, March 8, 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Curran Place (1700 S. Patterson Blvd, Dayton 45409) on the campus of the University of Dayton. Please plan on attending, if at all possible. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, please email Deacon Royce Winters at [email protected] by Monday, March 4. February 2019 Clergy Communications 2 REGISTER NOW FOR THE AMAZING PARISH CONFERENCE The Amazing Parish Conference is coming to Cincinnati May 13-15, 2019. This is not “program of the day” – in fact, it’s not a program at all, but rather leadership skill development and tools that can transform your parish. There is no leader on earth who is so good that there isn’t room for improvement! Register by February 15 to take advantage of the $250 early bird discount. LENTEN FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY WITH FRISCH’S Frisch’s is offering an Archdiocese-wide fundraising opportunity during Lent in which you may participate or not at your discretion. Each parish will have the opportunity to receive 20% of the dinner sales at a local Frisch’s on a Tuesday in Lent. Please watch your parish email in-box for an email from Frisch’s with details and promotional resources should you choose to participate. 40 DAYS FOR LIFE Invite your parishioners to sign up for a vigil hour at either the Dayton or Cincinnati 40 Days for Life events. Use the bulletin entry or for more information, go to https://40daysforlife.com/. PRO-LIFE INTERVIEW SERIES Let your parish know about the Being Pro-Life interview series. With a new subject each month, each interview tells an engaging story on an important topic and ends by showing people how to get involved. Check out the latest here. See the Bulletin Entry section. FOR JR. HIGH YOUTH: AWAKE RALLY – FEBRUARY 10 (FT. LORAMIE), MARCH 2 (CINCINNATI), MARCH 16 (DAYTON) In partnership with NET Ministries, Awake, a Jr. High youth rally, seeks to accompany 6-8th graders through an event that will provide opportunities for fellowship, worship, and encounter. More information is available at: https://viacatholic.org/awake. UPPER ROOM – FEBRUARY 12 (CINCINNATI), FEBRUARY 19 (DAYTON) Upper Room provides ample opportunity for adults who minister to youth to enjoy each other's company and talk about what's happening within our own lives and ministries. Lunch is provided for FREE! Visit https://viacatholic.org/upperroom/ for more information. PARISH BEREAVEMENT TEAM ADVANCED TRAINING Send a team of staff and volunteers to our Grief Support Training on February 23, a workshop to help your bereavement team improve its ability to start or run a grief support group. It will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in McCartyville. Click here for more information. FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH: ENCOUNTER – MARCH 3 (IN DAYTON) AND MARCH 9 (IN CINCINNATI) This event, open to high school students, seeks to gather groups of disciples from across the Archdiocese for an evening of worship, a powerful testimony, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and accompaniment. Visit viacatholic.com/encounter for more information. February 2019 Clergy Communications 3 ATTENTION PARISH TWINNING AND CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICE LEADERS You are invited to a workshop with Dr. Kim Lamberty of CRS to learn methods for transforming mission projects from a model of dependency to a model for self-sufficiency. You may choose from one of these meetings that will take place from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.: • Tuesday, April 9: Versailles, St. Denis Church Basement, 14 E. Wood St. • Wednesday, April 10: Dayton, Holy Angels Church, 211 L St. • Thursday, April 11: Cinti./Reading, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 177 Siebenthaler Ave. For more information and to register ($10), contact Teresa Phillips at 513.421.3131x2632 or [email protected]. HEALING MASS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST AN UNBORN CHILD Let your parishioners know about our Archdiocesan Healing Mass for those who have lost a child in ways such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, still birth or even abortion. Have them join us Monday, April 29, at 7:00 p.m. at any of four locations around the Archdiocese: St. Ignatius of Loyola (Cincinnati), St. Veronica (Cincinnati), St. Albert the Great (Dayton), or the Maria Stein Center. For more information, click here. ATTENTION PARISH YOUTH MINISTERS The Office of Youth Evangelization and Discipleship and the Office for Mission invite youth ministers and youth mission trip participants to gather regionally for spiritual formation/preparation in the Cincinnati area on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at St. Matthias Parish, 1050 W. Kemper Rd., from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. or in the Dayton area on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at St. John Parish, 753 S. Hyatt St., Tipp City, from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact Teresa Phillips at 513.421.3131x2632 or [email protected]. MISSION OFFICE SEEKS A CONTACT PERSON FOR EACH PARISH/REGION The Mission Office requests a name and email address of a parishioner to serve as your “Global Mission Advocate” or contact person.