Columbus Catholic

The Feast of martyrs Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher ushers in the beginning of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Religious Freedom Week.

Join us every day this week to pray, reflect, and act on different elements of religious freedom.

Today's focus is respect for sacred spaces. Learn more by visiting https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/religious-freedom-week

“As St. Paul has said, for our justification, He [Christ], gave to man all that was necessary. His Blood to wash us, His Body to redeem us. In His Passion, justice and peace have met each other.” - St. John Fisher (1469–1535)

St. John Fisher confronted the Protestant Reformation, focused on preaching instead of politics, and served as the Bishop of Rochester and a Cardinal. St. Thomas More (1478–1535) was known as a brilliant, just lawyer and government official who rose to the position of Lord High Chancellor of England.

Both saints stood up to King Henry VIII when he sought approval for his divorce from Catherine of Aragon and his claim to be the supreme head of the Church of England. Their refusal to sign an oath of supremacy led them to be executed.

St. John Fisher is the patron saint of many schools named after him and Columbus’ own The Catholic Foundation. St. Thomas More is the patron saint of statesmen and politicians.

Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More, pray for us!

“When He takes away what He once lent us, His purpose is to store our treasure elsewhere, more safely and bestow on us, those very blessings, that we ourselves would most choose to have.” - St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591)

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was an Italian aristocrat trained in the ways of courtly life, but at the age of 9, he vowed to become a Jesuit priest. Aloysius was known for his great piety and devotion to God, as well as his care for the sick and dying during the plague in Rome. He died of the plague himself at the age of 23.

He is the patron saint of young students, Christian youth, Jesuit scholastics, the blind, AIDS patients, and AIDS caregivers.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us!

Sign-up today to join Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and the Seton Route pilgrimage team from the National Eucharistic Revival for dinner, Mass with Bishop Fernandes, and a Eucharistic Procession at Community of St. Joseph Cathedral & Holy Cross Church on June 30th.

We are joyfully anticipating the arrival of Jesus in the Eucharistic Procession led by the Seton Route pilgrims! Register for all of the events taking place from June 24-30 at https://columbuscatholic.org/revival to participate in this historic week!

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40

Check out https://columbuscatholic.org/volunteer to see how you can help our neighbors receive the resources they need!

Below is an excerpt from a letter written by Bishop Fernandes to the parishioners at St. Dominic Church on their annual Juneteenth celebrations.

Read the excerpt in this article from The Catholic Times: https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/earl-fernandes/bishop-addresses-juneteenth-celebration

"O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your heart is a glowing furnace of love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary." - St. Gertrude

Let us pray:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Consider bringing Jesus's heart into your home, school, workplace, or parish by visiting
https://welcomehisheart.com/ to order an enthronement kit from the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network.

On the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, join Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and the Seton Route pilgrimage team at St. Paul the Apostle Church, Westerville, for Eucharistic Adoration, Mass, Eucharistic Procession, and a Vocations Fair!

The Seton Route pilgrimage team from the National Eucharistic Revival will be here next week! Register for this and all events today by visiting columbuscatholic.org/revival

Bishop Fernandes celebrated the first Mass at St. Josephine Bakhita Parish on June 15. Join us as we pray for the parishioners of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish!

There are still some spots left to nominate a lay woman for the St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Woman Recognition Awards! Nominate a lay woman within the Diocese of Columbus who has, in her everyday life, striven to exemplify the work of Christ!

The awards luncheon will take place on August 18th from 1PM-3:30PM at St. Agatha Church: Monsignor Kennedy Parish Hall.

Send in your nominations to columbuscatholic.org/teresanom by June 30!

New priest assignments in the Diocese of Columbus were announced last weekend.

See these new assignments in this article from The Catholic Times:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/the-catholic-times/diocese-announces-clergy-assignments-3

Diocese announces clergy assignments The Diocese of Columbus announced the following clergy assignments on the weekend of June 15-16: Reverend P.J. Brandimarti, from Parochial Vicar, St. John the Baptist Parish, Mount Vernon and...

In case you missed it, Bishop Emeritus James A. Griffin celebrated his 90th birthday last week!

Here is a reflection from Bishop Griffin on his life of service:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/tim-puet-2b021ee3-0b76-4300-945e-465c85be8474/bishop-griffin-reflects-on-service-remains-active-at-90

Bishop Griffin reflects on service, remains active at 90 Bishop Emeritus James Griffin says he feels blessed that at age 90, he’s in good health and continuing to live an active lifestyle. “God has certainly been good to me,” he said in an interview at...

God our Father,
In your wisdom and love, you have created us and called us your own. Bless our fathers, that they may be strengthened as Christian fathers.
Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.
In moments of joy, rejoice with them. In times of struggle, give them your courage and perseverance. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor and appreciate them always with a spirit of profound respect. May the example and prayer of St. Joseph inspire them to live their vocation with courage.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers in the Diocese of Columbus!

Today also is the final day of Family Month in the Diocese of Columbus. Thank you all for your participation in Family Month. May God continue to bless you and your family this day and always.

The Diocese of Columbus does not have a marriage ban. In fact, we love Catholic weddings! There is such thing as a "marriage bann" (notice the second "n"). Fr. Paul Keller, O.P., S.T.D., explains how marriage banns work in his latest article in The Catholic Times:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/father-paul-keller-op-s-t-d/has-columbus-banned-weddings

Has Columbus banned weddings? Dear Father, I just started marriage preparation and my priest said something about a marriage ban. I’m confused because I thought the Catholic Church wanted marriages. I was too nervous to ask...

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, teach me an entire forgetfulness of myself, since that is the only way one can find entrance into You." - St. Claude La Columbiere

Let us pray:

Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, one with the eternal Word, have mercy on us. Amen.

Consider bringing Jesus's heart into your home, school, workplace, or parish by visiting
https://welcomehisheart.com/ to order an enthronement kit from the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network.

Here is a peak at where the pilgrimage to the National Eucharistic Congress.

June 24-30 is just around the corner! Register for the National Eucharistic Procession events happening in Ohio today at columbuscatholic.org/revival

Join Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and the Seton Route pilgrimage team from the National Eucharistic Revival for a Bilingual Mass with Bishop Fernandes, at St. Charles Preparatory School, Columbus, on June 28!

Register now at columbuscatholic.org/revival

Happy 90th Birthday to Bishop Emeritus James Griffin!

Please join us in celebrating Bishop Griffin on this special milestone birthday!

“The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey, and those who nourish themselves with this honey produce sweet fruit.” - St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), Doctor of the Church

Born in Lisbon, St. Anthony of Padua was a Portuguese Catholic priest and a Franciscan friar. He was known for his excellent preaching skills and spent most of his life traveling and preaching to crowds in Italy and France. Anthony was also devoted to the poor and infirm and performed many miracles. One such miracle was his praying for his stolen book of Psalms to return. Not only did he get the book back, but the thief had a conversion of heart and joined the Franciscan Order.

His patronage includes lost souls, lost people, lost items, faith in the Blessed Sacrament miracles, travelers, finding one's spouse, pregnancy, harvests, animals, poverty, the sick, the disabled, the oppressed, the hungry, the elderly, sailors, fishermen, swineherds, and mail carriers.

St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us!

Families needing assistance in obtaining child car safety seats and other supplies for infants and toddlers ages 0-5 can find help and access to these essentials at Little Blessings/Pequeñas Bendiciones, a community festival sponsored by Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Columbus on Sunday, June 23.

Read more about these opportunities in The Catholic Times:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/the-catholic-times/community-festival-provides-resources-celebrates-family-well-being

Community festival provides resources, celebrates family well-being Families needing assistance in obtaining child car safety seats and other supplies for infants and toddlers ages 0-5 can find help and access to these essentials at Little Blessings/Pequeñas...

The Seton Route pilgrimage team from the National Eucharistic Revival will be visiting Christ The King Church, Columbus, on June 27. Join them for an evening of Eucharistic Adoration, dinner, and a Mass in Spanish celebrated by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes!

We hope to see you there! Sign up at columbuscatholic.org/revival

"The news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord. Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians." - Acts 11: 22-26

Barnabas joined the church in Jerusalem soon after Christ’s crucifixion. He sold his property for the Apostles, persuaded the community to accept Paul as a disciple, helped start the church in Antioch, and attended the Council of Jerusalem.

He is the patron saint of Cyprus, Antioch, against hailstorms, and can be invoked as a peacemaker.

St. Barnabas, pray for us!

“For the younger generations, fathers are the irreplaceable guardians and mediators of faith in the goodness, of faith in the justice, and faith in the protection of God, like Saint Joseph.” - Pope Francis, Our Father: Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer

Through their presence and example, fathers can help children develop a deeper relationship with God and a greater understanding of His plan in their lives. All fathers, thank you for the gift you are to your families, extended families, and the family of the Church at large.

Join us in celebrating fatherhood in this last week of family month, which culminates on Father's Day.

New priest assignments in the Diocese of Columbus were announced last weekend.

See these new assignments in The Catholic Times:

catholictimescolumbus.org/news/the-catholic-times/clergy-assignments-announced-5

Clergy assignments announced The Diocese of Columbus announced the latest clergy assignments on the weekend of June 8-9: Confirming the appointment of the Superior of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception, Reverend Sudhakar...

Dean Tower has completed his 50th year of teaching at Columbus Bishop Ready High School and his 51st year teaching with Our Catholic Schools - Columbus.

Read about his life of dedication to teaching in this article from The Catholic Times by Elizabeth Pardi:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/elizabeth-pardi/teacher-finishes-50th-year-at-ready-51st-in-diocese

#

Teacher finishes 50th year at Ready, 51st in diocese As the school year came to a close, Air Force veteran, Spanish teacher and former coach Dean Tower completed his 50th year at Columbus Bishop Ready High School and his 51st year teaching in the...

Seminarians from the Diocese of Columbus rode in the annual Seminarian Bike Tour to different schools in the diocese last month. Check out this story in The Catholic Times by Hannah Heil covering how the seminarians' stop at St. Mary School in Delaware impacted the students:

https://catholictimescolumbus.org/news/hannah-heil/seminarians-talk-vocations-with-students-on-bike-tour

Seminarians talk vocations with students on bike tour The annual Seminarian Bike Tour made a stop at Delaware St. Mary School on Tuesday, May 14. Eleven diocesan seminarians rode down from their first destination – Marion St. Mary School – and spoke...

“In the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I trust.
Look to the Star, call upon Mary!
In danger, in difficulty or in doubt,
think of Mary, call upon Mary.
Keep her name on your lips,
never let it pass out of your heart.”
-St. Bernard

Happy Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary!