On April 21, the Catholic Church honors Saint Anselm, the 11th and 12th-century Benedictine monk and archbishop best known for his writings on Christ’s atonement and the existence of God. In a general audience given on Sept. 23, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI remembered St. Anselm as “a monk with an …

The new permanent deacon class will be ordained on April 23 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati. As a one of the 14 men in this class (and four others from the Diocese of Covington), I know the reasons that called each of us …

This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). Last month, I introduced Pope St. John Paul II’s concept of original nakedness. In that reflection, we saw that our first parents “were both naked, and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25). …

There is a difference between viewing God’s beauty and encountering it. Tara Poling, the Program Coordinator of the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC), noted that comparison when discussing the property at Mount Saint John, named for their patron, St. John the Apostle. For more than 100 years, its 150 acres …

by Kary Ellen Berger Imagine an elementary school student sharing their day with, “We played on the playground, swinging, sliding, playing with chickens….” Wait, chickens? St. Gertrude School in Madeira is home to an outdoor classroom – complete with chickens – which is used by all grade levels. “Around 2014, …

St. Agnes of Montepulciano was born in 13th-century Tuscany. At the age of six, Agnes began trying to convince her parents to allow her to join a convent. She was finally admitted to the Dominican convent at Montepulciano at age nine despite it generally being against Church law to allow …

James Oldo experienced a radical conversion that led him to become a Franciscan tertiary, and later a priest. He was born in 1364 into a rich family in Lodi, Italy. He married at a young age, and he and his wife both led a very self-indulgent lifesyle. One day, a …

Perhaps the most subtle advertisement that a neighborhood has a faith community is the church bells ringing. It’s not in your face like a commercial or billboard, but the message is clear: We’re here and you’re welcome to join us. If you’ve heard a church bell ring in greater Cincinnati …

by Patricia McGeever Although Steve Hatke’s career as an electrical engineer did not prepare him to work with people experiencing homelessness, he has dedicated his retirement to helping those looking for a chance to change their lives. “For me, it was a huge step out of my comfort zone because …

Some of my greatest experiences of peace came when wandering the woods as a child. My backyard was a lovely forest that boasted of nothing extraordinary. The foliage towered above my small frame when I hiked steep hills, grabbing rocks and branches so I could pull myself along. The environment …