Anyone who loves Jesus and baseball will love Father Burke Masters’ book, A Grand Slam for God, an unlikely story of passion, piety and providence. From no religious background, with his eyes locked on professional baseball, Masters became a Catholic priest, diocesan vocation director and Chicago Cubs chaplain. But while …

by Katie Sciba Congratulations! You’re a brand new godparent to a brand-new Catholic! From here on out, you have a duty to nurture and cultivate the Catholic faith in the heart of your godchild. It’s a big undertaking and can be one of the most significant roles you’ll ever have! …

Greenville’s tight-knit school puts faith first by Matt Hess Photos by Danny Schneible Tim Wiedenmann was uneasy about leaving his religion classroom at a larger school to become principal of St. Mary’s School in Greenville, OH. He expected to really miss interacting with students as an administrator, but now in …

Paulus was blessed to grow up in a family that had a love for Christ. His parents were part of the Charismatic Movement, and his father pastored a small nondenominational church. They passed on that love of the Lord as they moved from Virginia to Croatia and back. “My family …

My birthday is coming up this month. I love my birthday and make a point to have a great time with family. We have living room dance parties, I grab lunch with my mom and maybe go antiquing with friends. Coffee and donuts are always involved. Whatever the agenda, the …

The student body, faculty and staff at our children’s Catholic school have experienced more than their fair share of devastating tragedies this past year. One staff member had a stroke; two lost their parents. A teacher’s niece died; a student’s parent passed away unexpectedly. There’s nothing anyone can say to …

Cultivating students’ personal, social and academic growth is the highest priority at Bishop Fenwick High School in Franklin, OH. As with all schools, it takes a village to support every student, and Fenwick’s president, Blane Collison, said counselors at Fenwick are vital to achieve this goal. They strive to support …

by Kary Ellen Barger “Never say never.” That phrase is true for Judy Back Gerwe, a Mount Notre Dame alumna and current president of the school. Gerwe always knew she wanted to be a teacher in a Catholic school, but leading one was not in her original plans as she …

To look at her picture on the cover of Hope: An Invitation, you would not think that Sr. Josephine Garrett — a member of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth—hails from what she described as a hopeless childhood. “I am a woman full of hope,” she states frankly …

by John Stegeman While some young adults lose their faith in college, others, like Rachel Hess, find it anew and share it with others. A graphic designer turned Director of Religious Education (DRE) for the St. Henry Family of Parishes in the archdiocese’s northwest corner, Hess first felt called to …