A parish twinning relationship is one in which a parish in the archdiocese and another church elsewhere in the

U.S. or overseas come together in an active, mutual, and ongoing faith commitment of solidarity. The Office of Mission and Pontifical Mission Societies in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati currently supports 39 twinning relationships, including between St. Therese, Little Flower Parish in Mt. Airy and the Sisters of Divine Providence in Madagascar.

After 25 years as twinning parishes, there was much to celebrate recently when seven Sisters of Divine Providence from Madagascar visited St. Therese, Little Flower. Expanding on their friendship, the Sisters and members of Little Flower’s twinning team dined together, enjoyed a sunset riverboat cruise on the Ohio River, celebrated the Eucharist, shared a 25th anniversary celebration, and bonded in mutual support and prayer.

Little Flower members were delighted to learn their friends from Madagascar were traveling this year to nearby Melbourne, Kentucky, for congregational meetings at their provincial center. The Sisters had hosted Little Flower groups four times in Madagascar over the years, and Little Flower parishioners were happy for this rare opportunity to welcome them to Cincinnati.

Twenty-six years ago, Sr. Francis Maag, CDP, was the parish director of religious education and attended a general meeting of her congregation, the Congregation of Divine Providence, in Madagascar. She returned on fire with zeal for the missionary work of her fellow Sisters in Madagascar. Concurrently, a group of Little Flower parishioners was exploring how to build an outreach relationship with a service group or organization outside the parish boundaries. In July 2000, the group voted to form a twinning relationship with the Sisters of Divine Providence in Madagascar, and within a few months, Little Flower Pastor Fr. Tom King and the parish council also voted to endorse the establishment of this relationship in a covenant of friendship. The Sisters in Madagascar also endorsed this covenant, and visited Little Flower Church around the same time.

The sealed twinning covenant acknowledges that, as the Body of Christ, they share in the grace of God’s love across the miles and cultures. It states that they enjoy an enduring solidarity to encourage one another in discipleship, community, and service to God’s people in Cincinnati and in Madagascar. The covenant is sealed when they gather together around the Eucharistic table and are nourished and united in the presence of the Risen Lord. The groups commit to communicate, prayerfully support one another, and exchange hospitality.

Over the years, Little Flower parishioners have been pleased to share resources, especially for education, with the Sisters in Madagascar as they minister to the poorest of the poor. New schools were built, roofs repaired, guest houses constructed, oxen replaced, a four-wheel drive pickup purchased, and students sponsored in a remote bush country village in the north of Madagascar. The relationship’s next exciting phase will be the dedication of the new school in Pont Sofia.

“With a world and nation caught up in so much fear, violence, and distrust, it’s a blessing to see how these parish twinning relationships provide an alternative view of respect, compassion, solidarity, and even joy,” said Dr. Mike Gable, Director of the Office of Mission and Pontifical Mission Societies. “These types of relationships really instill hope in us, and put a smile on God’s face.”

To learn more about parish twinning, contact the Mission and Pontifical Mission Societies through Dr. Gable at (513) 263-6680 or [email protected]. ✣

Dr. Jerome Gabis is the Twinning Coordinator at St. Therese, Little Flower Church in Mt. Airy.

This article appeared in the October 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.