I played basketball and baseball in early grade school. I was never that great at either, but I learned a lot about what it means to be on a team and how to be a good teammate. My first lesson, however, simply moved me from standing alone to belonging.  I …

by David Cooley It’s a new year—a fresh start—and The Catholic Telegraph has a new cover design to support our exciting and bold initiative to help build up the Kingdom of God in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. For five years now, The Catholic Telegraph as a magazine has been “bringing …

by David Cooley Sacred music holds a central place in Catholic worship. An integral element of the liturgy, it elevates the soul toward God, fosters communal unity, and deepens the faithful’s encounter with divine mysteries. Rooted in Scripture and Church tradition, it beautifies prayer, promotes contemplation, and distinguishes itself from …

Advent is a season of hope. It is the beginning of the liturgical year, and a time for us to reflect on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the long centuries of yearning by the Israelite people for the Messiah promised by God. During the …

 

David Cooley Nearly 200 eighth-grade students from schools supported by Catholic Inner-city Schools Education (CISE) took part in the inaugural CISE Career Exposition “A Hero’s Journey” on Monday, Nov. 24 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The event featured more than 30 Cincinnati industry partners providing interactive introductions to …

According to a recent Pew Research study, half of U.S. adults say that science and religion are “mostly in conflict,” while 47 percent say that science and religion are “mostly compatible.” Three percent said “I don’t know” or refused to answer. The harmony (or apparent lack thereof) between Christian doctrine …

The 2025 Jubilee Year “Pilgrims of Hope” has prompted record-breaking numbers of faithful Catholics from all over the world to flock to the Eternal City. Add to those numbers 42 people from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who were led there recently by Archbishop-Emeritus Dennis M. Schnurr. The 11-day Holy Year …

One of my favorite songs of all time is “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. The melody, the lyrics, and that distinct voice really conjure up beautiful images in my mind. It’s a peaceful song, and every time I hear it, I’m reminded of all the gifts the world …

While reflecting on vocations, my imagination kept landing on my favorite lines from The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. They’re from a conversation between Frodo, a small hobbit, and Gandalf, a wise, old wizard, in the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf is explaining a …