How Fathers Team Helps Men Unite Work and Prayer by Kary Ellen Berger To be a Catholic father today is to live at the intersection of faith, family, and responsibility. It is a calling shaped by prayer and presence, providing and protecting, and learning how to love well in the …

Josef Otmar’s Work at Roger Bacon Chapel by Kary Ellen Berger When master carpenter Josef Otmar steps into his workshop, he does so with an unusual posture for a craftsman, one of listening. Silence, he says, is not empty. It is where God speaks and the work of Otmar’s hands …

by Kary Ellen Berger Hope and possibility are shaping the future of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. In classrooms across the region, teachers form not only strong students, but young people who understand their purpose and potential. Superintendent Matt Daniels believes this work reaches far beyond academics, that …

Woodworking has run through the Otmar family line for more than five generations. For Josef Otmar V, however, the craft became more than a trade—it is a vocation, one that serves the Church by creating sacred spaces for Eucharistic worship. Otmar’s journey into woodworking began early, when he entered an …

When Kathy Bendall reflects on her life, she does so with a sense of gratitude, peace, and earnestness in her speech. Her story is not defined by her mistakes; rather, it is evidence that by grace her heart was reshaped into new purposes. Bendall highlights the mercy of God and …

In June 2025, a Franklin County judge ruled Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship program unconstitutional. The program had expanded statewide in 2023 and remains in place during the appeals process, but the decision introduced uncertainty for families and schools across the archdiocese that rely on the scholarship. This past May, Kent Halaby …

Most days, John Van Hook works alone performing maintenance. After nearly three decades at St. Leonard Faith Community and eight more at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Centerville, he knows every corner of the church buildings. His days are filled with quiet service, such as setting up for weddings, …

For more than 45 years, the Cincinnati Religious Educators’ Association (CREA) has been a steady presence in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, supporting those dedicated to forming others in the Catholic faith. Rooted in community, faith, and ongoing learning, CREA continues to adapt alongside the evolving mission of catechesis and evangelization. …

Catholicism is inherently beautiful, and Tim Langenderfer knew this from a young age. Langenderfer grew up attending Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, which was “the most beautiful cathedral,” he said. Here, he found a deep appreciation for the beauty of the Mass and Catholicism. Langenderfer’s appreciation for beauty …

The pain of regret can be crippling. But the Church offers a message of hope: nothing is beyond God’s mercy. As we near the conclusion of the Year of Mission within the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reminded that the Eucharist is not just a celebration. It’s an invitation—to healing, …