Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

A Lenten message from Bishop Foys

My dear Friends in Christ,

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Remember you are dust; and to dust you shall return. These words, spoken each Ash Wednesday as ashes are imposed on our heads, remind us that all in our life is passing and that one day we ourselves will pass from this earth — a stark reminder, to be sure, but one that speaks of the inevitable.

When we are young perhaps these words do not carry the same gravity as they do when we grow older and approach the end of life, as we know it here on earth. But — whether young or old — it does all of us well to take the words seriously and to prepare each day for the inevitable.

The Church gives us the season of Lent to go into the desert and reflect on our life — on what our life has been, on what it is now and on what it will be going forward. Life on this earth — no matter how long — is in the greater things very short. Eternity is forever!

As we enter into the desert of Lent we pray that we do so in an effort to raise our awareness of this life in respect to the life to come, the life that will last forever.

Whatever penances we take upon ourselves in Lent we pray that they may be long lasting and make us better as we move toward the life to come, realizing that this life is but a journey to a life that will not end. May we emerge from Lent better than when we began the Lenten journey.

I wish each of you a truly blessed Lent, which will lead to a joyful Easter. God bless you and those you love.

Yours devotedly in the Lord,
Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D.
Bishop of Covington

Funeral Announcement

Bishop Roger Foys, the priests, deacons and members of the Diocese of Covington mourn the death, March 22, of Msgr. Allen Joseph Meier.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord; may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 28, 9–10 a.m., at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington.

Funeral Mass will be Thursday, March 28, 10 a.m. at the Cathedral, with interment following at St. John Cemetery, Ft. Mitchell.

Deanery Lenten Confessions/Adoration

Covington Deanery
Confessions and adoration 12 p.m.–12 a.m. NOTE: Corrected time

Friday, March 22: Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington and Divine Mercy Parish, Bellevue

Friday, March 29: St. Augustine Parish, Covington and Holy Spirit Parish, Newport

Campbell County Deanery
Penance Service: Monday, April 8, 7 p.m., St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring

Northern Kenton County Deanery
Penance service: Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m., St. Pius X Parish, Edgewood

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Featured News

Community and church leaders prepare for ‘Wait No More’ event to help children in foster care

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By David Cooley. Focus on the Family in conjunction with local agencies and ministries, will be hosting free educational events on foster care, entitled “Wait No More,” later this year, Aug. 20–23, 2019, at four Kentucky locations. One of the locations will be in Northern Kentucky at Florence Baptist Church, Florence, on Aug. 20, at […]

Letter from Bishop Foys to Covington Catholic High School families

11 February 2019

My dear Covington Catholic High School Parents,

I am pleased to inform you that my hope and expectation expressed in my letter to you of 25 January that the results of our inquiry into the events of 18 January at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. would “exonerate our students so that they can move forward with their lives” has been realized. Our inquiry, conducted by a third party firm that has no connection with Covington Catholic High School or the Diocese of Covington, has demonstrated that our students did not instigate the incident that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial.

In these past several weeks since the original video went viral two well-worn and oft-used adages have come to mind: Seeing is believing and Perception is reality. The immediate world-wide reaction to the initial video led almost everyone to believe that our students had initiated the incident and the perception of those few minutes of video became reality.

In truth, taking everything into account, our students were placed in a situation that was at once bizarre and even threatening. Their reaction to the situation was, given the circumstances, expected and one might even say laudatory. These students had come to Washington, D.C. to support life. They marched peacefully with hundreds of thousands of others – young and old and in-between – to further the cause of life. These young high school students could never have expected what they experienced on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial while waiting for the busses to take them home. Their stance there was surely a pro-life stance. I commend them.

I thank our students and their parents for their patience while the inquiry we ordered was completed. The final investigative report is available at www.covdio.org. Once again I affirm my complete trust and confidence in our Principal of Covington Catholic, Mr. Robert Rowe. Under his guidance these past 11 years great strides have been made at CovCath in every area from curriculum to Catholic identity. He joins me in the sentiments expressed in this letter. I also affirm my confidence in our CovCath students. As for the future, we trust in God and in the spirit of CovCath, a spirit that will not die!

Yours devotedly in the Lord,
Most Reverend Roger J. Foys, D.D.
Bishop of Covington

Quick Links

Final Investigative Report

Letter to Covington Catholic Parents, Jan. 25

Becoming Catholic