A message from Bishop Foys

January 2021

My dear Brothers and Sisters,

Praised be Jesus Christ! Each year we present to the entire Diocese a financial report in our Diocesan newspaper, the Messenger. (See January 8, 2021 edition) At the end of each fiscal year the finances of our Diocese are audited by an independent public accounting firm. Once again, the auditors have issued an unmodified opinion on the financial statements of our Diocese. This is the highest level of assurance attainable. Once the annual audit is complete, the financial statements are presented to our Diocesan Finance Council for their review. This review and the subsequent acceptance by our Diocesan Finance Council occurred in October 2020. Accordingly, I am pleased to present to all parishioners of our Diocese the financial statements of the Diocese of Covington as of June 2020.

To say that the calendar year 2020 was an exceptional year is a great understatement! The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much in all of our lives that we could never have imagined. Our lives were turned upside down and inside out. New protocols, guidelines, recommendations and restrictions became the order of the day. No longer could we take so many things that affect our daily lives for granted. We had to learn a new way of relating, a new way of working, a new way of living! So very much has changed in the course of nine or ten months that it is mind boggling.

And yet, through it all, the one thing that has not changed, the one constant in our lives, the one thing we can always depend on is our faith. The Lord is always with us. It is the Lord that has given us the strength to live our lives — although changed in many ways — these many months as we battle the pandemic. And we have seen in the constant support — materially and in other ways — of our parishioners that faith in action. Difficult times bring out the best — and unfortunately, in some cases, the worst — in us. And we have observed that best in so very many of you. God bless you for that! Thank you for enabling the mission of the Church to continue, to thrive. God will certainly reward your generosity.

I take this opportunity to express my gratitude also to our Diocesan Finance Council and to the staff of our Diocesan Finance Office. Their diligence ensures that we use the gifts entrusted to us to continue the mission that Christ entrusted to His Apostles and which we endeavor to carry out each day.

As we begin the year 2021 I thank God for each of you and entrust you to His loving care. Be assured of my prayers. Please, pray for me and for our beloved Diocese of Covington.

Yours devotedly and gratefully in the Lord,

Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D., S.T.D.
Bishop of Covington

The Diocese of Covington is releasing the names of priests, religious, deacons and lay employees who have served in our Diocese against whom one or more allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been substantiated. Click here to be directed to the file review and list.