Archive for month: September, 2024
Youth Minister — Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Burlington, is seeking a dynamic and outgoing person to be our next Youth Minister. The Coordinator of Youth Ministry (Youth Minister) provides vision and coordination for the parish’s efforts in ministry to young people from 6th through 12th grades. This includes organizing and running high school and middle school youth ministry programs and assisting with catechesis and sacramental preparation programs. The main goal of this position is to assist with the parish’s youth ministry program. The youth ministry and religious education programs strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment for the parish youth to grow their love of God through fellowship, exposure to a wide range of prayer styles, church doctrine, and participation in the Catholic Liturgy.
For more information or a detailed job description, please contact, Amy Malventano at [email protected]
Despite challenging path to priesthood, Father Owusu celebrates his Silver Jubilee
Bella Young
Multimedia Correspondent
Father Sam Owusu, parochial vicar, Mary, Queen of Heaven Parish, Erlanger, celebrated his Silver Jubilee — 25 years in the priesthood, Sept. 15. His celebration was well attended by the priests of the Diocese of Covington, his family, friends and even a king from back home in Ghana. Though Father Owusu has been a priest for 25 years, it took him 15 years and a lot of challenges to make it to the priesthood.
Born in Ghana, Africa, to a large Catholic family, Father Owusu knew from a young age that he wanted to be a priest.
“When I was a kid, it started right from infancy, I was just a small boy. We are born into the Catholic faith; our great grandmothers introduce us to the Catholic faith,” said Father Owusu. “As I grew up, I developed a special interest, going to Mass every Sunday and other weekdays, more especially when I was an altar boy. I was in a mission house with a priest, I was an altar boy. I learned from the priest and that enticed me a lot to be someday like them.”
In Ghana, however, the path to the priesthood is long and difficult, taking 15 total years before becoming ordained. Father Owusu, however, was determined.
“The priests brought the information to those who were willing to enter into the seminary. They have entrance exams, one Saturday we went to the exams and behold, I got admission because I passed. Then it was time for us to get ready for seminary training,” Father Owusu said.
And though he was resolute in his conviction to join the seminary his parents were worried. “It was not until I was ready, when I was about to go, that I told them that this was my plan. I want to go to the seminary and be trained, if possible, to become a priest. They asked me if I could make it because many had attempted but couldn’t succeed. Many went and they failed, and they came back. They were worried if I could make it, if it is my choice, they give me their support,” he said.
With his parent’s support, Father Owusu began “Minor Seminary” which is the equivalent of high school. He attended St. Hubert Seminary in Kumasi for seven years. At the end of each year the seminarians must sit in front of a panel and be asked questions, to ensure that they are ready to move on to the next stage of their formation.
“Every single year you have to appear before a panel at the end of the academic year. You will be with them, and they will give you questions, assessing you. If they have any faults about you, it is there that they make it known to you … When you are in front of the panel, they will be bombarding you with questions. If you are not able to satisfy them, there is another question. During the time you are gone they will cast a lot on you by voting, ‘those who want him to be promoted to the next level show your hand,’” Father Owusu said.
Once Father Owusu completed Minor Seminary he had to complete one year of service to the nation.
“After the seven years we are asked by the Church and the National Government to national service, which is one year. That year is exposure to the world, exposure to people around you, to socialize, to mingle, in school you are not able to, so you are given that freedom and liberty. During that one year I was made a teacher. I was a full-time teacher. I was in elementary,” Father Owusu said.
After the completion of his year of national service he reapplied to attend Major Seminary, which would be another seven years of formation to the priesthood. The curriculum of Major Seminary is broken into three parts. There is one year for the study of spirituality, two years for the study of philosophy and four years for the study of theology.
Major Seminary is the last of many hurdles to becoming a priest, but the greatest of challenges still faced Father Owusu. When it was time to be ordained a deacon, the seminary would send banners to be published at the seminarian’s home parish, and any place they stayed doing mission work. These banners notified people of the seminarians upcoming ordination and invited anyone with grievances against them, or reasons that they should not be made a deacon, to come forward.
“Many people have suffered calamity of that,” said Father Owusu, “because based on the report from those mission churches, from your home parish, from the seminary, it can go against you. Normally, you always have to keep your fingers crossed, praying that you might not fall victim, otherwise it can be a big blow to you. You can become a disgrace to your family, very humiliating, and people look at you in a different eye. You pray that God will always save you out of trouble.”
After being ordained a deacon, Father Owusu was well on his way to being ordained a priest. On July 17, 1999, he was ordained a priest, making him one of only four people from the seminary class of 55 to make it all the way through the 15 years. Once ordained he worked at six different parishes within Kumasi, which is a city in the Ashanti region of Ghana.
In June 2007 he was asked by his Bishop to go serve the West African immigrants in Italy. During his five-year tenure there he was able to establish an additional Catholic church for the immigrant community. While in Italy he had the opportunity to travel to the Island of Malta, Germany, Spain, Sicily and France. While in Spain he attended the 2011 World Youth Day where he and the opportunity to concelebrate Pontifical Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. Upon his return from Italy to Ghana his Bishop asked him if he would consider going to Northern Kentucky.
“And I, like the prophet Isaiah said, ‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: whom shall I send and who will go? Then I said here I am Lord, send me,’” Father Owusu said.
Father Owusu’s first assignment in the Diocese of Covington was to St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring. After leaving St. Joseph Parish he was assigned to St. Timothy Parish, Union, before landing in his current position as Parochial Vicar at Mary, Queen of Heaven, where, he said, he thoroughly enjoys saying Mass and the people of the parish and school.
Holy Cross District High School is recognized as a National Blue-Ribbon School
Bella Young
Multimedia Correspondent
Holy Cross District High School, Covington, has been awarded its first distinction as a National Blue-Ribbon School. They are the only school in the Diocese of Covington be awarded the blue ribbon in 2024. The National Blue Ribbon program recognizes outstanding public and nonpublic elementary, middle, and high schools based on overall high academic achievement or success is closing the achievement gap among diverse groups of students.
The path to recognition as a Blue-Ribbon School is not an easy one. The application process is rigorous, requiring the submission of test scores, faculty interviews and a written application. This process alone deters many.
“I did some research over the last few days,” said Mike Holtz, principal, Holy Cross District High School, “there are over 30,000 high schools and grades schools in the United States of America, only 356 are recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School, and that’s us.”
This distinction sets Holy Cross apart as one of the top 1.2 percent of schools across the United States. Each year, the National Blue Ribbon accepts 420 nominations of which 356 are selected.
Upon seeing their school listed as a Blue Ribbon recipient the students, who had all been gathered in the gymnasium, erupted into cheers as confetti and balloons rained down around them. Students hugged and high fived as chants of “We are H.C.” rang out among them. The students, faculty and staff cheered and jumped for five consecutive minutes, celebrating the achievement that marks not just their success, but the successes of those that helped get there.
“One hundred years ago was Holy Cross’ first graduating class … This honor is a long time in the making. Yes, we sent our test scores in, we filled out the form, answered the questions of what we’re doing now, but there have been a ton of people who have gotten us to this point,” said Mr. Holtz standing in front of teachers past and present, and a few alumni who were in attendance. “What we’re being recognized for now is what we have been doing for a long, long time. This honor is not only about the now, it’s for everybody who got us here.”
“I just want to tell you how awesome it is to be here. You are the only school in the Diocese of Covington who is being recognized for a Blue Ribbon today, so congratulations,” said Kendra McGuire, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Covington, as the students erupted into more cheers. “On behalf of Bishop Iffert and the Diocese of Covington, and in particular our Schools Office, we send our sincere congratulations to you for all this hard work. I will tell you; this is a lot of hard work.
“As your principal pointed out, very few schools are recognized each year for this award. This is a testament to the leadership here at Holy Cross, to your incredible teachers and especially you. The only way you can get your Blue Ribbon application in is to have good test scores, so that means you are working hard, and you are doing a great job,” said Mrs. McGuire.
In Favor of School Choice
By Jason Hall.
In November, Kentucky voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment on educational choice. This is a unique opportunity to advance the well-being of all Kentucky students and I encourage everyone to support it.
All of our neighboring states have educational choice programs that provide widespread opportunity for their students. Kentucky has none of these programs.
This is because the Kentucky Supreme Court has interpreted our state Constitution in a very narrow way, preventing the legislature from passing similar laws. In fact, the Court has ruled that any educational support for students outside of public schools is prohibited.
The good news is that Kentucky voters now have the opportunity to right this wrong. A YES vote on Amendment 2 supports giving the Kentucky General Assembly the ability to pass educational policies that support all students.
Opponents of Amendment 2 often paint a bleak picture of destructive policies that the legislature could theoretically adopt if the amendment is approved. They assert that Amendment 2 will destroy public education.
However, that has certainly not been the experience of the 48 states that have some form of educational choice. States like Ohio and Indiana, which have some of the oldest and most robust choice programs, boast public school student outcomes that surpass Kentucky’s.
Furthermore, the opponents’ claims run contrary to the laws that have already been passed in Kentucky, that were subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court.
The primary school choice policy that has been pursued by legislators and thwarted by the Court’s ruling was HB 563, passed in 2021 and strongly supported by the Catholic Conference. HB 563 provided a tax credit for donations to fund assistance based on financial need and required that a majority of the aid awarded go to high need students.
The assistance awarded under this program could have been used for non-public school tuition, but also for many other educational needs. A student could be awarded funds to pay for online learning, tutoring, computers and software, testing fees, educational therapies, fees for dual-credit courses, among other needs.
These accounts would have met the needs of thousands of students and enhanced opportunities for students in non-public schools, public schools, or homeschools, all based on need. And this would have been new educational funding raised through the tax credit program, not money redirected from existing education funding. In fact, the same year legislators passed HB 563, they provided over $100 million in new funding for public school systems.
Education is a justice issue. The state has an obligation to ensure that every student has access to a quality education, and to do that in a way that provides parents with, as Pope St. Paul VI said, “true liberty in their choice of schools.”
There is no reason we should not have well-funded public schools alongside programs providing for other choices where there is a need. Amendment 2 will allow Kentucky to consider and adopt creative solutions to Kentucky’s educational challenges.
Jason Hall is the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky.
In favor of school choice
Jason Hall
Executive Director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky
In November, Kentucky voters will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment on educational choice. This is a unique opportunity to advance the well-being of all Kentucky students and I encourage everyone to support it.
All of our neighboring states have educational choice programs that provide widespread opportunity for their students. Kentucky has none of these programs.
This is because the Kentucky Supreme Court has interpreted our state Constitution in a very narrow way, preventing the legislature from passing similar laws. In fact, the Court has ruled that any educational support for students outside of public schools is prohibited.
The good news is that Kentucky voters now have the opportunity to right this wrong. A YES vote on Amendment 2 supports giving the Kentucky General Assembly the ability to pass educational policies that support all students.
Opponents of Amendment 2 often paint a bleak picture of destructive policies that the legislature could theoretically adopt if the amendment is approved. They assert that Amendment 2 will destroy public education.
However, that has certainly not been the experience of the 48 states that have some form of educational choice. States like Ohio and Indiana, which have some of the oldest and most robust choice programs, boast public school student outcomes that surpass Kentucky’s.
Furthermore, the opponents’ claims run contrary to the laws that have already been passed in Kentucky, that were subsequently struck down by the Supreme Court.
The primary school choice policy that has been pursued by legislators and thwarted by the Court’s ruling was HB 563, passed in 2021 and strongly supported by the Catholic Conference. HB 563 provided a tax credit for donations to fund assistance based on financial need and required that a majority of the aid awarded go to high need students.
The assistance awarded under this program could have been used for non-public school tuition, but also for many other educational needs. A student could be awarded funds to pay for online learning, tutoring, computers and software, testing fees, educational therapies, fees for dualcredit courses, among other needs.
These accounts would have met the needs of thousands of students and enhanced opportunities for students in non-public schools, public schools, or homeschools, all based on need. And this would have been new educational funding raised through the tax credit program, not money redirected from existing education funding. In fact, the same year legislators passed HB 563, they provided over $100 million in new funding for public school systems.
Education is a justice issue. The state has an obligation to ensure that every student has access to a quality education, and to do that in a way that provides parents with, as Pope St. Paul VI said, “true liberty in their choice of schools.”
There is no reason we should not have well-funded public schools alongside programs providing for other choices where there is a need. Amendment 2 will allow Kentucky to consider and adopt creative solutions to Kentucky’s educational challenges.
Jason Hall is the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky
Coming to a yard near you — Yes On 2
Students from Covington Latin School, Covington, lend a helping hand to the Yes On 2 campaign by taking time out of their school day to assemble yard signs in support of Issue 2. If passed, Issue 2 would amend Kentucky’s constitution to allow Kentucky lawmakers to craft legislation that could provide funds to help students attend non-public schools or receive other educational services outside of the public school system. The amendment puts students first when considering educational opportunities. Kentucky is one of only two states that do not offer financial support for some kind of educational options for parents beyond local public schools. Every state surrounding Kentucky does offer financial support for educational options. In addition to displaying a yard sign, there are many ways to help pass this important amendment for the children of Kentucky. Visit https://covdio.org/yesontwo or contact David Cooley, Diocese of Covington project manager, at [email protected].
Catholic Charities twofold approach to jail and prison ministry gives families and inmates hope, said Dave Capella
Bella Young
Multimedia Correspondent
The jail and prison ministry at Catholic Charities is twofold, with volunteers going into the jails and ministering to inmates and with others leading a support group for families and friends of the incarcerated. Dave Capella, former jail ministry coordinator and current jail ministry volunteer at Catholic Charities, thinks the twofold approach is beneficial to both the families of the incarcerated, and the incarcerated themselves.
“Really both are, I think, equally important. I do like connecting with inmates because … they really are very appreciative of us coming in. Really the same goes for the people whose family members are incarcerated … The support group is important for them to be able to connect with people that are in similar situations,” said Mr. Capella.
Part of what makes Catholic Charities jail and prison ministry unique is the inclusion of the Catholic faith when speaking with the inmates.
“We do emphasis our faith … we are there to share our faith. There is usually a Scripture involved, a Scripture reading, some reflection on that Scripture. We have some discussion around that, and then usually there is some general discussion about how things are going. Sometimes the conversation talks about practical things, but we always start with faith and make sure we have that woven into the discussion,” said Mr. Capella.
The inclusion of faith woven into the conversation, Mr. Capella said, helps to give the inmates some kind of hope. “I think it does give them hope. I think it is important to let them know that while other people may have given up on them, while other people might judge them, God, Christ, is there for them. God’s mercy is unlimited. There’s always a second, or third, or fourth, however many chances you need, God’s there for you. I think it is important for them to hear that message because a lot of people have given up on them.”
While ministering to the incarcerated is an important part of jail ministry, and often what people first think of when they hear the term, Catholic Charities twofold approach also ministers to those affected by incarceration who aren’t behind bars. It is common, Mr. Capella said, for the family of those incarcerated to be shunned by their peers.
“A lot of times families or people whose relatives are incarcerated will lose their circle of friends because of that incarceration. So, the support group is important for them to be able to connect with people that are in similar situations and know that they are not alone. It’s a place for them to talk about their experiences without being judged,” said Mr. Capella.
Mr. Capella recalled a time where a guest of the support group said, “that the only other people they have ever talked to in their life who had a relative that was incarcerated were people in that group. That gave them an opportunity to talk about it and no one was going to judge them for it.”
If you are interested in joining jail ministry at Catholic Charities, Mr. Capella said not to be concerned if you do not feel like an expert in Scripture or Catholicism. Rather, you must have an open heart and mind.
“You just have to be able to go in and be willing to talk with them and if we read a passage from Scripture just talk about what it means for you. Really, we want the inmates to do most of the talking. You don’t have to be an expert in Scripture, you don’t have to be an expert in Catholicism, you just have to be willing to listen and talk to somebody who has been kind of pushed aside from society,” he said.
For some however, you may not feel a calling to jail ministry, if that is the case Mr. Capella says there is still a way to be involved. “Pray for those incarcerated, pray for them and pray for their families,” he said.
For information on Catholic Charities jail and prison ministry call Catholic Charities, (859) 581-8974
Seminary Ball returns for 2024 event with new location and video focusing on new ‘Propaedeutic Year’ of seminarian formation
Maura Baker
Staff Writer
The Seminary Ball — an annual soiree raising money for the Seminarian Education Fund — is preparing to return for its 2024 event the evening of Oct. 18.
This year, the event will be held at a new location, the Receptions event center in Erlanger, and will feature a full open bar for the entirety of the evening, and a tent-covered outdoors to enjoy during cocktail hour before and after the program. John Garvey, the emcee for last year’s event, will be returning to emcee at the 2024 Seminary Ball — and the seminarian “Q&A” with Bishop John Iffert, which allowed attendees to submit questions for the seminarians, will return as well.
Deacon Joshua Heskamp, who entered the transitional diaconate early this year and will be ordained in the upcoming spring, will be the seminarian speaker at the event.
In addition to these changes, the yearly video that releases for the Seminary Ball as promotion for the Seminarian Education Fund, will be focusing on a new aspect of seminarian formation in the United States — the Propaedeutic Year — with perspectives from seminarians William Fuller and Andrew Pugh, who entered seminary last year and were among the first to experience this additional year of “prayer, study and community.”
“We’ll be talking about the Propaedeutic Year and those new stages of formation, called the PPF, or Program of Priestly Formation,” said Jim Hess, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Mission, which hosts the ball. “That’ll be a knowledge piece — we’re trying to make people more aware of where they are.”
With intention on teaching and sharing more about the process that seminarians go through, changes to both seminarian posters and pages on the diocesan website are being put into place as well. The new PPF is divided into four stages: the Propaedeutic Stage (Build the Basics), the Discipleship Stage (Deepen Faith), the Configuration Stage (Shepherd Like Christ) and the Transitional Diaconate (Unite and Ordain).
“It’s still very much worth looking into the Propaedeutic Year and applying for the seminary,” William Fuller says in the new video, “because here you’ll have more opportunity to pray than anywhere else — and prayer is really where discernment lives.”
Currently, there are five seminarians in the Diocese of Covington — and all the money raised the night of the Seminary Ball goes into funding their education, as well as the money raised in the collection the following weekend, said Mr. Hess. “The ball benefits the collection directly.”
For more information on the Seminary Ball, or to register for the event, visit https://covdio.org/seminaryball/.
‘Please, thank you and I’m sorry’ are the keys to a long marriage, Bishop Iffert quotes Pope Francis at wedding anniversary vespers
Bella Young
Multimedia Correspondent
The Office of Catechesis and Evangelization hosted the annual wedding anniversary vespers, Sept. 15, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, where couples celebrating significant anniversaries are invited to meet and be blessed by Bishop Iffert. The couples join Bishop Iffert in celebrating solemn vespers and a vow renewal ceremony before being greeted and blessed individually.
“Congratulations to everyone that is here today,” said Bishop Iffert, “because this year you are celebrating a milestone anniversary. We have folks who are here, 70-plus years of married life together. We have folks that are still finishing their first year together and will be marking their first anniversary.”
In his homily, Bishop Iffert recalled some advice given to young couples by Pope Francis early in his papacy. “What Pope Francis told these young couples, who are newly married, he asked them to remember three words … really the first words that your parents taught you to share with others.” The words, Bishop Iffert said, are please, thank you and I’m sorry.
During his time as a parish priest, Bishop Iffert was often asked to work with couples who seemed to be having a hard time adjusting to married life. Though he had little experience with marital counseling, Bishop Iffert asked the couples to develop three habits.
“The first habit I would like you to develop is, I would like you to remember to talk to one another every day. Not to talk about who’s going to take out the trash, who’s going to pick up the kids … 10 minutes a day or more where you talk to one another the way you talked to one another when you were courting. Speak to one another about your dreams, speak to one another about your ideals, about your hopes, about what you long for, about the person you still want to be and want to become … share what we find beautiful, to find in one another still that you are discovering one another, that you are still a land of surprises to one another, that you can still surprise each other even after years and years and years of marriage,” said Bishop Iffert.
The habit of speaking to one another so deeply, reinforces the same message as saying please does, not taking one another for granted. “Saying please is an indication that we will not take one another for granted … say please, don’t take one another for granted, talk to one another about your ideas and dreams every day,” said Bishop Iffert.
The second habit Bishop Iffert asked the couples to develop is gratefulness for one another, reinforced by saying thank you. “Second Pope Francis says … remember every day to say thank you. Remembering to say thank you reminds us that we are grateful for one another, that we are gifts to one another,” said Bishop Iffert. “There is a second practice that I used to encourage couples to take part in every day, and that is every day to come up with … another reason to be grateful to your spouse. As I would walk through this exercise with people, I was amazed at the beautiful things people would say, sometimes extraordinarily ordinary but nonetheless fruitful, beautiful … Think of another reason to be grateful for one another, and as often as you can, to share a compliment, to compliment the other. So, that they know that you are grateful, that you are not taking them for granted.”
“The third is very simple … he [Pope Francis] said when you hurt one another, and you will hurt one another … be quick to say, ‘I’m sorry,’” Bishop Iffert said. “Those words remind us of the responsibility we have of one another. To draw one another towards Christ, to draw one another towards salvation, we all get harmed from time to time, we forget we all do some of the harming from time to time. Let us remember that we are reliant on the grace of God and that your marriage is one of the graces that God intends for you.”
As part of drawing each other towards salvation in the action of saying I’m sorry, Bishop Iffert said, is the third habit that he invites couples to develop. “The third practice that I always encourage people in their marriage is to pray with one another. I believe it is the most intimate thing we can do, to really be a child of God in front of one another. To be the person God calls us to be, and together to come before the Lord as his children.”
“The Pope asks those of you who are newly married, and he asks those of you who have been married for seven decades, don’t take one another for granted, say please, be grateful for one another, say thank you, and when you harm one another, be quick to say, ‘I’m sorry.’ To ask for forgiveness from the bottom of your heart and ask much as you can to give that forgiveness willingly and easily, knowing it is a reflection of the way we ask God for forgiveness each day. Let me propose alongside, please, thank you, and I’m sorry, let me propose these three little practices, no matter what stage of marriage you are in. Speak to one another about the things that are most important to your heart, and to yourself … Be grateful for one another, everyday think of something new about why you are so grateful for the gift of one another…Third, pray with one another. Every day, if you’re not already, invite the Lord into your marriage,” said Bishop Iffert to conclude his homily.
With over 4,700 cumulative years of marriage sitting in the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, both the Pope’s and Bishop Iffert’s advice did not fall on deaf ears. Husbands and wives shared glances at each other throughout the homily