At Campbell County and Northern Kenton County Deaneries, Bishop Iffert completes anniversary celebrations

Maura Baker

Staff Writer

On Oct. 21 and 22, Bishop John Iffert completed his five-leg tour of the deaneries within the Diocese of Covington — celebrating five different Masses with the people of the diocese in commemoration of his five-year anniversary as bishop and shepherd. These final two Masses were held at St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring — representing the Campbell County Deanery — and St. Pius Parish, Edgewood — representing the Northern Kenton County Deanery.

During his homilies at both Masses, Bishop Iffert recounted the story of his calling to be Bishop of Covington. A literal call — which he remembers receiving from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States at the time.

He referenced the great commission of the apostles, saying, “When I was asked to come to Covington, and it was life changing, but I knew that I would find an established Church here. I knew that there would be people who love Christ and love the Church. I knew that there would be buildings. I knew that I would have a place to lay my head. I knew that I would have coworkers in this ministry. I knew that there would be a celebration and I’d be welcomed. I knew that I would have neighbors in the region, bishops to rely on for advice.

“The apostles didn’t have any of that. There was no institution. There was no support,” he said. “They were sent out into the world to do something that the world had never seen before, all on the word of Jesus, all on His command. They were sent out on this mission with no place the way they had, no protection or security, no health insurance policy.”

“We know the great commission, right? We heard, ‘Go out to the whole world,’” Bishop Iffert said. “So often we think of it in terms of God baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we report the numbers of baptisms every year to this day.”

While we’re “very good” at keeping those records, Bishop Iffert mentioned that the difficult part is to “make disciples.”

To form disciples is to “help them to encounter Christ in his love,” Bishop Iffert said, “and to accept that love in a joyful, self-emptying way gains so much purchase in our lives that it leads to joyfully accepting and embracing the cross.”

At the end of each of his homilies, Bishop Iffert thanked the parishes, both for his years as bishop and for praying with him at the two Masses — and all five Masses he held for his anniversary during the past month.

Both parishes welcomed Bishop Iffert for a reception following Mass, allowing him an opportunity to mingle with the people of the deaneries who have supported and welcomed him during his first five years.