‘Do not be afraid,’ Bishop Iffert tells graduates at TMU baccalaureate Mass

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

Graduations among students in the Diocese of Covington began, May 15, with a Mass celebrating Thomas More University’s Class of 2026.

Many of the university’s graduating seniors — dressed in caps, gowns and tassels — were there to celebrate their achievements alongside the faculty, staff and administrators that guided them along the way to the weekend of their graduation, with commencement to be held the following day.

Bishop John Iffert was also present to celebrate the Mass at the university’s Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel. In his homily, he began by emphasizing words from the day’s Gospel: “Do not be afraid.”

“These words addressed to Jesus’s own disciples speak directly to us and directly to you, the class of 2026,” Bishop Iffert told graduates.

He compared them to St. Thomas More, the university’s patron, describing him as someone who loved “learning” and “his family,” who “served the common good with his whole living.”

“In that sense,” said Bishop Iffert, “his life looks a great deal like what you aspire to, like the aspirations celebrated by the degree that you will receive tomorrow. But what makes Thomas More a saint and not simply a successful graduate is this: When the decisive moment of challenge came, he knew who he was before God, and he refused to betray that truth.”

St. Thomas More famously sided with the Catholic Church during the protestant reformation and refused to acknowledge the queenship of Anne Boleyn after King Henry VIII divorced his first wife — and was executed for treason as a result.

“Jesus says,” Bishop Iffert quoted, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, rather be afraid of those who can destroy both soul and body. These are challenging words,” he said, “but they are ultimately liberating.”

These words “remind us that your identity in mind is not rooted in a resume or salary or status or any yardstick of success,” Bishop Iffert said. “Your deepest identity is that you are known, loved and called by God.”

Continuing, Bishop Iffert posed another question and challenge to graduates: “Will you have the courage to live the truth?”

Throughout life, graduates will encounter “pressure, pressure to compromise, pressure to remain silent, pressure to redefine truth according to convenience or popular opinion or the conventions of your industry,” Bishop Iffert said.

“Do not be afraid,” he told them once more. “Do not be afraid to let your conscience be formed by truth, not by pressure. Do not be afraid to promote peace and the dignity of every human person.”

Concluding, Bishop Iffert said to graduates, “Today we entrust you to the intercession of St. Thomas More. May he help you to unite intellect and conscience, success and holiness, service and fidelity … congratulations, graduates. Do not be afraid. And always remember — you are called to be saints.”

Diocese moves forward with four commissions rooted in With One Heart

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Laura Keener, Editor

As the Diocese of Covington ends its contractual business relationship with the Catholic Leadership Institute, the diocesan priorities identified in the With One Heart pastoral plan continue. This time, guided by consultants of L’Etoile Development Services, and through the establishment of four planning commissions.

Four years ago, as Bishop Iffert celebrated his one-year anniversary as shepherd of the Diocese of Covington, he announced the With One Heart pastoral planning initiative. The process was led by the Catholic Leadership Institute and funded by generous anonymous benefactors.

The multi-year WOH planning process began with a Disciple Maker Index survey, where every parishioner in the Diocese was asked to complete a 72-question survey reflecting “on their journey of discipleship and their parish’s effectiveness in supporting that journey.” Additionally, listening sessions were held in parishes throughout the Diocese.

Hosting the listening sessions, gathering and analyzing data into an identifiable and workable pastoral plan became the work of the Pastoral Planning Commission, a group of 11 people including clergy, religious and laity. From the data, the Planning Commission identified three diocesan priorities — Faith Formation, Evangelization and Leadership Development.

Over the course of the last four years, Bishop John Iffert, Deacon Jim Fortner, Jamie Schroeder, chancellor, and CLI consultant, Carla Molina, worked with a group 10 people — the WOH Core Team — who provided feedback and helped keep the implementation of the strategic plan on track.

During Lent 2026, a second DMI survey was conducted. Parishes throughout the diocese will use the data from this second survey to determine how well parish pastoral plans were implemented and what opportunities remain as they develop a new pastoral plan for their parish.

At the Diocesan level, four commissions have been established — Schools Commission, Catholic Charities Commission, Foundation Commission and Diocesan Governance Commission — to work on the development of its new strategic plan.

These commissions and their subcommittees did not emerge in isolation, said Deacon Fortner. Rather, they are the latest expression of the With One Heart pastoral planning process, which identified three perennial priorities for the local Church: faith formation, evangelization and leadership development.

In a recent interview, Deacon Fortner reflected on how the work underway today grows directly from that earlier discernment. What may appear to be a new set of initiatives, he said, is actually “building on what we’ve got in place,” as the Church continues to respond to the foundational priorities first named through With One Heart.

Those priorities provided a framework for recognizing where sustained attention and broader participation are needed. Faith formation remains visible in the continuing work of schools, catechetical efforts and parish formation. Evangelization has shaped outreach through service and ministries that invite people into deeper relationship with the Church. Leadership development has underscored the need to cultivate structures, resources and people capable of carrying ministries forward.

“We come back to the lay faithful and ask, based on these strategies, what’s our priority here now going forward?” Deacon Fortner said.

Deacon Fortner pointed to several examples. The ministries of Catholic Charities, he noted, are not only a work of mercy but also a pathway to evangelization, especially when younger people encounter the Church through service and volunteerism. Schools continue to play a central role in faith formation. Efforts tied to foundations and governance, meanwhile, highlight the importance of leadership development and stewardship for the future.

The current commissions and their subcommittees can therefore be understood as an extension of that pastoral vision. In areas where earlier priorities were only partially realized, these bodies now provide the structure to carry the work further. Rather than abandoning the original plan, the diocesan process is deepening it — bringing more people into discernment, sharpening strategy and translating pastoral priorities into ongoing action.

“This process, with all these people involved, that is a step change difference,” Deacon Fortner said pointing to the 373 planners involved with the commissions. “I think it is going to help really take us to a whole other level; this is breakthrough thinking,” he said.

That continuity also offers an important message for the lay faithful. As new strategies are introduced, the Church is not starting over. Instead, it is returning to the core priorities that have guided the pastoral plan from the beginning and asking how they can be lived more fully now. The commissions are one way of answering that question — creating focused avenues for collaboration, accountability and long-term mission.

“I’m pretty excited about that,” said Deacon Fortner as he realizes how the Holy Spirit has been guiding the pastoral planning, and now the strategic planning, process.

Seen in that light, the commissions are not separate from With One Heart; they are one of its clearest fruits. Their work, and the work of their subcommittees, represents the ongoing effort to realize the pastoral priorities of faith formation, evangelization and leadership development in practical, sustainable ways across the life of the Diocese.

Eighty-one adults confirmed, reflecting growing faith across the Diocese

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Laura Keener

Editor

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was filled to near capacity on Pentecost Sunday, May 24, as 81 adults received the sacrament of Confirmation. These confirmandi came from 23 parishes throughout the Diocese. Due to the large number — 22 more than last year and 46 more than the five-year average — Bishop John Iffert, Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys and Father Ryan Maher, rector, administered the sacrament.

Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Catholic Church. It was at Pentecost that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, lifting their fears and empowering them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of God — sending them out to preach the Good News of Christ.

“When the Holy Spirit filled their (the apostles’) lives, they were given a communion with God’s divine gift,” said Bishop Iffert in his homily. “They were given more than just a purpose or a reason. God gave them a future and sent them out into the world to establish a Christian era. In their future, God would work in them deeds that they had never expected possible.”

During the conferring of the sacrament of confirmation, Bishop Iffert said, the confirmandi present today would receive that same Holy Spirit, that same grace, and through them that same hope for the world.

That Holy Spirit, he said, “was seminal seed for grace in the world,” overcoming “a culture of brutality and darkness. Today you received that same gift. God gives you not only a few numerable gifts, but God gives you the grace of himself dwelling within you, so that you might become under Christ. God gives to you today, and through you to all of us, a future in which we can place our hope.”

Hope, Bishop Iffert said, is not vague or wishy-washy. “Hope is the knowledge and confidence that God is working for our salvation … where we are gathered together in his wisdom and his love … Embrace that gift and share with us hope in Jesus Christ.”

Youth Ministry focuses efforts on community building and leadership development in summer months

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The Diocese of Covington Youth Ministry Office has a summer of development and growth ahead. Currently, applications are still being taken for the summer intern program, and the newest Youth Commission Evangelization Team (YCET) cohort both of which develop leadership and evangelization skills in teens and young adults.

The summer intern program welcomes college students to the Diocese of Covington Curia, Covington, where they will help lead the June 27 middle school CONNECT retreat. These retreats are designed for middle school students to connect in the spirit of the Eucharist with their peers. For the college interns, the retreats are a masterclass in learning to “plan, develop and deliver,” retreats, said Angie Poat, diocesan youth minister.

In addition to the hands-on development of leadership and event planning skills, the interns will participate in the first Youth Ministry Leadership Training retreat. The weekend retreat is for interns, members of the high school YCET team and all adult volunteer and leaders involved in youth ministry. This year, the focus is on building more than just skills, but a community.

“The retreat is bringing together team members from parishes to help grow, learn how to grow their parish youth ministry, so we can encourage intergenerational teams, future volunteers,” said Mrs. Poat.  “We decided to stop separating the high school students, the interns and the adults, and combine them into collective training where they could support each other.”

To further encourage the development of community and camaraderie among youth ministry leaders and volunteers, the retreat will be followed by “monthly leadership training nights that will focus on a particular topic, so it’s not a one and done event. It’s an ongoing collaborative professional learning community that can grow together and have support and network and share ideas,” said Mrs. Poat.

The ongoing leadership development is part of an ongoing effort in the Youth Ministry Office to support the development of intergenerational teams. New this year to the Youth Commission Evangelization Team structure is a two-tract system, for adults and students.

“The Youth Commission Evangelization Team group is going to expand this year,” said Mrs. Poat. “We’re not cutting it off, so anybody who wants to come and learn how to be a leader will be welcome. We’re encouraging parishes to send an adult mentor to participate in YCET with them [student] so that they can go back to their parishes and serve together.”

In the past, the YCET program has encouraged high-school-aged students in parishes to identify a personal faith evangelization mission, or apostolate, and explore how to live that mission. “Having young people be accompanied by somebody in their own parish or their own school in which they serve, so that they can go back and have the support they need to serve,” said Mrs. Poat. “No one is alone, no one serves alone. Christ is calling us to be community for each other, and so we need each other’s gifts and talents.”

To learn more about the Youth Ministry Leadership training, college internship opportunities, adult mentorship or YCET opportunities, go to covdio.org/youthministry.

From India to Edgewood, pastor celebrates 25 years of priesthood

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

Twenty-five years ago, Father Baiju Kidaagen was ordained in his home country of India. This year, he celebrates this jubilee in Kentucky — with St. Pius X Parish, Edgewood, where he’s served as missionary and pastor for the majority of his priesthood.

Originally from the Indian state of Kerala, vocations to the priesthood and religious life are a “very common thing” in the region, according to Father Kidaagen — with Kerala being the region where it’s believed St. Thomas the Apostle arrived in India almost 2,000 years ago.

“We are encouraged from our childhood,” Father Kidaagen told the <<Messenger>> in an interview commemorating his jubilee, “or we grew up in a very faithful family background.” Even in Father Kidaagen’s own extended family, he mentioned a “presence” of religious life — including several aunts who are religious sisters.

His vocation was something he’d known since his childhood and, with the support of his family, Father Baiju entered seminary and eventually became a priest of the Order of St. Vincent de Paul.

In January 2007, the Diocese of Covington agreed to receive two Vincentian priests — one of these priests was Father Kidaagen, who was assigned to St. Pius X Parish, Edgewood, and has been a part of that community ever since.

This community is very important to Father Kidaagen, who, besides administering the sacraments, said that his favorite part of the priesthood is “celebrating Mass every day with people — people who go through all kinds of problems in their personal lives — seeing them all coming to the Church and gathering around the altar, because I know them personally.”

“When I stand at the altar, I know each of them personally, and I know what they are going through,” Father Kidaagen said. “Joining them and celebrating Mass has always been a joy, and that’s my favorite thing.”

In his past 20 years in the Diocese of Covington, Father Baiju said that there “are so many beautiful memories … I came originally for five years, to 10, to 15 — now I am 20 years here. My favorite memory, if you ask me, I wouldn’t say is one memory — but since I have been here for this long, I have baptized children … and it’s just knowing these people who have been little children and now young adults and seeing them becoming somebody in their life … it’s a great, great feeling.”

“When I am celebrating my 25th, I want to be thankful,” Father Baiju concluded in his interview. “I’m grateful to the Diocese of Covington, and to the parish of St. Pius. … Ever since I came to this parish, I have experienced wholehearted support and love from my people here.

He continued, saying, “I have experienced that wholehearted and supportive love, and that is why I am able to do what I’m able to do in a foreign country … that always encourages me, that always inspires me, to do better in my ministry.”

Strong start for strategic planning and commissions as subcommittees name leaders

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Laura Keener

Editor

The strategic planning process continued in earnest the week of May 11–15. The subcommittees of all three currently active commissions met last week, with 11 meetings held across the diocese. The meetings marked an important step forward as leaders were appointed for each subcommittee and members began their work. For a listing of the commissions, their subcommittees and respective leaders, see box at (left/right).

Deacon Jim Fortner, diocesan chief operating officer who is overseeing the planning process, said he has been encouraged by the response. “There’s so much energy for this from day one,” he said. He added that many people are showing strong commitment by attending meetings after a full day of work and some are serving on more than one committee.

The newly appointed leaders were chosen from the 373 people from across the diocese — lay faithful, clergy and women religious — who had signed up to take part in the planning process.

Jim Hess, diocesan director for Stewardship and Mission Services who is also leading the process, said registration forms asked whether people were open to serving in leadership roles, which created “a great pool of candidates” for chairs and co-chairs.

“I think overall people are very excited to be a part of a transparent planning process in the Church, where they can have a real impact,” Mr. Hess said.

Deacon Fortner said organizers also looked for people with “the right skills” and passion for each area.

The subcommittee meetings are more than discussion or listening sessions. “This is a strategic planning process,” Mr. Hess said, noting that participants are helping shape the way forward. “Bishop Iffert has made it clear that he doesn’t have any preconceived ideas, he doesn’t have an agenda, that he wants the people in the room to be coming up with a way forward. He has given them a lot of responsibility, and it’s really encouraging to see how people are taking that on.”

The subcommittees have two more scheduled meetings in June and July before they will develop a plan and present it to Bishop Iffert. Committee members will also take part in scheduled webinars to hear from local and national experts in their field.

Deacon Fortner and Mr. Hess said that the strong turnout and willingness of so many to take on leadership roles show that people are ready to serve and help guide the commissions’ work.

For more information and to keep abreast of the strategic planning process, visit www.covdioplanning.org.

Annual Catechetical Awards recognize 22 catechists from across the Diocese

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The annual Catechetical Leadership Awards, May 14, recognize catechists from across the Diocese for their outstanding work in areas of catechesis, evangelization and leadership. For 43 years, the Office of Catechesis and Evangelization has hosted the evening of celebration, this year they honored 22 catechists for outstanding work.

Keynote speaker, Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys, spoke to the catechists and their families, thanking them for their years of dedication. Praising their faith in action, “the function of catechesis is to teach, catechize, the faith of the Catholic Church … both by word and example. We can say all the words in the world, but if we don’t live those words in the sight of others, then our words are empty,” he said.

“The words are important, teaching is important, but the living out those teachings is what really matters,” said Bishop Foys. Through their work in the schools, parishes and in youth ministry, the catechists live their faith and influence the lives of others. Their recognition by the Office of Catechesis and Evangelization is an honor which denotes their outstanding work in pursuit of the catechetical mission of the Church.

“The Churches directive for catechesis states that faith must be known, celebrated, lived and turned into prayer. This is what your called to do, the faith must be known, celebrated, lived and turned into prayer in a personal and total encounter of the heart, mind and sense with Christ,” said Bishop Foys. “It’s an awesome mission. Frightening, actuate, to put people not only in touch, but in communion, in intimacy, with the person of Jesus Christ.”

In his closing remarks, Bishop John Iffert reflected on Pope Leo XIV’s first papal exhortation, “Dilexi Te,” which focuses on the Churches love of the poor. “There are many ways of being poor,” said Bishop Iffert, “we can be poor in material goods, we can be poor in not having enough to eat, we can be poor in our prospects … the students you work with are poor in their experience and understanding of the world. So, to wade into their lives, to invite them to share yours, to be there for them, to be rich in the Word of God and in the connection that we offer to people who we care for them, this can be a great gift.”

The first award category to be recognized was Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher/Catechist, which recognized: Jean Collins, St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs; Marci Hagedorn, St. Joseph School, Crescent Springs; Mary Beth Meisenhelder, Blessed Sacrament School, Ft. Mitchell; and Anna Webster, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Carrollton.

Mrs. Collins was recognized for her significant role in preparing students for the sacraments of reconciliation and first Communion, through hands on activities, including a child-sized Mass kit, helping them to truly understand the sacramental process.

Mrs. Hagedorn, a second-grade teacher, weaves faith into every aspect of her classroom, helping to prepare students for the sacraments in a way that not only guides them intellectually, but spiritually, so that they can see the beauty of these sacraments.

A 28-year servant to the mission of Blessed Sacrament School, Mrs. Meisenhelder made her daily priority “saving little souls,” as read in her nomination. Mrs. Meisenhelder imparts on her young students the importance of prayer, service and reverence for God.

Mrs. Webster prepares second-grade children of the parish for the sacraments, while coordinating May Crowning, sacramental retreats and vacation bible school. Her hard work and dedication make learning fun for all the children in her care.

The second award category was for Outstanding Middle School Teacher/Catechist, which recognized Deborah Finke and Jarrod Lux, both of St. Agnes School, Ft. Wright.

Mrs. Finke is a middle school math teacher that seamlessly brings faith into her classroom by beginning each class with prayer. In addition to teaching mathematics, Mrs. Finke promotes faith in the school through parish youth programs such as the Y-Disciple groups.

Mr. Lux is a middle school religion teacher and an active participant in the life of the parish, lecturing and planning Masses, while coordination school activities, like school retreats. Mr. Lux is known for bringing faith to life for his students.

The third award category was for Outstanding Senior High School Teacher/Catechist, awarded to Patty Grothaus, Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport, and Alan Harsin, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Carrollton.

Mrs. Grothaus has been a key part of Newport Central Catholic’s theology department since 2019 and is retiring at the end of 2025-2026 school year. She fosters a culture of service, acceptance and humility and has been crucial in the development and execution of retreats for all grades.

Mr. Harsin has been a tireless servant of the parish youth and CCD programs for over 12 years. In addition, he works to enhance the parish and their Spanish-speaking community through a men’s group. Mr. Harsin actively participates in the life of the parish through many parish activities and his service as a lector at Mass.

The fourth award category was for Outstanding Catechetical Leader, awarded to Soshana Bosley, Villa Madonna Elementary, Villa Hills; Anita Dunn, St. Agnes Parish; Pamela McQueen, Villa Madonna Academy, Villa Hills; and Erin Redleski, St. Agnes School.

Mrs. Bosley was recognized for her outstanding work as principal of Villa Madonna Elementary, where she championed a new organizational house structure for students grades K-6, bringing students closer than ever, and forging bonds in Christ that will last a lifetime.

In her role as director and coordinator of religious education, Mrs. Dunn organizes the Parish School of Religion program and at the diocesan level trains new directors and coordinators of religious education at other parishes. She lives her faith and is a shining example to her students.

Mrs. Klare is director of religious education serving with a tireless devotion. She makes it her personal mission to bring her students closer to a life in Christ through the development of a personal relationship with him.

Mrs. McQueen has served as principal of Villa Madonna Academy of 30 years. A champion for an era of success, Mrs. McQueen saw three Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards, five Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Light House Awards, and led the school through five years of recognition as one of America’s most challenging high schools — all done in honor of the school’s Benedictine traditions of scholarship, service and hospitality.

As school principal, Mrs. Redleski has created a culture of trust and support, strengthening both the school’s academic excellence and Catholic identity. She empowers her teachers to fulfill their own vocations as catechists.

The fifth award category was the Sister Ann Adele Fritz Catechetical Leader Award. Given to Shannon Barnes, of the Diocese of Covington Offices of the Diaconate, Vocations and Worship and Liturgy; Mary Creech, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington; Divine Providence Sister Lynn Stenken, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, California; and Shannon Wells, St. Patrick School, Taylor Mill.

Serving the Diocese of Covington, Ms. Barnes uses her knowledge of the faith, and talent has a musician to bring a reverence to diocesan liturgies. Over the years she has shared the faith with her children, grandchildren and all those she encounters in her work, bringing 11 people into the church over the years.

Mrs. Creech is the facilities manager and OCIA catechist at the Cathedral. In her role, she shares her devotion and deep knowledge of the faith to all those she meets, helping to form new disciples in the Mystical Body of Christ through OCIA. She is a true witness to a life lived in service of the Church.

Divine Providence Sister Lynn Stenken is the director of religious education. Sharing her own vocation as a member of consecrated religious, Sister Lynn meets people where they are and walks with them in faith, inviting them into relationship with Christ.

Mrs. Wells of St. Patrick Elementary also serves as the lead preschool catechist at St. Mary’s Parish, Alexandria. She shares her love for Jesus with everyone who steps into her classroom, students and parents alike, a true role model as a disciple of Christ.

Kate Iadipaolo of St. Anthony Parish, Taylor Mill, was awarded Outstanding Homeschool Educator. She has been involved with the Lyceum Catholic Community Co-op for 13 years, teaches theology classes to high school students, and runs a small community group with other homeschool moms that offers enrichment courses that students elsewhere could not receive. In addition, Mrs. Iadipaolo utilizes her education and strong family values when leading sacramental prep for first reconciliation and Communion for the Guatemalan community at St. Anthony Parish.

Hannah Ubelhor, St. Timothy Parish, Union, received the Outstanding Catholic Retreat Minister award. Ms. Ubelhor serves as the Youth Commission Evangelization Team (YCET) co-director and uses her energy and passion for the faith to enliven each retreat she has served on.

Bradley Barnes, a volunteer youth minister in the Diocese of Covington and teacher at Newport Central Catholic High School, was awarded Outstanding Youth Ministry Innovator. Mr. Barnes is gifted in all facets of youth ministry and has served with the Diocese of Covington in a volunteer capacity for three years. He inspires, and is inspired by, the youth of the Diocese every step of the way.

The Outstanding High School YCET Leader was awarded to Alex Chadwich, St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs, and Eva Rousseau, All Saints Parish, Walton.

Mr. Chadwick serves as a disciple of Christ, living the call to evangelize, by inviting his peers and their families to join him for daily Mass before school every Friday. Each week, these students and their parents join Mr. Chadwick for Mass and breakfast, a testament to the effect of personal relationships in the faith.

Ms. Rousseau is a senior in the Divine Mercy Home School Co-Op, and attends Thomas More University, Crestview Hills. She is a living witness of the faith in her work with prayer, study and YCET leadership. She often welcomes and invites new people to Church, and faith events, spreading the Good News of Christ.

At the conclusion of the awards, Bishop Iffert, still reflecting on the papal exhortation, “Dilexi Te,” told those who were recognized, “I thank you for your work, with young people and old, who are poor in one way or another, and I ask us all to join in being a Church of the poor and broken, for the poor and broken.”

Crosier Guild event highlights how DPAA gifts help neighbors in need

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Laura Keener

Editor

Bishop John Iffert welcomed new members of the Crosier Guild at a special evening event, May 12, at St. Barbara Parish’s Sterling Event Center, Erlanger. The Crosier Guild honors people who have faithfully supported the Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal, or DPAA, year after year. Hosted by the diocesan Stewardship and Mission Services Office, the Crosier Guild recognized 11 attending new members of the 66 total new members this year. Their gifts help fund ministries across the diocese and provide grants to local groups that serve people in need.

During the evening, guests heard from Jim Procaccino of Action Ministries and Chris Goddard of Catholic Charities. Both men shared stories that showed how DPAA support helps real people every day. Their message was simple: these gifts do more than pay bills. They bring food, hope and dignity to families across Northern Kentucky.

Mr. Procaccino explained that Action Ministries began in 1994 as a resource room in Ryle High School when school leaders saw that children were coming to class hungry. Today, the ministry serves families in several counties and provides food for more than 1,000 households. He said the group exists “to share the love of Jesus Christ by providing groceries, hope and encouragement to low-income families.” He also thanked DPAA donors directly, saying, “You are an extension of what God does for us every day.”

Mr. Goddard spoke about the work of Catholic Charities, especially the Parish Kitchen, the Mobile Food Pantry, jail ministry and Pickett’s Corner bike ministry. He said the goal is not only to meet urgent needs, but also to build relationships and walk with people toward a better future.

At the Parish Kitchen, he said, “What they receive is more than food. They receive welcome, dignity and human connection.” He shared one story about a man who once came for meals but later found work and returned with a donation to help feed others.

Mr. Goddard also described signs of hope in other ministries. In the jail ministry, Catholic Charities recently celebrated the baptism, first Eucharist and confirmation of an inmate at the Kenton County Detention Center. At Pickett’s Corner, a donated bicycle helped one person get to work until he was able to save enough money to buy a car. Across all of these programs, Mr. Goddard said, “We meet people where they are. We treat them with dignity. We walk with them towards something better.”

Bishop John Iffert closed the evening by thanking Crosier Guild members for their steady support of the annual appeal. He said their gifts strengthen ministries throughout the diocese and offer “seed money to people who are making a difference” in local communities. He also pointed to the way Catholic and non-Catholic groups are working side by side at Action Ministries to care for the poor, calling that shared effort a powerful Christian witness to overcome modern day “paganism — a new kind of reaction against the message of Christ and His gospel in the world,” he said

“I think one of the ways that we can work most effectively against that is to overcome the scandalous divisions among Christians, and to work together to demonstrate love for God and neighbor,” Bishop Iffert said as he thanked Action Ministries for giving witness to Christian collaboration.

In his reflection, Bishop Iffert connected the evening’s stories to the Church’s call to love and serve the poor. Quoting recent Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te,” (“On Love for the Poor”) he said, “Charity is not optional, but is a requirement of true worship. If we worship without joining it to a life of charity, it’s empty.”

He reminded guests that service to people in need does more than help others. It also renews the Church and teaches deeper faith.

“If you’re tempted to despair about the condition of our society, of our world, of our Church, here’s how you can work for its renewal, love and serve the poor,” Bishop Iffert said. “This is an important piece of teaching. It teaches that we can speak of a preferential option on the part of God for the poor, which is not an attribution of bias to God, but a truth that emphasizes God’s actions, which are moved by compassion toward the poverty and weakness of all humanity, including mine, including ours.”

Bishop Iffert said many people discover they receive more from serving others than they give. Citing “Dilexi Te,” he said Pope Leo XIV teaches that this is “literally true.”

“While we extend ourselves to serve the poor, we are actually receiving from them lessons about how to live under the yoke of Jesus Christ,” he said. Then quoting a favorite paragraph from the document, paragraph 120, Bishop Iffert said, “It says this, ‘love is above all a way of looking at life and a way of living it. A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today.’”

Father Ed Brodnick celebrates 50 years of priesthood, service marked by those he’s served

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

After 50 years of priestly ministry, Father Ed Brodnick has served seven parishes, from Corbin to Cold Spring, and two schools, influencing the lives of many. None more so than Father Brodnick himself, who has drawn inspiration during his tenure from those he served throughout his ministry. Marking this tenure is Father Brodnick’s particular affinity for youth ministry, where he finds “hope for the future, hope for today and the days to come,” he said.

Father Brodnick grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, with two brothers, a sister and faithful, loving parents. He attended grade school, high school and began college in Cleveland, a self-described “city boy from Cleveland.” Through God’s providence, Father Brodnick became a seminarian in the Diocese of Covington and attended St. John Vianney Seminary, Buffalo, New York.

Father Brodnick credits his experience in New York as the beginnings of his passion for youth ministry. “I was involved in high school retreat work, developing programs, and so I got a taste for youth ministry early on. I think that’s one of the reasons why that was just something that was a part of my vision of what my role was going to be in a parish,” he said.

Following his June 6 ordination by Bishop Ackerman, Father Brodnick was assigned to an Appalachian parish in Corbin, Kentucky. There, he gained firsthand experience in Appalachian ministry, but his passion for youth ministry remained. Bringing Bible school to the children of Corbin and surrounding towns, he explained, “We would run Bible school,” he said “and we would have vans where the people would trust us … to pick up their children, drive them to Williamsburg so that we could have Bible school with them all day.”

Following his time in Corbin, Father Brodnick was assigned to St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Alexandria, as a part-time associate pastor, and to Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria, as a part-time teacher. While at St. Mary Parish, Father Brodnick saw a need for the youth of the parish. “When I first came up from the mountains, there were not many choices for teenager retreats up here,” he said. So, Father Brodnick took a group to a Celebration retreat in his hometown of Cleveland. Describing the retreat as “Christ renews his parish, only for teens,” the experience was astounding, and the teens wanted to bring the retreat home.

“I thought it was going to be a one-time deal. We slept on the floor at the old St. Mary school. The cook from Bishop Brossart cooked meals for us and the young people,” he said. This “one-time deal” is in its 43rd year of operations, with retreats ongoing twice a year. “It’s one of those things where every time you thought that it was not going to be enough coming anymore, it would just come back again,” he said.

Father Brodnick remained at St. Mary Parish for five years, before a brief reassignment in the same role at St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring. There for two years, Father Brodnick was then assigned to a full-time teaching position at Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport, for one year. From there, he was assigned as the inaugural pastor at St. Timothy Parish, Union.

“I think God just kind of guides us,” he said of all these assignments. “Sometimes you got to sit back and laugh, because you don’t realize it till after the fact … I love parish work … the pastoral work is breathtaking.”

Father Brodnick is now retired from active ministry but remains the chaplain at his beloved Bishop Brossart High School. “Getting to know some of these young people on a deeper level, rather than just seeing them once in a while, has been a gift,” he said.

For Father Brodnick, 50 years of priestly ministry is marked by dedication to his parishes, to teaching, but above all else, to the people he serves.

“For some reason, God decided that he needed me in each of those places for some time, to live and to be a part of that community and to lead them as best I could,” Father Brodnick said. “We [priests] try to do the best we can with whatever the Lord calls us to do … We’re not perfect at it, but somehow, with the working of the Holy Spirit and a lot of good people around us in a parish, a lot of the young people are hungry to know the Lord. It’s an exciting life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Inmate finds faith behind bars, receives sacraments inside detention center

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

It was a buzz and the click of a lock, disengaging inside of large metal doors, that granted jail ministry volunteers access to a multipurpose room inside of the Kenton County Detention Center, Covington. The drab gray walls, plastic folding tables and worn-down carpet, set the scene for the events of May 8, when inmate Winston Gaines was welcomed into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Initiation. Administered by Father Jeff VonLehmen, pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Taylor Mill, and assisted by Deacon Barry Henry, director of Community Ministries and Outreach for Catholic Charities Covington, folding tables became an altar inside a makeshift chapel.

Father VonLehmen prepared the water for baptism, pouring holy water from a cleaned and repurposed Powerade bottle into a pitcher full of tap water, blessing it, preparing it to be used in the baptism. He said to Mr. Gaines, “Water, filling this bowl, let it fill your heart, let it cleanse, let it change, let it transform, let it nourish. In that sense, you can be free from all your sins, all our sins, you can always be free in that sense and strengthened to live a happier life.”

Then, taking the water, Father VonLehmen baptized Mr. Gaines who, though handcuffed, was set free of the stain of original sin and all those he has committed. Later, taking the perfumed chrism from a vial, Father VonLehmen confirmed Mr. Gaines, as the hands of jail ministers rested on his shoulders, a symbolic sign of support.

Those same hands rested on Mr. Gaines as he received Christ in the Eucharist for the first time, as Father VonLehmen told him in the homily, “there’s no place that Jesus can’t find us, come to us … now, from the Eucharist, born from above, he can reach people where nobody else can reach, in our hearts.”

Mr. Gaines said that he has been “anticipating” receiving the sacraments, and “looking forward to it.” Through these sacraments Mr. Gaines was initiated into the Catholic Church, but they also provide for him a continued path towards healing. With Mr. Gaines saying that he is most looking forward to receiving the sacraments now that he is Catholic, and that he hopes his newfound faith will “help me to be closer to God.”

The latest success story through the work of Catholic Charities, Covington, jail ministry program, Mr. Gaines approached jail ministers inside the detention center in January and inquired about becoming Catholic. However, his journey to the faith began long before his incarceration.

Mr. Gaines’ first encounter with his faith was through his grandmother, though it was not until his adult life that he began exploring a personal faith journey. “I had been doing research and was learning about the sacraments. I was going to different churches and trying to figure out why there are so many different churches and which church to go to. I realized that Catholic is the church,” he said.

After his incarceration, Mr. Gaines made the decision to become Catholic. “When I was here, the people from the Covington Diocese, I asked them and they hooked me up with Vince,” he said.

Vince Lonneman, one of Catholic Charities’ jail ministers, and new volunteer coordinator, accompanied Mr. Gaines through OCIA, working with him on matters of the faith: Old Testament and New Testament theology, the meaning of the Sacraments, the Eucharist as the true presence of Christ, how to pray the rosary and even stations of the cross.

Mr. Lonneman was “very excited” to work with Mr. Gaines, saying, “it was a very enriching, exciting, spiritual experience for me … One of the best gifts you can give to somebody is give them their faith. It was very enriching and rewarding for me, and I’ll never forget it the rest of my life.”

Though Mr. Gaines, a quiet and introspective person, said only that his OCIA experience was “interesting,” the emotion was evident when he announced his confirmation saint, St. Vincent.

Calling the sacramental experience, “happy,” and “almost overwhelming,” Mr. Gaines looks forward to practicing the Catholic faith, and learning more with the Catechism of the Catholic Church gifted to him by Deacon Henry.

Mr. Lonneman reflected on the fruits of the jail ministry team, saying, “they are always very appreciative, and that’s what we do. We go in and we give them hope, we give them some Scripture, we give them some things they can fall back on.” And in the case of Mr. Gaines, he received new life in Jesus, and a new community in the faith.

To learn more about the jail ministry program and how to volunteer go to: covingtoncharities.org/services/community-outreach-services/jail-prison-ministry.