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Safe Haven baby box arrives in Campbell County, assisting mothers in crisis

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Central Campbell County Fire District, Cold Spring, unveiled its new Safe Haven Baby Box among friends, media and state legislators, Sept. 28. The box is a safe, secure and anonymous way for a mother in crisis to surrender her under 30-day-old infant. This is the 71st box of its kind in Kentucky, joining the rising national total of 473. This is the first Safe Haven Baby Box to be opened in Campbell County.

The firefighters of Central Campbell County Fire District were in attendance to demonstrate how the box works. Speaking at the event was Fire Chief Dan Schultz, Fire Board chairman Mike Rust, Kentucky State Senator Shelley Frunke Frommeyer, Safe Haven volunteer Lisa Klee, Safe Haven representative and Kentucky Representative Nancy Tate and executive director of the Kentucky Right to Life Addia Wuchner.

Since 2017, 83 infants have been surrendered in Safe Haven baby boxes in Kentucky. The boxes are affixed to firehouses, ensuring that within minutes of a surrender, the vulnerable infant will be in the care of trained emergency medical professionals and first responders. Once surrendered, the child becomes a ward of the state, with the goal becoming finding a forever family. From the fire station, the baby is transferred to a local hospital for a well-check examination and any medical care they might need.

Mr. Rust said, “When we first started talking about this idea, in my mind, it was a simple decision. We’re a community building. This is just another extension of what our personnel do on a daily basis, and if we don’t have something like this where there’s immediate access, then the outcome may not be as good as we want.”

Safe Haven’s motto, “No Name, No Blame, No Shame,” emphasizes the importance of an anonymous surrender for mothers in crisis.

“In the moment of crisis, we do love family, we love life, we love babies and we want that to be so clear … we’re not trying to shame a person who’s doing one of the most beautiful things in bringing life into this world,” said Mrs. Frommeyer.

The seeds for the Campbell County baby box were planted almost two years ago, when Chief Schultz saw a story on the news.

“We looked into it, investigated it,” he said, “seeing the cost … it’s something we can’t do right now.”

Resigned to having the box be a future project, Chief Schultz tucked the thought away. Only weeks later, Diane McCormick, a St. Thomas Parish, Ft. Thomas, parishioner, emailed Chief Schultz about funding a Safe Haven baby box.

“I had barely sent the email when my phone rang, and it was Chief Schultz that called,” said Mrs. McCormick. “He said ‘we can’t fund it.’ I said, ‘if you’ll do it, we’ll fund it.’”

Safe Haven baby boxes cost approximately $20,000 to install because of the alarm system that alerts first responders that a baby has been dropped off, as well as the climate control and automatic locking systems. When Mrs. McCormick offered to pay for the box, she had no money raised, but a strong trust in the Lord to provide.

“I was sure that between the Catholic churches in our area, between all of them, I was sure we could do it,” she said.

Word quickly spread, and Mrs. McCormick was joined by parishioners across the Diocese who supported and organized the fundraising effort. Together, parishioners at St. Thomas Parish; St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Alexandria; St. Therese Parish, Southgate; St. Philip Parish, Melbourne; and St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring, raised enough money to install not just one baby box, but three across the county.

“We have funded the one in Bellevue-Dayton [Fire Department], and we’ve got money yet,” said Mrs. McCormick. “We’re trying to get one in Southern Campbell County, down closer to the border. So we’ll have the north, this [fire] house, and then one in the south,” she said.

The baby box at the Central Campbell County Fire District was prayed over by the department’s lay chaplain, Engineer Micah Leiss, who asked for the Lord’s blessing over the box, the families of the surrendered, the community and the fire department.

“We ask the blessing for the babies, we ask the blessing for the parents, but I also have another blessing I want to ask for, and it’s a blessing for this department. I pray and I ask that we will have compassion that we will have grace,” said Mr. Leiss. “Pray that God would give us the wisdom, the understanding, the capability to be able to care for and take care of these babies until we can get them transported.”

“It takes a community, it does take a village,” said Mrs. Wuchner addressing the community members gathered. “Someday if there’s a child in this box, your heart will be wrapping lovingly around that child, whether you ever get to see the baby or not.”

Pro-life office to host discussion on end of life care, pro-life perspective

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

As our loved ones reach the end of life, questions begin to arise. These questions can revolve round living wills, hydration and nutrition as they reach their final days — and many ask the question, “Am I doing the right thing for my loved one?”

These questions are ones that the Diocese of Covington Pro-life Office, in conjunction with the Catholic Medical Association, hope to answer. On Oct. 17, guest speaker Jozef Zalot of the National Catholic Bioethics Center will be joining Paul Darpel, attorney; Father Raymond Enzweiler, dean, Thomas More University and Addia Wuchner, executive director, Kentucky Right to Life, at the Curia’s Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, Covington, for a special event titled “A Catholic Perspective to End of Life Care.”

Topics include pro-life perspectives on end of life care, including hydration, nutrition and pain medication, and advance directives, such as power of attorney and living wills. Also to be discussed is Catholic teaching on topics such as euthanasia and physician assisted suicide — which is currently legal in 13 U.S. states.

As a pro-life issue, discussions of end-of-life care are important as we “care about the person from the beginning of their life to the end,” said Faye Roch, director of the Pro-life Office. “Many times, when people are reaching the end of life, from illness or old age, there are pro-life issues that are involved.”

Distinctions such as ethics around life support, nutrition and other end of life topics are important and valuable topics to know “when it comes to making those decisions,” Mrs. Roch said, “because we do care about the person from the beginning until the end of their life, and all those little aspects in between.”

People are the most vulnerable not only at the beginning of their life, but at the end of their life, as well, Mrs. Roch said — emphasizing the importance of end-of-life care from a Catholic and pro-life perspective. “You want to have the information so that you can properly care for your loved one in an appropriate way,” she said.

An evening of reflection on Magnifica Humanitas amongst growing AI discourse

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Organized by the Intercommunity Sisters Peace and Justice Committee, Monsignor William Cleves, pastor, Holy Spirit Parish, Newport, will be sharing a reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical Maginifca Humanitas. The first of two evening events will take place Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m. in the Curia’s Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, Covington, the second evening will be on November 30, at the same time and location.

The Committee was formed to focus on matters of social justice and the Church’s social justice teaching, so it was natural that when Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical on the effect of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the human person that the Committee would be interested. “We thought this would be perfect, it goes along with what we believe is part of our call,” said Notre Dame Sister Shauna Bankemper.

Monsignor Cleves’ reflection will be focused primarily on chapters 3-5 of the encyclical which highlight technology and dominance, safeguarding of humanity and a culture of power. Following the reflection there will be time for small group discussion, facilitated by a member of the committee. At the end of the evening, people will be invited to ask questions which will be discussed at the Nov. 30 gathering.

Sister Bankemper says the biggest draw for people to come is the topic itself, “If they haven’t read the encyclical, their currosity to see what Pope Leo [XIV] was writing about at this time, about human dignity and how we have to preserve human dignity, especially in a digital age,” she said.

“I think they [people who attend] will be grateful that the Church has entered into the dialog with our world over the fast pace at which AI is moving, and that the Church is asking that we look through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching as to how we’re addressing this AI, plus all the other issues that our cultures are wrestling with,” she said.

No registration is required for the event, so Sister Bankemper hopes, “that a variety of people from different parishes and different communities can join us.”

Seminarians’ summers spent as missionaries and team leader for Totus Tuus

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Every summer since becoming a seminarian, William Fuller has served as a missionary for Totus Tuus, a Catholic summer youth program which provides fun catechesis for children and teenagers. Missionaries travel from parish to parish each week, staying for five days at a time and relying on host families for housing.

This summer, Mr. Fuller was asked to serve in a leadership role as a Team Support Person. Rather than traveling with the missionaries, Mr. Fuller provided support for each Totus Tuus team out in the field, commuting daily from his summer assignment at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Ft. Mitchell.

“I just got inspired by the Holy Spirit to take up this labor,” said Mr. Fuller. Joining Mr. Fuller in the Totus Tuus experience were his brother seminarians Joseph O’Bryan and Evan Ihrig, who served as missionaries for the program. This was Mr. O’Bryans second summer as a missionary and Mr. Ihrigs first.

This year at the Seminary Ball, Oct. 16, the annual seminarian video will highlight the seminarians’ experience as missionaries for Totus Tuus and provide insight into what the summer of a seminarian looks like.

“Everyone who has joined seminary after us has done Totus Tuus at least during their first summer,” Mr. Fuller said. “It definitely seems that that’s the current plan, to get all the seminarians through Totus Tuus,” he said. “It’s a great formational thing. It teaches you a lot about self-sacrifice, how to be totally yours for people, how to interact with parishes you know nothing about. In every area of formation, it grows you.”

Totus Tuus is a Latin phrase meaning “Totally Yours,” and the missionary program was inspired by St. Pope John Paul II’s papal motto, “Totus Tuus Maria,” meaning “Totally Yours Mary.”

The goal of the program is twofold, explained Mr. Fuller. “There’s catechesis, of course, to get the kids to learn about their own faith, to grow in prayer, to grow in their own spiritual life,” he said, “but also just provide a place for kids to be kids, to have fun, to be children of God. I think Totus Tuus does a great job of that.”

“Totus Tuus integrates the fun in a way that feels more authentic and is more authentic. The catechesis is also fun,” he said.

Two parishes in the Diocese of Covington participate in the Totus Tuus experience — Immaculate Heart of Mary, Burlington, and St. Thomas Parish, Ft. Thomas. In all three years of his Totus Tuus work, Mr. Fuller has spent time at St. Thomas Parish and has watched the students grow from third graders to now sixth graders.

“They grow in every way,” he said, “but especially in their love of Jesus, the Lord … I could tell these kids are holier. They’re in a better spot than I was, at least at their age and a lot of people I’ve known at their age. And I think Totus Tuus is a big part of that.”

Seminary Ball tickets are still available. Join the other Diocese of Covington faithful at the diocese’s largest social event in supporting the education and formation of our future priests. Visit covdio.org and click on the Seminary Ball web banner.

Benedictine Sister Kimberly Porter elected president of the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery, Villa Hills, are part of a larger congregation made up of 16 other Benedictine communities throughout the United States known as the Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica. Together, these 17 communities share a constitution through this congregation, while each maintaining their own monastic norms unique to each community.

The Monastic Congregation of St. Scholastica is one of three congregations in the United States for Benedictine Sisters, and now they are under new leadership as the Diocese of Covington’s own Benedictine Sister Kimberly Porter was elected president of the Congregation.

Sister Kimberly’s new role comes after she received nominations for the position, and the delegates of the 17 communities voted to elect her as their new president. “It’s one of those jobs that you get called to,” she said. “I really think how I landed here was through a series of small yeses and just getting to know communities.”

After receiving the nominations and being called to present to the delegates of the community, Sister Kimberly took time to discern if this was God’s plan for her. “There was always a sense of peace that was underlying any questions or uncertainty, and so it really was about trusting that this call was of God, and I needed to trust the process,” she said.

Being elected president means that Sister Kimberly’s full-time work as a family and child therapist must come to an end as she assumes responsibility for the congregation and its needs. Though only one month into the new role, Sister Kimberly understands that her primary role is to support the communities in “whatever they might need,” she said. This includes overseeing the canonical elections for new leadership, monastery visitation and being the liaison to the Vatican.

Her longtime work as a therapist will provide a solid foundation on which to provide the support necessary for the congregation’s communities.

“As a therapist, a lot of your work is about listening and being present to people and holding space as they discern or decide what action they need to take,” she said. “I think that’s part of the work of a president too. There are sometimes where there are clear things you have to say, ‘this is how it is,’ but a lot of it is about walking with others along their journey.”

Sister Kimberly’s first term as president will last four years with the possibility to serve for a total of 12 years, with the position being eligible for re-election twice. One month into a possible 12-year role might be daunting to some, but Sister Kimberly has trust in the Lord’s plan. “I’m open to the work for as long as I’m called to do it,” she said.

Upcoming for the Congregation is the Benedictine Jubilee, which will be celebrated over the next four years to commemorate 1,500 years of Benedictine life.

“We’re at an exciting time,” said Sister Kimberly. “Benedictine life has something to offer the world in terms of prayer and balancing those pieces. I think of just the hope and possibility at having this opportunity at this point in time.”

Parish Missionary Disciple trainings return for the fall — laity invited to participate in workshops

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

This Autumn, trainings return as fruits of the Diocese of Covington’s With One Heart planning process and resulting pastoral plan. From a core group of around 200 parishioners across the diocese who attended training in 2024, more “Parish Missionary Disciple” (PMD) trainings have been held — with more to come at St. Timothy, Union, and St. Agnes, Ft. Wright this October and November.

Organized and led primarily by laity, for laity, previous trainings were held at Mother of God Parish, Covington and St. Mary Parish, Alexandria. These trainings, described as “interactive workshops”, developed from a program and framework set and presented by the Catholic Leadership Institute.

Deacon Kevin Cranley, who is helping to organize the training at St. Timothy Parish, said that the design of the trainings is to “give people the confidence and the knowledge to be able to discuss their faith.”

“We all get into situations where someone might ask us a question and we’re not confident enough to answer,” said Deacon Cranley, “or someone may challenge our faith. This program is designed to help give us the ability to talk openly.”

Deacon Cranley continued, saying that “we (as people of the Church) are called to build our Church and bring people to Christ — so it’s something we should all learn to do.”

With registration still open for both parish’s trainings, Deacon Cranley encourages laity to participate, even if they can only attend one or two of the available sessions.

Registration information for either session can be found online on the parishes’ websites.

Love cannot exist without suffering, and suffering without love is ‘hell’

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The third annual Mass of Belonging was celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Sept. 22, on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Mass brings together the Fire Foundation of Northern Kentucky and supporters of the mission of inclusive education, for the celebration of Mass and a social gathering in St. Mary’s Park, Covington.

Celebrating the Mass was Father Ryan Maher, rector of the Cathedral. Concelebrating were priests of the Diocese, including Father Joseph Gallenstein, pastor, St. Barbara Parish, Erlanger; Father Eric Andriot, parochial vicar, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Burlington; Father Britton Hennessey, pastor, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Falmouth; Father Mark Keene, pastor, St. Agnes Parish, Ft. Wright; Father Michael Grady, pastor, St. Therese Parish, Southgate; and Father Thomas Picchioni, pastor, St. John the Evangelist, Carrollton.

Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Kendra McGuire, addressed those gathered before the start of Mass, highlighting the impact of the Fire Foundations work in the Diocese.

“We are hearing from more families who are seeking a Catholic education for their children, and our Catholic schools are working hard with the Fire Foundation’s generous support to welcome them,” she said. “Together, we are building a community that includes all of our brothers and sisters, regardless of their disability.”

The Mass of Belonging was celebrated on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a feast day commemorating the “martyrdom of Mary,” said Father Ryan Maher, quoting St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Though, Father Maher pointed out, Mary is not officially recognized as a martyr of the Church. “We don’t wear read, she did not die a martyr’s death,” he said, but “she suffered a martyr’s death in her heart.”

“…She experienced in her heart everything Jesus experienced in his body [during his crucifixion]. This beautiful participation in the work of salvation that Jesus gave to his mother to share with him,” said Father Maher, explaining Mary’s martyred heart. Because of her great love for her son, she took part in the work of Jesus’ greatest sacrifice. “Suffering without love is hell … suffering without love, no possibility of love. Love without suffering is an incomplete love,” said Father Maher.

In her suffering during Christ’s passion, “she can’t do anything. She accepts and suffers with love and suffering … The final sword, in a real way that pierced the side of Jesus, first went through Mary’s heart, and she suffered with love. The Lord gave her a share in his passion,” said Father Maher.

“We ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for us,” he said, “to help us love deeply, because there is so much suffering in the world. But suffering does not have to have the last word, love has the last word. Love makes suffering, in a way, beautiful, love makes suffering whole.”

Dr. William Keimig presents workshop on baptism and matrimony

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Dr. William Keimig, director, Catechetical Institute at Franciscan University, Steubenville, visited the Diocese of Covington to host an OCIA workshop, Sept. 19. OCIA coordinators from across the Diocese attended the workshop, which focused primarily on the Code of Canon Law surrounding the sacraments of Baptism and marriage. The workshop was held on Thomas More University’s campus, Crestview Hills, in the Ziegler Auditorium. Isaak Isaak, director of the Office of Catechesis and Evangelization for the Diocese, welcomed the attendees at the top of the day’s program.

“Today we gather to learn together, grow together and deepen our understanding of the OCIO pastoral and canonical issues, so that we may better serve those who seek Christ and his Church as Catholic leaders, parish volunteers, clergy and members of the faithful,” said Mr. Isaak. “We share an important mission entrusted to us by the Church and the founder of the Church in Jesus Christ.”

The workshop consisted of four presentations from Mr. Keimig, one of those presentations was on the canonical baptismal process, while the other three focused heavily on marriage, specifically the sacramental nature of matrimony, its nullification process and the canon law surrounding it.

Holding a red covered book up so the audience could read its title, Dr. Keimig dropped the bound Code of Canon Law on the table in front of the audience, resulting in a loud and defining thud which reverberated across the auditorium.

“This,” he said, “is the entirety of our law for an institution that runs in the United States: 178 dioceses that are Latin Rite, and about another 15 that are Eastern Rite; 17,000 parishes, and about 5,000 schools, hundreds of hospitals — and that’s just America.”

The institution Dr. Keimig was referencing being the Catholic Church.

“This is an extraordinarily succinct work,” he said referencing the Canon Law book. “It is an extraordinary efficiency of communication of law … It has to adapt to every culture on earth, every circumstance of the human condition.”

The Code of Canon Law has two remarkable qualities, said Dr. Keimig. The first is that it is a succinct work and the second is that “it expresses mother’s heart, meaning Mother Church. It expresses mother’s heart, where she wants us to think about things,” he said.

With newfound understanding on the work of the Code of Canon Law, the OCIA coordinators spent the day with Dr. Keimig learning and growing in formation.

Deacon to speak on God’s Divine Mercy in everyday life at annual Knights of Columbus dinner

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

The St. Michael the Archangel Council of the Knights of Columbus is inviting individuals to join them for their annual “It’s a Miracle” dinner event — to be hosted at Receptions Event Center, Erlanger, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.

This year, the council welcomes Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers as the featured guest speaker. Known for his “energetic and engaging” preaching style, Deacon Burke has earned the nickname “The Dynamic Deacon.”

The evening’s topic will be “Miracles of Divine Mercy — Finding Joy in Everyday Challenges.” Deacons of the diocese and their wives were invited in particular to this event as guests as a “thank you,” according to the Knights of Columbus, with many planning on attending.

Drawing from his own experiences, Deacon Burke will share with guests “how God’s Divine Mercy is at work in the ordinary challenges of everyday life.”

In an interview with “Ask a Marian,” Deacon Burke spoke on God’s Divine Mercy as he learned from his relationship to his father. “The past helped shape me into the person I am today,” Deacon Burke said, “but my past does not determine my future. My relationship with Jesus Christ determines my future.”

Looking at the image of the Divine Mercy and seeing the “rays coming forth from the heart of Jesus … the Holy Spirit was asking me to be a vehicle of mercy in the life of the person who hurt me,” said Deacon Burke.

All are invited to join Deacon Burke, and the deacons of the Diocese in Covington, to hear more about the way Divine Mercy operates in our day-to-day lives. Tickets for the event, which are $30 each, are available on the Knights of Columbus’s website at https://www.stmichaelkofc.org.

The Crosier Guild gathers for fellowship and Barbeque

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The Diocese of Covington’s Crosier Guild recognizes those who have donated $1,000 or more to the Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal (DPAA) for at least seven years, with those being either consecutive or non-consecutive. The Guild gathers regularly for fellowship events as a way to build community with one another, said Jennifer Cox , DPAA secretary for the Office of Stewardship and Mission Services. The latest gathering was for Mass and a barbeque dinner at St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring, with Bishop John Iffert and Father Andrew Young, pastor, who celebrated Mass for the group. “The goal is really just fellowship,” said Mrs. Cox. This year, the Guild welcomed 76 new households, bringing the household total to 816.