Thomas More announces direct admissions agreement with Covington Latin School

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Staff Report

Thomas More University (TMU) President Joseph Chillo joined Covington Latin School (CLS), Covington, Head of School Randy Dennis, Sept. 16, to announce a “groundbreaking” direct admissions agreement between TMU and the high school. This agreement, which begins this year with the graduating class of 2026, promises all eligible CLS students automatic, direct admission to TMU — and financial aid totaling up to $30,000 a year. Based on the 2025-26 tuition, students who earn the full $30,000 will have effectively the same cost to attend Thomas More as their current costs at Covington Latin School.

CLS students who meet TMU’s minimum admission requirements will receive an automatic award of $27,000 to which incremental increases based on ACT/SAT scores, as well as a $1,000 incentive for FAFSA qualifying students.

“As we continue to expand the affiliation between Thomas More University and Covington Latin School, this investment in our students will provide opportunities to advance the benefits of a Catholic Education for our region,” said Dr. Chillo. “This agreement invests in the future of these high-achieving students and removes the financial barrier to a Catholic Liberal Arts education.”

“This is a great day for the students at Covington Latin School,” stated Mr. Dennis. “Thomas More University has consistently stepped up to the plate for our institution, and this scholarship offering is just another example of their commitment to furthering Catholic education in Northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati Tri-State area.”

Construction is complete on the Mustang Athletic Complex with the addition of a baseball and softball field

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria, students, faculty and staff welcomed Bishop John Iffert, community members and donors to the blessing and dedication of the newly completed Verst Family Baseball Field and Bishop Brossart Softball Field. The Sept. 17 ceremony celebrated the hard work and dedication of all those involved in the completion of the Mustang Athletic Complex (MAC).

“We are excited for our entire community to have an athletic complex, not just these fields, but an entire complex which is second to none in Northern Kentucky,” said Chris Holtz, principal.

Construction on the baseball and softball fields began Nov. 22, when ground was broken at the site of the now completed fields. Each field has synthetic turf, a green monster, dugouts, fencing and lighting. The addition also included a press box, concession area and additional parking.

“These new fields provide the baseball team with more chances for games throughout the season, the turf field will reduce the number of rainouts and cancelled games, and the added lights will allow us to play later into the night,” said senior baseball player Landon Ruth.

The completion of the fields now means that Bishop Brossart High School will be able to host both home and regional tournament games.

Hosting these games is a highlight of the new fields, said Mr. Ruth, “these events will show spectators how strong the Brossart community is.”

For senior softball player Rachel Shewmaker, the highlight of the new fields is the community which they represent.

“Brossart wants to use these fields, not just for athletes, but also for the community,” she said to the crowd, “You all shared with us, and we want to share this facility with others. You have helped us to make our dreams of having an all-encompassing sports complex come true.”

Before blessing the field, Bishop Iffert took a moment to speak, “I’m excited for you because you’re demonstrating your commitment to help young people grow in virtue and to learn how to embrace the best of what is youth culture in a way that’s going to help them develop into bright, successful, capable young people — to learn how to win well and to lose well,” he said.

The presence of God through the athletes on the new fields was not understated by the Brossart community. Mr. Ruth said in his remarks, “We are building an establishment where coaches, players and fans will be able to experience God’s grace on and off the field.”

Bishop Iffert blessed the fields saying, “Bless this place. We entreat your kindness that this place will contribute to leisure activities that renew the spirit and strengthen mind and body. Grant that all who meet here may find the enrichment of companionship and together, offer you the praise.”

Then, taking the aspergillum, Bishop Iffert blessed the fields and the crowd, so that they all might be filled with the spirit of God’s grace as athletes take the field for the first time in March.

Season of Creation is a ‘good time’ to renew commitment to life, the environment, says Divine Providence sister

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

In 2015, the late Pope Francis established Sept. 1 as the first World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This year — now 10 years ago — also marks the publishing of the Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You) encyclical, which further promotes all people towards stewardship to the planet and natural world.

This devotion to caring for the earth grew in 2019, when Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to participate in the Season of Creation — a month lasting from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 — a fitting conclusion as the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of ecology. The Season of Creation is an ecumenical celebration — inviting all Christian churches to participate.

Religious sisters, and notably the Sisters of Divine Providence, have a special devotion to the mission of Laudato Si’, and thus, the Season of Creation. According to Divine Providence Sister Kay Kramer, the sisters internationally have committed to the Laudato Si’ action platform, a platform established by the Vatican dicastery that outlines ways to put into action care for the environment. The platform gives seven different goals to help guide dioceses, religious communities and anyone who wishes to involve themselves in the mission.

“Celebrating the Season of Creation is, for us, part and parcel of our commitment to Laudato Si’,” Sister Kay said, with care for the poor and defending human life being their goal of focus for the 2025 year. In their community, the sisters encourage one another to adopt their Laudato Si’ commitment, and a prayer service in October will allow them to celebrate the Season of Creation together.

“Hopefully, the more people learn about Laudato Si’ and the Season of Creation, they will want to get involved,” said Sister Kay. “It’s a great way to introduce young people to caring for the earth and to seeing the connection between living out our faith and that caring … there’s so many Scripture references to creation and caring for the earth … I think it’s integral to our faith.”

Laudato Si’ reaffirmed this aspect of the Catholic faith, Sister Kay said, and thus, “the connection between living our faith and taking care of this beautiful earth that God has given us.”

“As people continue to face challenges with climate disasters and happenings around the world, it’s important for all of us to recognize that we can do things,” Sister Kay concluded, giving examples such as cutting down on waste and conserving energy. “All of those things, which might seem small, they really do make a difference for the earth. The Season of Creation is a good time for all of us to remember that.”

For more information about the Season of Creation, including ways to get involved, visit https://seasonofcreation.org.

Women religious embark on Selma pilgrimage for upcoming Jubilee Day

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

Jubilee days provide opportunity for prayer and reflection and are dedicated to a certain demographic in the Catholic Church. Declared with the 2025 Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope, one upcoming celebration commemorates consecrated life.

The Jubilee of Consecrated Life will be celebrated Oct. 8–9, and “includes all consecrated men and women from all forms of religious life are invited to this jubilee event: men and women religious, monks and contemplatives, members of secular institutes, members of the Ordo virginum, hermits and members of new institutes,” according to the official Jubilee 2025 website. In Rome, these days will be set aside for pilgrimage, dialogue and prayer among consecrated men and women.

In the Diocese of Covington, religious sisters in particular are planning a pilgrimage of their own — one that takes place between Selma and Montgomery, Alabama.

In March 1965, hundreds of people gathered in Selma to march on the Alabama capital of Montgomery — led by figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. The demonstration hoped to ensure African Americans the right to vote and was successful in doing so.

“Selma has such a rich history of persistence and moving forward for what’s right,” said Divine Providence Sister Leslie Keener, one of the sisters working on planning the pilgrimage for all of the diocese’s women religious. “I think it’s important for us to go and bear witness to that,” she said.

“I think it’s important, as we think about hope, that this is not our first time with struggle as people, but there have been successes — and it’s hopeful to remember that,” said Sister Leslie. “For me, being a sister is a lot about accompaniment and service … at the heart of it is presence with people in the way that God is present to me in my own life.”

Sister Leslie said that she, and all women religious, would be “very grateful” for prayers, and uniting in prayer with them as they undertake this pilgrimage and celebrate their jubilee. She also invites people to connect with the sisters.

“We love the people we serve, and we love our friends and neighbors,” she said. “All of us are here in service to people, and so we love when people stay connected with us in whatever way they can.”

Give Catholic NKY announced — join the Diocese in an online day of giving

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

A “one-day celebration of faith and generosity” in the Diocese of Covington has been announced for this years’ “GivingTuesday,” Dec. 2. Annually recognized the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, the global generosity movement designates it as a day of charity — and the launch of Give Catholic NKY, the Diocese of Covington’s officially established GivingTuesday campaign, streamlines the giving process both for donors and the parishes, schools and ministries they support.

Participating in GivingTuesday was an idea brought to the Office of Stewardship and Mission Services by Bishop John Iffert, but parishes were concerned about competition and resources about managing the campaigns themselves according to Jim Hess, director. And so, the idea to coordinate it at the diocesan level came into play, and Give Catholic NKY was the result.

“We handle running the day of giving,” said Mr. Hess. “So, it’s very low workload for parishes and schools to participate.” Additionally, participation for schools, parishes and diocesan ministries is free — with all money collected during the day of giving going back to them at no cost. “It presents a beautiful opportunity for the entire diocese to come together and to prioritize giving Catholic on GivingTuesday.”

The user experience, Mr. Hess describes, will also be “fun and interactive” — with a displayed “leaderboard” showing all the available ministries to donate to. A “shopping cart” system is utilized as well, allowing individual donors to click through different fundraisers and add multiple donations to their online “cart” before checking out — streamlining the process.

“It’s a service that our office is providing to all the schools and parishes in the diocese, so hopefully people take advantage of it,” Mr. Hess said.

Information regarding the Give Catholic NKY campaign, including access to donating on Dec. 2, is available on the Give Catholic NKY webpage, www.GiveCatholicNKY.org.

 

Thomas More University hosts Mary’s Meals founder and CEO as an example of living the University mission

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

The mission statement of Thomas More University invites students to examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world and responsibility to others. This mission statement is embodied by the nonprofit, global charity, Mary’s Meals, whose founder, Magnus McFarland, was invited to speak at Thomas More University, Sept. 11.

President of Thomas More University, Joseph Chillo, opened the event saying, “This evening’s event is a wonderful testament to the power of giving and the importance of understanding our place in the world and our responsibility to others … Supporting Mary’s Meals is a way in which this mission is put into action.”

Mary’s Meals, named in dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, feeds three million children in 16 of the world’s poorest countries.

“Our vision is that every child in this world should at least be able to eat one good meal in their place of education. That’s absolutely possible. I think the story of Mary’s Meals so far proclaims that this is possible. There is no good reason for hunger to exist in this world,” said Mr. McFarland.

To ensure organizational sustainability for the countries in which they operate, three crucial things must co-exist, said Mr. McFarland. First, the work must be owned by the native communities. Locals must volunteer to prepare and serve the food. This creates the infrastructure for longevity. Second, the food that they serve must be locally sourced in order to support the local farmers and economy. Lastly, the work must be done in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“Mary’s Meals, it’s a gift. There’s lots of things we can say about Mary’s Meals but in a very particular way, it’s a fruit of prayer. It’s something we really do believe belongs to our Blessed Mother,” said Mr. McFarland.

What is now a far-reaching, global organization, started in the bed of a truck and a trip across Europe to a Bosnian refugee camp. After watching news about the Bosnian war, Mr. McFarland and his brother spent three weeks requesting donations from their community.

“We found ourselves riding this old truck out of our village in Scotland. We drove it four days across Europe and delivered these things into a refugee camp,” he said.

When Mr. McFarland returned home, he was expecting to return to life as normal. However, the Lord had other plans, he said.

“God had a different plan because when I got home to Scotland, there was this mountain of goods and clothing. People just kept on donating, turning up with carloads of donations,” said Mr. McFarland.

After much prayer and consideration, Mr. McFarland left his job as a salmon farmer, sold his house and said to the Lord in prayer, “I’ll keep doing this as long as people need our help and as long as people keep giving.”

Thirteen years later, three million children are being fed daily, and local economies are being stimulated, thanks to Mr. McFarland’s answer to a call from the Lord.

Mr. McFarland emphasized his own story to those in attendance, encouraging small acts of kindness and charity. “When I think about Mary’s Meals globally, I just think about it like a series of lots and lots of little acts of love. None of us do anything spectacular on our own. All of us just doing what we can and when that’s combined, it creates this thing that’s really changing the world.”

The Christmas classic, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ mirrors the ‘wonderful mission’ of the Fire Foundation of Northern Kentucky at Mass of Belonging

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Bishop John Iffert celebrated the second annual Mass of Belonging at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, on September 9. Joining Bishop Iffert in the celebration of the Mass were Father Mark Keene, vicar general and pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Ft. Wright; Father Ryan Maher, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption; Father Michael Brady, pastor of St. Therese Parish, Southgate; and Father Trinity Knight, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Latonia.

The Mass of Belonging is hosted annually by the Fire Foundation of Northern Kentucky, whose mission is to enable students with disabilities to receive a traditional Catholic education. To do this, they provide funding through grants and additional education resources to the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Covington.

Bishop Iffert, in his homily, praised the work of the Fire Foundation, saying, “We all know the right thing to do in terms of providing Catholic education and formation for all of our children. Sometimes we struggle to see how we might accomplish that, how we might afford it, how we might be able to do it. The Fire Foundation doesn’t just condemn us for our hesitance, but instead says, ‘Let me help you find a way to do what is right.’”

A few weeks ago, Bishop Iffert said he listened to a podcast in which Ken Burns, the famous filmmaker, was interviewed. In this podcast, Bishop Iffert said Mr. Burns compared the way one should live their life to the Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

In this movie, there are two competing towns, Bedford Falls and Pottersville. “Bedford Falls was the place where neighbors did neighborly things for one another… It was a place where the Holy Spirit’s wealth was made present by the way neighbors loved and cared for one another,” said Bishop Iffert. Pottersville, he said, is the antithesis of these values, where greed and corruption run unencumbered.

“Burns said from an early age, as soon as he saw that movie, he knew he faced a choice. Did he want to contribute to the world that would nurture Bedford Falls and its caring community, or did he want to choose Pottersville, with the antithesis of all those values,” said Bishop Iffert, “It’s not a bad way to think about life. It’s very similar to the vision that both Isaiah and Our Lord Jesus Christ set before us tonight in the Scripture.”

Living your life in a way that promotes the values of Bedford Falls is the same way that Jesus, in the Gospel reading of Matthew 25:31-40, says one might be worthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “…For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited.”

Those that are to be precluded from the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus said, were those that saw their brothers and sisters — hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, ill and imprisoned — and did nothing.

Bishop Iffert said, “Jesus seems to be saying to us that the choices we make in the world, the choices we make in how we love and care for one another. They unleash the power of the Kingdom of God in our midst and transform our community after the likeness that God intends for us.”

The Fire Foundation of Northern Kentucky contributes to the Diocese of Covington the values of Bedford Falls and the Kingdom of Heaven. They aid in the mission of inclusive Catholic Education. Meeting parents where they are, they say, “Let me help you discover the way forward, let me help you know how you can help care for all of our own and not turn our backs on any that God has entrusted to our care,” said Bishop Iffert.

“It’s a beautiful mission,” he continued, “it’s a wonderful thing and so I’m grateful for this foundation, for all the work they do, for helping us to recognize how we might choose differently and helping to make it real.”

From under the sea to Radio City Music Hall, St. Timothy School students to open for Rockettes this Christmas season

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Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

An ensemble cast of 50 middle school students from St. Timothy School, Union, was selected to perform, Dec. 4, at Radio City Music Hall, New York, as the opening act for the Radio City Rockettes “Christmas Spectacular.”

Andrew Mason, an eighth-grade teacher at St. Timothy School and music minister at St. Timothy Parish, saw the show last year in New York with his family and was inspired when he saw another school open the show.

“There was a group up there that sang to open the show, and they were good, and I thought ‘give me a couple of years, my kids will be there, I really want to apply to that,’” said Mr. Mason.

However, it did not take a few years for the kids to become ready for this opportunity. Their quick progression throughout the course of “Little Mermaid Junior,” their spring musical, led Mr. Mason to believe now was the time to send in the audition tape.

“We had such a good show, so after we came off the show, I sent an email to all the parents. We sent in a 30-second to a minute-long audition tape, Madison Square Garden group vetted us and said, ‘you’re in,’” said Mr. Mason.

“It was exhilarating,” said eighth-grade student, Molly, about when the cast found out they had been selected.

“There were people jumping in the hallways, super excited,” said Johnny, another eighth-grade student.

To tell the students about their exciting selection, Mr. Mason had arranged a scavenger hunt at St. Timothy’s open house. The game led each student back to Mr. Mason, where he was able to tell them the exciting news.

“Once they found that out, it was big news around here,” said Ashley Rehkamp, principal. “Lots of screams, and giggles, and parents are just as excited.”

Eighth-grade student Emily said, “There wasn’t that big of a chance that we would get it, so it was really exciting that we actually did. We worked really hard for this; I think we deserved it.”

The group of 50 students consists of those who participated in the “Little Mermaid Junior” production and others who are interested in singing.

“We’re very passionate about this. We love to sing, and it’s great that we get to share our talents with them,” said Molly.

Johnny echoed the sentiment, saying, “All of us love singing, we love performing, and especially seeing the Rockettes. It’s a great opportunity.”

The students will spend the next several months learning to perform five Christmas classics: “Somewhere in My Memory,” “O Holy Night, Christmas Canon,” “A Child is Born in Bethlehem,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Mr. Mason, despite being the one to organize the auditions and applications, credits the students for this opportunity. “It’s really all of their work and how well they have grown and how much work they’ve put in,” said Mr. Mason. “That’s what really makes this special is the growth from where they were to where they are now.”

Painter from diocesan community returns to Greater Cincinnati to show his works and efforts after Florence art academy

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

“Persone e Paesaggi” — an Italian title translated loosely in English to “People and Places” — was the name chosen for an exhibition of art by painter Daniel Zalla, currently on display at the Art Gallery on the campus of Xavier University, Cincinnati.

Mr. Zalla grew up in the Diocese of Covington, having graduated from Covington Latin School in 2016. Following, he pursued his first degree at Xavier University before continuing his education at the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. Open through the first week of October, the exhibition is free and open to the public Wednesday through Friday.

The exhibition itself is, “in a big way,” according to the artist, a record of the ending of a chapter of Mr. Zalla’s artistic career. This chapter, which has been characterized by “training, practicing, learning proportion and training the eye” has culminated into this show, which features charcoal drawings, oil paintings and a sculpture displayed roughly chronologically in the gallery hall.

“I’ve done this big body of work the last five years in Florence,” Mr. Zalla told the <<Messenger>>, “and I wanted something to show for it. There are a few galleries locally … but I liked the idea of being at Xavier … so it was a little bit like coming full circle, because right before I left for Florence, I had my show for my senior thesis there.”

The title, “Persone e Paesaggi,” comes from the subjects of the past five years of training Mr. Zalla undertook — with subjects ranging primarily between landscapes and portraiture. The exhibition “takes the viewer through some of the big projects” that Mr. Zalla made at the Florence Academy, and ending with his most recent commission — a large-scale painting done for St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs, featuring St. Joseph and Jesus in a carpentry workshop. This is the second commission that Mr. Zalla has completed for a diocesan parish, with a previous piece done of St. Augustine for his namesake parish in Covington, which is also on display at the Xavier University gallery.

Moving forward, Mr. Zalla’s art focus aims to shift to more emotional compositions, as the young artist has recently accepted a fellowship in Seattle, Washington — where he will be moving at the beginning of the next year.

The residency program, called the Seattle Prize, has Mr. Zalla working in a studio space with six other classically trained painters working loosely under the theme “transcendent re-humanism” — which focuses on bringing humanity, healing and human connection into artwork. As Mr. Zalla describes, it is the “truth of living a human life, as far as emotions that everyone can relate to.”

Mr. Zalla thanks his family, who supported him throughout his journey and working towards the exhibition, calling them “extremely supportive.”

“I’m grateful for them,” he said, “and also for the show.”

God strengthens love and witness among families, Bishop Iffert says at Wedding

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Maura Baker

Staff Writer

Nearly 100 married couples celebrated their anniversaries with Vespers, Sept. 7, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. This special annual service commemorates those celebrating milestone anniversaries — 1 year, 25 years, 50 years and 60 years or more — with prayer, renewal of vows and a blessing from Bishop John Iffert.

“None of us can claim to have done the good things that God has worked in our lives on our own,” Bishop John Iffert began in his homily addressing the couples present. “Whatever God works in us, whatever good comes out of life, whatever good fruit is born out of life and the things we do, we remember that without God, we could do none of it.” He said, “Only with God’s grace are we capable of reflecting the love that God has poured out on us.”

“Look what God has done today,” Bishop Iffert remarked, “to be witness to the goodness of God in so many lives, so many families, so many marriages and so many relationships … God has done great things for me. That is the witness we are gathered here to share with one another and the world outside today.”

“God forms us together in families and in the family of the Church,” he said, “so that we might be for one another a school of charity, a place where we learn how to love God and others — where we learn how to put aside our self-centeredness and our focus on only ourselves.” Bishop Iffert continued, “The nihilism that is so present in our culture today, that is such a temptation for us. To set aside that self-centered stance and to learn to serve one another, to serve God in one another — in your families and in your married lives — this is a grace God strengthens in you.”

“May God continue to grace you,” Bishop Iffert told the couples gathered, “and may the end of your life find you ready to greet him after having known the love of your children and your children’s children.”