Father Michael Elmlinger
Guest
As a kid, I always found the rose candle of the Advent wreath to be the most interesting. It was always a sign that Christmas was so close, building the anticipation. I never understood the meaning of the color rose at the time, but even then, it still gave that sense of anticipation and joy that December 25 was just around the corner.
That is exactly what rose is meant to represent on the Advent wreath. What is interesting about the color rose is that it uses the same dyes as violet (red and blue), but it tones down the blue and focuses more on the red in the product, bringing out the rose color, which essentially means that it is a toned-down version of violet, but violet nonetheless.
What this is meant to represent for us on this Gaudete Sunday is the very fact that the Advent season (short as it is) is drawing to a close, building up that joy that we feel on Christmas Day as we draw closer to it. However, it also shows that the season is still not over, that there is still time to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. It is similar to how early in the morning, just before the sun is about to break the horizon, it gives off a rose color into the sky sometimes, indicating the night is nearly over, but not quite yet.
In our second reading this weekend from the Letter of James, the Apostle tells us, “You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand” (5:8). During the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, we get this simple exhortation from the cousin of Jesus to take a step back, to recognize the present time that we are in, the time of waiting and preparation.
Christmas Day is indeed close upon us, one of the holiest days of the year, where we celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, our God becoming Man. However, that day is not here yet, and because it is not here yet, we are to still take this time to make our hearts firm.
What is interesting about this command is that this is the same activity as when Jesus turns his face towards Jerusalem and “makes his face firm.” (Luke 9:51) Once he does this, his focus is entirely shifted towards one thing: fulfilling the will of his Father by his sacrificial act of love that he will perform on the Cross. Nothing makes him waver from this determination. He is single-minded in this regard, his heart firm.
During these final days of the Advent season, anticipation is indeed building as we get closer to Christmas, but we must always keep our minds and hearts firm, fixed on Christ. So, we are to be patient, and to continue to journey during this Advent season in the present, preparing our hearts to receive the Lord.
If we are willing to journey with the Lord during these final days, it does not take away the joy of the Christmas season. Rather, it enhances the joy, because our eyes will have been fixed intently upon him, whose birth we celebrate. This Gaudete Sunday is an invitation to recenter ourselves on Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may joyfully greet Him when he comes into our hearts at Christmas and when he comes on the Last Day. As St. James says, “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord … Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Father Michael Elmlinger is a priest of the Diocese of Covington, Ky. Father Elmlinger is currently studying Canon Law at the University of St. Paul, Ottawa, Canada.
Third Sunday of Advent
/in Go and GlorifyFather Michael Elmlinger
Guest
As a kid, I always found the rose candle of the Advent wreath to be the most interesting. It was always a sign that Christmas was so close, building the anticipation. I never understood the meaning of the color rose at the time, but even then, it still gave that sense of anticipation and joy that December 25 was just around the corner.
That is exactly what rose is meant to represent on the Advent wreath. What is interesting about the color rose is that it uses the same dyes as violet (red and blue), but it tones down the blue and focuses more on the red in the product, bringing out the rose color, which essentially means that it is a toned-down version of violet, but violet nonetheless.
What this is meant to represent for us on this Gaudete Sunday is the very fact that the Advent season (short as it is) is drawing to a close, building up that joy that we feel on Christmas Day as we draw closer to it. However, it also shows that the season is still not over, that there is still time to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. It is similar to how early in the morning, just before the sun is about to break the horizon, it gives off a rose color into the sky sometimes, indicating the night is nearly over, but not quite yet.
In our second reading this weekend from the Letter of James, the Apostle tells us, “You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand” (5:8). During the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, we get this simple exhortation from the cousin of Jesus to take a step back, to recognize the present time that we are in, the time of waiting and preparation.
Christmas Day is indeed close upon us, one of the holiest days of the year, where we celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, our God becoming Man. However, that day is not here yet, and because it is not here yet, we are to still take this time to make our hearts firm.
What is interesting about this command is that this is the same activity as when Jesus turns his face towards Jerusalem and “makes his face firm.” (Luke 9:51) Once he does this, his focus is entirely shifted towards one thing: fulfilling the will of his Father by his sacrificial act of love that he will perform on the Cross. Nothing makes him waver from this determination. He is single-minded in this regard, his heart firm.
During these final days of the Advent season, anticipation is indeed building as we get closer to Christmas, but we must always keep our minds and hearts firm, fixed on Christ. So, we are to be patient, and to continue to journey during this Advent season in the present, preparing our hearts to receive the Lord.
If we are willing to journey with the Lord during these final days, it does not take away the joy of the Christmas season. Rather, it enhances the joy, because our eyes will have been fixed intently upon him, whose birth we celebrate. This Gaudete Sunday is an invitation to recenter ourselves on Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may joyfully greet Him when he comes into our hearts at Christmas and when he comes on the Last Day. As St. James says, “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord … Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Father Michael Elmlinger is a priest of the Diocese of Covington, Ky. Father Elmlinger is currently studying Canon Law at the University of St. Paul, Ottawa, Canada.
Generous donations to Give Catholic NKY appreciated
/in Featured StoriesThe Give Catholic NKY donation portal officially closed, Dec. 9, following the successful day of giving, Dec. 2, which raised over $400,000 in 24 hours. The generosity of the Diocesan community did not end on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 2, with donations continuing to trickle in, putting the total amount raised $ 572,766.48 from 1,114 donors when the portal closed.
“I thank everyone who participated in Giving Tuesday, who supported our parishes and schools with gifts large and small,” said Bishop John Iffert. “Giving Tuesday has been growing in our awareness for a decade now, and it’s exciting to bring that generous impulse into the life of the Church, so that people have an opportunity to direct their Giving Tuesday gifts to the churches and the schools where their hearts are so invested.”
With live Nativity walls raised, Knights of St. John prepare for another Christmas season
/in Featured StoriesMaura Baker
Staff Writer
In front of the rectory of St. Pius X Parish, Edgewood, on Dec. 6, a 50-year tradition spanning multiple generations began again. The Knights of St. John (KOSJ), an organization of Catholic men, have been setting up and running the diocesan live Nativity since the 1970s — and now, with the wooden walls raised, another year of celebrating the season begins.
Tim Ryan, the current acting president of KOSJ and member of 20 years, regarded fondly the Nativity’s mission. “It warms my heart to see the children see these animals and see Mary and Joseph,” he said.
“What that represents is the birth of Jesus,” said Mr. Ryan. “We’re disciples of Jesus, and we’re trying to evangelize. Hopefully they’ll (the children and families) see the Holy Family at Christmas with the animals, and maybe it’ll trigger something in them to come to church and see what Jesus is all about.”
The Nativity, which will feature goat kids and parishioners of St. Pius X fulfilling the roles of Mary and Joseph, will be open evenings, Dec. 20–23, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 20, and 7:30 p.m. on the other days. The display is free to attend and to view.
As the year comes to a close, Bishop reflects on Jubilee, Christ’s mercy and love
/in Featured StoriesMaura Baker
Staff Writer
The 2025 Jubilee Year — Pilgrims of Hope — will soon be coming to a close, with the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica to be sealed on the celebration of the Epiphany, Jan. 6 as the official end of the Jubilee. For the rest of the dioceses around the world, Holy Doors are set to close Dec. 28 — with the Diocese of Covington closing its during the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption’s 10 a.m. Mass.
With the doors having opened during the first Sunday of Advent last year, it’s been a total of 13 months since the Jubilee celebrations began.
“I think people entered into this Jubilee with a good spirit,” Bishop John Iffert said, reflecting on the past year. “I encounter people all the time who are visiting the Cathedral, visiting the other churches we designated and who are seeking the Jubilee indulgence. It’s an opening of the font of mercy, and I think people have engaged that around the diocese, and that has been important.”
The Jubilee indulgence is a plenary indulgence that can only be granted during the Jubilee year by visiting St. Peter’s Basilica or any designated holy site — including in one’s own diocese. The Jubilee Year closing Mass on Dec. 28 will be the last opportunity to receive this indulgence.
Another key aspect of the past Jubilee year has been the theme of pilgrimage, as established by the late Pope Francis during the year’s beginnings, according to Bishop Iffert.
“We’re developing that theme of pilgrimage here in the diocese, both with our downtown churches pilgrimage on the Saturday before Palm Sunday,” a tradition that had already grown in the diocese prior to the Jubilee year, but saw record attendance during the celebration, “and then our international pilgrimages and local pilgrimages … and I think that’s fruitful for us all to remind ourselves that we’re a pilgrim people moving through the world, and that we rely on God’s mercy.”
As the Jubilee year draws to a close, Bishop Iffert invites the faithful to “keep the Advent season, and, as we always do, remember God’s mercy. Continue to read and pray and think around that theme of God’s mercy … we celebrate it in a particular way during these Jubilee years, but that doesn’t mean that it’s closed off to us. These Jubilee years are about emphasizing the centrality of mercy, in our beliefs and in the way God works with us.”
The Jubilee “points us towards our constant,” he said, “our call to constantly be moving towards sanctification. Events like the Jubilee Year point us towards the end, where Christ will gather us together in his mercy and his love.”
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception recognizes Mary as the mother of the world and all redemption
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
On the feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop John Iffert celebrated Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, Dec. 8. Concelebrating was Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys; Father Ryan Maher, rector of the Cathedral; Msgr. Kurt Kemo, vice vector; with Deacon Jerry Franzen assisting.
Bishop Iffert spoke to the Diocesan faithful gathered in attendance the evening of the Solemnity, speaking of Mary’s redemptive love and her role as the arc of the covenant, the tabernacle of Christ. It was Mary’s immaculate conception to Sts. Anne and Joachim that put into motion God’s plan for the redemption of sinners, said Bishop Iffert.
Recalling the first reading for the Solemnity, Bishop Iffert spoke of the fall of Adam and Eve, giving into the temptation of the serpent and casting mankind from the light of God’s grace.
“Because they wanted to be like God, so we became alienated from the Kingdom of God. We no longer walked and talked with God in the Garden. We no longer spoke with him face to face…but we began to sin against one another and against God’s creation,” he said.
It was at that moment, the eating of the apple, the casting out from the garden, said Bishop Iffert, that “God set into motion his plan that would come to fulfillment with the birth of the Divine Word into the world.”
“God the Father sends the Son Incarnate into the world, so that in him, we might be redeemed, that he might offer the redemptive sacrifice for us once and for all,” said Bishop Iffert.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception celebrates, “the mystery by which, from the very conception of Mary, God protected her from all stain of sin,” said Bishop Iffert. “He cleansed her from the very beginning, from original sin and from the effects of all sin, and gave her the grace to choose, to maneuver through this life, maintaining the purity of body, mind and spirit.”
“It is through her, the one whom Jesus gives us to be our mother,” said Bishop Iffert, “the Redeemer acts for our salvation.”
Second Sunday of Advent
/in Go and GlorifyFather Suraj Abraham
Guest
A farmer once walked through his field after a wildfire had swept across the land. Everything was black and lifeless. He stood there in silence, heartbroken at the loss. But a few weeks later, as he walked the same path, he noticed tiny green shoots pushing up through the charred soil. Surprised, he knelt down and whispered, “Fire doesn’t destroy the promise of life; it prepares the ground for new things.”
On this second Sunday of Advent, this is exactly the kind of hope the prophet Isaiah offers us (Isaiah 11:1–10). Israel, too, felt like a burnt and barren field, cut down, exhausted, discouraged. Yet the Lord promises: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” (Is 11:1) From what looked dead, God brings forth the Messiah.
The early Church loved this image. St. Jerome wrote, “From a root that seemed without life, Christ springs forth with divine power.” The season of Advent invites us to believe that God can bring new life from the “burned fields” of our own hearts and situations.
St. Paul (Rom 15:4–9), tells us where such hope is strengthened: In the Scriptures; “Whatever was written … was written for our instruction, that we might have hope.” (Rom 15:4) The Catechism explains Paul: “The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual understanding of the Word of God to those who read or hear it, according to the dispositions of their hearts, so that they can live out the meaning of what they hear, contemplate and do in the celebration.” (CCC 1101)
Advent is therefore not only a season of waiting; it is a season of listening and allowing the Word to wash over us and renew our hearts. Advent is not just a countdown to Christmas; it is a school where God teaches us hope, unity and encouragement.
Then in the Gospel (Matt 3:1–12), John the Baptist stands before us not as a harsh figure, but as a friend of the Bridegroom, who wants us truly ready for Christ. His message is honest and freeing: “Repent! Make straight the paths.”
Repentance is not shame, it is healing. Not punishment, but an invitation. The Catechism says: “It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life.” (CCC 1427) John points us to Jesus, who baptizes “with the Holy Spirit and fire,” the fire of love that purifies and renews our hearts. John wants our hearts cleared, ready and open, so that Christ may plant something new within us.
Dear friends, may this Advent help us recognize the “green shoots” God is already raising in our lives. And may the Lord, who brings life out of ashes, prepare our hearts to welcome His Son with renewed hope and joy. Let us “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.”
Father Suraj Abraham, CMI, is Parochial Vicar at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Ft. Mitchell.
The St. Patrick School community rallied to pack 5,000 bags of food for children overseas
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
Students, families, faculty and staff at St. Patrick School, Taylor Mill, were abuzz with feelings of gratitude and giving, Nov. 21, as they participated in an on-campus service project, Feed the Need. As students packed meals to send overseas, smiles filled the room while they scooped, poured and sealed 5,000 bags of food.
“They [Feed the Need] take meals mostly to third world countries. Most of the food we pack will go to Bangladesh to feed the people there. Then they take them the message of the Gospel along with the meals,” said Pam Nunnelley, principal.
Simon, sixth grader at St. Patrick School, said, “It’s an organization that helps kids get food.”
Fifth grader, May, explained that “Everyone gets a scoop of vegetables, vitamin powdered, rice and lentils. We put it in a bag and then we measure to make sure it’s 380 to 400 grams. Then we seal the bag and put it in boxes.”
Together the school community packaged enough meals “to feed a student for a whole school year,” said Mrs. Nunnelley. “I was just trying to find a way to have the kids outside of themselves and to do something for other people,” she said.
Feed the Need provided St. Patrick School with all the packing supplies, food and event management, but they could not provide the excitement and spirit the students brought.
“They’re excited about being able to do something to help other people,” said Mrs. Nunnelley. “I’m excited to see the excitement on them. Some of them, since the day we talked about doing this … they’ve been asking every day ‘when do we get to do this?’”
Tristin, a fifth-grade student, said about his experience, “I just don’t want kids feeling hungry, especially in the wintertime when they can’t grow crops or anything.” Tristin wants people to remember that “You’re a human and they’re human, they just have a different life than you.”
Franciscan Daughters’ turkey giveaway fed 558 families ahead of Thanksgiving
/in Featured StoriesMaura Baker
Staff Writer
An annual tradition, 558 families received turkeys, shelf-stable essentials, bread and produce from the Franciscan Daughters of Mary’s “Turkey Giveaway,” held Nov. 25 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Alongside a team of volunteers, the sisters operated the giveaway out of their Rose Garden Mission, Covington.
Despite heavy rain on the day of the event, volunteers and sisters alike described it as both “peaceful” and “beautiful.”
“The Thanksgiving and Christmas giveaways have been part of our holiday season since our kids were babies,” said one volunteer. “We’re humbled to be a small part of the beautiful work the mission does to bring Christ’s love to the community.”
“I got home and was so sore, and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I witnessed the loaves and the fish — the food just kept coming,” said another. “Each person got so much food with their turkey that they needed a volunteer to bring it to their car in a grocery cart.”
Future Deacons take a big step
/in Featured StoriesBishop John Iffert, Diocese of Covington, accepted the petitions for “candidacy” of nine men taking the first formal step in deacon formation. With the support of their wives, they were admitted as Candidates for Ordination to the Diaconate at a Mass, Nov. 23. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Robert Casey of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati at Mt. St. Mary Seminary and School of Theology, Cincinnati.
The candidates and their wives are: G. Michal and Juliette Bezold, St. Mary Parish, Alexandria; Jeffery and Susan Bier, St. Henry Parish, Elsmere; Kevin and Judine Hooker, St. Paul Parish, Florence; Juan Carlos and Julia Montes, Cristo Rey Parish, Florence; Thomas and Jennifer Paolucci, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Burlington; Gregory and Angie Smorey, St. Mary Parish, Alexandria; Jason Snapp, St. Augustine Parish, Augusta; Kevin and Mary Stamps, St. Timothy Parish, Union and Jerome (JJ) and Pamela Wurtz, St. Joseph Parish, Cold Spring.
In the candidacy ceremony, a man makes a public declaration of his resolve to complete his preparation for diaconate so as to give faithful service to Christ the Lord and his body — the Church. In turn, the sponsoring diocese receives the man’s declaration and expresses its joy and support.
Please continue to pray for the men in deacon formation and their wives as they continue to discern a call to diaconal ministry in the Diocese of Covington.
The Retired Fund for Religious helps retired religious and their communities with rising healthcare costs
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
Benedictine Sister Emmanuel Pieper dedicated her life and ministry to students through art. Teaching grade school and high school art classes, Sister Emmanuel saw firsthand the impact that one person can have on another. Now, in her retirement, she stays busy making art and enjoying life at St. Walberg Monastery, Villa Hills. At 97 years old, however, Sister Emmanuel finds herself in need of additional healthcare, living at the onsite infirmary at St. Walberg Monastery.
Like Sister Emmanuel, tens of thousands of retired religious find themselves in need of additional healthcare, with the median age of nuns in the United States reaching 80 years old. As the aged and infirmed population is on the rise, religious orders are facing difficulties with the increasing cost of additional healthcare. Because of this, over 260 religious communities rely on funds from the Retirement Fund for Religious. The retirement fund for religious has given over $1,000,000,000 to retired religious since their inception in 1988. This year, there will be a second collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious at Masses, December 12-14, so they can continue to provide for those retired religious in need.
“I think I have a wonderful life,” said Sister Emmanuel, “I thank God every morning for a new sunrise and a new day to live in his wonderful world.”
Her vocation story began at baptism, when she was named after her aunt who was a Benedictine Sister. She carried this with her throughout her life. “All my life I had an inclination to enter the monastery,” she said. Sure in her vocation, Sister Emmanuel entered the Order of St. Benedict at 17 years old, where they allowed her to continue her passion for art. She holds both her Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
“I think I was born with a love of beauty, anything beautiful just attracts me so strongly,” she said of her affinity for the craft. Her artwork can be seen at Holy Cross District High School, Covington; St. Henry District High School, Erlanger, and Thomas More University, Crestview Hills.
She shared her love of art with the students she taught, whether in grade school or high school. “My favorite part was seeing how kids could develop,” she said, “seeing people catch on to something, be able to do it, be satisfied with themselves.”
Donating to the second collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious will help more sisters like Sister Emmanuel continue their ministry into retirement. Providing funds to those religious communities in need of help to offset healthcare costs.