Bella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
The week preceding Easter Sunday consists of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These days, and the ones in between, make up Holy Week, the center of the Church’s liturgical calendar.
“Holy Week is that commemoration that we walk with the Lord in his passion, and death and resurrection and that we become one with him in that through prayer and through the liturgies,” said Father Ryan Maher, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, the mother church of the Diocese of Covington.
Throughout Holy Week, like the rest of the churches in the Diocese, the Cathedral will be participating in the sacred celebrations. Starting with Palm Sunday, which marks the return of Jesus from his 40 days in the desert into the city of Jerusalem.
At the Cathedral, the celebration of Palm Sunday Mass begins at 10 a.m. across the street in St. Mary’s Park, Covington. There the Gospel of Luke, proclaiming the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, will be read. Bishop John Iffert will bless the palms the lay faithful will carry as all process into the Cathedral, a symbolic gesture of Jesus entering the city, through the main doors to begin the liturgy.
On Holy Tuesday, the Cathedral will host all the priests, deacons and religious of the Diocese as well as lay representatives from every parish and mission, at 7 p.m. for the Chrism Mass. This special Mass, during which Bishop Iffert consecrates the holy oils for the upcoming year, is a symbolic show of unity between the Bishop and his priests.
Father Maher said, “The Cathedral is packed with parishioners from throughout the Diocese. All of our parishes are at that special Mass. The unity of the Church is fully visible in the Bishop with his priests and his people all together and the consecrated religious and the deacons as well … It’s always an occasion of joy to celebrate the Chrism Mass with the Bishop; to enter into the liturgy with one mind and one heart with the people there present as well.”
Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Sacred Triduum, which is the three days leading up to Easter. Each day has a different celebration, though as Father Maher said, it is one liturgy celebrated over three days.
“Its really best to immerse ourselves in every celebration, encourage all priests, encourage their people to come to everything, all of the liturgies if they can,” said Father Maher.
The Holy Thursday celebration is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which begins at 6 p.m. At this Mass the Church recalls the events of the Last Supper — the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood.
“The Lord has that Passover meal with the apostles as the end was near and the love that he shows them at the Last Supper and where he, the Lord Jesus, really replaces all of the sacrifices of old. He becomes the true Lamb, there is no more need for the Passover lambs to be sacrificed, he is the true lamb at the Last Supper, it is really Jesus giving his body and blood to his father … and giving his apostles his body and blood to eat and drink,” said Father Maher.
Those who attend the Holy Thursday celebration will also notice an act performed only once a year, the washing of the feet. In the Gospel of John, read at the Holy Thursday Mass, Jesus washes the feet of his apostles, an act of pure love.
“The Bishop, who in the person of the Lord in a special way, will put on an apron and wash the feet of the Cathedral parishioners. That’s always a very moving and really beautiful thing to witness and to participate in,” said Father Maher.
At the end of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper the Blessed Sacrament is carried throughout the Cathedral and placed at an altar of repose, which is an altar separate from the main altar and tabernacle. There the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed until 10 p.m.; lay faithful often spend that time in silent adoration and prayer while the altar is stripped of its candles and linens in preparation for the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday.
Good Friday is the only day on the liturgical calendar that no Mass is celebrated. Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ death, is the celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m. With Stations of the Cross at 12 p.m., noon, and confessions from 12–2 p.m.
“That liturgy is really marked by the whole gaze of the Church, the whole gaze of our hearts solely fixed on the death of our Lord. That’s what that liturgy brings about for us that there is no Mass celebrated on Good Friday and so that day we are just fixed on our Lord’s suffering and death. We begin that liturgy in holy silence, in prostration before the altar and then we move into the Liturgy of the Word,” said Father Maher.
During the Lord’s Passion there is the solemn intercessions, where the Church prays for the Holy Father, the Church and the intention of every person.
Father Maher said, “It’s the Church praying for the world and everyone in the world and then we move from that to the veneration of the cross.”
The veneration of the cross is unique to the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. “That is where the cross of the Lord is lifted up. Literally, lifted up as Moses lifted up the pole with serpent on it in the desert. So, the Cross of the Lord is lifted up and it is raised high for us to gaze upon and then the cross is venerated by the Bishop, the clergy and all the lay faithful. That, too, is just a beautiful moment as a priest celebrant to be in the sanctuary and watch the faithful come up and see the devotion, the love, the tears, the heart,” said Father Maher.
People can venerate the cross with a bow, genuflection, touch or kiss of the cross. Following the veneration, hosts that were consecrated during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper are brought to the altar for the lay faithful to receive the Eucharist.
The liturgical event of Holy Saturday will be the Easter Vigil at 8:30 p.m. The Easter Vigil Mass is unique because it begins in total darkness. But, as the flame from the Easter fire, blessed by Bishop Iffert, is passed from candle to candle inside the walls of the Cathedral, slowly the light of Christ spreads lighting the way for those inside.
The church remains shrouded in darkness until the Great Alleluia at which time the lights come on, signifying the resurrection of Christ.
This celebratory Mass includes the baptism and entrance into the church of the catechumens and the entrance into full communion with the church of the candidates through the sacraments of First Communion and confirmation. The lay faithful also renew their baptismal promises with the sprinkling right.
“The Easter proclamation,” said Father Maher, “recounts the Lord’s goodness in salvation history. His work, the working of grace, the working of the Holy Spirit, the working of the Lord’s love for his people. Then, we begin the Liturgy of the Word and that’s marked really by those great Old Testament readings.”
Easter season festivities at the Cathedral include the return of an Exhibit featuring a replica of the Shroud of Turin viewable in the Cathedral. This special exhibit will be open for all to view and venerate, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. from April 6–April 10, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on April 5.
While the times of the celebrations throughout Holy Week may vary from church to church one thing does not change, the outpouring of love from Christ to his people as the Church celebrates salvation through Christ.
The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption prepares for a busy Holy Week with services, shroud exhibit
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
The week preceding Easter Sunday consists of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These days, and the ones in between, make up Holy Week, the center of the Church’s liturgical calendar.
“Holy Week is that commemoration that we walk with the Lord in his passion, and death and resurrection and that we become one with him in that through prayer and through the liturgies,” said Father Ryan Maher, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, the mother church of the Diocese of Covington.
Throughout Holy Week, like the rest of the churches in the Diocese, the Cathedral will be participating in the sacred celebrations. Starting with Palm Sunday, which marks the return of Jesus from his 40 days in the desert into the city of Jerusalem.
At the Cathedral, the celebration of Palm Sunday Mass begins at 10 a.m. across the street in St. Mary’s Park, Covington. There the Gospel of Luke, proclaiming the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, will be read. Bishop John Iffert will bless the palms the lay faithful will carry as all process into the Cathedral, a symbolic gesture of Jesus entering the city, through the main doors to begin the liturgy.
On Holy Tuesday, the Cathedral will host all the priests, deacons and religious of the Diocese as well as lay representatives from every parish and mission, at 7 p.m. for the Chrism Mass. This special Mass, during which Bishop Iffert consecrates the holy oils for the upcoming year, is a symbolic show of unity between the Bishop and his priests.
Father Maher said, “The Cathedral is packed with parishioners from throughout the Diocese. All of our parishes are at that special Mass. The unity of the Church is fully visible in the Bishop with his priests and his people all together and the consecrated religious and the deacons as well … It’s always an occasion of joy to celebrate the Chrism Mass with the Bishop; to enter into the liturgy with one mind and one heart with the people there present as well.”
Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Sacred Triduum, which is the three days leading up to Easter. Each day has a different celebration, though as Father Maher said, it is one liturgy celebrated over three days.
“Its really best to immerse ourselves in every celebration, encourage all priests, encourage their people to come to everything, all of the liturgies if they can,” said Father Maher.
The Holy Thursday celebration is the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which begins at 6 p.m. At this Mass the Church recalls the events of the Last Supper — the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood.
“The Lord has that Passover meal with the apostles as the end was near and the love that he shows them at the Last Supper and where he, the Lord Jesus, really replaces all of the sacrifices of old. He becomes the true Lamb, there is no more need for the Passover lambs to be sacrificed, he is the true lamb at the Last Supper, it is really Jesus giving his body and blood to his father … and giving his apostles his body and blood to eat and drink,” said Father Maher.
Those who attend the Holy Thursday celebration will also notice an act performed only once a year, the washing of the feet. In the Gospel of John, read at the Holy Thursday Mass, Jesus washes the feet of his apostles, an act of pure love.
“The Bishop, who in the person of the Lord in a special way, will put on an apron and wash the feet of the Cathedral parishioners. That’s always a very moving and really beautiful thing to witness and to participate in,” said Father Maher.
At the end of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper the Blessed Sacrament is carried throughout the Cathedral and placed at an altar of repose, which is an altar separate from the main altar and tabernacle. There the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed until 10 p.m.; lay faithful often spend that time in silent adoration and prayer while the altar is stripped of its candles and linens in preparation for the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday.
Good Friday is the only day on the liturgical calendar that no Mass is celebrated. Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ death, is the celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m. With Stations of the Cross at 12 p.m., noon, and confessions from 12–2 p.m.
“That liturgy is really marked by the whole gaze of the Church, the whole gaze of our hearts solely fixed on the death of our Lord. That’s what that liturgy brings about for us that there is no Mass celebrated on Good Friday and so that day we are just fixed on our Lord’s suffering and death. We begin that liturgy in holy silence, in prostration before the altar and then we move into the Liturgy of the Word,” said Father Maher.
During the Lord’s Passion there is the solemn intercessions, where the Church prays for the Holy Father, the Church and the intention of every person.
Father Maher said, “It’s the Church praying for the world and everyone in the world and then we move from that to the veneration of the cross.”
The veneration of the cross is unique to the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. “That is where the cross of the Lord is lifted up. Literally, lifted up as Moses lifted up the pole with serpent on it in the desert. So, the Cross of the Lord is lifted up and it is raised high for us to gaze upon and then the cross is venerated by the Bishop, the clergy and all the lay faithful. That, too, is just a beautiful moment as a priest celebrant to be in the sanctuary and watch the faithful come up and see the devotion, the love, the tears, the heart,” said Father Maher.
People can venerate the cross with a bow, genuflection, touch or kiss of the cross. Following the veneration, hosts that were consecrated during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper are brought to the altar for the lay faithful to receive the Eucharist.
The liturgical event of Holy Saturday will be the Easter Vigil at 8:30 p.m. The Easter Vigil Mass is unique because it begins in total darkness. But, as the flame from the Easter fire, blessed by Bishop Iffert, is passed from candle to candle inside the walls of the Cathedral, slowly the light of Christ spreads lighting the way for those inside.
The church remains shrouded in darkness until the Great Alleluia at which time the lights come on, signifying the resurrection of Christ.
This celebratory Mass includes the baptism and entrance into the church of the catechumens and the entrance into full communion with the church of the candidates through the sacraments of First Communion and confirmation. The lay faithful also renew their baptismal promises with the sprinkling right.
“The Easter proclamation,” said Father Maher, “recounts the Lord’s goodness in salvation history. His work, the working of grace, the working of the Holy Spirit, the working of the Lord’s love for his people. Then, we begin the Liturgy of the Word and that’s marked really by those great Old Testament readings.”
Easter season festivities at the Cathedral include the return of an Exhibit featuring a replica of the Shroud of Turin viewable in the Cathedral. This special exhibit will be open for all to view and venerate, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. from April 6–April 10, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on April 5.
While the times of the celebrations throughout Holy Week may vary from church to church one thing does not change, the outpouring of love from Christ to his people as the Church celebrates salvation through Christ.
Giving people a fresh face and a fresh start: Tattoo Removal Ink helps remove more than tattoos
/in Featured StoriesLaura Keener
Editor
When Jo Martin, a parishioner at St. Henry Parish, Elsmere, retired after a 30‑year professional career, she never imagined she would spend her retirement helping people remove tattoos. She certainly did not picture herself working inside a jail. But today, she runs a nonprofit tattoo‑removal program, Tattoo Removal Ink, that is changing lives across Northern Kentucky.
Her story shows how one small “yes” can grow into something much bigger.
After retiring, a friend from church asked Mrs. Martin if she would tutor people studying for the GED at the Campbell County jail. Her first reaction was, “no.” She admitted, “I did not want to tutor in the jail. I was afraid of going in there.”
But her friend gently pushed her to fill out the paperwork, and a week later the jail called. Soon, Mrs. Martin found herself walking down long concrete halls, knees shaking. But what she discovered surprised her: “They weren’t scary. They were just people — just like me,” said Mrs. Martin
As she tutored, Mrs. Martin noticed something else: many young people had tattoos across their faces, hands and necks. She wondered, How will they ever get a job when they leave here? That question planted the first seed of an idea.
A friend told Mrs. Martin about Homeboy Industries, an organization in Los Angeles that helps people leaving gangs and prison. Begun in 1988 by Father Gregory Boyle as a way of improving the lives of former gang members Homeboy Industries has evolved into the largest gang intervention, rehab and re-entry program in the world. Tattoo removal is a part of Homeboy Industries services.
Mrs. Martin traveled to the University of Findlay, Ohio, to hear Father Boyle talk about his work. He invited her to come to California to learn more. Father Boyle encouraged her to start something similar back home.
“I said, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘Figure it out.’” Mrs. Martin remembered. “So that’s what I did.”
She spent months reading government forms, writing a nonprofit application, and gathering a board of directors. Finally, she received her official nonprofit status. “I wasn’t the brightest,” she joked, “but every single step worked.”
Next, she needed a laser. Using money from her late husband’s life insurance, she bought one for $55,000. “Eight years later, the business paid me back,” she said. “But I wasn’t even thinking about that at the time.”
Located inside the Life Learning Center in Covington, Tattoo Removal Ink — now nine years old — removes visible tattoos for people who are trying to rebuild their lives. Many clients come straight from jail or prison. Others are survivors of human trafficking.
“They are branded,” Mrs. Martin said. Recalling the case of young woman who came in to have the name of her trafficker removed, she was told that five other woman have identical tattoos placed near their breast. “That’s exactly what they do is they brand them.”
Other clients “are simply adults who regret choices they made when they were younger,” she said.
For many clients, tattoo removal is a lifeline. Tattoos like gang symbols, hateful words, or names of abusive partners can keep people from getting jobs or feeling safe.
One young man had “KILLA” tattooed across his eyebrow when he came in. Another had devil horns on his forehead. Several had full-face tattoos. “They’re not going to get hired with that,” Mrs. Martin explained. “People judge them immediately.”
Tattoo removal doesn’t just open doors — it restores self-respect. Mrs. Martin told the story of a mother who cried during a video call with her son in jail when she saw that one of his tattoos had been removed. “It was so sweet,” Mrs. Martin said. “He was too young and too innocent to be in jail.”
Another client wrote Mrs. Martin a letter explaining that he had to relive his trauma every morning when he looked in the mirror. Removing those tattoos helped lift that emotional burden.
Tattoo removal is not easy. Mrs. Martin explains it simply: the laser breaks up the ink, the white blood cells carry it to the liver, and the body gets rid of it. But it hurts.
“It’s a different kind of pain,” than getting a tattoo, she said.
Still, many keep going because they want a better future.
Not everyone gets their tattoos removed for free. Paying clients help fund the nonprofit’s work. Even for paying clients Tattoo Removal Ink is a low-cost option. Prices start at $70 for a small tattoo and go up to $300 for larger ones. “Our bottom line is helping people,” Mrs. Martin said. “Not making money.”
Still, the nonprofit has real expenses: laser maintenance, insurance and supplies. Mrs. Martin and her fellow co-worker Gail work entirely for free. “We’ve been doing this for nine years for fun and for free,” she said.
Although Mrs. Martin is 74, she isn’t slowing down. In fact, she has a new dream: a mobile tattoo‑removal unit that could park outside prisons.
“It’s a great idea,” Mary Stutler, board member, said with a smile. “But we’ll need volunteers and another laser.”
She hopes new volunteers — especially retired nurses or doctors — might step up to learn the laser work. But she emphasizes that anyone with compassion could help.
“They might look scary,” Mrs. Martin said of the clients, “but they’re just people.”
Mrs. Martin never expected to spend her retirement this way. But looking back, she sees something bigger guiding her.
Like many Catholics, the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel has informed her faith. Jesus said, “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 me.” (Matt 25:35–36) Throughout her life, most of these works of mercy came easy for Mrs. Martin. The verse about visiting those in prison. “I could never check that one,” she said. “But now I can.”
Her work is more than removing ink — it is restoring dignity and opening doors. It is giving people a chance to build lives they can be proud of.
Mrs. Martin says, “Every step worked. And now I’m here, doing something I never imagined — but something that really matters.”
History and art help parishioners grow in faith during parish pilgrimage
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
The season of Lent is a time of reflection, preparing oneself for the coming of Christ at Easter. It is a time of sacrifice, denying the flesh in order to grow in relationship with Christ. For the parishioners at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Ft. Thomas, Lent is also a time of community and togetherness, as they participate in Father Stephen Bankemper’s, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena, Lenten pilgrimage.
This year, 50 parishioners joined Father Bankemper on a pilgrimage to St. Francis Seraph Parish, Cincinnati, where they learned the storied history of the parish, including the underground cemetery, beautiful artwork and the news of their imminent closing.
Every year, Father Bankemper will prepare reflections on the history and artwork of a pilgrimage church, helping his parishioners see the beauty of the faith. “Beauty is such a good way to lift your thoughts and mind higher … art can really express the faith in a lot of ways,” said Father Bankemper. “I enjoy that part because I love art myself, and I love the saints, and I love the stories of Scripture.”
“When you see that beauty,” said Therese Schaefer, pilgrim, “it just automatically lifts my mind and my heart to God, that you know, this is what he deserves, this is the beauty that we should be giving him.”
For Mrs. Schaefer’s son, Noah, these pilgrimages have brought him closer in relationship to Christ and the saints.
“As we’re going through and discussing all the artwork, we’re also discussing all the different saints. Especially with some of the artwork, where it shows depictions of early life but also a lot of them that are martyred,” he said. “During Lent we’re called to make little sacrifices. I think it definitely shows us how much more we could be doing, depending on what the saints have done.”
Father Bankemper’s Lenten pilgrimages bring together his parish community, bonding them in communion during Lent. “A lot of times in Lent we can be individualistic. At times, we forget that Lent is something that we’re all doing together … so for me, it is also a way of highlighting the communal character of Lent.”
“It helps our community be closer, it helps our parish be more of a family and experience these things together,” said Mrs. Schaefer. A sentiment echoed by Mr. Schaefer, “It’s a nice way for all of us to spend more time together. We see each other at Mass every week, but I think opportunities like this, to go outside of Mass, to be doing something that’s building our faith together, it helps us to become more friends and family.”
“My favorite part is always the same, being with them [parishioners] on this little faith trip. That’s my favorite part, just journeying with them,” said Father Bankemper.
Bishop Iffert shares a message of reconciliation and the gift of life at the 2026 Kentucky March for Life
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
Rain clouds departed, and the sun shone down on the 2026 Kentucky March for Life, March 11, where the theme was Every Life is a Gift. Students from Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills; Covington Catholic High School, Park Hills; Newport Central Catholic High School, Newport; St. Henry District High School, Erlanger; Holy Cross District High School, Covington; Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria; St. Patrick High School, Maysville; and eighth-grade students from St. Joseph School, Cold Spring, traveled to the Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort, to march in support of life.
Joining the students at this year’s Kentucky March for Life was Bishop John Iffert, who celebrated morning Mass at Good Shepherd Parish, Frankfort, and spoke on the steps of the Capitol. There, he shared with students, marchers and demonstrators alike a message of reconciliation for women who have suffered abortions and the love of God for all life.
Asking the audience to imagine a time where a meaningful gift was imparted to them, Bishop Iffert said, “always, an important part of that is, you know, that the person who gives you that gift loves you, wants to be close to you, wants a relationship with you. That’s exactly the same for every human being.”
The gift of life is, in all ways, filled with the intrinsic dignity and value instilled by God. “From conception to natural death, the unborn, disabled, the weak, the poor, the imprisoned, the aging,” said Bishop Iffert.
Sharing a personal experience, Bishop Iffert recalled a time before seminary when he had a “breakthrough” on the pro-life movement. “There were two stories that kept appearing in the Chicago Tribune,” he said. One, was of a baby born prematurely, highlighting the work of the doctors and care staff and the “tremendous scientific and medical efforts that were being made to preserve this child,” said Bishop Iffert. The other story was one of a father who was suing for rights, hoping to prevent the mother of his child from receiving an abortion.
“It occurred to me,” said Bishop Iffert, “the only difference between these two lives is that one was wanted and one was not.”
“What determines the value of a human life, what concern determines who is human and who is not, cannot be as subjective as whether that life is desired or not. It must be something more integral. What it is, is God’s creative image; that God calls this being into existence and gives that life to us as a gift,” said Bishop Iffert. And, in the same way that the unborn are filled with dignity and value, so are the women who have suffered abortions.
In response to demonstrators whose loud advocacy of Kentucky House Bill 714 supported the prosecution of women who have abortions, Bishop Iffert said, “The Catholic Bishops of the United States have affirmed again and again and again that the woman who has an abortion is a victim of that abortion, is harmed by that abortion.”
“Our approach to women who have had an abortion has been to accompany them, to walk alongside them, both women who have taken this action and who are in danger of taking this action. It is an approach that is rooted in the healing ministry of Jesus, to forgive and to help the individual person come to accept the redemptive love of Christ, and that is what we commit ourselves to.”
A robust applause and cheers rang out from Diocesan students in support of Bishop’s message, a witness to the faith of Diocesan students knowing that reconciliation is the message of Christ.
Speaking once more to the crowd, Bishop Iffert said, “…we will serve the Lord through reconciliation, not anger, and I call on you to do that same.”
2026 DPAA unveils new participation goal with announcement weekend
/in Featured StoriesBella Bailey
Multimedia Correspondent
The 2026 Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal (DPAA), “Live as Children of Light,” officially hit the pews, announcement weekend, March 14–15, with a video message from Bishop John Iffert. In the video, Bishop Iffert detailed the good work of the DPAA for essential Diocesan ministries, including ministry services, seminarian and clergy education, care for retired priests and support of Catholic Charities.
In support of these ministries the DPAA has a goal $2,754,000. To reach this goal, the Diocese relies on the support of many, no matter the size of the gift, said Jim Hess, director of Stewardship and Mission Services. And while the dollar amount pledged has increased year over year, the number of gifts pledged continues to decrease. In response to this trend, the Diocese has released a participation goal, alongside the individual parish monetary goal.
This new participation goal is not incentivized financially, said Mr. Hess. Rather it is “a way to encourage giving at the parish level of every size,” he said. “It stresses the truth that we are called to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us with, whether we have the capacity to make a large gift or a small gift, every one of us is called to be good stewards.”
The participation goal was calculated by the number of families that donated to the 2025 DPAA per parish and increasing that number by five percent. “Every participation goal is attainable, and is a good stretch goal for the parish,” said Mr. Hess.
Explaining the goal further, Mr. Hess said, “every parish has a dollar goal, because there is a minimum required amount to run a diocese and its ministries, as well as a participation goal, because we do want to encourage everybody to pray about this, and everybody to participate in some way if they feel called to do so.”
“When we are considering giving in the Catholic context,” said Mr. Hess, “we actually have a need to give as human beings. That’s what stewardship is in the Catholic context, we are all called to be stewards of what God has given us. We’re not called, each of us to make a huge difference, but we’re called to be stewards of what God has given us.”
“It’s a good thing for us to give,” he said. “It’s a good thing to recognize that we’ve been given gifts from God and are called to invest those gifts prayerfully and where we feel called to do so.”
Fifth Sunday of Lent
/in Go and GlorifyFather Phillip DeVous
Guest
Every single Sunday we profess the Creed and proclaim, “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, Amen.” Perhaps those words are so familiar to us that we fail to give them deep consideration. Yet, it is important to recall that prior to the coming of Jesus Christ, few in the history of the world thought that the resurrection of the dead was something even thinkable, much less a real possibility.
Faith is many things. One of the characteristics of faith, brought to us by the Holy Spirit, is that the Holy Spirit expands our sense of what reality entails in order that we might see clearly. We call such clear seeing Divine Revelation.
Nothing expands our sense of reality more than the idea of the Resurrection of the dead. The theologian, N.T. Wright writes, “Jesus’s resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project, not to snatch people away from earth to heaven, but to colonize earth with the life of Heaven” The resurrection does not invalidate the value of our present bodily life just because it will die. Rather, it shows us that what we do with, and in, our present bodily life matters because God has a great, eternal future in store for it, a purpose first revealed in his Incarnation.
To realize this glorified communion, we must contend with the lack of glory we now experience as part of our conversion from sin to sanctity; from vice to virtue; from death to life himself. St. Paul makes this clear when he says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.”
The word “flesh,” as St. Paul uses it, does not mean the body. It means the whole of fallen and mortal nature, body and soul. And “spirit,” as used here, does not mean “soul,” but the whole of redeemed human nature now under God’s Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit is God. God performs miracles by the Holy Spirit,” as the theologian, Peter Kreeft explains. “That’s how he raised Jesus from the dead, and that is how he will raise us with Jesus, in Jesus, as part of his Body the Church.”
We are given pause to consider the first miracle all of us in the Church have received: the gift of faith in Jesus Christ. This is no small thing given how God has been eclipsed in contemporary life, where the ego and its desires are now paramount. As the darkness consequent of the eclipse of God rolls menacingly across the landscape of contemporary life, we can see just what a miracle the gift of faith is. It is gift that gives us a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
The Holy Gospel relates that Martha and Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. Martha had a stronger intuition than most as to who Jesus was and of what he was capable. Yet, the death of her brother Lazarus was incomprehensible to her. Jesus himself was overcome with grief at his friend’s passing — he too wept. This teaches us that our suffering is not outside of God’s attention. Christ holds it before the Father. As the Eternal Son of God gazes at the Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Father gazes back, we are all seen and beheld in every aspect of our existence by God.
Before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he first raises Martha’s faith from the temptation to despair spurred by grief and death. From her he elicits an act of faith in the Spirit and power of God. “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
For a person to receive the gift of faith is a miracle greater than that of raising a corpse to life. A living person can resist Jesus; people resist faith. A dead body, however, has no power to resist Jesus.
Martha’s act of faith expands her sense of reality; of what’s possible with Jesus. Now she can then see with the eyes illumined by faith, with the gift of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. She knows who Christ is. Her revivified faith gives her confidence in Jesus’s power to restore life in ways we can perceive, as well as in ways we are not yet ready to see but will.
Father Phillip W. DeVous is the pastor of St. Charles Parish, Flemingsburg and St. Rose of Lima Parish, Mayslick, Ky.
ASL (American Sign Language) – Full Time Position (Preferably)
/in Job Postings, Teacher OpeningsSt. Henry District High School, a National Blue Ribbon School located in Erlanger, KY, is seeking an additional American Sign Language (ASL) teacher for the 2026–2027 school year. SHDHS is a 520-student, co-educational, college-preparatory high school located in the suburban Cincinnati area.
Hard-working and respectful students, small class sizes, supportive colleagues, and excellent support for new teachers are some of the attractive features of this position. The ideal candidate will be fluent in ASL and enthusiastic about teaching beginners the fundamentals of the United State’s most widely used sign language.
Interested parties should click here to apply.
High School/Jr. High Principal – Villa Madonna Academy
/in Job Postings, School AdministratorVilla Madonna Academy seeks a visionary, collaborative, mission-driven leader to serve as its next High School/Jr. High Principal.
About the School: Villa Madonna Academy (VMA or Villa) is a private, Catholic, co-ed K-12 school, with a Montessori program for ages 3-6. Established in 1904 by the Sisters of St. Walburg Monastery, VMA remains deeply rooted in the Benedictine values of scholarship, stewardship, reverence, respect, hospitality, prayer, peace, and service. Ranked by Niche.com as Kentucky’s #1 K-12 Catholic school in 2026, Villa is known for small classes; customized academics; values-based religious instruction; strong student engagement in athletics and extracurricular activities; a beautiful campus overlooking the Ohio river; and service opportunities that broaden students’ life experience and instill confidence, respect, and a sense of community.
About the Position: The High School/Jr. High Principal sets the academic vision and goals for grades 7-12; fosters a climate of well-being and engagement; and champions a creative and visionary future for the school. Key responsibilities include: developing curriculum and ensuring accreditation; recruiting, supporting, and managing highly-qualified faculty and staff for grades 7-12; working collaboratively with VMA’s administrative team; and helping develop and implement a long-term strategic plan consistent with VMA’s mission and vision.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will:
How to Apply: Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a resume/CV with cover letter and references to SearchCommittee@VillaMadonna.net. Upon submission, applicants will receive additional details about the position and the interview process. All inquiries will be treated confidentially. The successful candidate is expected to assume the role in July 2026.
K-6 Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator
/in Job Postings, Thomas More UniversityHourly Part-time Staff Professional Crestview Hills, KY, US
Requisition ID: 1050 Apply
At Thomas More University, we believe our work in higher education is a calling to support students in pursuit of their intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth. Grounded in our core values of respect, integrity, service and excellence, we cultivate our community of students, faculty, staff, and supporters who live out the Characteristics of a Saint through faith, stewardship, humility, and hospitality while pursuing knowledge with discipline and purpose. We seek candidates who are committed to collaboration, student success, and creating a welcoming environment where students are encouraged to grow in character and intellect, serve others, and develop as leaders prepared to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Position Overview
Thomas More University seeks an innovative and entrepreneurial leader to design, grow, and manage a Gifted and Talented enrichment program serving students in grades K-6. This role is responsible for building the program from the ground up, driving enrollment growth, managing operations, and positioning the program as a premier regional resource for advanced learners.
This is a part-time, up to 30 hours per week, year-round position with flexible hours and hybrid work options.
The coordinator will oversee three Saturday sessions in the fall, three Saturday sessions in the spring, and a one-week summer program. The coordinator will be responsible for advertising and communicating with interested families, including working with local schools, sending monthly emails (to include giving resources to families with gifted and talented children), and answering families’ direct questions.
Key Responsibilities
Enrollment and Growth Strategies
Operations and Administration
Instructor and Volunteer Management
Qualifications
Physical Requirements
To apply, visit: Thomas More University Career Center
Teacher – St. Anthony Elementary School
/in Job Postings, Teacher OpeningsSt. Anthony Elementary School is seeking a full-time teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. It is vital that this candidate appreciates the challenges of multi-age, multi-ability classrooms. The ideal candidate should be certified to teach in the state of Kentucky. All interested candidates should reach out to Veronica Schweitzer via email at vschweitzer@stanth.org or by telephone at 859-431-5987.