Maura Baker

Staff Writer

The second Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal kickoff dinner, March 5, joined donors, ministry leaders and supporters with Bishop John Iffert, Lisa Knochelmann, DPAA general chair and Dr. Greg Salzman, DPAA leadership gifts chair at Receptions event center, Erlanger.

Marking the end of the leadership gifts phase and the beginning of the public phase of the campaign, the event included a ministry fair where guests could meet with the people behind the ministries that the DPAA supports — including Curia offices and organizations within the diocese and its community that minister to youth, homeless people, the poor, people with disabilities, students, the Hispanic community and more.

Following dinner, Dr. Salzman offered words of thanks to individuals who had already donated to the campaign, with nearly $700,000 raised so far in the first phase alone — already well on the way to the $2.754 million goal.

Bishop John Iffert also spoke at the dinner, referencing the theme of the 2026 DPAA, “Live as Children of Light,” from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians (5:8–9).

“Paul said once you were darkness,” Bishop Iffert quoted the passage. “Notice the strength of that language.

Recalling a talk given at a Cursillo retreat he gave, Bishop Iffert said that there was “a point (he) made over and over and over again: Grace is simply the gift of God’s divine life. It’s the gift that God gives to us,” he said.

“All of the spiritual thinkers, all of the great teachers, all of the apostolic and sub-apostolic figures talk about grace that is the very divine life of God with the metaphor of light,” Bishop Iffert said. “The grace of God enlightens the soul … Once you were in darkness, once you were capable of no good, but now the light of God, by the baptism of Jesus Christ, has taken residence in you and made you a temple of the Holy Spirit.”

“You are the divine life of God,” he said, “and the light that is God’s grace and being shined into every corner of your being.”

“That is why we give, because God has taken the cold, dark winter night out of my heart and yours, and in its place put the warmth of divine love, the fire of the Holy Spirit and the light of his divine grace and wisdom — and so we want to be light for others,” said Bishop Iffert. “That’s it. That’s why we’re here … It is because God first graced us with the opportunity to be grateful and to respond to the world in kind. That’s who we are. Thank you for being children of the light,” he told attendees, “Thank you for being those kind of people.”

Laura Keener

Editor

Receptions in Erlanger was teeming with volunteers and supporters of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Covington, March 10, for the annual appreciation dinner. Bishop Iffert, Chris Goddard, executive director, and Deacon Barry Henry, director of Community Ministries and Outreach, welcomed and honored guests.

“The Gospel tells us in Christ’s own words, whatever you did for one of these least of mine, you did for me,” said Deacon Henry as he expressed gratitude to all the volunteers that make the many ministries at Catholic Charities thrive. “Look around tonight, you’ll see the face of Christ. You are the face of Christ to the poor, the marginalized when we serve with those around us.”

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of two awards, the Marcella Strategier Angel of Hope Award and the Community Partner Award.

This year’s Angel of Hope Award was awarded to Rose Schlosser. Jill Walch, director of Donor and Volunteer Engagement, introduced Mrs. Schlosser, highlighting her humility and dedication.

“When we approached Rose about receiving this award, she did something very characteristic. She cried and said, ‘Why me?’” said Ms. Walch. “The answer is simple. That humility is exactly why Rose is the perfect recipient of this award.”

Mrs. Schlosser is a “behind-the-scenes angel, quiet, steady, faithful and deeply compassionate woman,” said Ms. Walch. Mrs. Schlosser serves and prepares meals at Parish Kitchen and does whatever needs to be done. She and her husband also are prolific gardeners, sharing their produce with the Parish Kitchen so that guests have fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Rose is also deeply attentive to the people she serves,” said Ms. Walch. “She notices when guests are not present and she worries about them. Her concern is genuine, tender and rooted in love.”

As a member of the cooking team, Mrs. Schlosser also cooks for staff and board meetings. “Her meals nourish not only our bodies but also the sense of community and connection we share in our work,” said Ms. Walch.

CommonSpirit Health was the recipient of the Community Partner Award. For a decade, CommonSpirit Health has been a pillar of generosity and compassion for the families of St. Joseph Apartments, a supportive housing program serving formerly homeless families with disabilities. Brandy Medaugh, client care specialist and St. Joseph Apartment case manager, praised the partnership as one rooted in genuine service from the very first day. “They didn’t come seeking recognition,” she recalled. “They came with a genuine desire to give back and to strengthen our community.”

Over the years, CommonSpirit has provided everything from school supplies to holiday support, even maintaining their commitment through the pandemic. “Every time they returned with more than was expected — more items, more support, more blessings,” Ms. Medaugh said.

One of the most transformative moments was the redesign of the Christmas program, which empowered children to “earn” gifts through goal‑setting. “It wasn’t about giving less — it was about giving differently,” she explained. “It was about the blessing of giving, the dignity of working hard, and the joy of earning something meaningful.”

In the summer of 2025, Ms. Medaugh launched a literacy program at St. Joseph Apartments, and CommonSpirit immediately jumped in, providing tutors who worked weekly with children. They created homework stations and built a literacy library.

“When I met with the schools before the holidays, they shared that reading scores for several of the children in the program had improved,” said Ms. Medaugh. “That was huge, a direct result of the dedication, consistency and unwavering support of this partnership.”

Ms. Medaugh concluded with gratitude: “Because of you, families are stronger, children are learning, and communities are brighter.”

In his remarks, Mr. Goddard reflected on the importance of service, gratitude, and spiritual encounter. Calling the evening’s event his “favorite day as part of Catholic Charities,” Mr. Goddard said the gathering allows staff and volunteers to pause from daily responsibilities to “stop, reflect, rejoice and acknowledge all the great work.”

He emphasized that their mission extends beyond operations to meaningful human connection, noting that Catholic Charities strives to “encounter them in a deeper way” through intentional practices like prayer groups and Bible studies.  Inspired by the Gospel story of the woman at the well — his “absolute favorite Bible story” — Mr. Goddard highlighted encounter as the heart of transformation for both volunteers and those they serve.

“And as Bishop Iffert reminds us so beautifully, it’s through that encounter that we’re often we’re the ones that are transformed. It’s in growing in that relationship with Christ as a volunteer that we grow ourselves,” Mr. Goddard said.

Bishop Iffert ended the evening saying to those present, “You are like God. You remind me of God,” as an awesome silence fell over the room. “I think we forget that we are supposed to desire to be like God.” Not in an all-powerful, cosmic superhero kind of way, but “we are called to aspire to be like the essential character of God … to be merciful in the way God is merciful … in his capacity for compassion, for mercy, for love.”

“What you’re doing is you’re sharing in the divine work of God to be merciful to those who need him and then to participate in his divine creativity, to spread that goodness around the world,” Bishop Iffert said. “That’s what you do. That’s why we’re so grateful. That’s why this room is such a joy to be part of.”

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Mandy Sanchez, director of programming at Culture Reframed, will return to the Diocese of Covington for a public presentation, “AI: The Dangers of an Increasingly Digital World.” Dr. Sanchez has been educating the public on pornography and violence for over 20 years, specializing in sexual violence, the intersectionality of gender, sexualities, place and trauma. Twice previously, Dr. Sanchez has presented in the Diocese on the dangers of social media, pornography and the relationship between the two.

These past presentations were well received by attendees. “What we found was that there were a lot of people who were not in the know about how social media was affecting kids,” said Julie Feinauer, director for the Safe Environment Office in the Diocese of Covington. “This time she’s going to focus more on AI (Artificial Intelligence). I think that parents are really nervous about how AI is not only affecting their kids, how their kids are using it, but also how it’s being used against their kids in certain aspects,” she said.

The dangers of AI are plentiful with deepfake images, false information and impersonation of one’s identity on the rise. The question remains, “how do we allow students to use this wonderful tool, but also stay safe,” asks Mrs. Feinauer.

Dr. Sanchez will host a public presentation at Bishop Howard Memorial Auditorium, on March 25, beginning at 7 p.m. She will also host a private presentation for teachers, principals and school staff.

“I hope for our principals and school staff that what they’re able to find is that AI can be something that can be used safely when there are specific guidelines set in place. Or, if they’re choosing not to allow students to use it, how can they keep it out if that’s something they’re choosing to do,” said Mrs. Feinauer. “I think that it’s important that they understand that it’s out there and it’s not going away. So, how do they incorporate it in a way that is safe?”

Much of what Dr. Sanchez will discuss is sensitive in nature and may be “hard to hear,” said Mrs. Feinauer. “Especially for people who have been taken advantage of online or if they’re a survivor in any way.” The March 25 presentation is free and open to the public, however only those 18 years of age or older are permitted to attend.

“There are these new exciting tools that are out there, but all of it comes at a price,” said Mrs. Feinauer. “We have to understand that if we’re going to use these tools, we have to know all they can offer. But also, we have to know the safety precautions to take in order to use them effectively and safely.”