News RSS Feed

I have no idea if this is actually an ancient proverb, nor do I recall exactly where I heard it, but since it suits my purposes here, I will blindly trust that some wise man said it at some point. I once heard that the greatest curse you could wish upon someone is to say, “May you live in interesting times, and may you get exactly what you ask for.” Click title for full column.

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Matthew 9:38-39 A recurring emphasis of Archbishop Schnurr has been creating a culture within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati which fosters vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated religious life. He often notes that an important factor in building such a culture is prayer and shares a story of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States in 2008. A bishop asked the Holy Father, “What can we do to increase vocations?” The pope replied, “Don’t overlook the obvious. Beg the harvest master.” Click title for full column.

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. I disappoint myself enough throughout the year, so no need to start off on the wrong foot so early on. But I am a fan of taking time early in the year to take stock of priorities, look back on the previous year, and spiritually prepare myself both for Lent and the year that is to come. That’s why I always schedule my retreat during January. That, and because it’s the closest thing to hibernation in the winter I can get away with. Click title for full column.

Mary, Mother of God Vigil, Tuesday, Dec 31 St. Matthias 4:30 pm  Mary, Mother of God, Wednesday, January 1 Our Lady of the Rosary 9:00 am (Bilingual Mass) St. James of the Valley  11:00 am >Click title for more information.

 Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24 St. James of the Valley 3:00, 5:00 pm & Midnight Our Lady of the Rosary 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm (Spanish Mass) St. Matthias the Apostle 4:30 pm  Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25 St. Matthias 9:00 am  Our Lady of the Rosary 10:00 am  St. James of the Valley 11:00 am Click on title for more information.

For obvious logistical reasons, it’s not always possible to have separate bulletins for Sundays and Holy days that fall so close together, and therefore sometimes it is necessary to combine columns. Since this column serves as both the 4th Sunday of Advent as well as the Christmas column, I’ll take care of the last Sunday of Advent first. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths, the Savior comes to us soon, open your hearts to meet Him. Now that that’s out of the way… Click title for full column.

Friday, December 20 7:00 am-7:00 pm Our Lady of the Rosary Confessions All Day Mass (8:30 am) & Adoration Click title for more information.

WWPR Inclement Weather Policy Click here for more information.

The timeless and universal challenge of proclaiming the Gospel rests in handing on an immutable truth in a world that never stops changing. At the core of what we believe lies a series of simple truths: God created everything out of the desire to love and be loved. We rejected Him. He sent His only begotten Son to redeem us by His death and resurrection. He will come again at the end of all things to gather His followers to Himself. Click title for full column.

Celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a Mass entirely in Spanish. Thursday, December 12 at 7:00 pm at St. Matthias. Reception to follow in Lonsway Hall.

Those who tolerate my preaching on a regular basis know my fondness for stories about saints. The same glories and virtues that people seek in the movies and in tales of heroism can be found in spades in the lives of the saints. Dragon slaying? Boom, St. George. Foiled assassination plots? Boom, St. Benedict. Governmental subterfuge followed by gory execution for one’s principles? Boom, St. Edmund Campion. The list goes on. Click title for full column.

I put off getting a smartphone for years. I don’t think I was the last one in my class in the seminary to buckle to the inexorable advance of technology, but I know I was close. I have seen many changes in the way I operate now that I have fallen to the modern golden calf that is the iPhone, and not all of them have been bad. It’s terribly convenient to have a digital version of my breviary with me at all times, so if I forget my prayer book, I can still pray my office. Staying in touch with my friends has certainly been easier. But one major downside has been the complete and total destruction of my memory for my own calendar of events. Click title for full column.

The regional Thanksgiving Mass will be Thursday, November 28 at 9:00 am at St. Matthias. Click title for information.

It is a natural human tendency to avoid things that have burned us in the past. Stemming from deep-seated survival instincts, we know that when something has caused us pain, or hurt our chances for survival, we must avoid it whenever possible. This same instinct that caused prehistoric man to steer clear of snakes has also prevented me from eating Chinese food since Easter (with literally only one exception) after I got the worst case of food poisoning in my life. It’s a real shame, because I do enjoy sketchy Chinese food. Click title for full column.

Thanksgiving Basket Project 2019 & St. James Mac & Cheese Box Drive for Valley Interfaith Click title for more information.

Members of vibrant parishes are involved in all areas of service, including liturgical ministers. The churches of the WWPR are scheduling these ministers forNovember 30-February 26, and more are needed. Please prayerfully consider helping your church by becoming involved in a ministry and making our parishes amazing! Click on title for more information.

There are a number of beautiful and historical structures in America that speak to the grandeur of Catholicism in the new world. St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City is still a hallmark of the Faith in the nation’s largest city. Baltimore has a cathedral and a seminary that stand as monuments to the original headquarters of the Faith in the United States. Just down the road from us in Bardstown, Kentucky is the Proto-Cathedral that once had ecclesiastical jurisdiction over almost the entire American South and Midwest. But in order to truly get a sense of the magnificence of Roman Catholicism, one must travel to the old world. Rome, Paris, Barcelona, and many other great European cities house edifices built upon the ruins of Apostolic Churches dating back nearly two millennia. Click title for full column.

On Saturday, November 16 starting at 10:00 am, WWPR will celebrate the anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady of Kibeho by having a procession with a statue of Our Lady of Kibeho, prayers and Mass at St. Matthias.  A reception will follow in Lonsway Hall. Each year the feast day of Our Lady of Kibeho is celebrated in commemoration of the first apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Kibeho. All are invited Click on title for more information.

There are some topics that are forever controversial when it comes to Church teaching. Untold thousands of preachers have shied away from speaking a difficult truth with love when it comes to marriage, tithing, and morality throughout the years. While it would be next to impossible to determine what the most difficult teaching to embrace is, I will tell you that this week’s Gospel ranks as one of the Gospel passages or teachings that is virtually guaranteed to start a fight wherein people end up hating me. The absence of marriage in heaven sometimes seems to be second only to lengthy debates about whether or not there are pets in heaven… Click on title for full column.