I tell people with some regularity that, while I recognize that I am not old by any stretch of the imagination, I am not as young as I once was. Thirty-two is not old, but it is also not twenty-five. I have been revisiting this perspective more frequently lately, as the fifth anniversary of my ordination is coming up this week, and one wonders where the time has gone. We were often told in seminary that we would have two assignments of three years each as vicars to get our feet wet before we became pastors, so you can imagine my surprise at celebrating three years as a pastor before I got to five years as a priest. Every vocation is a blank check that the Lord fills out as He sees fit, and mine has not proven an exception to that rule. Click title for full column.

I have been accused, on more than one occasion, of holding grudges for almost impossible amounts of time. My struggles to forgive (outside the confessional, at least) extend even to ancient blood feuds in which I played no part. I missed Oliver Cromwell and his reign of terror by hundreds of years, but if you would like me to enumerate the reasons why I loathe him, I will gladly oblige on behalf of my people. Click title for full column.

There was a great irony when I sat down to begin brainstorming for this bulletin column…I fell asleep. Why is that ironic? Because this column is to let you all know that I have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder. If you have ever noticed me yawning a lot during confessions or appearing to be asleep during the readings (but never a deacon homily!), it is not because I am bored, but because I have a sleep disorder. It is also super fitting that my mom got me a sleeping St. Joseph statue for my birthday. At my previous parish, I once stood up for the Alleluia at Mass only to start drifting off to sleep so I didn’t realize that the deacon standing in front of me. He startled me awake by asking for my blessing before he read the Gospel. My frequent tiredness has led to many funny moments over the years. Click title for full column.

This weekend we have the collision of Good Shepherd Sunday and the first weekend of our new Vocations Chalice. I definitely can’t pass up this opportunity to talk about vocations and encourage new shepherds. We are always in need of more holy priests who are willing to imitate the words of Our Lord--I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

Sunday, April 25, is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We will celebrate this day by introducing a Vocations Chalice at Our Lady of the Rosary. The Vocations Chalice will be presented to a family, individual, or couple each Sunday at the conclusion of Mass. That family, individual, or couple will take the Vocations Chalice home and use it as a focal point while praying daily for an increase in religious vocations. In successive weeks, the Vocations Chalice is passed to other families, individuals, or couples. Click on title for full column.

Happy Easter, friends! On the Sunday within the Octave of Easter we celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy, which is a relatively new liturgical and historical development. While it is fairly recent, I believe that it speaks to a particular need in our day and age, much like the message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was suited to its time and the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe came at precisely the right moment, all in God’s Providence. Click on title for full column.

I am frequently reminded, by the pastoral ministry aspects of my life, that we take a great many things for granted in this life, and that everything we hold dear is very tenuous and can disappear in a moment. Oftentimes when I am tired and heading into a hospital room, I take a moment to remind myself that the family I am going to visit is having one of, if not the sole, worst days of their life. It’s a humbling experience and reminds me to thank God for the many blessings of my own life. Click on title for full column.

I have enjoyed the last few weeks of being able to submit a sheet full of data from the Archdiocese about priests, retirement ages, seminary formation, and the geographical density of parishes. But now comes the time when I must write my own material, and we must confront the possibilities that this data suggests. In the cold light of day, it looks like quite the challenge. Click title for full column.

In what began with Safe Haven Sunday on February 7, 2021, we are eager to continue the fight against pornography. Pornography is an evil industry that the evil one is using to blind God’s children from the mercy and light of Christ. We cannot stand for this; we cannot let the evil one have this victory. Let us go courageously with Christ into battle to destroy this plague that is impacting too many individuals and families. If you haven’t had the chance to read through Equipped and sign up for its 7-day email challenge (by texting SECURE to 66866), please take the time to do so soon. If you weren’t able to pick up a copy, please let us know, as we do have extra copies. Click on title for full column.

In place of Fr. McCullough’s regular column we are reprinting information from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on Beacons of Light. Click on title for full article.

Seminary – How Does a Man Become a Priest and How Long Does It Take? In a two birds, one stone scenario, here is some basic information on the timeline of formation of future priests. My hope is that it will fill out the bulletin information from previous weeks about our current priest to parish ratios, as well as shed light on the process by which priests are formed and encourage the young men of our parish to consider the call to priesthood and further encourage the parish to pray for vocations. ~ Fr. McC Click title for full column.

What is the Priest and Pastor Situation in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati? Hello, friends. Along with the parish demographic situation that we ran in this space two weeks ago, the other very significant piece of information to understand the current demographics of how many priests we have, how old they are, and how many are able to be pastors. Anecdotal evidence shows that priests (like myself) are pushed into being pastors very quickly. Here is the hard evidence to back that up. Fr. McC

I don’t know about all of you, but returning to Lent brings back a lot of memories. Shortly after Ash Wednesday last year, first the Mass obligation was lifted and then, there were no more public Masses. In some ways, it still feels like we never left last year’s Lent. It’s a bad dream that we are all still waiting to wake up from. In some ways, I’m nervous to begin this Lent. What if something crazy happens this year too? How do we prepare for Lent when things are still different? Would it be better if we just skipped Lent altogether? I know, I’m being ridiculous and irrational, but let’s be honest, Lent 2020 was rough, very rough. I’ll just leave it at that. Now the question is—what does the Lord wish of us during Lent 2021? A return to the desert. Click on title for full column.

What is the Parish and Deanery Situation in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati? Friends, I have heard quite a bit of speculation, most of it feverish, about the possible, or even definite, closure of one, several, or all the parishes of our region. Such is not the case, but the time has come to start publishing information about how many parishes we have, and what the plan is for the Archdiocese moving forward. There have not been any talks about closing our parishes specifically, but there is most definitely a broader restructuring coming, with many priests set to retire and not as many to fill the need. In the coming weeks we will publish more information about plans that the Archdiocese is making with our input, but in the meantime, I ask that you simply pray, remain open, and ask me any direct questions you have instead of continuing the spread of half-truths or rumors. All for the greater Glory of God, Fr. McC Click title for full column.

Until recently I had found it amusing to reflect on how different the world is now compared to when I was a child. Telling kids about a world without internet shopping or smartphones and receiving eye-rolls was harmless entertainment. Now I’m at an age where it’s not uncommon for me to tell young, engaged couples about movies I saw before they were born, and my heart weeps for those who did not experience the thrill of the original Jurassic Park in theaters. But alongside all the trivial or amusing ways in which things have changed over the last thirty-odd years, there have been darker developments, to be sure. This week, our parishes are participating in an effort called “Safe Haven Sunday” because of the exponential and devastating increase in the availability of pornography to young people growing up today. Click title for full column.

About a month ago, on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, I spoke in my homily about how I have been struggling in prayer about how best to evangelize in a post-Christian culture. It is still overwhelming and daunting. Part of the problem is that I am trying to find a human answer using human means. I clearly am struggling to give up control and trust that God is with us. So, how blessed and fitting it is to have a year dedicated to St.Joseph. Click title for full column.

The end of January each year often brings the Church’s attention to the ongoing efforts to promote respect for human life, from conception to natural death. Each year, I struggle to find words to express the deep sadness that this divisive issue brings to my heart. I was born fifteen years after the legalization of abortion in the United States, and so mine has always been a world in which thousands of my peers, those who would be my brothers and sisters in Christ, perish before they have a chance to live, grow, and be loved. There is much hurtful and dangerous rhetoric on both sides of this issue, and instead of being a productive and fruitful conversation amongst those who disagree over something of immense importance, it is now a decades-long shouting match. Click title for full column.

There is an almost pathological aversion to talking about religion or sharing one’s Faith in our contemporary culture. We are cautioned to keep conversations at bars to the topics of sports, television, and the weather, lest we accidentally become too political, or even worse, religious. But this aversion demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of what our Faith is supposed to be in our lives, and reorienting the way we think about our Faith might make us more likely to share it with others in the same way that Andrew brings his brother to Jesus in this week’s Gospel. Click title for full column.

It is so fitting and exciting that we have the pleasure to announce on the Baptism of the Lord that WWPR is having a Safe Haven Sunday on the weekend of February 7. We can only chalk it up to Divine Providence. God always knows best! At our Baptisms, in addition to the incredible gifts of the cleansing of original sin and the conforming of our souls to Christ, we are given the light of Christ. Our parents and godparents promise to protect that light—to keep it burning brightly! Priests, catechists, grandparents, and other family members have the privilege and duty to share in that responsibility. You all do an incredible job protecting them from so many dangers that threaten to dim the light of Christ within them. It is because you love your children and grandchildren. You know them better than anyone else. You use that love to teach how to avoid danger and stay safe. You teach them to come to you when they are in danger. Click on title for full column.

Happy Epiphany to you all! I have a close friend from college who used to celebrate the Epiphany with his extended family that couldn’t gather on Christmas Day, and they would all revel in the gifts brought to them by the mythical Epiphany camel. In other parts of the world this feast day maintains its significance as an integral part of the Christmas season. Here in the states it is largely glossed over by the secular culture, but it is a rich source of meditation for us nonetheless. Click title for full column