SCCR Parish Blog

  According to this recent news story , Ohio's "heartbeat bill" might take immediate effect in our state.  This was signed into law in 2019 by Gov. DeWine, in anticipation of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which happened yesterday.  It would ban nearly all abortions once the baby's heartbeat can be detected. That is typically at about 6 weeks gestation.  This could save many infant lives in our state.  The pro-abortion forces are already preparing legal challenges to block it, so please pray that the law will stand without interruption. We are certainly in for tumultuous times as the opportunity to defend life opens up again. Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn, pray for us!

  After nearly 50 years of the U.S. Supreme Court taking away from the states the right to protect innocent life in the womb and regulate abortion, the Court today announced that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and subsequent cases affirming it were wrongly decided. This is certainly time to celebrate, but not become complacent.  The ruling means that each state will have to decide whether and how to protect life in the room.   Archbishop Schnurr has written a letter to the faithful on this matter.  It will be emailed out to all South Clermont Catholic Region parishioners today.  In that letter, he is encouraging involvement in a program the bishops are sponsoring entitled Walking with Moms in Need .  This is a program to accompany pregnant mothers and mothers of newborns.    On the political front, as citizens in the State of Ohio, we Christians should certainly be prayerful, active and vocal in ensuring that life is protected. On the prayer f...

  This short 5 minute video gives insight into priestly ordinations.

  As we approach Fathers' Day, Christian fathers play a vital role in helping their children get to Heaven. Here is a short piece from the website Catholic Exchange reminding fathers how this works.

Please join with the parishioners in praying a novena to the Holy Spirit for Pentecost.  (A novena is a nine-day consecutive prayer for an important intention).  Suggested start date is Saturday, May 28th, so can end on Pentecost, Sunday, June 5th. 

  The following is a letter to the faithful from Archbishop Schnurr regarding the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Yesterday’s horrific news of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas shakes us to our core and reminds us once again of the fragility of human life. This senseless, heartbreaking tragedy reinforces the desperate need for conversion to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death. I join my fellow U.S. Catholic bishops in sharing the following statement: “There have been too many school shootings, too much killing of the innocent. Our  Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others, and we join our prayers along with the community in Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. As we do so...

  The U.S. Bishops are encouraging Catholics to pray a novena to protect life, especially life in the womb.  The suggested dates for that are from today (Sunday, May 22nd) through May 31st, the Feast of the visitation.  That's especially fitting because this mystery recalls the encounter between the Blessed Virgin Mary, carrying the Christ child in her womb (fully man though fully God, so a real human baby) to her cousin Elizabeth, who carried the great forerunner of Christ, St. John the Baptist, in her womb.  St. Luke learned this scene from the Blessed Mother herself, and notes that St. John was already able to respond to the Holy Spirit of Christ from within the womb, as he leapt for joy. When we contemplate that mystery, it makes it even harder to understand how so many would want to extinguish the precious life God gives us in the womb.  Here's the link to sign up for the novena by email , or, if you prefer you can print out the full text .

  UPDATED: May 21st With great joy, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati ordained seven men to the priesthood today  at the Cathedral Basilica downtown.  .   Their biographical sketches are available from the Catholic Telegraph .  If you are curious what an ordination ceremony looks like, you can view it here on YouTube.  Their first assignments are also posted. Last month we also ordained  seven seminarians to the diaconate , including the South Clermont region's own Deacon Patrick Blenman.  Every seminarian is ordained a deacon about a year before he is ordained to the priesthood and at that time promises to lay down his life in celibacy to love the Church in a completely dedicated and undivided way, as well as promising to pray the Church's breviary prayer cycle every day of his life on behalf of the Church and her needs.  At the same time, 14 men were ordained to the permanent diaconate as well, to serve as deacons in the parishes to assi...

 UPDATED: 12 May 2022 As many of you know, the Supreme Court has on its docket this summer an important case (Dobbs vs. Jackson) which could narrow or even entirely reverse the gravely unjust Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 which, together with a companion case, effectively requires abortion to be legally protected for virtually any reason at any stage in pregnancy in every state in the Union.  (While there are some limits, the Court doctrine of "undue burden" has been interpreted so broadly that it makes most regulation impossible in any state).   Our U.S. Bishops have been asking all Americans to pray for the end of legal structures protecting a so-called "constitutional right" to kill a child in the womb.  In an unprecedented confidentiality breach, a preliminary draft of the opinion on that case has been leaked, which the Chief Justice confirmed as authentic.   This draft opinion essentially invalidates Roe v. Wade, indicating that it has no proper co...

  After a long delay due to the church goods store, we finally received the new tabernacle purchased for St. Peter Church several months ago.   We blessed that at the Sunday Mass on May 1 st .   In a happy coincidence, this was the same weekend that some of the children from the parishes made their first Holy Communion.   Both of these events remind us of the priceless gift of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.   Through the power of His priesthood, shared with men ordained called to that vocation, the bread and wine offered at Mass become truly His Body and His Blood, given to the faithful as the Bread from Heaven to nourish us on the path to eternal life.   Once the bread and wine have been consecrated, they remain the true Body and Blood of Christ and so the Hosts not consumed at holy Mass are stored in the tabernacle so that Jesus can remain present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in every Catholic church in the world.   That ...

  Archbishop Schnurr has a brief  video for his flock  on the joy of the Easter season.

  We recently finished the Year of St. Joseph. Fr. De Souza writing for the National Catholic Register provides a reflection on the "Shadow of St. Joseph" for Good Friday.

  In the Church's Liturgy of the Hours (daily prayer cycle for the universal Church required for all priests, deacons and religious), I have certain favorites I like to meditate on each year. This beautifully poetic Holy Thursday reflection from St. Melito regarding the sufferings of all mankind that Christ took upon Himself, is one of them. From an Easter homily by Saint Melito of Sardis, bishop The Lamb that was slain has delivered us from death and given us life There was much proclaimed by the prophets about the mystery of the Passover: that mystery is Christ, and to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.   For the sake of suffering humanity he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin’s womb, and was born a man. Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the pain of fallen man upon himself; he triumphed over the diseases of soul and body that were its cause, and by his Spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt man’s des...

Find out more about Holy Thursday from this National Catholic Register blogpost. Note: In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Chrism Mass was celebrated early, this past Tuesday of Holy Week.  You can view the livestream of that Mass at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Basilica on YouTube. Below, from the Magnificat devotional magazine, is an excerpt of the significance of the Chrism Mass mentioned in the above article - including the purpose of that Mass and the texts that priests use to renew the promises they made on ordination day.  Please pray for your priests and for the men preparing to be ordained to the priesthood for service of our Archdiocese this May. ================================ This Mass, which the Bishop concelebrates with his presbyterate, should be, as it were, a manifestation of the Priests’ communion with their Bishop. Accordingly it is desirable that all the Priests participate in it, insofar as is possible, .... . To signify the unity of the presbyterat...

  There is a lot going on right after Easter both in our parishes and nationwide. Will try to update this and related posts soon after Easter. * A new Catholic movie that everyone is talking about (that actually paints the Church and the priesthood in a positive light) * The launching of the U.S. Church's year of Eucharistic renewal - with the relics of Bl. Carlo Acutis. * Relics of St. Bernadette touring the United States, including St. Bernadette Parish in Amelia.  * Our own sacraments for our parish children -- Confirmation and First Communion. * Ordination to the diaconate (office of the deacon) for Patrick Blenman * Ordination of new priests for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Here are some links, mostly from the National Catholic Register.  "Father Stu" movie review - " Father Stu" Movie  trailer -- Father Stu Movie website  - Background  -- Conversation with Catholic actor / producer Mark Wahlberg   More Bl. Carlo Acutis  and the Eucharisti...

  Please join us for the Easter Triduum here in the South Clermont Catholic Region. Triduum is the Latin name for the "three days" running  of these very important liturgies of the Church's calendar year leading up to the  high point of the Church's year on Easter Sunday.  That is,  Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. These are not obligatory but are highly recommended because of their importance in our life of faith.  Mass for Easter Sunday is of course obligatory but the obligation can be fulfilled by attending the Easter Vigil.  Please note that the Vigil Mass is quite long -- often at least two hours.  The schedule for all Masses and services is kept up to date on the parish website calendar (also available on your MyParish smartphone app). Highlights are included below for your convenience. ====================================== Holy Thursday * Mass of the Lord's Supper.  7:30 p.m. @ St. Peter * Adoration of the Blessed Sacrame...

  Fr. Earl K. Fernandes, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, was just appointed bishop-elect of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio by our Holy Father Pope Francis.  I was in seminary with Fr. Fernandes and even then had a hunch that he would be a successor to the apostles one day.  Please pray for him and for all of our bishops in this very challenging time for the church and the world. 

  Recently at a short talk I gave on making the most out of the upcoming Holy Week, a parishioner reminded me of the tradition of  "Praying the Steps" at Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams near downtown Cincinnati.  This beautiful and ancient tradition dates back to the Civil War era of the 1860s and is a rich part of our Catholic history in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. I recommend making that a part of your family's tradition. To find out more about this powerful way to join with pilgrims from all over the diocese and beyond, view this video from Holy Cross-Immaculata Parish.  For more detailed information about logistics, visit their parish website .

We have received word that Fr. Mike Leshney died today (March 27th).  He was the pastor of the South Clermont Region for many years (until 2018). Please pray for the repose of his soul. His biography and the details of his final services and funeral Mass are included below. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. - And let perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. =============== Nurre Funeral Home website and tribute   ================== Reverend Michael F. Leshney  died on Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born on November 15, 1945, in Cincinnati. He did his preparatory studies at St. Gregory Seminary and studied theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West.  He was ordained on June 2, 1973, at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Cincinnati, by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin.   Father Leshney received his first assignment on June 20, 1973, as a resident...

 From the Church's daily prayer cycle (the Liturgy of the Hours) here is today's reflection on the Annunciation. Second Reading From a letter of Saint Leo the Great, pope The mystery of man's reconciliation with God Lowliness is assumed by majesty, weakness by power, mortality by eternity. To pay the debt of our sinful state, a nature that was incapable of suffering was joined to one that could suffer. Thus, in keeping with the healing that we needed, one and the same mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, was able to die in one nature, and unable to die in the other.   He who is true God was therefore born in the complete and perfect nature of a true man, whole in his own nature, whole in ours. By our nature we mean what the Creator had fashioned in us from the beginning, and took to himself in order to restore it.   For in the Saviour there was no trace of what the deceiver introduced and man, being misled, allowed to enter. It does not follow th...