SCCR Parish Blog

  the late Sen. Henry Hyde As expected from his campaign promise, Mr. Biden is continuing to use the power of the presidency to attempt to make all federal taxpayers complicit in abortion by funding it.  His recent budget proposal seeks to eliminate the Hyde Amendment , a decades long congressional attempt to prevent taxpayers from directly funding abortion.  (Ironically, years ago, when a U.S. Senator, Mr. Biden supported it).   Mr. Biden's initial budget was just presented to Congress. The  U.S. Bishops have made it easy to protest this outrageous attack on the sacredness of life by including a link to write to Congress . In the meantime, the U.S. bishops are discussing amongst themselves what to do about this very difficult problem. As an interesting aside,  despite his active promotion of abortion, Mr. Biden has not yet publicly said the word as not yet publicly said the word   abortion  since being inaugurated, instead hiding behind eup...

  From the U.S. Bishops' website, a prayer for Memorial Day . The website also includes prayers for active military.

  As part of its bicentennial planning for 2021, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's office of evangelization is sponsoring a one-of-a-kind event: a walking pilgrimage throughout the 19 counties of the Archdiocese, with pilgrims carrying a traveling statue to highlight the beauty and power of the Blessed Virgin Mary in bringing many people to Christ. You can find out more at the diocesan website, including the timing and the route.  (It's easy to remember: Mary2021.org )  It will come closest to the South Clermont Catholic Region parishes on June 9th, 10th, and 11th, when there are events at Holy Trinity, Batavia; St. Bernadette, Amelia; and Mt. St. Mary's Seminary in Mt. Washington.  See the route page for details -- and click on Items 26, 27, or 28.  I encourage all parishioners to check this out as a way of honoring Our Lady and spiritually preparing for the bicentennial celebration of the Archdiocese on June 19th.  

The very good news of the ordination of seven men to the holy priesthood a couple of weeks ago on May 22nd is summarized in this short 3-minute video . I was privileged to be there in person to concelebrate the Mass, but in watching the video was struck by the beauty of the prostration rite, where the men (in unison) lie face down on the floor before the altar. More than just a gesture of adoration (as the three magi prostrated themselves before the newborn Christ the King) it symbolizes that before his character and very being is changed and transformed so he can e conformed to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, he must die to self and surrender his whole life to the service of teaching, sanctifying and governing the faithful, as Archbishop Schnurr emphasized in his homily.  Read a little bit more about the new priests here . 

The good people at the Augustine Institute are sponsoring a free virtual conference (Zoom) on the Eucharist for the weekend of Corpus Christi (Holy Body and Blood of Christ).  They have some top notch speakers including Brant Pitre, Tim Gray, and Mary Healey.  It starts Saturday, June 5th at 11:00 a.m.  You can register here .   

  Now that the Easter Season is coming to a close, the Church's liturgical year has several solemn feast days in a row: Pentecost, Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi (Holy Body and Blood of the Lord). There is a great Chrsitian musical tradition for celebrating these feast days, and we can work only a few into the structure of the Mass. So I'm posting some video links of hymns for these feast days. Pentecost : * Come Holy Ghost! Holy Trinity: * All Hail Adored Trinity * Holy God We Praise Thy Name * Come Thou Almighty King Corpus Christi: * Jesus My Lord My God My All oming soon> 

  Pope Pius VII, who condemned slavery The Church has always been involved in the "hot button" issues of the current day.  Not because she is a political institution, but often because they have a moral dimension and the Church teaches us how to live in order to remain in Communion with Christ and build His Kingdom. There is a a Catholic blog which is always worth reading entitled The Catholic Thing. They have an intriguing piece on how the Church reacted to the grave evil of slavery in the past (which was widely accepted but the Church condemned) and the grave evil of abortion today (which is widely accepted in our culture but the Church condemns). What is intriguing about it is how many who profess to be Catholic today simply shrug at the question of abortion and tell the Church not to be "political" about it and let those who promote it receive Communion, but are certain they would have been the ones opposing slavery -- and siding with the Church against the cul...