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.