Religion

RUSSELLS POINT – She has been found! The 20-foot-tall fiberglass statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was found on Saturday, March 30, 2024, by a local volunteer dive team at the bottom of a murky lake. The statue was blown into Indian Lake by a powerful EF-3 tornado that devastated the area on March 14, 2024, and it had evaded discovery for over two weeks.

Life is full of challenges. Some folks are wired to take the ‘bull by the horns’ and take on anything that may come their way. I actually have been around real bulls and mostly it’s a terrible idea to take on a 2000 pound animal, especially if he’s unhappy. I could list a whole bunch of reasons, one of which is the possibility that you may die. As always there’s a spiritual reality here.

The idea of leaving your “comfort zone’ to serve Jesus Christ has become a popular theme in Christian circles these days. Our comfort zone is the area where we feel safe, the boundaries we draw around our world to protect ourselves from risk and possible rejection. For some believers, leaving their comfort zone may mean speaking up for Christ at work, or witnessing to a neighbor. For others, it may mean packing up and heading halfway around the world as a missionary. In any case, the difference one person can make is amazing!

Ephesians 3: 10-11, “10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” - NLT

CINCINNATI — Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has kicked off the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA).. The CMA is a chance to support six local ministries throughout the archdiocese, that teach, feed and heal thousands. It is one example of the generous ways that local Catholics give back to the community. Some of the ministries supported by the CMA include Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, Prison Ministry, Hospital Ministry and Campus Ministry. All donations to the CMA remain within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati helping local ministries.

CINCINNATI — Grant monies are available to local 501(c)(3) organizations in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati via funds from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) – an anti-poverty initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. These local grants, made possible by Catholics throughout the Archdiocese who contribute to CCHD each year, are intended to fight the root causes of poverty. Grantees should prioritize the voices of those affected by poverty in their decision-making process and seek to offer people a hand up, not a handout.

NEW KNOXVILLE — The Way International will be hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. The blood drive will be conducted at The Way International’s Outreach Services Center located at 19100 E. Shelby Road in New Knoxville from 8 a.m. until noon. Access to the blood drive through the E. Shelby Road entrance will be noted with signs.

FORT LORAMIE — Let healing begin by participating in GriefShare. GriefShare is a 12 week program meeting once a week that has helped many people as they grieve the death of someone they love.

CINCINNATI — Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr has announced the appointment of Matthew J. Daniels as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, effective July 1, 2024. Daniels will assume this responsibility from Kathleen C. Kane, who is serving as interim superintendent for the 2023-24 academic year following the retirement of Susan M. Gibbons at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

In March of 2020 my family gave me a tablet for my birthday. It was preloaded with a number of apps. One of the apps was called Zoom. I inquired of my kids as to what that was for to which the response was, “Oh dad don’t worry about that, you’ll never use it.” But, as you all know the world changed significantly shortly after that and Zoom became real practical in many ways. After I used it several times I discovered that if my background was unsuitable I could select from a number of beautiful scenes and presto I suddenly appeared to be on the beach or near the Golden Gate Bridge or on the edge of a rainforest. How awesome to just drop into that picture. I’m in no way trying to promote vain imaginations but I think sometimes it may be helpful or useful to see ourselves in another picture.