A Eucharistic Movement Takes Root in Local Catholic High Schools

What began as a partnership with three Catholic high schools has become a growing Eucharistic movement in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. In just two years, Live Vertical expanded to 12 schools, bringing students face-to-face with Christ through Eucharistic adoration, retreats, and faith formation. Behind that growth is a conviction shared by educators and ministry leaders alike: young people are searching for something the world cannot give.

“It’s not about a specific initiative or structure,” explained Fr. Jacob DuMont, deputy superintendent of Catholic Mission and Culture for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. “It’s about supporting students, as well as faculty and staff, in our Catholic schools so that they have a deep encounter with Jesus Christ and continue to grow in their personal relationship with Him.”

Live Vertical, a ministry that aims to help young people know Christ, was founded in the Philadelphia area by Rob Longo and Luke LeTourneau. They do not charge a fee but rely on the generosity of individual investors to minister in schools. Fr. DuMont first connected with the ministry in 2023 after hearing from campus ministers who desired more regular opportunities for students to deepen their faith outside of school Masses and retreats.

The partnership between Live Vertical and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati officially began in the fall of 2024 at Elder, Archbishop Carroll, and Bishop Fenwick high schools. Lehman Catholic joined before the initiative’s first year ended, and by the conclusion of year two, Live Vertical had established some level of partnership with 12 schools across the archdiocese. To help deepen and expand that collaboration, Kevin Grieshop joined the Live Vertical team in August 2025.

Today, Live Vertical serves Archbishop Carroll, Elder, Lehman Catholic, DePaul Cristo Rey, Bishop Fenwick, and Badin high schools, and Chesterton Academy of St. Joseph, St. Rita School for the Deaf, Catholic Central School, Royalmont Academy, Romero Academy at Resurrection, and Mother Brunner Catholic School. With additional schools expressing interest this summer, the ministry hopes to expand its collaborative efforts to more than 20 schools in year three. To help deepen and expand that collaboration, Kevin Grieshop joined the Live Vertical team as area director in August 2025.

For Grieshop, the ministry’s rapid growth points to a deeper reality.

“I believe Live Vertical is growing because it is filling a need within our schools, especially with our young people,” he explained.

That need, Grieshop said, often reveals itself during the ministry’s monthly Eucharistic adoration sessions. Students enter the chapel, listen to Scripture and reflections, and then spend time in guided prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The goal is simple: help students encounter Jesus.

“We all yearn for silence and space free of distraction,” Grieshop said. “After being in the schools this year, I’ve personally experienced, listened, and learned how much students look forward to this time set apart for Jesus.”

Grieshop believes many young people are discovering that prayer is not merely a religious obligation but a relationship.

“The hearts of our students are searching for something more, something different than what the world can provide,” he reflected.

Fr. DuMont sees the ministry’s success as part of a larger movement taking place throughout the Church.

“I believe that a Eucharistic revival is happening in the Catholic Church today,” he said, naming events like the National Eucharistic Congress and local Eucharistic pilgrimages as signs of renewed devotion to Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. That revival, he said, resonates with young people seeking meaning and authenticity.

One figure inspiring that search is St. Carlo Acutis, the Church’s first millennial saint. Acutis’ deep love for the Eucharist and his ability to share the faith with other young people made him a patron and model for Live Vertical. Fr. DuMont said Acutis demonstrates how a young person’s encounter with Christ can transform not only an individual life but also families, friendships, and entire communities. Live Vertical leaders say they are seeing similar fruits in Cincinnati schools.

Students are increasingly taking ownership of their faith by organizing prayer opportunities outside of school, inviting friends and family members to Mass, and spending time in school chapels on their own initiative, Grieshop said. He has also noticed growing curiosity among non-Catholic students and faculty members.

“Many non-Catholic teachers and students are asking lots of questions,” he noted. “Students are becoming educated and convicted in the Truth of Jesus in the Catholic Church.”

School leaders have noticed the impact as well.

At Lehman Catholic High School, Principal Brad Zimmerman describes Live Vertical as “a tremendous blessing” to the school community.

“Each time their missionaries come to speak with our students, they bring a powerful, authentic witness of who Jesus is and how we can grow in relationship with Him through prayer,” Zimmerman said. Students consistently ask for more opportunities to participate, he added, “Our students continually share the same feedback—they want more.”

Despite the challenges of fitting additional initiatives into an already crowded school calendar, Zimmerman said he was motivated to invite Live Vertical to visit twice each month. “I know their presence is enhancing and influencing our school culture in a beautiful way,” he said.

Looking ahead, Live Vertical hopes to continue expanding throughout the archdiocese. Grieshop’s long-term vision is ambitious: regular Eucharistic adoration opportunities in all 112 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

For now, however, the ministry remains focused on one student at a time.

“There’s nothing more important for a student to learn here on earth than how to pray and be in relationship with Jesus,” said Grieshop.

As Live Vertical continues to grow, its leaders believe they are witnessing the beginnings of a broader Eucharistic movement, one that will shape not only students, but also families, schools, and communities for years to come.