By Dr. R. Jared Staudt “All roads lead to Rome.” This proverbial saying from the ancient empire remained true even as Jesus’ disciples made their way across the world. The Eternal City, the capital of one of the world’s greatest empires, has served as the center of Christ’s Church …

  One of the first phrases I remember learning to say in French was the sign of the cross: Au nom du Père et du Fils et du Saint-Esprit. It was long before I declared a minor in French at the University of Kentucky. In elementary school, at Queen of …

Keller, Sister Dolores, 89, died at St. Leonard Center on June 23 in Centerville, Ohio. She was born July 1936 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood, Dayton, Ohio, in 1955, receiving the religious name Sister Mary Michelene. For 71 years, she faithfully served God, His …

By Katherine D. Schmitt On May 8, 2025 white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that a new pope had been elected. On the fourth ballot of the conclave, Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leo XIV—the 267th successor of St. Peter and the first …

By Grace Siener Faith develops the lives and personalities of people across the globe. Once one of those lost in an ocean of beliefs, I’m now finding my own path. After a decade-long journey, I officially became Catholic at this year’s Easter Vigil. My father (Joseph Siener), a man of …

By Susan Bergman  There is a quiet rhythm to Erma’s House. On the surface, the work appears simple… rooms are prepared, toys are rotated, and schedules are followed. Children arrive, visits take place, and families leave. Yet, behind that steady routine sits something much deeper. Erma’s House in Dayton serves …

By Andrew J. Sodergren, M.T.S., Psy.D. Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body (TOB).” We have been exploring Pope St. John Paul II’s meditations on Ephesians 5 in Theology of the Body. In that famous biblical passage, St. …

By Fr. David Endres Holy water is a common sacramental used by Catholics—to sign themselves before entering church, to sanctify the home, and to call forth divine protection. Ordinary water becomes holy water when it is blessed by a priest or deacon, who calls down the Holy Spirit to sanctify …

By Teresa Phillips The Saintly Seven: Black Catholics on the Path to Sainthood Last month, we introduced the Saintly Seven—the seven current African American candidates for canonization. In April 2026, the Archdiocesan Anti-Racism Task Force hosted the first of eight monthly events that will highlight one of those seven candidates. …

By Esperanza Gallon As we continue learning about the Saintly Seven, we are enlightened and encouraged by their examples. Venerable Augustus Tolton’s extraordinary life gives hope to the faithful amid serious societal trials. Fr. Tolton’s life is a “rags-to-riches” story, albeit not in the classic way. While born into slavery …