May 18, 2011 Recently, at the age of 89, Cincinnati priest Father Joseph Beckman was asked to make his 13th trip to Haiti since 1973. It has been a turbulent 17 months for the impoverished island nation, still recovering from a January 2010 earthquake that left 300,000 persons dead and …

May 18, 2011 ARCHDIOCESE — Catholic colleges in the Cincinnati archdiocese held commencement ceremonies in May, preparing graduates to make their mark on the world with faith, knowledge and a commitment to service.

May 18, 2011 DAYTON DEANERY — Educators from Catholic schools in the Miami Valley were honored at the 22nd annual Teacher Recognition Banquet at the Presidential Banquet Center in Kettering May 3. Sister of Charity Carol Bauer served as mistress of ceremonies and Bishop-elect Joseph R. Binzer delivered the invocation.

May 17, 2011 By David Eck ARCHDIOCESE — God calls men to the priesthood in different ways. Some are already established in their careers. Others grow up wanting to be priests.

May 17, 2011 By David Eck ARCHDIOCESE — Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West also forms men from other dioceses. Deacons Stephen Zeigler from the Diocese of Youngstown and Michael Roemmele from the Toledo diocese are members of the 2011 class.

May 17, 2011 By David Eck In second grade Deacon Wright was asked to illustrate what he wanted to be when he grew up, and he drew a picture of a priest. The seed might have been planted early, but it took years for it to bloom.

May 17, 2011 By David Eck Deacon Puntel set out to be a special education teacher, but during undergraduate studies at the University of Toledo found himself contemplating a call to the priesthood.

May 17, 2011 By David Eck When Deacon Hess was a senior at Franciscan University in Steubenville, he was planning to attend law school at the University of Notre Dame but was also seriously considering the seminary.

 May 11, 2011 Alter High School

May 11, 2011 By David Eck ST. MARY MARGARET DEANERY — With a smile and quick nod, La Salle High School senior Matthew Westermeyer delivers a daily joke each morning as part of the announcements broadcast over the school’s closed-circuit television system. It’s usually a groaner, but the students tend …