Father Jacob Lindle preparing to head to Rome to study theology and patristics–the study of the early Christian writers who are designated Church Fathers. He will use the knowledge gained there to teach when he returns to Cincinnati. 

Father Lindle presently serves as the parochial vicar at the Mary, Queen of Angels Family of Parishes, which includes Immaculate Conception (North Lewisburg), Sacred Heart (St. Paris), St. Mary (Urbana), St. Mary of the Woods (Russells Point), St. Michael (Mechanicsburg) and St. Patrick (Bellefontaine). In St. Mary of the Woods’ February 11, 2024 bulletin, Father Lindle shared the following note about his upcoming studies:

“Do not be afraid! Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure. He alone can give full meaning to life. He alone is the center of history. Live by Him! With Mary! With the saints!”

Pope St. John Paul II spoke these words to the youth of the Czech Republic in 1997, but I also heard him speaking these words to me as I received the announcement of my assignment for graduate studies in Rome, beginning this July. 

Do not be afraid? What about learning Italian, Latin, and Greek? What about leaving family, friends, and beloved parishioners for five years? Do not be afraid, JPlI tells me. Why? Because life with Christ is a beautiful adventure. And as I think about my life, I know that to be certain with all my heart. 

Jesus has given me superabundant joy just to be His follower, and then He added grace to grace when He called me to be His servant and priest. Through Archbishop Schnurr, God called me to Champaign and Logan counties where He has continued to pour out His blessings. The amount of love and joy that I have received from all of you continually amazes me. I am grateful every day that God has called me here. So if God has blessed me every step so far, why would I think He would stop blessing me now? 

It is an incredible privilege to go to Rome, The Eternal City, consecrated by the blood of Peter and Paul, and to get to study theology. And I have the extra privilege of studying the glorious field of patristics, which is the study of the Church Fathers – people like St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Athanasius, St. Augustine, and St. Maxim us the Confessor, just to name some of my favorites. 

This privilege, though, comes with the sacrifice of leaving this beloved Family of Parishes. The sacrifice weighs heavy, but aren’t we Christians after all? Our faith was born in the sacrifice of the Cross, and we know that every cross united with His bears much fruit. One-and-a-half years in this family of parishes has been an incredible adventure, and the next five months are sure to hold even more glory. And when that sad day at the end of June comes, I know it will be a sorrow that will somehow turn into joy. For you, I can’t wait to see what God continues to do through Father Shawn and the new vicar and what great things He will do through you in the mission field of our counties. 

For me, I can’t wait to learn from the ancient fountains of our Faith in the geographical center of Catholicism and then (God-willing!) teach the richness of our Faith back at the seminary in Cincinnati. Jesus is with us now, and He will be with us each step of our journeys. Every Sunday and every other day we approach the Holy Eucharist, we are united to Jesus and in Jesus, the center of our lives and the center of all history. If we always remain united with Him and His Mother, we shall have no reason to fear, for we will have life to the full. 

With much love in Christ, 

Fr. Jacob Lindie