Staff Report

Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Parish in Anderson Township is blessed and honored to have its website recognized by Liturgical Publications Inc as the 2013 Catholic Parish Website of the Year.

The contest was open to all Catholic parishes in the United Sates, with websites being judged on exceptional quality of content; design and overall visual appeal; ease of navigation; use of technology and social media; and utilization of search optimization.

“This is a fantastic example of an engaging parish website. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed by a beautiful design that incorporates their branding and logo. The site is easy to navigate and full of relevant and informative content for their community,” said Clare Zajicek, marketing content specialist at Liturgical Publications.

IHM’s website took almost three years to complete with input from IHM’s web ministry team, guidance from the parish staff and final development by LetItShine.biz.

To check out IHM’s winning website go to http://www.ihom.org/

Sisters of the Precious Blood award grant money

DAYTON — The Sisters of the Precious Blood have awarded $499,884 in grants to 63 social service agencies,    schools and social programs from the congregation’s Maria Anna Brunner (MAB) Grant Fund. The grants will support projects in 2013.

Founded in 1991, the fund supports agencies and programs in which a Precious Blood sister is either actively involved or is familiar with the people receiving the grant. This year’s grant amounts range from $1,200 to the maximum of $20,000. The funded agencies are located in areas where Precious Blood Sisters minister including Dayton, Cincinnati and Toledo in Ohio, and California, Michigan, Guatemala and Chile.

Some of the programs receiving MAB funds in 2013:

• The Tech-reach community outreach at Elder High School in Cincinnati, $7,000, in support of a program in which Elder shares it’s technology and resources with its neighbors in need.
• Su Casa Hispanic Center in Cincinnati, $10,000, for office space and equipment.
• The Mustard Seed in Dayton, $15,000, to incorporate the A.C.E. (Assess, Correct and Evaluate) Process into services currently offered to help teen mothers achieve success.
•  We Care Arts in Dayton, $10,000, for art classes for people with physical and/or mental disabilities.
• St. Vincent de Paul, Precious Blood Conference, Dayton, $20,000, for living expenses of the poor living in areas within Precious Blood Parish and northwest Dayton.

Mount St. Mary rector named to Executive Committee

Father Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh, president/rector of the Athenaeum of Ohio/Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West has been elected to the Association for Theological Schools’ (ATS) Seminary Department Executive Committee.

The committee is responsible for providing advice and counsel concerning the activities and direction of the Seminary Department and providing counsel for the ongoing work of the Seminary Journal and other initiatives under the leadership of the department, including the following:

• The Parresia Project
• The Catholic Distance Learning Network (CDLN)
• The current research initiative with ATS to develop assessment instruments for evaluating the four dimensions of the Program for Priestly Formation (PPF).
• The Formators Institute
• Reviewing the needs of priestly formation in the United States as part of the collaborative efforts of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) Seminary Department and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.