The newest book by prolific Catholic author Mike Aquilina includes the a story of a pope known for having mistresses and fathering children. The same pope, he writes, may have poisoned cardinals at his leisure and ruled Rome with an iron first. His point? The One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic …

Few Catholics following the events of the conclave that elected Pope Francis can forget the pontiff’s first public appearance. Standing above St. Peter’s Square, he addressed us as brothers and sisters, and acknowledged the surprise of many that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio had been elected pope.

September 2013 If you were a resident of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., you would be used to a rather unique sight. Your bishop, in that case, would be The Most Reverend Thomas J. Paprocki, and it wouldn’t seem strange to you to see him wearing full hockey goalie gear, …

September, 2013 The end of August and beginning of September means the fall sports season — particularly the high school football season — is here. The lessons that sports can teach apply across all types of competition, including all of Ohio’s high school fall sports. Cross country can teach endurance …

August 2013 I don’t know what time it was on July 2 that Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey walked San Francisco Giant’s center fielder Gregor Blanco, but I knew it was coming. My sister, Karyn, and I jinxed it. The walk came in the seventh inning. Bailey was on fire. …

I missed the rebound by just about an inch. A much taller 7th grader from Our Lady of Lourdes beat me to it. That was bad, but what was worse was that on the way down I lost my balance and tripped, landing flat on my face. More embarrassing still, …

From the May 2013 print edition of The Catholic Telegraph By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph  Deacon Jerome “Jerry” Bishop believes men are still being called by God to the priesthood, just that they’re more reluctant to respond. In the case of his impending ordination, it’s a case of better …

From the May 2013 print edition of The Catholic Telegraph By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph  In the minds of many a call to the priestly vocation develops early. The image is of a young boy playing Mass in the backyard, serving at the altar through high school and jumping …

By John Stegeman The Catholic Telegraph A relationship that dates back 99 years was formalized Thursday, May 2, when the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Archbishop of Cincinnati Dennis M. Schnurr and CEO of Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Roni …

This wasn’t supposed to be my column for this month, but then I’ve got it pretty good. I wasn’t hurt or killed in the Boston Marathon explosions, and neither was anyone I know. But three people are dead, and more than 140 are hurt as a result of senseless violence. …