Reaching out to others with love: that sums up the work of the many volunteers who sew projects and donate items to the Wrapped in God’s Love ministry at Holy Angels Church and Sidney Community. “This is a group effort,” said Judy Zimmerman, who helped start the ministry and guides …

STORY BY Matt Hess PHOTO COURTESY Archives of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, US Province The Land of the Cross-Tipped-Churches is a collection of Catholic churches in the northern part of our archdiocese named for the gold crosses atop their spires. Founded by immigrants who were largely German farmers, …

by Matt Hess The Lord’s final mandate to His disciples before the Ascension was to preach the Gospel to all the world. To do this today, followers of Jesus are called to be communicators, passing on the faith through word and deed. Not everyone is called to this professionally, but …

I remember seeing the star every year as I grew up, after we left our family Christmas party at Grandpa’s house. It was on the dome of the St. Charles Center, a senior living community for Missionaries of the Precious Blood and local lay people. Their simple tradition of placing …

A lot was happening in 1964: the Beatles debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and Ford unveiled the Mustang. For Catholics, Vatican II was in its third session and Pope Paul VI traveled to Jerusalem to meet with Patriarch Athenagoras of the …

“Every Christian is called to be a missionary and witness to Christ.” This prompting by Pope Francis might seem like a tall order in western Ohio, but for Sarah Niekamp, a lifelong member of St. Bernard Church in the St. Henry Family of Parishes, the calling to become a missionary …

God’s Garden, on the grounds of St. Paul Church in the St. Gaspar Family of Parishes, is about community. First and foremost, it grows fresh vegetables for local food pantries to distribute to those in need. But it is also about bringing volunteers together from local parishes, connecting them with …

Brent and Beth Schulze knew they wanted to raise their family on a farm, discussing their dream even when they were just dating. Brent grew up on a farm and knew the benefits of a life of hard work and simplicity. And Beth remembers, “My parents had an old barn …

Late summer means it is time to go back to school. While some students are packing up their backpacks, grabbing their brown paper lunch bags and heading out the door to catch the bus, others have an easier commute. Some young people instead head to the kitchen table to begin …

by Matt Hess, photo by Danny Schneible Luke recounts to his readers that after Jesus’ death, two of His disciples embark on a journey. Jesus draws near to these friends and walks in their midst, though they do not initially recognize Him. They only became aware of His presence among …